watch out Audi !! Le Mans battle getting closer

bkreigsr · 03-26-2007, 08:05 AM

my son is at Paul Richard, doing set-up of a couple of Le Mans racers and said the Peugeot's 908's are eating up everything in site. They were in the middle of a 24 hour test last night and kept breaking track records about every 2 hours.
diesel vs diesel
can't wait
Bill K

Zeke · 03-26-2007, 08:11 AM

Wow. And, I think you're right about the series closing up. Isn't the Acura ARX expected to be a comer?

bkreigsr · 03-26-2007, 08:23 AM

I believe the Acuras are a class below, in P2, and yes, with all the privateer Porsche RS's out there now and the Acura motor in a bunch of body/chassis configurations, P2, or the euro equivalent, will be interesting.

Bill K

TGTIW · 03-26-2007, 09:46 AM

Looks very "bird" like. I think it should turn out to be a hell of a race, though I think Audi has the advantage of experience and overall pit strategy and efficiency.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

Does anyone know why Porsche won't build a P1 contender?

rfuerst911sc · 03-26-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CJFusco
Does anyone know why Porsche won't build a P1 contender?

I am guessing that Porsche picked LMP2 because LMP1 may be going away? I don't have any inside info but in the ALMS series you have Audi and ? who in LMP1? It's no secret that Audi didn't want to compete in the ALMS this year but we're probably wooed by organizers to come back. Same thing for GT1 where you have Corvette and who? I wouldn't be surprised next year you see LMP and GT only with LMP actually being LMP2 and GT being GT2 only. These two divisions are constantly growing and there must be a reason don't you think? I'd like to see the current 4 classes continue but you have to have more than 2 or 3 cars in a class for it to mean anything don't you think? From all the class growth in LMP2 and GT2 the manufacturers/sponsors must be seeing a payback for their investment or have a vision for the future. Just my 2 cents.

Deschodt · 03-26-2007, 01:06 PM

Yes, but they did not show up at sebring, which I think was a mistake... Sebring has a knack for breaking stuff in 12 hours that might not be obvious at a le Mans test (smoother track).

I predict the 908s run ahead and break during the night, Audi wins again (yawn)... I wish someone would bring the porsche spyder though !

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

I was at LimeRock for the ALMS race last summer. Whereas the P1 Audis were obviously faster than the P2 Porsches, it was pretty close. Both MikeCT and I agreed that if the Porsche drivers were willing to drive aggressively, they might have won; they had the lead until about the last 10 laps or so.

It looked to me like they were afraid of damaging the prototypes, so they were driving carefully.

bkreigsr · 03-26-2007, 03:22 PM

Lime Rock was sort-of a gimme for the R-8's last race.

trekkor · 03-26-2007, 05:04 PM

Didn't the Porsche Spyders have the fastest overall lap times at Laguna last year?

KT

javadog · 03-26-2007, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CJFusco
Does anyone know why Porsche won't build a P1 contender?

Because they didn't want to get their ass kicked by Audi. They last built a prototype around 2000. Built it, tested it quietly and parked it where John Q. Public would never see it. Unofficially, they likely figured that one F. Piech would want his Audi R8 to succeed and would spend the necessary dough to ensure that it met his goals. After all, that same F. Piech did much the same at Porsche up until the early seventies, when his uncle booted him out of the company, along with his cousins, before he spent all of Porsche's money on racing. Remember the 917?

History has proven that Audi did spend a butt-load of money and the R8 was very successsful. Porsche did the right thing, even though it was a bit gutless.

The mentality of the people at Porsche has changed forever. The almighty buck comes first now. All the good guys are long gone.

JR

legion · 03-26-2007, 06:40 PM

What are the actual, technical differences between P1 and P2 and GT1 and GT2?

javadog · 03-26-2007, 07:08 PM

For the basics, go here: http://americanlemans.com/assets/pdfs/classesofcompetition.pdf

For details, go here:
http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/reglements/ressources/auto_2007/regl_2007_prototype_ACO_fr_gb.pdf

JR

bkreigsr · 03-27-2007, 03:08 AM

GT1 in the euro series is a lot different then in the states. The alms rules favor the corvettes and subsequentially, all the competition dropped out. no so in europe. GT1 is loaded with Aston Martin DBR9s, Lamborghini Murcielagos, Saleen S7Rs, and the Corvettes. Where the Corvettes are forced to play on an even field, competition gets pretty good. The Saleens won the series 2006.

AFC-911 · 03-27-2007, 07:05 AM

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/57642

Peugeot gets fastest lap time on test day.

Agreed on the competition on GT1...The Saleens, Astons & Corvettes are pretty evenly matched. Should be a good season.

rammstein · 03-27-2007, 10:57 AM

Could these be made to run on vegetable oil? They could pitstop at the concessions and empty the fryers in that bad boy!

bkreigsr · 03-28-2007, 04:21 AM

from EVO

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/207443/peugeot_ready_for_le_mans.html

nota · 03-28-2007, 05:38 AM

I can't see Porsche go against Audi currently
while they are not co-owned they do seem allied

I saw the indy ''sports cars'' run saturday at homestead
they look like kit cars in the P-class all alike
and had 911's in GT with mazda rx8,[the winner] a few vetts
a single mustake and some pontiac G6's [where did the G6 get the power to run with 911's?]

svandamme · svandamme's Garage

lol , a fap engine

as it goes by : fap fap fap fapfapfapfap