The Zytek Z11SN is an LMP2-class racing car built by Zytek Engineering since 2011. Powered by a 4.5-litre Nissan V8 engine, it is an evolution of the Zytek 07S and the Zytek 09SC, updated for the new Le Mans Prototype regulations that were introduced in 2011. It was predominantly used in the European Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and a Greaves Motorsport-entered Z11SN won the LMP2 categories of both contests in 2011. In 2014, Jota Sport won the LMP2 category of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Z11SN.
In 2015, following Zytek's rebranding to Gibson Technology, the Z11SN was updated to the Gibson 015S.
History For 2011, the Le Mans Prototype rules were changed to reduce costs. As a result, the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S became obsolete, and the Zytek 09SC, previously an LMP2-class car, became an LMP1-class car. In response to this, Zytek developed the car into the new Z11SN, and signed a deal with NISMO to use the Nissan GT-R Super GT's Nissan VK45DE engine. This was a 4.5 litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine, producing approximately in LMP2 specification. Greaves Motorsport were the only team to enter a Z11SN in its first season, with their chassis having originally been a Zytek 07S. The car was immediately successful, with a debut class victory (and third overall) at the 6 Hours of Castellet, driven by Karim Ojjeh, Gary Chalandon and Tom Kimber-Smith. The season would prove to be a successful one; Greaves Motorsport took the class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the LMP2 Team's Championship title in the Le Mans Series. At the end of the season, this chassis was retired, and three new ones were built.
For 2012, Jota Sport entered a Z11SN in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), finishing eighth in class in the first round of the season, the 6 Hours of Castellet. Greaves Motorsport bought two chassis, and also entered them in the ELMS. Both teams also entered that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Greaves' No. 42 car being the most notable entry – it was driven by former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle, his son Alex, and Lucas Ordóñez. The No. 42 car finished eighth in class, whilst the other Greaves car finished fifth, and the Jota Sport entry failed to finish. Greaves Motorsport finished third in class the European Le Mans Series that year, whilst Jota Sport finished tenth.
In 2013, Greaves Motorsport and Jota Sport both remained in the European Le Mans Series with their Z11SN chassis. The season started successfully, with Jota Sport taking a victory at the 2013 6 Hours of Silverstone. Caterham Motorsport announced that they would be entering the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time, using a Z11SN, with Alexander Rossi, Tom Kimber-Smith and Eric Lux as their drivers. The entry was a joint venture between Caterham and Greaves Motorsport, with Greaves also entering a Z11SN under their own banner, driven by Jann Mardenborough, Lucas Ordóñez and Michael Krumm. Jota Sport also entered the event with a Z11SN, with their drivers Simon Dolan, Oliver Turvey and Lucas Luhr. The Greaves Motorsport entry was the most successful of the three, as Mardenborough, Ordonez and Krumm finished fourth in the LMP2 category.
In 2014, Jota Sport won the LMP2 class at the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans with their Z11SN chassis.
For 2015, the car was substantially developed as the Gibson 015S, following the purchase of Zytek by Continental AG that established Gibson Technology. Jota Sport used it to finish second in the LMP2 class and 10th overall in the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, 48 seconds behind the KCMG's Oreca.
In 2016, Strakka Racing finished 4th in the LMP2 class and 8th overall in the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans using the Gibson 015S, the highest result for the prototype in the race.
Competition history
Complete European Le Mans Series results (key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap. +Complete European Le Mans Series resultsYearEntrantClassDriversRounds1234562011 Greaves Motorsport Karim Ojjeh Tom Kimber-Smith Gary Chalandon Olivier Lombard41AllAll1-23-5LEC1SPA8IMO1SIL1EST2641st2012 Greaves Motorsport Alex Brundle Tom Kimber-Smith Lucas Ordóñez Alex Buncombe1AllAll1-23LEC4DON7ATL5483rd Jota Sam Hancock Simon Dolan381-21-2LEC9DONRetATL210th2013 Greaves Motorsport Chris Dyson Michael Marsal David Heinemeier Hansson Tom Kimber-Smith31122SILRetIMO5RBRHUNLEC109th Jota Sport Simon Dolan Oliver Turvey38AllAllSIL1IMORetRBR4HUN3LEC3713rd2014 Greaves Motorsport James Littlejohn James Walker Anthony Wells Luciano Bacheta Mark Shulzhitskiy281113-53-5SIL6IMORBR4LEC5ESTRet308th Matt McMurry Tom Kimber-Smith Chris Dyson Mark Patterson Johnny Mowlem Miguel Faísca James Fletcher41All1-313455SIL4IMO4RBR6LECRetEST7386th Jota Sport Filipe Albuquerque Simon Dolan Harry Tincknell38AllAllAllSILRetIMO1RBR2LEC4EST3742nd2015 Jota Sport Filipe Albuquerque Simon Dolan Harry Tincknell38AllAllAllSIL2IMO3RBR1LEC3EST4893rd Greaves Motorsport Gary Hirsch Jon Lancaster Björn Wirdheim41AllAllAllSIL1IMO4RBR4LEC1EST2931st2016 G-Drive Racing Simon Dolan Giedo van der Garde Harry Tincknell38AllAllAll |SIL1IMO2RBR3LEC5SPA5EST11031stSources:
Complete World Endurance Championship results (key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap. +Complete World Endurance Championship resultsYearEntrantClassDriversRounds1234567892012 Jota Sam Hancock Simon Dolan Haruki Kurosawa Nicolas Minassian382-42-434SEBSPA1LMSRetSIL7SÃOBHRFUJSHA0NC Greaves Motorsport Elton Julian Christian Zugel Ricardo González Roberto González41AllAll1-4, 6–85SEB4SPA7LMS5SIL13SÃO4BHR7FUJ7SHA8995th Alex Brundle Martin Brundle Lucas Ordoñez423-43-43-4SEBSPALMS8SIL5SÃOBHRFUJSHA0NC2013 Gainer International Katsuyuki Hiranaka Masayuki Ueda Björn Wirdheim27666SILSPALMSSÃOCOAFUJ3SHABHR0NC Greaves Motorsport Chris Dyson Michael Marsal Tom Kimber-Smith Alexander Rossi Eric Lux Christian Zugel Gunnar Jeannette Björn Wirdheim Mark Shulzhitskiy Wolfgang Reip Jon Lancaster411-2, 51-21-3, 533, 74-544, 7–8788SIL5SPADNSLMS10SÃO4COA5FUJSHA5BHR3815th Michael Krumm Jann Mardenborough Lucas Ordóñez42333SILSPALMS3SÃOCOAFUJSHABHR0NC Jota Sport Simon Dolan Oliver Turvey Lucas Luhr382-32-32-3SILSPA3LMS7SÃOCOAFUJSHABHR0NC2014 Jota Sport Simon Dolan Harry Tincknell Marc Gené Oliver Turvey382-32-323SILSPA2LMS1COAFUJSHABHRSÃO0NC Greaves Motorsport Michael Munemann Alessandro Latif James Winslow41333SILSPALMSRetCOAFUJSHABHRSÃO0NC Caterham Racing Tom Kimber-Smith Chris Dyson Matt McMurry42333SILSPALMS11COAFUJSHABHRSÃO0NC2015 Jota Sport Simon Dolan Mitch Evans Harry Tincknell Oliver Turvey382-32-323SILSPA1LMS2NÜRCOAFUJSHABHR0NC Greaves Motorsport Gary Hirsch Jon Lancaster Gaëtan Paletou41333SILSPALMSRetNÜRCOAFUJSHABHR0NC Strakka Racing Nick Leventis Jonny Kane Danny Watts424-84-84-8SILSPALMSNÜR7COA7FUJ6SHA6BHR673*6th*2016 G-Drive Racing Simon Dolan Jake Dennis Giedo van der Garde382-32-32-3 SILSPA6LMSRetNÜRMEXCOAFUJSHABHR0NC Greaves Motorsport Roberto González Luis Díaz Bruno Junqueira41555SILSPALMSNÜRMEX5COAFUJSHABHR0NC Strakka Racing Jonny Kane Nick Leventis Danny Watts Lewis Williamson421-71-61-34-7SIL5SPARetLMS4NÜR4MEX4COARetFUJ6SHABHR667thSources: * Points were scored with the Strakka-Dome S103
Complete American Le Mans Series results (key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap. +Complete American Le Mans Series resultsYearEntrantClassDriversRounds123456789102013 Greaves MotorsportP2 Tom Kimber-Smith Christian Zugel Eric Lux41111SEB3LBHLAGLRPMOSELKBALCOAVIRPET0NCSource:
References