Top Gear drives the DeltaWing

I'm the same size as Lucas Ordóñez. That's what the team is telling me. The team is wrong. I've stood next to Lucas, and he's inches taller. I can barely see over the fiendishly complex carbon steering wheel of the Deltawing but come to the conclusion this might not actually be a bad thing. After all, what my eyes can't see, my brain can't panic about.

Because the Deltawing looks like it can't possibly work. I know it's fast - Lucas and co-driver Gunnar Jeannette drove this thing to fifth place overall at Petit Le Mans right here at Road Atlanta, barely two days ago. I'm sure the physics is sound and am rapidly coming to the conclusion that Ben Bowlby, father of the Deltawing, is nothing less than the messiah of motorsport. I'm sure of these things. But then I elbow and shoulder my way back out of the deep cockpit after my seat fitting, look at it and shake my head. Back to square one.

Words: Ollie Marriage

Photos: Rowan Horncastle

This feature first appeared in Top Gear magazine