2015 General WEC/ELMS/AsLMS Discussion ThreadSports Cars 

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hsv
It grabbed a podium and was about 10 seconds off the win. Clearly wasn't as "way off" as you seem to think. The Audis also bounced like hell through anything vaguely tight, way more than the Toyotas.

If you think you're a top Toyota engineer and can set the car up better, do pop along and apply for a job.
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I would have but I'm not a Toyota fan but then again you weren't there watching them.

Actually forgot you were there since the Toyotas were taking your line through turn 1.
 
GTPorsche
The 919 is faster in a straight line, but it's slower than the Audi in the corners, which is why they couldn't pull off the victory today.
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That and their batteries gradually losing the ability to hold power as the race goes on.

sems4arsenal
so not like last year when they were mostly the best @hsv ?
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Not throwing the cars at the barriers when it was raining might have had something to do with it. The Audi's looked plenty fast at Silverstone last year in the dry.
 
sems4arsenal
Noob-ish question here, but is Toyota the slowest car so far?
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Well, from the best laptimes they were pretty equal with Porsche and Audi 2 seconds quicker than both of 'em.
I gotta admit, I expected more from Toyota, on the other hand, they were the only ones without any real technical issues.
 
Strakka 3rd in class after ESM exclusion for failing plank thickness test.
 
Furinkazen
Strakka 3rd in class after ESM exclusion for failing plank thickness test.
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Ouch, I'm glad to see Strakka get a podium finish in their first ever race with the Dome, but it's sad that someone else got DQ'd for that result to happen. By the by, which team is ESM?
 
Niku Driver HC
Ouch, I'm glad to see Strakka get a podium finish in their first ever race with the Dome, but it's sad that someone else got DQ'd for that result to happen. By the by, which team is ESM?
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They got Ligiers for Spa...
 
Furinkazen
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They got Ligiers for Spa...
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Ah yes, the Acura team. Guess Silverstone will not be a high note to end the Acura LMP2's WEC career, after a flop like that. On the plus side, it gave Dome their first podium finish since god knows when...
 
I have been so far off the sportscar racing loop since the demise of Speed Channel. It was so cool seeing today's sportscar racing muscle run circuits around Silverstone. All congratulations to each of the class winners ranging from the outright winner to the class winners. I was only able to see mostly the 2nd Half of the Six Hours of Silverstone since I woke up around 10:00 AM EDT.

Up next... bring on Spa-Francorchamps in about three weeks(?)!
 
Tired Tyres
That and their batteries gradually losing the ability to hold power as the race goes on.



Not throwing the cars at the barriers when it was raining might have had something to do with it. The Audi's looked plenty fast at Silverstone last year in the dry.
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What kind of batteries do they use?


And btw Nissan was the slowest today. :) lol
 
Spa is going to be a very interesting race as far as P1 goes, if last night's race is anything to go by. It was great to see how each car made up their speed at Silverstone but at Spa those characteristics will be amplified. Can't wait, especially now that I can actually watch these races live.
 
While the race was really quite a treat, especially compared to the Chinese GP, the LMP1s sound pretty silly/terrible. By contrast, theses new era V6Ts sound much better. I suppose MotoGP is in between for sound, but pretty much at the top for racing. Just my opinion.

What exactly is going on with the Nissan? I looked back a few pages and didn't find much of anything. Google didn't quite help either...are they seriously waiting til Le Mans to debut?
 
Toyota has admitted they werent fast enough http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/podium-start-for-toyota-racing/. But Silverstone is the worst track for their cars hybrid layout (the supercapacitor and regenerative braking). To be in the 42's is great for them. Only 15 seconds back is nothing to be upset about over 6 hours. Spa is much better for them. Itll be awesome to see if the cars can break the 1:58's like the old Peugeot.
 
Whodoyouthink
While the race was really quite a treat, especially compared to the Chinese GP, the LMP1s sound pretty silly/terrible. By contrast, theses new era V6Ts sound much better. I suppose MotoGP is in between for sound, but pretty much at the top for racing. Just my opinion.

What exactly is going on with the Nissan? I looked back a few pages and didn't find much of anything. Google didn't quite help either...are they seriously waiting til Le Mans to debut?
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They failed the crash test.
 
Whodoyouthink
the LMP1s sound pretty silly/terrible.
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They sound fine in real life. The Porsches and Toyotas sound like any race car ever (apart from in the pitlane), but the Audis are my favourite for noise as they make hardly any - in race car terms they whisper past. They're so quiet and fast that they've been and gone before you realise, which makes them a pain to photograph as you can't hear them coming but they don't destroy your eardrums when they arrive. Energy not being wasted as noise is good as that energy can be used to make the car go faster.
 
So after seeing the P1 battle yesterday (and now finally having time to comment on it), Porsche for pole at LM?
 
I had a superb weekend breaking my WEC virginity, and I'll definitely be back at Silverstone next year, along with Le Mans and perhaps Spa!

I met up with a fair few people, including @Roo (pleasure!) and managed to get twelve interviews with various drivers/commentators. I also attended Nissan's 'Fan Forum' which took place on Friday evening, which gave me chance to look and sit in the two GT-R LM's and also find out a great amount of detail regarding the project - they were also incredibly kind and gave me a VIP pass on Saturday!

Interviews

Kazuki Nakajima
Toby Moody
Sam Bird
Marc Gene
Max Chilton
Olivier Pla
André Lotterer
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Christian Klien
Oliver Jarvis
Mike Conway

If you'd like to hear any in particular then please let me know and I'll sort it out.

Photos

The Wing Paddock

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WEC Season Photograph

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Audi giving it both barrels

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Sam Bird in the LMP2 G-Drive Nissan

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The Pro class AF Corse Ferrari

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Nissan GT-R LM Nismo

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In the cockpit

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Roo around Silverstone

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Chris Hoy's LMP3 Ginetta Nissan in for a pit-stop during the ELMS race

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The No. 18 Porsche in a blur

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Looking at @Roo 's picture I will never understand how on Earth you guys manage to use the left arm and hand to do your gear-shifting (and hand-braking) :D

Great set of pictures Tom, I wonder who the un-named twelfth interviewee was?
 
Holdenhsvgtsr
So did you ask max how much he paid for his drive?
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Good one! Incidentally all of the factory drivers within the WEC are paid (as you might expect), so nothing as far as I am aware. I noticed that people are quick to slate Chilton, but many seem to forget that he has brief LMP1 experience before, after entering the ELMS race at Silverstone at the age of 16 years and 3 months.

Hun200kmh
Looking at @Roo 's picture I will never understand how on Earth you guys manage to use the left arm and hand to do your gear-shifting (and hand-braking) :D

Great set of pictures Tom, I wonder who the un-named twelfth interviewee was?
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Ah, it was in fact only eleven. D'oh!
 
Tom
Good one! Incidentally all of the factory drivers within the WEC are paid (as you might expect), so nothing as far as I am aware. I noticed that people are quick to slate Chilton, but many seem to forget that he has brief LMP1 experience before, after entering the ELMS race at Silverstone at the age of 16 years and 3 months.
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Not by the manufacturer they aren't.
 
Holdenhsvgtsr
No they aren't.
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I should state that this was the information given to me by Nissan during the forum. Also, slight typo on my part as I meant LMP1 instead of the WEC as a whole. Which ones aren't, then?

Also, as you have edited your post, who exactly are said drivers paid by if it's not the manufacturer?
 
Tom
I should state that this was the information given to me by Nissan during the forum. Also, slight typo on my part as I meant LMP1 instead of the WEC as a whole. Which ones aren't, then?

Also, as you have edited your post, who exactly are said drivers paid by if it's not the manufacturer?
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Personal sponsors who are paying for the drive and also the driver.
 
@Tom, what car was Roo driving in that pic?
 
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