Pagani Ganador

THE SCENARIO

“Pagani on Le Mans!” — the headline of almost every car-dedicated website in 2030, for the upcoming event: the toughest and one of the most prestigious races in the season. This is Pagani Ganador, Spanish for “winner”, a V12 hydrogen-powered prototype. Homologation is back, as it was in Group C of the 1980s and for GT1 cars of the 1990s, so Pagani presents two cars: a street and a racing model.

THE DESIGN RESPONSE

Using Pagani’s philosophy, this is a blend of new and traditional. Programmable carbon fibre on the nose wings makes the front flaps rotate into air brakes under braking. A closed cockpit means less vibration and noise from wind and car, and better protection. Two sets of tyres are moulded into one: an extra-hard outer layer and a super-soft inner layer, so when the hards are worn the driver has fresh softs for a few laps at qualifying pace before entering the pits. The rear wing raises and drops; when down it forms a long-tail version of the car for better top speed. A one-piece monocoque sits under the body for proven driver safety, and wind turbines in the wheels collect air, turn it into electricity and store it for a power boost.

WATCHING THE DRIVER

A lot can happen during the 24 hours of Le Mans, especially at night. If there is an accident and no response from the driver, the team is on edge to find out whether everything is fine. An independent thermal camera in the cockpit sends a signal, so the team can see whether there is movement and get some information about the driver.