The Le Mans General Discussion Thread

The problem with having both Porsche and Audi at Le Mans is that Audi uses Porsche's drivers in one of their cars (Romain and Timo).
Remember that Porsche's drivers were beating Audi's drivers with an LMP2 car.
 
Those Porsche drivers will be replaced with new drivers at Audi once Porsche starts its program...
The RS Spyder was running thos wacky ALMS hybrid P1/2 regs which meant the cars were lighter and just a bit less powerful but just as fast.
 
gogatrs
The problem with having both Porsche and Audi at Le Mans is that Audi uses Porsche's drivers in one of their cars (Romain and Timo).
Remember that Porsche's drivers were beating Audi's drivers with an LMP2 car.
Click to expand...

But they'll still have Rocky, Treluyer, Lotterer, Luhr, Prémat, and Fassler. Thats still a decent line-up for 2 cars. And if we assume that McNish, T.K., Capello, and Werner don't retire by then, Audi will still be pretty stacked as far as drivers go.

And I bet if they feel they REALLY need new drivers, they could get some of their DTM guys up to speed in a year or so.
 
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gogatrs
The problem with having both Porsche and Audi at Le Mans is that Audi uses Porsche's drivers in one of their cars (Romain and Timo).
Remember that Porsche's drivers were beating Audi's drivers with an LMP2 car.
Click to expand...

That only happened because of short tracks Like Mid-Ohio and Street Courses like Long Beach. If they ever took victory on a bigger track, it was because of bad calls on the other team's part. Those drivers had lighter cars which naturally were easier to navigate around those places then the heavier LMP1 cars.
 
Stavelot
Those Porsche drivers will be replaced with new drivers at Audi once Porsche starts its program...
The RS Spyder was running thos wacky ALMS hybrid P1/2 regs which meant the cars were lighter and just a bit less powerful but just as fast.
Click to expand...

I dont think they where that wackly lol. Porsche really surprised everyone when they came out with the RS Spyder back in 05. Then even though it raced the retired Audi R8 it was beating the R8 on pace(not reliablity lol)(Houston was a big muck up iwth both RS Spyders grinding to a halt) on smaller tracks like Houston, Lime Rock, Mid Ohio..Then ALMS was like "lets just roll with it" and really allowed the P2 cars to compete with the P1's. Only the Porsche and Acura however. No ither P2 cars back then or now could compete with the Audi R10's.


hawkeye122
But they'll still have Rocky, Treluyer, Lotterer, Luhr, Prémat, and Fassler. Thats still a decent line-up for 2 cars. And if we assume that McNish, T.K., Capello, and Werner don't retire by then, Audi will still be pretty stacked as far as drivers go.

And I bet if they feel they REALLY need new drivers, they could get some of their DTM guys up to speed in a year or so.
Click to expand...
Its possible that they might lose Andre Lotterer because they simply do not have room in there WEC driver lineup unless they run 3 drivers in one car. If Fassler had a bad 2011 WEC season then Audi would drop him to running N24 and r8 LMS for customer teams and put in Treluyer and Lotterer in the R18 but since Fassler was spotless(bar Zhuhai) its hard for Audi to find an excuse to take away his sports car ride in the R18. So seems like Treleyer and Fassler will run together although i think Treluyer, Lotterer is a more potent combo(much like Montagny-Sarrazin) quickest guys on the respective teams.
 
Blaze_409
I dont think they where that wackly lol. Porsche really surprised everyone when they came out with the RS Spyder back in 05. Then even though it raced the retired Audi R8 it was beating the R8 on pace(not reliablity lol)(Houston was a big muck up iwth both RS Spyders grinding to a halt) on smaller tracks like Houston, Lime Rock, Mid Ohio..Then ALMS was like "lets just roll with it" and really allowed the P2 cars to compete with the P1's. Only the Porsche and Acura however. No ither P2 cars back then or now could compete with the Audi R10's.



Its possible that they might lose Andre Lotterer because they simply do not have room in there WEC driver lineup unless they run 3 drivers in one car. If Fassler had a bad 2011 WEC season then Audi would drop him to running N24 and r8 LMS for customer teams and put in Treluyer and Lotterer in the R18 but since Fassler was spotless(bar Zhuhai) its hard for Audi to find an excuse to take away his sports car ride in the R18. So seems like Treleyer and Fassler will run together although i think Treluyer, Lotterer is a more potent combo(much like Montagny-Sarrazin) quickest guys on the respective teams.
Click to expand...
So Fassler and Treluyer you think will get the nod for the WEC in the future?
That puts them next to Rockenfeller and who? If the old guys retire, and Timo and Romain go back to Porsche, he's basically lost his teammates. Lucas Luhr maybe?

They can't afford to drop Lotterer. Toyota will pick him up instead maybe, later on down the road if they run 2 cars because of his 'in' with Toyota in the Super GT
 
Stavelot
Engine will be 3.4l V8 same as supplied to Rebellion. Proven engine is the only way to go for Toyota.
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Thanks for letting me know. But by 2014 the engine rules will be freed up supposedly, so I wonder if Toyota will stick to the v8 or change it up.
 
2014 rules are supposedly centered around fuel allotment per race and I have no doubt the works teams and engine suppliers have to already be working on a new engine for those rules.
 
Word is Toyota Will be rolling out the first car early this week at Paul Ricard.

Hoping for some spy shots of this thing in the flesh.
 
Don't expect spy shots, if Audi and Peugeot can test there without spy photos being taken then you can bet Toyota will do the same.
 
Lord Drayson's new all-electric LMP, the Lola B12/69EV.
LolaB1269EV-RCE1.jpg

LolaB1269EV-RCE2.jpg

What interests me is the Cosworth logo on the car. I just found that they supply the ECUs for it
 
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Speed TV
LE MANS: Brabham To Lead JRM HPD Lineup

David Brabham will lead JRM Racing's lineup in its new HPD ARX-03a in this year's FIA World Endurance Championship. (Photo: DPPI/FIA GT)

Following the announcement last week that JRM Racing will contest the inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship, the team has confifmed that its driver line-up for 2012 will comprise David Brabham, Peter Dumbreck and Karun Chandhok.

They will pilot the team's Honda Performance Development ARX-03a in all of the season's eight rounds, which include the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Having driven for JRM Racing's sister team - Sumo Power GT - in the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship, Brabham's association with the JR Motorsports Group continues for a second season. The UK-based Australian brings with him a sportscar and endurance-racing heritage that spans 20 years.

As well as F1, his experience includes seasons in Japanese GTC, ALMS and the European Le Mans Series, plus outright victory in the Le Mans 24-hours in 2009. Significantly, Brabham was greatly involved with the early development of the HPD prototype and is therefore delighted to be reunited with this type of car.

"I am absolutely thrilled to be part of JRM's LMP1 program, especially as it's with the HPD ARX," Brabham said. "I did a great deal of development work with this car and therefore, I like to think that it has some of my DNA in it.

"Stepping from GT1 to the WEC is going to be a steep learning curve for the team, but there's some great people involved at JRM Racing and, I shall do all I can to use my experience of the car and endurance events to bring us up to speed as quickly as possible. I can't wait to get started!"

Dumbreck has had a two-year spell with the JR Motorsports Group and last year drove one of JRM Racing's GT1 cars. He too has an illustrious history of sportscar and endurance racing, having been a former works driver at top level.

And, after famously contesting the Le Mans 24-hours in 1999, he went on to compete in the FIA GT Championship, DTM, Japanese Super GT and the Le Mans Series.

"When James asked me if I would like to drive an LMP1 car in this year's FIA World Endurance Championship, I jumped at the chance," Dumbreck said. "With a new car and some unfamiliar tracks, it's going to be a real challenge, but I'm pleased that I'm teamed-up with David, who I'm sure will share some of his knowledge about the car.

"It's been a few years since I was last in a prototype, but I intend to get as fit and race-ready as I can before the first round, so we can hit the ground running."

Following his F1 appearances with Team Lotus in 2011, Chandhok has firmly established himself as a world-class competitor and the team is delighted he has signed with them for his first ever season of sportscar racing.

Now based in the UK, Chandhok's results make him India's most successful racing driver and has a CV that records three championship victories coupled with race-winning seasons in British Formula 3, A1 GP and GP2.

"I'm very excited to join JRM Racing for the new World Endurance Championship this year," Chandhok said. "Of course, I am very happy to be racing again. At the end of 2011, I explored the options to race in F1 and, when it didn't look like a possibility, I decided to look outside and the WEC presents the next-best option.

"Doing races which are six, 12 and even 24-hours long is going to be a new challenge. And, while I'm looking forward to the whole championship, obviously to be the first Indian to start at the famous Sebring 12-hours and the Le Mans 24-hours races will be a huge honor."

The team is currently preparing for the delivery of its car in February. It then will embark on an intensive test program ahead of the first race at Sebring on March 17.
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Brabs and Dumbreck are a very good choice, who knows about Chandhok, not ever seen him outside of a single-seater.
 
Great, from Highcroft's drivers the only one I still don't know what will do is Marino Franchitti (Pagenaud will do a 2012 Peugeot + Indycar combo I guess)
 
Its probably a fun toy.

I wish the season would hurry up and get here, Especially since I just got tickets for the 6 Hours of Monterrey ALMS race.
 
hawkeye122
Its probably a fun toy.

I wish the season would hurry up and get here, Especially since I just got tickets for the 6 Hours of Monterrey ALMS race.
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I wanted to go there last year, and I want to go to Sebring badly this year..............but I need all the money I can for Skip Barber.
 
sumbrownkid
All electric lmp car? Sounds interesting. I wonder how fast it can go down the mulsanne.
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Probably pretty fast. Audi, had a concept electric car called the R-Zero that had a purposed 286mph top speed...which means it's theoretically, it is possible to create a full electric LMP.

F1 fan
I think it would be more relevant to wonder how fast it will break down. :sly:
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It might have the same issues in the beginning as the Dyson Mazda hybrid, but, I think it should be fine in the end. I think it'll be more interesting to see how they last 24 hours. This would be were the quick change batteries would come into play.
 
SuperShouden
Probably pretty fast. Audi, had a concept electric car called the R-Zero that had a purposed 286mph top speed...which means it's theoretically, it is possible to create a full electric LMP.

It might have the same issues in the beginning as the Dyson Mazda hybrid, but, I think it should be fine in the end. I think it'll be more interesting to see how they last 24 hours. This would be were the quick change batteries would come into play.
Click to expand...

When did out have that?
 
nitrorocks
I wanted to go there last year, and I want to go to Sebring badly this year..............but I need all the money I can for Skip Barber.
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I'm pretty excited as this is my first year going. And then after that, I'll head up and watch some Non-motorized, 2 wheel action in Santa Rosa.
 
hawkeye122
I'm pretty excited as this is my first year going. And then after that, I'll head up and watch some Non-motorized, 2 wheel action in Santa Rosa.
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Ah well I don't live in Cali, but I go up there in the summers
 
The electric Lola is going to be taken from track to track to set electric lap records according to Radio Le Mans.
 

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