Ilmor

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Ilmor, founded by Mario Illien and Paul Morgan, was an independent British Formula One engine manufacturer from 1991 through 1994 that originally started building engines for Indy cars with the money of Indycar team owner and chassis manufacturer Roger Penske.

Daimler-Benz acquired Chevrolet's 25% share of Ilmor in 1993. In 2002 the then Daimler-Chrysler increased its share to 55% and renamed the company Mercedes-Ilmor. In 2005 Daimler-Chrysler became the sole owner of Ilmor and renamed the company Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines Ltd. At the same time the small Special Projects part of the company, which since 2003 had been contracted to design and build Honda's Indy Racing League engines, split away to become a separate company, owned by Mario Illien and Roger Penske. This new company, which is totally independent of Mercedes, is once again known as Ilmor Engineering Ltd ([link]). The new Ilmor continues to support Honda's involvement in the IRL as sole engine supplier, and in 2007 Ilmor is also planning to enter MotoGP.

History

A 2004 McLaren powered by the Mercedes-Ilmor 3.0 litre V10

In 1991 Ilmor entered Formula 1 as supplier of the ambitious Leyton House team (former March).

After some troubles Leyton House started as March team again in 1992, still using Ilmor-engines. But Ilmor also delivered engines to the Tyrrell team, that had a bad season 1991. Powered by Ilmor V10 Tyrrell scored 8 points through Andrea de Cesaris and March another 3 through Karl Wendlinger.

Ilmor already had a good name in F1, and so the Sauber sportscar-team and Mercedes-Benz that were planning their Formula One entrance together signed a deal with Ilmor. But Mercedes stepped back from the project and didn't want to give their good name for it. So on the cars there where only the letters "Concept by Mercedes-Benz" and the engine was officially called Ilmor.

But after an unexpectedly fast performance in 1993 (12 points, and it could have been more but for many reliability problems and incidents) Sauber convinced Mercedes to enter officially in 1994. Now you could read "Powered by Mercedes-Benz" on the Sauber engine-cover. In 1994 Ilmor also supplied the new Pacific GP team of Keith Wiggins with the old 1993 spec engines. Pacific had much trouble with qualifiyng the cars, in 32 attemps they only made it 7 times, although the engine was not implicated in this poor display.

For 1995 Mercedes had higher ambitions and Sauber wasn't good enough anymore. Mercedes offered Sauber a deal, but Sauber would have had to pay for an engine supply and so signed a deal with Ford. From now on Ilmor built its engines for McLaren-Mercedes.

In 2001 Paul Morgan was killed whilst landing his vintage airplane at Sywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire. This led to Mercedes-Benz increasing their financial involvement in Ilmor, with the company being renamed Mercedes-Ilmor Ltd.

Formula one participation

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