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ThePanoz LMP-1 Roadster-S (sometimes referred to as simply thePanoz LMP-1) was aLe Mans Prototype built forPanoz in 1999. The car was a successor to theEsperante GTR-1 which had competed in theGrand Tourer categories internationally. Following competition in theAmerican Le Mans Series and at the24 Hours of Le Mans until 2001, the car was replaced by thePanoz LMP07.
The LMP07 would however be abandoned by Panoz and so the LMP-1 Roadster-S was reworked into a new car known as thePanoz LMP01 Evo before being retired at the end of 2003. The LMP-1 Roadster-S and LMP01 Evo were notable amongst Le Mans prototypes in that their engines were located in front of the cockpit rather than the conventional midship configuration. This gave the cars a unique look compared to their competitors.
At the end of 1998, both theFIA GT Championship andUnited States Road Racing Championship eliminated the GT1 category that theEsperante GTR-1 had competed in since its introduction in 1997. This left the Esperante GTR-1s with nowhere to compete unless they were modified into aLe Mans Prototype, similar to what was done with somePorsche 911 GT1s. However, Panoz decided that an all-new car would be more competitive against the newcomingAudi andBMW prototypes in theAmerican Le Mans Series, a new championship founded by Panoz.
RetainingReynard Motorsport as a designer, the LMP-1 Roadster-S would retain many styling cues from the Esperante GTR-1, mostly due to the continued usage of the front-engine layout. Although other GT-based cars like the Esperante GTR-1 had used front-engine layouts, it was uncommon for a purpose-built prototype. However Panoz insisted that the LMP-1 Roadster-S would attempt to keep this layout.
From a design standpoint, the LMP-1 Roadster-S shares much with the Esperante GTR-1. Both cars have nearly identical front ends, with narrow fenders surrounding deep valleys with a rounded nose which housed the engine. ANACA duct would feed the air intake for the engine, while the deep valleys on the side that shrouded the front suspension would lead directly to the radiators which were situated in front of the cockpit. The sides of the car would be carved at various angles, giving an indented look in comparison to the fenders, assisting in allowing air to exit from various areas on the car. The cockpit situated behind the engine and just ahead of the rear axle would be small, with a single rollhoop immediately behind the driver with only the driver's side protection and rear headrest appearing from the mostly flat top of the car. The rear overhang would be short, leaving the rear wing struts actually attached to the rear diffuser behind the bodywork.
For a drivetrain, Panoz would retain theFordÉlan Power Products6L8 6.0 litre V8. X-Trac would provide the six-speed sequential gearbox.
Following the failure of theLMP07 to perform as planned, Panoz decided that it would be better to return to the LMP-1 Roadster-S that the company understood and knew could perform as promised. But as the continually updatedAudi R8 dominated theAmerican Le Mans Series, the company also felt the need to upgrade the LMP-1 Roadster-S in order to remain competitive.
Panoz began by modifying the front of the car to become much more narrow in the fenders and the center nose. All three now came more to a singular point at the front of the car, instead of the rounded design used before. The brake cooling ducts in the nose of the car were also made larger, with the raised nose's tip being moved upward. The air intakes on either side of the nose were also slightly revised by bringing their top edge forward.
The side air exhaust vents were on the other hand made larger, with only a small compliance panel being used behind the front wheel well. The rear bodywork was also extended, now enveloping the rear wing mounts. The mounts themselves were also brought closer together in a fashion similar to that seen on other prototypes.
The Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S would make its debut at the second race of the inauguralAmerican Le Mans Series season in 1999. Backed by title sponsorVisteon, only one car was available in time, leading Panoz to use an olderEsperante GTR-1 modified for the LMP class. However, the LMP-1 Roadster-S would perform well on its debut, taking fifth place a mere lap behind the race winner. The second chassis was completed after this race in time for the team to compete in the24 Hours of Le Mans. Both cars finished in their endurance debut, taking seventh and eleventh places behindBMW,Audi, andToyota.
On returning to the ALMS forMosport, both cars were able to overcome the olderRiley & Scott-Fords,Ferrari 333 SPs, and withdrawnBMW V12 LMRs to take first and second place. The next round would see theBMW V12 LMR retake the top position, although the two Panozes completed the podium. Both Panozes would again take the podium and win atPortland, before thePetit Le Mans endurance event. A third LMP-1 Roadster-S was now completed, being sold to J&P Motorsport, allowing for all three cars to finish the race. With the one factory car taking the overall win overBMW, the second would take fifth and the J&P Motorsport entry eleventh. The two factory Panozes would finish out the season without another victory, but the 4th place atGrand Prix of Las Vegas fromJohnny O'Connell andJan Magnussen allowedPanoz to take the LMP teams championship by a mere two points over GermanBMW.
For 2000, one former factory LMP-1 was sold to theDanish Team Den Blå Avis for competition in theSports Racing World Cup, while two new cars would be built for the factory team in the American Le Mans Series. The season did not begin well for the factory however, as neither car managed to finish the12 Hours of Sebring. The cars would rebound atCharlotte to finish second and fifth before the series traveled to its new European rounds.Silverstone would once again see a second-place finish behind aBMW before the factory team headed to the24 Hours of Le Mans.
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At Le Mans, the two factory Panoz cars were joined by the Den Blå Avis Panoz that had had a best finish of third so far in the Sports Racing World Cup. Two more LMP-1s were also there fromJapanese Team Dragon, using one ex-factory car and a newly built car. All five would finish, although Den Blå Avis' entry would not be classified. The other four cars took fifth, sixth, eighth, and fifteenth. Before returning to the United States, the1000km Nürburgring would be held for the ALMS. A Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S would manage to take the race win overBMW, the only win that the car would manage the entire year. Panoz would not manage another podium finish in the ALMS until the seventh round, followed by another at Portland. The defending Petit Le Mans winners would once again lose to BMW by taking only third and fourth at the event, before closing out the season without another podium.
Panoz would finish third in the LMP championship behindAudi andBMW, while the LMP-1 Roadster-S' successor, theLMP07, would make its debut at the season finale. In the Sports Racing World Cup, Team Den Blå Avis would be joined by a second LMP-1 Roadster-S for the team, yet they would not manage another podium finish the rest of the season. They too finished the season in third in their championship, behind a pair ofFerrari 333 SPs.
For 2001, Panoz would start the initial race of the season with a pair of LMP-1 Roadster-S before committing fully to their new LMP07 at the next round, the12 Hours of Sebring. This meant that the LMP-1s would be sold off to privateer teams, with most competing in the newEuropean Le Mans Series. Westward Motorsports would be the first to compete with a customer chassis that season, taking fifth place atDonington Park ahead of the two factory LMP07s. The team would not continue though, and an LMP-1 Roadster-S was soon bought by Lanesra, taking a third-place finish atMost before winning atVallelunga.
However, by this time Panoz had become frustrated with their new LMP07 following several disappointing performances, when it was decided following Le Mans that the team would bring back their LMP-1 Roadster-S. One car finished on the podium on its return debut before following this with a race win at Portland ahead of theAudi R8s. A second atMosport was followed by another win atMid-Ohio. However the team would suffer difficulties atMazda Raceway Laguna Seca and thePetit Le Mans, leaving them off the podiums. Panoz's combined points between the LMP07 and LMP-1 Roadster-S would earn them second in the LMP900 championship, once again behindAudi.
For 2002, the redesigned LMP-01 Evo would make its debut for Panoz in the American Le Mans Series, fully replacing the abandoned LMP07s. Although they suffered at the12 Hours of Sebring, they managed to show winning form atSears Point. However, on return to the24 Hours of Le Mans, neither car would finish the race. An older LMP-1 Roadster-S was also run in the race as part of a camera car forMichel Valliant, yet also failed to finish.
The team would later win at the temporary street course atRFK Stadium in the ALMS, before troubles with the aged cars saw Panoz fail to score a podium in any of the remaining races that season. Panoz would finish third in the LMP900 championship behind twoAudi teams.
The LMP01 Evos would continue into 2003, this time being run by the JML Team in place of the Panoz factory itself, yet still retained factory support. However the pace of the cars was lacking in comparison to its competitors, with a string of five third-place finishes in a row finally eclipsed by a second place at the finale atPetit Le Mans. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of JML's two entries managed to finish in fifth place behind theAudis andBentleys. The car would officially be retired after the 2003 season, with Panoz deciding instead to concentrate on the newEsperante GT-LM production-based race car for the GT2 class in the American Le Mans Series.
A total of eight LMP-1 Roadster-S and LMP01 Evos would be built in total from 1999 to 2002. All were retired from active competition by the end of 2003.
#01
#002
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#005 (Upgraded to LMP01 Evo)
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#007 (Built as LMP01 Evo)
#008 (Built as LMP01 Evo)