Ignition specialist NGK has helped Repton-based engine manufacturer Gibson Technology achieve a significant milestone with its LMP2 engines.

During the Silverstone round of the World Endurance Championship Super Season and European Le Mans Series the company’s GK428 engines, which are fitted with NGK racing spark plugs, reached an impressive one million kilometres of track use since the fleet’s debut in September 2016.

For almost two years Gibson engines have been powering all LMP2 teams exclusively in FIA WEC, ELMS and the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as various teams in the IMSA Weathertech Championship.

It is an accumulation of all the track time during these races that resulted in the 1,000,000 kms covered during the Silverstone WEC and ELMS event with the 4.2 litre V8 engine.

NGK Spark Plugs UK Ltd Marketing Manager Mark Hallam said: “We are delighted to have helped Gibson Technology achieve this milestone. It is testament to the excellence of the NGK technical team that our spark plugs have the capability to achieve the highest levels of performance and reliability in such a challenging motor racing environment.”

John Manchester, Gibson’s Operations Director, said: “We are extremely proud of reaching one million kilometres with our GK428 LMP2 engines, which is a fantastic achievement within such a short timeframe and it is something that we are extremely proud of.

“Huge thanks go to all our staff, LMP2 customers, technical partners and suppliers who have helped to create this historic milestone. We look forward to providing all our race teams with the continued service that we pride ourselves upon.”

NGK is an original equipment (OE) supplier of spark plugs, glow plugs and NTK Lambda sensors to most of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers (VMs) with the same parts being available in the automotive aftermarket.