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DAMS GD-01

DAMS GD-01
Category Formula One
Constructor DAMS
Designer(s) Rob Arnott
Claude Galopin
Technical specifications
Chassis Carbon fibre monocoque
Suspension (front) Wishbone/pushrod-actuated
Suspension (rear) As front
Engine Ford Cosworth ED 3.0 litres (180 in3) V8 normally aspirated mid-mounted
Transmission Xtrac/DAMS 6-speed sequential semi-automatic
Weight 595 kilograms (1,312 lb)
Fuel Elf
Tyres Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants DAMS
Notable drivers France Emmanuel Collard
France Érik Comas
Netherlands Jan Lammers
Debut Test car only
Races Wins Poles F.Laps
0 0 0 0
Constructors' Championships 0
Drivers' Championships 0

The DAMS GD-01 was an unraced Formula One car used by the French motorsport team, Driot-Arnoux Motor Sport (DAMS). The GD-01 was designed and built by a collaboration of DAMS and Reynard engineers from 1994 to 1995, and was intended to establish the team—which had achieved considerable success in lower categories—in Formula One (F1), the premier Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)-sanctioned level of racing. However, due to insufficient financial backing, the team never entered the championship, despite completing construction of the chassis and conducting limited testing.

DAMS was founded by Jean-Paul Driot and F1 driver René Arnoux in 1988, and was based in Le Mans. The team quickly became a competitive force in International Formula 3000, the level of motorsport immediately below F1, winning the 1990, 1993 and 1994 drivers' championships with Érik Comas, Olivier Panis and Jean-Christophe Boullion respectively. Driot aimed to take the next step in the team's progression by moving up to F1, thus emulating the examples of the Jordan, Pacific and Forti teams, all successful Formula 3000 teams which graduated to F1 in the first half of the 1990s.

In order to design and build a competitive F1 car, DAMS established a partnership with British constructor Reynard, an experienced constructor of racing cars for junior formulae and the American racing scene. The company had also provided data which assisted with the construction of the Benetton B192 and Ligier JS37 F1 cars, and had also built its own chassis, which ultimately became the Pacific PR01 after Reynard's plan to operate its own team fell through. DAMS set up an office near Reynard's headquarters, and assigned former Ligier designer Claude Galopin and Reynard employee Rob Arnott to lead the chassis design team.


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