2009 Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S

There was always going to be a new LMP from Zytek for the 2009 season. However, new regulations for the year, announced the previous September, meant a change of thinking with regard to the nature of the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S, as it is known.

The GZ09S aero package includes a rear wing to meet with the latest regulations. The width is less, as is the box size. The end plate fitting has also changed. The plate is flat as before but is now simply fitted to the tail section with an angle bracket, as mandated by the new regulations. The tail section has been changed to generate more down force. It now features inner dive planes, which it did not have in 2008. The side bleed in front of the radiator behind the front wheel has been changed with a larger bleed area. There is a panel that closes off the hole, which is also there to legalise the side opening.

The front suspension geometry has been changed for the GZ09S. This has been done to help reduce understeer in the car and also to protect tyre life, a factor that is has becoming increasingly important with the new pit stop regulations.

In addition to the front suspension geometry, the GZ09S has a new AP Racing brake caliper package, a step forward for stiffness and cooling. The brake duct system has also been changed to take full advantage of this.

Early in the development programme for the GZ09S, it became clear that the entire electrical architecture needed revisiting and rationalising. The key point to the wiring improvements was to reduce the number of wires passing around the car.

MOTORSPORT – ILMC 2011 – 6 HOURS OF SPA – SPA (BEL) – 05 TO 07/05/2011 – PHOTO : JULIEN CROSNIER / DPPI –

This was achieved by the introduction of distributed I/O. Rather than running separate wires for each sensor to a central control box, small individual control boxes are placed in these areas; the sensors are then connected to the local control boxes which pass all of the signals back to central box on a communications bus, in this case using just four wires. The system implemented was the Lightweight System provided by Pi Research.

It was the integration of another Pi Research system, which provided the major functional improvement in the GZ09S electronics. The Hyllus Power Control Management (PCM) allows the 12V power supply to any electrical system on the car (in this case any one of 32 separate channels) to be controlled by any switch, sensor, or combination of, in real time. This has allowed Zytek’s systems engineers to introduce control functionality that improves both the car’s performance and its reliability.

In Detail

Story by Strakka Racing