NOVEMBER 24, 2005

Ilmor Engineering and MotoGP

Ilmor Engineering is not what it used to be. The company, which was established by Mario Illien and Paul Morgan back in 1983 to design engines for General Motors in CART racing, became Mercedes-Ilmor Ltd in June and three weeks later changed its name to become Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines Ltd. It is based in the Ilmor premises in Quarry Road in Brixworth in Northamptonshire. At the same time as this was happening, Mario Illien owned a company called Special Designs Ltd which in July was renamed as Ilmor Engineering Ltd and moved his special project group to new premises in Morgan Drive, Brixworth, and began working on his own projects again, independent of Mercedes-Benz. These include the preparation of Honda engines in the Indy Racing League, work in NASCAR with Penske South, plus the development of engines for high-speed military drones and also it is understood marine engines. There are rumours that this firm may one day embark on other F1 engine designs, with a new manufacturer, and work that in 2007 there will be a 800cc engine motorcycle engine for the MotoGP series. The plan is to lease the engines to MotoGP teams.