2015 General WEC/ELMS/AsLMS Discussion ThreadSports Cars 

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I'm not really sure what car to pick for Le Mans.

During their first stint, Porsche were absolutely dominant. But after the first pit stop, I never had the feeling Porsche were pulling away from Audi. I'd say the Audis brought the battle back to Porsche. It seems the Audi is performing a lot better on the tyres on average, while Porsche is the clear fastest car when the tyres are worn in.

I'd say a Spa set up would come closest to Le Mans as to how we could get any indication of how the cars will stack up at Le Mans. But since Le Mans is an even faster track, I'm going to take a leap of faith here and say that Porsche will perform even better there.

The only thing left for Porsche to worry about is tyre performance, and pitstop strategy. Audi seems to have the upper hand in this department.

Very disappointing to see Toyota this far back. One would say they are running last year's car. I'm desperately hoping for a comeback of their form at Le Mans. But as Porsche and Audi are bringing three cars each, and all of them are this fast, I can see Toyota being the Lola Aston Martins in this year's Le Mans edition: Outnumbered, and outpaced.
 
Bram Turismo
I'm not really sure what car to pick for Le Mans.

During their first stint, Porsche were absolutely dominant. But after the first pit stop, I never had the feeling Porsche were pulling away from Audi. I'd say the Audis brought the battle back to Porsche. It seems the Audi is performing a lot better on the tyres on average, while Porsche is the clear fastest car when the tyres are worn in.

I'd say a Spa set up would come closest to Le Mans as to how we could get any indication of how the cars will stack up at Le Mans. But since Le Mans is an even faster track, I'm going to take a leap of faith here and say that Porsche will perform even better there.

The only thing left for Porsche to worry about is tyre performance, and pitstop strategy. Audi seems to have the upper hand in this department.

Very disappointing to see Toyota this far back. One would say they are running last year's car. I'm desperately hoping for a comeback of their form at Le Mans. But as Porsche and Audi are bringing three cars each, and all of them are this fast, I can see Toyota being the Lola Aston Martins in this year's Le Mans edition: Outnumbered, and outpaced.
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Its easy. Pick nissan. While everyone else is battling for season points Nissan is doing serious testing for only one race. :)

From the feed I saw Audi won by 12 seconds not 13, but that's just being picky. Lol.
 
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I can see this year's Toyota do what the Audi of last year did, struggle all year but win Le Mans.
 
Panoz
I can see this year's Toyota do what the Audi of last year did, struggle all year but win Le Mans.
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Going 2v6 and putting all your money on reliability isn't a bright idea, as the #1 car showed today.
 
A few other bits of info from this weekend. http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/spa-friday-notebook-2/


***ACO Sporting Director Vincent Beaumesnil confirmed to Sportscar365 that the spec engine to be used in the FIA WEC, European and Asian Le Mans Series beginning in 2017 will not be from an OEM but rather from an independent engine builder, in order to allow team-specific engine branding.

***Beaumesnil would not confirm the number of licensed LMP2 chassis constructors for 2017, with full details of the regulations to be revealed next month at Le Mans. The ACO’s initial proposal called for a limitation to four constructors (with at least one being North American), although it’s believed there’s been consideration to increase that number.

***The 2016 GTE regulations, meanwhile, are “99 percent complete” according to Beaumesnil, with a formal presentation likely to be made next month as well. Major changes include an increase in power, new safety measures, such as an roof escape hatch, as well as a tighter control on waivers.


Judd, AER ,Cosworth, Ilmor, Roush Yates, RCR. The engine bidding process could be interesting IF it is allowed to be.

I understand the 4 constructor limit but if a few other can show they have the ability to build more than 1-offs and make the cost cap then they should allow 6-7 constructors.

Escape hatch? What about a ejection seat too?
 
Interesting that RCR has put their name into the engine builder possibility. I don't think they've done anything beyond NASCAR.
 
IforceV8
A few other bits of info from this weekend. http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/spa-friday-notebook-2/


***ACO Sporting Director Vincent Beaumesnil confirmed to Sportscar365 that the spec engine to be used in the FIA WEC, European and Asian Le Mans Series beginning in 2017 will not be from an OEM but rather from an independent engine builder, in order to allow team-specific engine branding.

***Beaumesnil would not confirm the number of licensed LMP2 chassis constructors for 2017, with full details of the regulations to be revealed next month at Le Mans. The ACO’s initial proposal called for a limitation to four constructors (with at least one being North American), although it’s believed there’s been consideration to increase that number.

***The 2016 GTE regulations, meanwhile, are “99 percent complete” according to Beaumesnil, with a formal presentation likely to be made next month as well. Major changes include an increase in power, new safety measures, such as an roof escape hatch, as well as a tighter control on waivers.


Judd, AER ,Cosworth, Ilmor, Roush Yates, RCR. The engine bidding process could be interesting IF it is allowed to be.

I understand the 4 constructor limit but if a few other can show they have the ability to build more than 1-offs and make the cost cap then they should allow 6-7 constructors.

Escape hatch? What about a ejection seat too?
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Roush and Cosworth... those are both builders for Ford, right? Thats odd. And RCR too. Sounds like they want some Nascar style racing.

sumbrownkid
Toyota may need a Ferrari monkey wrench thrown at Audi and Porsche to help them at Le Mans.
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Lol The 51 Ferrari almost wrecked itself and the 99 Aston Martin. In the battle for the lead. :)
 
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Cosworth hasn't been a builder of Ford engines since 2003.

As for my quip about the DP being NASCAR, I only say that because the DP was created by the France family.
 
sk8er913
Well I pick Nissan. Solely for the purpose that its the only race they car about. :D
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And that means nothing, and no amount of testing can simulate a race. In fact the racing that the other three are doing are probably a better supplement than the solo track testing Nissan is doing without any traffic, debris, public road conditions and so on. And Nissan are only testing so hard because they missed their own deadlines for the first two races and just said "screw it we'll see you all at Le Mans". They didn't choose this they were forced into it by early ambitions that didn't work out.
 
GTPorsche
DP might as well be NASCAR...
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I watch both of them. The funny thing is that even though all of the cars are exactly the same. If they go green for the approx 2 hours their gaps are bigger than WEC after 5 hours. Lol

@LMSCorvetteGT2 The post you qouted was nothing about testing. Just that their car was designed for Le Mans only. Its made to win in the Mulsanne and thats about it.
 
LMSCorvetteGT2
And that means nothing, and no amount of testing can simulate a race. In fact the racing that the other three are doing are probably a better supplement than the solo track testing Nissan is doing without any traffic, debris, public road conditions and so on. And Nissan are only testing so hard because they missed their own deadlines for the first two races and just said "screw it we'll see you all at Le Mans". They didn't choose this they were forced into it by early ambitions that didn't work out.
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But the car looked so good going around COTA in reverse during the Super Bowl ;)

I agree that no single car testing can simulate a race, but I'd rather show up with something that has a legit shot at winning rather than being a moving chicane. My arm chair solution would be to test until the pace is there and race to develop reliability
sk8er913
I watch both of them. The funny thing is that even though all of the cars are exactly the same. If they go green for the approx 2 hours their gaps are bigger than WEC after 5 hours. Lol
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Wrong
 
Just to be clear none of those engine builders have been named, I just listed several independent builders. The ties RCR and Roush have to GM & Ford would probably count them out but who knows. Oreca builds the current Nissan P2 engine but they wont be able to build engines since the chassis and engine contracts will be separate.
 
sk8er913
@cnd01

I meant Nascar. If they are green for a long time the front 3 or so drivers have more separtion than an equivalent time in WEC, even though there are less cars in the class.
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Not over a lap distance spread, hell the spread you're talking about at worst is 5 seconds gap between those top two or three cars. That magnitude is far less then what is expected or seen in endurance racing.
 
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sk8er913
@cnd01

I meant Nascar. If they are green for a long time the front 3 or so drivers have more separation than an equivalent time in WEC, even though there are less cars in the class.
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Not even close. They're way closer over the same distance in NASCAR than any form of sports car endurance racing
 
Well it feels closer in endurance racing. Because it feels like it always comes down to 1 less pit stop or something. In NASCAR it feels like they have no chance against the car infront of them until a caution bunches them up again.
 
sk8er913
Well it feels closer in endurance racing. Because it feels like it always comes down to 1 less pit stop or something. In NASCAR it feels like they have no chance against the car infront of them until a caution bunches them up again.
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I'd argue the exact opposite
 
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