Debora LMP2000
| Industry | Automotive racing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Products | Le Mans Prototype race cars |
The Debora LMP2000 was a Le Mans Prototype developed by Debora in the year 2000 specifically for participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Sports Racing World Cup. Originally, it was powered by a 3.2-litre BMW inline-six engine, which was later replaced by a 3-litre BMW straight-six unit for competition in the Sports Racing World Cup. Only a single chassis of this model was ever constructed.
Racing history
The Debora LMP2000, entered by Didier Bonnet Racing, was registered for the 2000 Le Mans test session but did not take to the track. For the race at Le Mans, the team selected drivers Patrick Lemarié, Yann Goudy, and Jean-François Yvon to compete in the LMP675 category, utilizing a 3.2-litre BMW/Mader inline-six engine. Unfortunately, after completing 24 laps, the car was forced to retire just before reaching two hours of racing due to an oil leak in the engine.
Both Debora and Didier Bonnet Racing jointly entered the Sports Racing World Cup event at Brno; however, they did not participate in the race. At Donington Park, with a 3-litre BMW straight-six installed, drivers Yvon and David Dussau achieved eighth place overall and secured third position within the SRL class. For the Nürburgring round, Pascal Fabre took over from Dussau and finished 16th overall and fifth in SRL. In the penultimate event at Magny-Cours, Goudy joined Fabre as co-driver, but their race ended prematurely after 36 minutes due to gearbox failure.
The team chose not to attend the final round of the season held at Kyalami, leading to the retirement of the car from active competition. Didier Bonnet Racing concluded the Sports Racing World Cup season tied for tenth place in the SRL category with 20 points, sharing this position with Sports Racing Team Sweden and Scuderia Giudici.