2017 General WEC/ELMS/AsLMS Discussion ThreadSports Cars

[trustjab]

The winning LMP1 cars this year in WEC ran 12,507 km of race distance, 1000km per WEC round, Le Mans was 4488km of that. That total does not include the practice sessions and the Le Mans test days. The entire Super GT season was only 3200km with only 1 race longer than 500km. I doubt those NRE engines were ever designed to last that long. You never answered my question if the SuperGT cars have to start under their own power after a pit stop. I assume they do but I never paid any attention one of the few times I have watched them race.

That's why I brought up the Toyota's RV8 engines which were not designed for Le Mans or endurance but were modified to do so quite successfully. So your thoughts on that being a disqualifier are already covered. On top of that, the rules are changed this year and each GT500 car gets TWO engines per year. That's a lot closer on distance. Something like an engine life of 4500km.

Rebellion should have kept the Toyota V8 and CLM is really only there to help with someones accounting so does it really matter they use?

Were talking about 2018 here, no, CLM or Kolles won't be alone. There are other options out there already.

I never said it did and I said the V8 and Rebellion in the same sentence so the answer is no I didnt forget.


The rumor of a ESM LMP1 is 100% BS. Ed Brown cant drive it, cant sponsor it, and wont pay for it if he cant do either one.

How do you know? Rumors start from somewhere.

 

[05XR8]

For 2018
http://ginetta.com/news_article.php?id=421

 

[IforceV8]

On top of that, the rules are changed this year and each GT500 car gets TWO engines per year. That's a lot closer on distance. Something like an engine life of 4500km.

Good, now they would have a chance to see the sunrise at Le Mans.

How do you know? Rumors start from somewhere.

Logic.

 

[trustjab]

Good, now they would have a chance to see the sunrise at Le Mans.

Logic.

Logic doesn't mean you know which rumors are true or not. If Nissan wants to put up their NRE for lmp1 use, they will. If esm uses it or not is to be seen. But we can't say Super GT engines are not capable of doing Le Mans when Toyota did it with Rebellion before they even were a factory team.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Logic doesn't mean you know which rumors are true or not. If Nissan wants to put up their NRE for lmp1 use, they will. If esm uses it or not is to be seen. But we can't say Super GT engines are not capable of doing Le Mans when Toyota did it with Rebellion before they even were a factory team.

RV8KLM was totally reworked for LM with the goal of it being used in the factory car which it was. I feel with after rework the engine will be ready for Endurance, but a Super GT engine as is, isn't ever going to meet the requirements of Endurance racing.

 

[aarror]

RV8KLM was totally reworked for LM with the goal of it being used in the factory car which it was. I feel with after rework the engine will be ready for Endurance, but a Super GT engine as is, isn't ever going to meet the requirements of Endurance racing.

They did just fine for 6 hours at Suzuka this year, the only issue might be Le Mans, but you could rework the engine for endurance without too much difficulty. It's been done with both the Rebellion Toyota engines and the Gibson V8, both of which are derivatives of Super GT engines.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

They did just fine for 6 hours at Suzuka this year, the only issue might be Le Mans, but you could rework the engine for endurance without too much difficulty. It's been done with both the Rebellion Toyota engines and the Gibson V8, both of which are derivatives of Super GT engines.

I'm sure most engines even a F1 engine could make the short races. But the fame is usually the 12 and 24h races which to me seem more endurance like in the mind of general people than 4,5 or 6 hour races.

 

[aarror]

I'm sure most engines even a F1 engine could make the short races. But the fame is usually the 12 and 24h races which to me seem more endurance like in the mind of general people than 4,5 or 6 hour races.

Well there's only one of those on the WEC schedule, so I'm not sure what you're getting at with that. An unmodified engine could run all bar 1 event with no difficulty whatsoever.

Besides, my point was more that a "Super GT to endurance" engine has been done multiple times, both successfully. So I'm not sure why some people here are saying it can't be done. Unless they're assuming that there would be absolutely no changes made to the engine, which is a silly assumption to make.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Well there's only one of those on the WEC schedule, so I'm not sure what you're getting at with that. An unmodified engine could run all bar 1 event with no difficulty whatsoever.

Besides, my point was more that a "Super GT to endurance" engine has been done multiple times, both successfully. So I'm not sure why some people here are saying it can't be done. Unless they're assuming that there would be absolutely no changes made to the engine, which is a silly assumption to make.

Teams mostly see glory in the long races, sure you can win the title, but really what does it matter, when LM or even other historic races get you far more notice. If the goal is to only sustain the predominate races and say screw the most prestigious race, then don't bother showing up.

I never said I disagree that it hasn't been done, I said after some modifications that are necessary due to rules and longevity needed, it should be just as good as any other out there. My point was to say that no you can't just take any old engine and say let's go endurance racing. If the goal is to make short races then sure, any engine will do that's the nature of current racing all over. So you confused my point, cause I even say specifically that yes changes need to be made and have just said it again.

 

[05XR8]

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/01/08/live-stream-asian-le-mans-series/

 

[trustjab]

DSC has an exclusive, MANOR will be in lmp1 in 2018 with the Ginetta! Engine will be a Mechachrome Di V6 turbo (seemingly based on the GP2 unit).

 

[IforceV8]

It will be interesting to see if they have any sponsorship or will rely on more ride buyers.

 

[Roo]

Audi have released an album of really very large indeed photos of last year's R18.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Remarkable cars aren't they?

They're pretty much heavier F1 cars with slightly less wing.

 

[Diehardracer]

Looking forward to this (no pun intended). This is right close to me.

http://www.lookers.co.uk/ford/news/lookers-ford-sunderland-showcases-the-ford-gt/

 

[IforceV8]

Le Mans 2017 auto entries. http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/keating-gains-imsa-auto-invite-for-24h-le-mans/

*Porsche Team: 24H Le Mans victory in LMP1. Invitation in LMP1.
*Signatech Alpine: 24H Le Mans win in LMP2. Invitation in LMP2.
*Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA: 24H Le Mans win in GTE-Pro. Invitation in GTE-Pro.
*Scuderia Corsa: 24H Le Mans win in GTE-Am. Invitation in GTE-Am.
*G-Drive Racing: ELMS LMP2 Champion. Invitation in LMP2.
*Aston Martin Racing: ELMS GTE Champion. Invitation in GTE Pro or Am.
*JMW Motorsport: ELMS GTE Runner-up. Invitation in GTE Pro or Am.
*United Autosports: ELMS LMP3 Champion. Invitation in LMP2.
*Keating Motorsports: IMSA Designated. Invitation in LMP2.
*Scuderia Corsa: IMSA Designated. Invitation in GTE-Am.
*Algarve Pro Racing: Asian LMS LMP2 Champion. Invitation in LMP2.
*DH Racing: Asian LMS GT Champion. Invitation in GTE Pro or Am.
*Tockwith Motorsports: Asian LMS LMP3 Champion. Invitation in LMP2 or GTE-Am.
*TF Sport: Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup Champion. Invitation in GTE-Am

 

[IforceV8]

ByKolles goes dumpster diving and finds a engine with potential. Why didnt they make this move last year? http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bykolles-switches-to-nissan-lmp1-engine/

 

[DK]

So, it's basically a backwards GT-R LM Nismo?

 

[TDZdave]

ByKolles goes dumpster diving and finds a engine with potential. Why didnt they make this move last year? http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bykolles-switches-to-nissan-lmp1-engine/

Probably wasn't available, though when that engine was on song at Le Mans it really got a shift on, hopefully Nissan give them some help,

 

[RACECAR]

ByKolles goes dumpster diving and finds a engine with potential. Why didnt they make this move last year? http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bykolles-switches-to-nissan-lmp1-engine/

Maybe they thought having the same engine as Rebellion would make them competitive, which was regularly proven wrong

 

[IforceV8]

Probably wasn't available, though when that engine was on song at Le Mans it really got a shift on, hopefully Nissan give them some help,

I wonder if it has something to do with Nissan LMP1 program withdrawal and contract issues etc. Maybe that engine was designated as a exclusive for a OEM only for yr 2016?

 

[TDZdave]

I wonder if it has something to do with Nissan LMP1 program withdrawal and contract issues etc. Maybe that engine was designated as a exclusive for a OEM only for yr 2016?

Id say its most likely, there's usually red tape everywhere in this sort of thing, unless they didn't think to ask if they could be used until now?

 

[IforceV8]

Id say its most likely, there's usually red tape everywhere in this sort of thing, unless they didn't think to ask if they could be used until now?

Or it was buried in the back of a warehouse under the official NISMO slip&slide and smoothie bar.

 

[trustjab]

Or it wasn't used because the two teams in lmp1-p already had purchased their AER engines for the year? Don't forget they had an 'upgrade' in 2016, which I think one of them went and tried but reverted to the original, then back again. On top of that, the Nissan engine has to be modified somewhat for use in a rwd lmp. Hope to see ByKolles with improved pace to at least be faster than the new lmp2's. It's about time someone used that Nissan engine too.

 

[CodeRedR51]

It's about time someone used that Nissan engine too.

I was hoping they would end up in some Altima's down under in a couple years...

 

[05XR8]

I was hoping they would end up in some Altima's down under in a couple years...

...guess we'll find out during or after next weekend.
From the NISMO Supercars contract extension

That’s the conversation we’re going to have either before Christmas or when we have the key people in Australia for the Bathurst 12 Hour in February.

“We think we’ve got an engine that probably works that we’ll need to spend some time and money developing, but Nismo are prepared to do that. That’s what they’re good at, engines.

Then I think we’ll be sitting down and saying ‘what needs to be done with the current platform to make it work for an alternative to the Altima’.”

Nissan’s V6 twin-turbo appears a logical fit for the Gen2 rules and is currently being used by Nismo for its GT3 GT-R and new IMSA prototype programs, as well as the RS01 one-make series of sister brand Renault.

 

[IforceV8]

Rusinov quits whining and steps up to race as Gold instead of the fake Silver he raced with. http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/rusinov-returns-to-wec-with-tds-run-oreca/

 

[SagarisGTB]

Having a gold-level silver in Thiriet on board is sure to have appeased his racing ambitions.

 

[shoemaker]

I hope the wec sort the streaming out properly for everyone. i cant watch alot of live races, so i rely on full race replays, but you can only do that on ipads/tablets and phones etc, but not on pc to tv, want to watch on on a proper size screen. I wont be purchasing a subscription unless its sorted. When I complained, they fobbed me off by saying nobody else has complained. Lame to say the least.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Toyota reveal 2017 driver line ups and plans tomorrow.