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This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:
This article was published by Michael Leary (@Terronium-12) on December 20th, 2017 in the Motorsports category.
This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:
This article was published by Michael Leary (@Terronium-12) on December 20th, 2017 in the Motorsports category.
Historical year for another Japanese manufacture win at LeMans!
Gone is the separate privateer class, which in theory should provide an even closer fight up top.
I may be wrong but i read that to say that they will just run the privateers in with Toyota as well therefore opening the field up in the top classI don't get this blurb about eliminating the privateer class. How does getting rid of a class make for more competition towards the top?
What about all those early walk over wins for Audi? Got any eye rolls for that? Toyota have been in the WEC every season. They are the ONLY ones still supporting it. They EARN it if the win it and given what happened last time that isn't guaranteed.Pointless, but I'm glad to see Toyota finally get their win.
eye roll
I may be wrong but i read that to say that they will just run the privateers in with Toyota as well therefore opening the field up in the top class
They're classified together and will run together, against each other. The private teams are getting a lot more performance this year with their cars than in years past. The ACO just released the regulations and said they will balance the cars based on the best of each 'technology'. So they will do their best to equalize the performance of hybrid and non-hybrid, turbo and non-turbo.I may be wrong but i read that to say that they will just run the privateers in with Toyota as well therefore opening the field up in the top class
Meh, it's not the same when you're the only one out there.Historical year for another Japanese manufacture win at LeMans!
"To arrive first, one must first arrive."Toyota might actually win this year because they'll be the only ones doing it.
Yes. I have eye rolls for Audi stomping all over privateer teams who had only a fraction of their budget. And even then, it wasn't because they could afford a whole new technology that the privateers couldn't touch. Toyota can. No privateer is going to run an effective hybrid LMP1 powertrain. The tech is still too expensive. 2016 was a freak stroke of bad luck for them, but Toyota have shown that they most definitely have the pace, longevity, and the ability to finish the race at the top against the likes of Porsche and Audi; there is no question that they can walk all over the very small, very budget-poor crop of privateer LMP1 teams. LeMans just isn't the race of attrition it once was. Sure, it plays a part, but but if Toyota brings three cars, my money is on them finishing in the top spot. Long-suffering support for the WEC don't mean a thing--nobody deserves a win at LeMans except those who have actually achieved it. Toyota have not. I have no doubt they could have earned a win, but Dieselgate killed the class, and they won't get to earn it against equally-yoked competition for many years to come. The ACO can do whatever they need to slow LMP1-H down to the level of privateer LMP1 cars, but if Toyota strolls onto that top podium spot, it will forever be an empty first victory.What about all those early walk over wins for Audi? Got any eye rolls for that? Toyota have been in the WEC every season. They are the ONLY ones still supporting it. They EARN it if the win it and given what happened last time that isn't guaranteed.
Hahaha! Agreed. If you can't beat ByKolles and whoever else is gonna take out loans to have a stab at LMP1 next year, just let it go.I will say, if Toyota doesn't win LeMans...it may be time to accept you're cursed and just save the money.
I will say, if Toyota doesn't win LeMans...it may be time to accept you're cursed and just save the money.
They'll be up against the likes of Rebellion, Manor and SMP, with all new LMP1 cars that are performances balanced against the hybrids, and with drivers of the calibre of Lotterer and Jani.Hahaha! Agreed. If you can't beat ByKolles and whoever else is gonna take out loans to have a stab at LMP1 next year, just let it go.
The Mazda 787B has gone down in history as one of the 'greatest' sports cars in history thanks to it's '91 Le Mans win. However, that win was handed to it on a plate due to Mercedes unreliability, but more so, regulations that hobbled the old Group C1 cars like the Jaguar's, Porsche's and previously mentioned Mercedes.The ACO can do whatever they need to slow LMP1-H down to the level of privateer LMP1 cars, but if Toyota strolls onto that top podium spot, it will forever be an empty first victory.
...so Hughes De Chaunac lobbied for extremely favourable regulations that gave them half a chance of being competitive.
Toyota might actually win this year because they'll be the only ones doing it.
After all, we're yet to find out how they balance the performance of hybrid and non-hybrid teams, and I'd like to think the FIA would have enough sense to stop there being such a huge difference in performance between their competition.