November 10, 2023: The winners of the PMW Awards, which recognize the highest standards of engineering across the motorsport supply chain, have been announced live at Professional MotorSport World Expo at the Köln Messe, Cologne, Germany, on November 8, 2023.
The format of the awards has been completely overhauled this year to better recognize excellence right across the motorsport supply chain. For the first time, the awards were judged live at PMW Expo by a panel of six expert judges, spanning various motorsport specializations from rallying to Le Mans and with experience in powertrain, chassis and race engineering.
The awards are organized by Professional Motorsport World magazine, which is published by UKi Media & Events, the organizer of Professional MotorSport World Expo, which has been held in Cologne since 2006.
New categories
Five awards categories covered powertrain; data and electronics systems; chassis technology; safety; and an overall award for Motorsport Engineering Innovation of the Year. The judges scored nominations based on their assessment of each product’s innovativeness, market relevance and overall engineering ingenuity.
The powertrain category attracted the greatest number of nominations and was a closely fought battle between Austrian outfit AVL and Bosch, the former making the first public presentation of its hydrogen-fueled ICE engine, while Bosch showcased its LMDh hybrid system. AVL sealed the win and also scored the highest average of any product on show. This secured it a spot on the shortlist for the overall Motorsport Engineering Innovation of the Year award, which it won with a unanimous vote.
A common observation among the judging panel was the importance of hydrogen in ensuring the long-term sustainability of many racing series, and with an output in excess of 400bhp, AVL’s engine proves that hydrogen and high performance can be a winning combination.
Moving into the chassis category, there was a spread of technologies on show. Alcon’s SMART brake inserts, designed to counter tapered wear of pads and eliminate inconsistent pedal feel, drew high praise, as did Mega-Line’s E-clutch system, which is seeing great success in sportscar racing. However, the winning product was Bcomp’s flax-fiber bodywork for the Super Formula SF23 single-seater. Designed in conjunction with chassis manufacturer Dallara, the panels incorporate a seamless mix of sustainable flax fibers and more traditional spread-tow carbon weaves, marking the first extensive use of sustainable composites in a high-level series.
Data and electronics was another hotly contested category, with industry heavy hitters such as Cosworth, Ricardo and McLaren Applied all presenting high-end solutions for vehicle and powertrain control. However, it was Greek company Plex Tuning and its PCA-2000plus portable combustion analyzer that sealed the win. The judging panel was particularly impressed with the functionality packed into the system – which only a few years ago would have been the preserve of high-end engine test facilities – coupled with a clear, intuitive software interface.
Finally, in the vital area of safety, although FEV’s latest CF-TEC2000EK fire suppression system, featuring Cold Fire extinguishant, won huge praise, it was EEC Performance Systems’ E-Pod intelligent, wireless, fuel-stop system that clinched top spot. The judges were impressed by the safety, flexibility and practicality it brings to pit stop refueling.
Lawrence Butcher, editor, Professional Motorsport World magazine and chair of the judging panel, concluded: “It is incredibly encouraging to see so many companies bringing new products to market; testament both to the ever-impressive levels of engineering ingenuity in motorsport and the current boom in public and manufacturer interest in racing. There are also many unrealized business avenues for our industry, crying out for the agility, high-performance engineering skills and innovation motorsport is renowned for; now is the time to hunt them down.”
