2017 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship - General Season Discussion ThreadSports Cars

[TheElbows]

What's bugging me on the Caddies is that it appears the liveries are "plug n' play". I assume we'll be seeing something more different/unique come race-time?

 

[JohnBM01]

I had a chance earlier this week to see the Cadillac DPi machine. At first, I almost thought it was the offspring of Cadillac and Audi's most recent LMP. The only true Caddy element I saw were those vertical lights. I would have probably liked a light design more consistent with their road-going cars. If I had it my way, I'd make the new Cadillac DPi machines as stylish as the old Northstar LMPs of the early 2000s.

 

[IforceV8]

***While the Dallara has been homologated to use Brembo brakes, the AXR cars were sporting AP brakes this week. IMSA’s Raffauf told Sportscar365 that DPi manufacturers have the flexibility to change brake and shock suppliers, but all teams within each DPi manufacturer must run with the same components.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/daytona-wednesday-notebook-5/

So much for equal footing for P2 cars compared with DPI- cop shocks, cop brakes, cop motors.

 

[catamount39]

So my guess (well...hope) was somewhat right then, GM probably seeing which brand is best between AP and Brembo. Interesting they're letting the manufacturers change running gear components as well.

 

[cnd01]

What's bugging me on the Caddies is that it appears the liveries are "plug n' play". I assume we'll be seeing something more different/unique come race-time?

Pretty sure they're all going to have the same liveries all year. Would like to see something on the noses of the AXR cars rather than all white with sponsor logos

 

[IforceV8]

Interesting, JDC are testing their Oreca 07 during the Dunlop test and are running on Conti's.

 

[RACECAR]

I had a chance earlier this week to see the Cadillac DPi machine. At first, I almost thought it was the offspring of Cadillac and Audi's most recent LMP. The only true Caddy element I saw were those vertical lights. I would have probably liked a light design more consistent with their road-going cars. If I had it my way, I'd make the new Cadillac DPi machines as stylish as the old Northstar LMPs of the early 2000s.

Problem is, how much of that is going to be aero efficient? I know people basically wanted that Cadillac grille and all the lines that have more sharp edges then a Micheal Bay Film, but there is only so much room for Road car styling before you forget about things like drag. You can't expect all road styling to stick just because Mazda made theirs work in a way that was aero efficient.

 

[Snaeper]

Interesting, JDC are testing their Oreca 07 during the Dunlop test and are running on Conti's.

[MEDIA]

Well I will not be the least bit surprised if Conti runs Le Mans at this point. They stated they want to grow the brand internationally and finally have the tire to do it.

As for testing during the Dunlop test, they could very well just be taking the opportunity of running on a track thats open for testing. It could be that Dunlop didnt have exclusive access to the track. It could also be IMSA/ISC doing them a favor since they hold the lease....

 

[twitcher]

Compared to the other two, there's sharp lines all over the Caddy. The side gills are angular, the rear wing end plates, the whole rear fender, the way the side mirrors are attatched. To me, it looks like a Caddy.

 

[Mike458]

What's bugging me on the Caddies is that it appears the liveries are "plug n' play". I assume we'll be seeing something more different/unique come race-time?

I hope that we can see some crazy liveries on the Caddy…

Also no almighty wings for Daytona… I am disappoint… (not that I was expecting any car to have one this year)

 

[IforceV8]

As for testing during the Dunlop test, they could very well just be taking the opportunity of running on a track thats open for testing. It could be that Dunlop didnt have exclusive access to the track. It could also be IMSA/ISC doing them a favor since they hold the lease....

It seems that way, the track is open for business.

 

[IforceV8]

oh look another double post.

OK I might as well post this here. http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/mazda-targeting-customer-dpi-program/

 

[CodeRedR51]

WEATHERTECH RACING TESTING AND ANNOUNCES DRIVER LINE-UP FOR ROLEX 24

SVG. 👍

 

[AnthonyD1993]

Reading through some of the comments on Racer, I kind of wonder now if GM had issues with the Brembo setup during testing before this and is running both packages now to decide upon a final brake package. If they did have issues, I'd guess that they're trying the AP package to see if it either works better or is more reliable than the Brembo that they are familiar with.

Mazda is looking at establishing a customer DPi program as early as the end of 2017.

 

[GTFan24]

So when will we see the Nissan DPi?

 

[IforceV8]

WEATHERTECH RACING TESTING AND ANNOUNCES DRIVER LINE-UP FOR ROLEX 24

SVG. 👍

Did he sign up with a Merc team just so he could tweak Betty?

 

[catamount39]

So when will we see the Nissan DPi?

Probably at the Roar by the latest, maybe earlier hopefully.

oh look another double post.

OK I might as well post this here. http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/mazda-targeting-customer-dpi-program/

Reading through some of the comments on Racer, I kind of wonder now if GM had issues with the Brembo setup during testing before this and is running both packages now to decide upon a final brake package. If they did have issues, I'd guess that they're trying the AP package to see if it either works better or is more reliable than the Brembo that they are familiar with.

Mazda is looking at establishing a customer DPi program as early as the end of 2017.

Maybe Spirit of Daytona and Starworks in 2018?

 

[IforceV8]

Probably at the Roar by the latest, maybe earlier hopefully.

From Sc365 notebook

***While yet to break cover, it’s understood the Nissan bodywork on the Tequila Patron ESM Ligier DPis is inspired from the GT-R road car. The car is due to take part in a full-scale IMSA wind tunnel test on Tuesday, the last of the prototypes to be validated.

If the wind tunnel test does not go well they will be screwed. If the bodywork is approved can they build enough spares in 2 weeks to be in place on Jan 6th? If it is not approved then what? They only have 15 days between the wind tunnel test and the day the cars will need to be loaded on the truck to arrive in Daytona Jan 5th.

I'm betting the X-Mas party at ESM will be a pizza run at 9pm Fri 12/23 and will last about 20 min before the boys in the shop have to get back to work.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Was this a last minute deal? Seems they decided to jump in late and are rushing to catch up. Which never ends well...

 

[catamount39]

From Sc365 notebook

***While yet to break cover, it’s understood the Nissan bodywork on the Tequila Patron ESM Ligier DPis is inspired from the GT-R road car. The car is due to take part in a full-scale IMSA wind tunnel test on Tuesday, the last of the prototypes to be validated.

If the wind tunnel test does not go well they will be screwed. If the bodywork is approved can they build enough spares in 2 weeks to be in place on Jan 6th? If it is not approved then what? They only have 15 days between the wind tunnel test and the day the cars will need to be loaded on the truck to arrive in Daytona Jan 5th.

I'm betting the X-Mas party at ESM will be a pizza run at 9pm Fri 12/23 and will last about 20 min before the boys in the shop have to get back to work.

Overtime FTW.

Was this a last minute deal? Seems they decided to jump in late and are rushing to catch up. Which never ends well...

If I remember it was, much later than Mazda and Cadillac.

 

[Mike458]

Who's betting that the PCs are going to crash into the nonexistent Deltawing?

 

[twitcher]

Who's betting that the PCs are going to crash into the nonexistent Deltawing?

Who's betting the start is going to be a cluster 🤬, with the GTLM field starting right on the tail of be PC field. GTLM weaving through AM PC drivers on cold tires with cold brakes is going to be...interesting...to say the least.

 

[IforceV8]

Was this a last minute deal?

September

Seems they decided to jump in late and are rushing to catch up.

Yep.

Which never ends well...

True dat.


Looks pretty balanced.

 

[twitcher]

September
Looks pretty balanced.

I dunno....looks pretty "amateur" to me

 

[catamount39]

September

Yep.

True dat.


Looks pretty balanced.

V6 Turbo, but the nicest V6 Turbo in a GT car in a long time (as too be expected from Honda, see Indycar Honda engine for reference). I can't wait to see this car in full livery. I'm rooting for the Riley AMG's to dominate, but I definitely will be rooting for Shank.

 

[JohnBM01]

Someone on Facebook suggested the new Acura NSX racing machines should have unpainted carbon fiber (or not all painted up). I thought originally that the NSXes kind of have a silhouette similar to the Audi R8 GT cars. The new NSX is still a fine car. While I still want to see an NSX in person and in the flesh, I'm intrigued and interested to see how the NSXes perform.

 

[Snaeper]

I feel that there are enough variables involved with the Nissan program to not write them off yet. Its a proven engine in a chassis that is being designed on a larger scale than a manufacturer-specific tub.

I think theres always the possibility of failure in anything, but Nissan's odds are better than if they were trying to build a car and engine from the ground up in the same time frame.

 

[sumbrownkid]

A Nissan DPi based off the styling cues of the GT-R but no turbo 6 in it will make me a sad panda.

 

[NRG MBL59]

It has the V6TT from the GTR GT3, what are you on about....

 

[aarror]

I expect Nissan/ESM to be more competitive than Mazda despite the late start, the Onroak chassis is sure to be one of the best and the engine has already done plenty of 24 hour races in the GT3 car. Hell, when Hartley and Derani are in the car I'm sure it'll be the quickest thing out there. I'd still bet on a Cadillac win though.