The California businessman is driving toward what he calls a new generation of open-wheel racing with the T1 Turbine concept race car. The design was developed by Andries Van Overbeeke, who looked to original fan cars for inspiration.
Instead of a traditional combustion engine you'd see in your average race car, the T1 Turbine has an air-cooled Rolls-Royce turbine engine pushing 700 horsepower while a CVT acts as the transmission. Hylton states that the engine would be good for 10 seasons (2,000 hours) before an overhaul would be needed. This would reduce engine costs by a fair 70 percent.
Turbine engines were a popular topic in the 1960s after running in the Indianapolis 500. The engine type nearly won both the '67 and '68 races before the type was banned from participation. They participated in Formula 1 racing for a time, though to less success. Turbine engines have been banned from every major racing event ever since.
Hylton believes that the idea wasn't a proper fit for the time period, but that modern technology makes it far more realistic. His hopes are to usher in a new branch of racing in motor sports.
The project has been fully funded by Hylton, himself. Though before the concept can take to the tracks, a proof-of-concept would be produced first. Who knows, maybe F1 can one day be shadowed by T1 racing.
