2017 General WEC/ELMS/AsLMS Discussion ThreadSports Cars
- Thread starter IforceV8
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- Curitiba
This is just sad. Leaving sports cars racing and Le Mans altogether to focus on those finicky F-E cars...
Sad day for motorsports.
Sad day for motorsports.
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- 13,295
- GTPlanet
- Street-King-07
- Quattro Saltire
I'm bummed as well but given the dire straits that VAG is in right now with Dieselgate and their massive cost cutting programme, I can see the reasoning why Audi would leave.
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
- 9,554
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- catamount39
- 29,985
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
Audi have been an incredible entry in sports cars but what left is there for them to do? If anything, it will be refreshing to see who will now ascend to being the best sports car constructor. Someone different. 17 years is a lonnnnnnng time.
Toyota still won't win at Le Mans. 
- 13,078
- United Kingdom
Audi are moving into Formula E for business reasons mainly as a brand. They know they'll get more relevant electric powetrain development in FE over any other series, so for a leading manufacturer to pump a lot of money into developing better Electric Motors for cars, it is unsurprising.
Formula E (and Roborace) are just tools for the development of technology for the future, and the fact that FE has some of the best racing in single seaters at the moment is just a bonus.
Formula E (and Roborace) are just tools for the development of technology for the future, and the fact that FE has some of the best racing in single seaters at the moment is just a bonus.
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- catamount39
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Read "some of"Indycar would like to argue with that part.
It's been much better than for example F3, GP3 and FR3.5. I still think the first Buenos Aires ePrix was one of the top 5 single seater races I've ever seen.
- 7,116
- Birmingham, UK
- GOTMAXPOWER
So next year the top class at Le Mans will be 2 Porsche's, 2 Toyota's and an unreliable CLM. They had their chance to fix LMP1-L but failed.
Is this an excuse to add an LMP2 sub-class for all pro line-ups?
Is this an excuse to add an LMP2 sub-class for all pro line-ups?
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
LMP1's in their current form make around 1,000hp, have crushed average race speed records, and are better than F1 cars. Let that marinate in your brain for a minute then come back.
Edit: At the same time, unrelated to post above, the speed is also because the costs have sky rocketed. My theory is that LMP2 will eventually take over LMP1's role, and LMP3 will take over LMP2's old role, both in terms of regulations. Or the FIA wise up and make LMP1 to IMSA DPi spec if things hit the fan. And people said GT3 is in trouble....uh huh....yeah....yeah that's so true.
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- 271
- India
- dingodile_r89
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- GOTMAXPOWER
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- catamount39
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- fortbo
- fortbo
Or, what about a DPI effort?
- 24,642
- Anoka, MN
It's sad to see Audi go but it's not overly surprising considering Dieselgate and their already monstrous motorsports budget. Plus I think VAG was hoping Audi would catch up to Porsche in the overall Le Mans wins so they could play up the rivalry. Unfortunately Porsche ruined that by doing what they do best.
Well, Bentley never said no to anything other than a 2017 entry. 💡
- 14,061
- Ireland
- driftking18594
- CiaranGTR94
Well that's just great, just two years ago with Nissan's return it looked like endurance racing was returning to the glory days of Group C, with dozens competing in the top prototype class. Fat chance of that happening now. 
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