The Le Mans General Discussion Thread

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RLL will be racing in IndyCar again next season too but I can imagine they'll be able to do both if the team is big enough.
 
O....K. They quit early in the season, then they decide to comeback just like that? What has brought about this change?
 
Paulie Walnuts
(Deja vu?) HPD is not directly "Honda" and it's possible or more likely that it had more to do with Highcroft's failure to get sponsorship.
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Where did I mention HPD? I've pretty much made it clear that HPD was still building cars but Honda itself DID pullout.
 
Paulie Walnuts
How could they pullout if they weren't involved in the first place?
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Because they WERE involved. They were responsible for funding it both before and after Acura took their name off the project. Highcroft was the sole remaining factory team after the De Ferran and Fernandez teams were gone. They were the ones funding the project even after Patron left the team with Scott Sharp.
 
Since HPD (Honda Performance Development) is a subsidiary of American Honda Motor Company, of course in the end the funding for HPD comes from Honda, but my impression is that after Acura pulled its sponsorship and funding, it became more like a customer project with closer than normal ties due the previous years and thus making the racing team responsible for the funding. Highcroft's supposed sponsorship issues seemed continue with the DeltaWing project.

From 2010 onwards the chassis and engine has been officially "HPD". Not "Honda".

If your claim would be true, then it doesn't make sense that Strakka quickly became what Highcroft was to the project. First in P2, but next year in P1...

...which is interesting if this latest rumour comes true. Taking the current car and once again rebranding is not the only option. Wirth Research also has had a coupe design on the drawing board for a while. Or it could be a completely separate program from HPD and Wirth, but maybe that's least likely option.
 
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InvincibleM5
Great to hear it's already confirmed. I think it will be a massive shame if they're discontinuing it because obviously the M3 is such a great car and I'd expect 2012 to be yet another great and tough year in the ALMS GT Class.

It is very likely that the 2 German drivers might be going to the DTM.
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Thank the Lord. Now I wont have to support Flying Lizard
 
Paulie Walnuts
From 2010 onwards the chassis and engine has been officially "HPD". Not "Honda".
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At least this will change now - engines will be Hondas next year but chassis remains "HPD".

Translation: http://translate.google.com/transla...fo.com/version2/actualite-endurance-8898.html

That translation says "Here is the situation as it was communicated to us yesterday by Honda Performance Development. The only official commitment to date is:". I'm not sure if that definitely excludes further (full factory) involvement.
 
Paulie Walnuts
Since HPD (Honda Performance Development) is a subsidiary of American Honda Motor Company, of course in the end the funding for HPD comes from Honda, but my impression is that after Acura pulled its sponsorship and funding, it became more like a customer project with closer than normal ties due the previous years and thus making the racing team responsible for the funding. Highcroft's supposed sponsorship issues seemed continue with the DeltaWing project.
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Has it? doesn't seem to be any indication since from what I've heard, they've got completed tubs and there was a picture I think showing two cars that looked about 70% completed.

Paulie Walnuts
From 2010 onwards the chassis and engine has been officially "HPD". Not "Honda".
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Doesn't necessarily mean (at least until Le Mans) that they weren't still funding it.

Edit: So, it appears Honda is rebranding the engines. If I recall, Honda built the engines as they are about the exact same engines powering the HSV-01s in Super GT.

Paulie Walnuts
If your claim would be true, then it doesn't make sense that Strakka quickly became what Highcroft was to the project. First in P2, but next year in P1...
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Actually, there's also RML that runs the car as well. Really, Strakka and RML are now the Main runners of the ARX-01. they are getting the new equipment first. I'm not making claims, I'm pretty much telling the information based from all I read including from Highcroft, unless something changed that I'm not aware of.
 
Aren't Schnitzer pretty much hosed since theres a good chance that nearly, if not all of their 10+ hour race drivers have been sucked up by DTM?
 
So can anybody confirm which teams will be competing in the Le Mans LMP1 class in 2012? Audi and Peugeot ofcourse will but ive also heard that Toyota will. Rumors are saying the Honda maybe will too? Have Aston pulled out after the failure last year or what will their car be like this year?

Im sorry if this already have been answeared but havent got time to read all 40 pages on here :D

EDIT: Mazda did also compete in the american le mans series last year. Will they be joining the European too?
 
Greisen
So can anybody confirm which teams will be competing in the Le Mans LMP1 class in 2012? Audi and Peugeot ofcourse will but ive also heard that Toyota will. Rumors are saying the Honda maybe will too? Have Aston pulled out after the failure last year or what will their car be like this year?

Im sorry if this already have been answeared but havent got time to read all 40 pages on here :D

EDIT: Mazda did also compete in the american le mans series last year. Will they be joining the European too?
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The Aston AMR1 was canned, in fact it's monocoque's were sold to DeltaWing.
 
Greisen
So can anybody confirm which teams will be competing in the Le Mans LMP1 class in 2012? Audi and Peugeot ofcourse will but ive also heard that Toyota will. Rumors are saying the Honda maybe will too? Have Aston pulled out after the failure last year or what will their car be like this year?

Im sorry if this already have been answeared but havent got time to read all 40 pages on here :D

EDIT: Mazda did also compete in the american le mans series last year. Will they be joining the European too?
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Audi, Toyota, Peugeot, Honda-via Strakka racing's HPD are the confirmed big hitters in LMP1 for 2012.

Theres no doubt about Toyota. Toyota said that even if they couldnt scrap together a WEc programme they would be at Lemans. The announced Lemans before even mentioning WEC programs.
 
Going back to the GTC thing from the last page, what was wrong with two different classes of which one is significantly faster than the other? We have LMP1 and 2, what was so wrong with GT1 and GT2/3?
I'd personally love to see GT1's back at Le Mans, especially the Aston's and maybe the hope of an MC12 👍
 
GT1 was way too expensive and subsequently killed itself. And GT1 is now officially dead as a class alltogether, since the WC will be raced with GT3 spec cars. The MC12 has another issue beside being not ACO homologated at all, it´s FIA homologation expired this year.

And besides, they sort of have two classes - pro and am. And we may see quite a lot of new entries in GTE for next season.

AS a sidenote, and on a personal level, I would very much like two GT classes - one with only front engined two door coupés, like BMW M6, Jaguar XKR-S, Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Nissan GT-R SpecV, Lexus LF-A, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Dodge Viper SRT10, Mercedes SLS, Audi RS5 - and one with supercars with the engine not in the front, and more heavily modified, like McLaren MP4-12C, Ferrari F458 Italia, Audi R8 GT, Pagani Huayra, Koenigsegg Agera R, Porsche 918, GTbyCitroën, Jaguar C-X75.
 
Vette vs Aston Martin. Some of the greatest battles in the history of GT1 racing. I remember when Aston debuted and won at Sebring that was impressive in itself. Then was it in '08 where the Aston's sandbagged in the run up to the race and then blew away the field with brabham at the wheel. Those where good times.
 
We´ll hopefully see that again now. AMR will take over the running of the GT2 Vantages, and make them factory cars. BMW are stepping down, and there will be no factory Beemers, so Vette vs Aston is very real!
 
Likely for LMP1 2012.

1 Peugeot Sport Total
2 Peugeot Sport Total
3 Total Peugeot Sport
4 Audi Sport Team Joest
5 Audi Sport Team Joest
6 Audi Sport North America
7 Toyota Motorsport
8 HPD-Honda ARX....
9 Strakka Racing
10 Pescarolo Racing
11 Rebellion Racing
12 Rebellion Racing
13 OAK Racing
14 OAK Racing
15 Dyson Mazda
16 Dyson Mazda (Oryx)
17 Muscle Milk Racing
 
Stavelot
Likely for LMP1 2012.

1 Peugeot Sport Total
2 Peugeot Sport Total
3 Total Peugeot Sport
4 Audi Sport Team Joest
5 Audi Sport Team Joest
6 Audi Sport North America
7 Toyota Motorsport
8 HPD-Honda ARX....
9 Strakka Racing
10 Pescarolo Racing
11 Rebellion Racing
12 Rebellion Racing
13 OAK Racing
14 OAK Racing
15 Dyson Mazda
16 Dyson Mazda (Oryx)
17 Muscle Milk Racing
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I hope AMR comes back with some more DBR 1-2's like it did in the 2nd half of last season 👍
 
AMR will only do GT´s this season. No Protos. Their Lolas are not eligible any longer, unless they change the engines. Not likely to happen.
 
Stavelot
Likely for LMP1 2012.

1 Peugeot Sport Total
2 Peugeot Sport Total
3 Total Peugeot Sport
4 Audi Sport Team Joest
5 Audi Sport Team Joest
6 Audi Sport North America
7 Toyota Motorsport
8 HPD-Honda ARX....
9 Strakka Racing
10 Pescarolo Racing
11 Rebellion Racing
12 Rebellion Racing
13 OAK Racing
14 OAK Racing
15 Dyson Mazda
16 Dyson Mazda (Oryx)
17 Muscle Milk Racing
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That's combination of ILMC and ALMS, correct? Or are they all racing in the same division next year?
 

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