Saleen brilliance

Geva-Nelson · 28 May 2006, 00:19 (Ref:1620468)

It must be hard for Franz Konrad to see Oreca and Zakspeed do so well. They've realled turned the Saleen S7-R back into a racewinning car with endurance to meet speed. Acemco will probably have done the same with their Le Mans entry.

Is this a case of RML, Graham Nash and Konrad be ashamed or are the likes of Oreca unrivaled in developing a car which we all saw as extremely fragile.

JAG · 28 May 2006, 00:34 (Ref:1620481)

Budget, e.g Vitaphone Saleen 2004.

19dodge · 28 May 2006, 02:32 (Ref:1620530)

Konrad had their success with the S7R when they had the budget (like JAG said above when they ran the Vitaphone Saleen in 2004).. It all relies around money. Oreca and Zakspeed have the money to put in, so they will get a good result.

geeteeone · 28 May 2006, 15:11 (Ref:1621042)

It also has to be said that the freshly built cars, e.g. the ACEMCO, Zakspeed and Oreca cars seem to be significantly faster and more reliable than the older RML built cars.

Also see the Balfe team in FIA GT - they did a great job with their Mosler last year, but they seem all at sea with their ex-Nash, RML built Saleen.

Geva-Nelson · 28 May 2006, 15:11 (Ref:1621043)

yet the vitaphone saleen was not at all completely reliable was it now

geeteeone · 28 May 2006, 15:17 (Ref:1621051)

The Vitaphone Saleen (and the sister yellow car) were competitive back when FIA-GT allowed a full car width rear wing. The rear wing widths were reduced for 2004 as part of the aligning of FIA-GT and Le Mans rules. It affected the Saleens more than some of the other cars, with Saleen teams complaining of aero instability.

It seems to me that the newer cars have had some aero tweaks to make the car work a bit better with the narrower wing, and that has brought them back to competitiveness. Witness the ACEMCO Saleen battling (and almost beating) the works Corvettes in the ALMS last year.

Bramzel · 28 May 2006, 15:18 (Ref:1621053)

Quote:

Originally Posted by geeteeone

Also see the Balfe team in FIA GT - they did a great job with their Mosler last year, but they seem all at sea with their ex-Nash, RML built Saleen.

I believe that this isn't really the car's fault, the team just needs more time with the track. This weekend again they had problems with their setup, I think that when they figure that out properly they'll be able to close the gap a bit as well. Because the car hasn't had any major reliablility issues so far.

geeteeone · 28 May 2006, 16:08 (Ref:1621096)

I'm not convinced that Balfe will get to the bottom of their problems with the Saleen. They are so far from the pace at the moment. They are an experienced team and they know what they are doing in terms of preparation, but I think they have really bitten off more than they can chew by trying to run such an old example of a Saleen. The particular car they have just needs too much development to make it competitive.

It must be particularly galling for them that another Saleen is running right at the front.

TheNewBob · 28 May 2006, 16:24 (Ref:1621109)

Balfe made no secrets of the fact that they'd not be immediately competitive.

Balfe's case could be another example of how more money makes things work better? I'm presuming they're not a team with a huge budget.

Bramzel · 28 May 2006, 16:31 (Ref:1621113)

Quote:

Originally Posted by geeteeone

It must be particularly galling for them that another Saleen is running right at the front.

I've met the guys on several occasions and I believe that those guys are realistic enough not to be depressed by the Zakspeed results as they'll know just like us that that's a whole different car.

The Badger · 28 May 2006, 17:21 (Ref:1621149)

What engine are Zakspeed useing , or are they doing their own .

Brilliant to see the car being competitive , hopefully there will be 2 or 3 at LM next year .

Is Jarek Janis anything to do with Jarislov Janis ?

JAG · 28 May 2006, 17:38 (Ref:1621174)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bramzel

I've met the guys on several occasions and I believe that those guys are realistic enough not to be depressed by the Zakspeed results as they'll know just like us that that's a whole different car.

Don't you think Konrad have eyes on the RS Spyder, long term, so running the current Saleen for customers makes sense for the time being.

ger80 · 28 May 2006, 18:16 (Ref:1621220)

I dont think that Zakspeed is a team with a big budget. they announced many projects in the past to get sponsor money and this is the first which realy started (champcar, different GT projects, ....). Maybe there is realy a bigger difference between the old and new saleens

**FIRE** · 28 May 2006, 18:25 (Ref:1621229)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ger80

I dont think that Zakspeed is a team with a big budget. they announced many projects in the past to get sponsor money and this is the first which realy started (champcar, different GT projects, ....).

I get the impression you are right. Didn't they almost get bankrupt after the collaps of V8Stars?

ger80 · 28 May 2006, 18:35 (Ref:1621241)

The V8Star project was another limited company. Minimum is 25000€ is germany, so I dont know how much the "zakspeed" company invested into the "Nitec" compay which run the V8Star project. But if you read old news about zakspeed projects you will find some more which are announced but never started. Thats why I didnt belived the Saleen project until I saw them at the first race

Gil Abobeleira · 28 May 2006, 19:49 (Ref:1621328)

I've read on the Dailysportscar that Adam Proctor from Balfe had said that the difference between them and Zakspeed was down to the fact that Zakspeed had been develloping the Saleen for 18 months...
Yet, I think they (Zakspeed) only got their Saleen at the end of last year.

Could this be true?

Bramzel · 28 May 2006, 20:12 (Ref:1621365)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gil Abobeleira

I've read on the Dailysportscar that Adam Proctor from Balfe had said that the difference between them and Zakspeed was down to the fact that Zakspeed had been develloping the Saleen for 18 months...
Yet, I think they (Zakspeed) only got their Saleen at the end of last year.

Could this be true?

18 months is a bit optimistic I think, didn't Zakspeed receive their car last summer?

19dodge · 28 May 2006, 22:24 (Ref:1621507)

Zakspeed recieved their car in either September or October 2005....

ger80 · 29 May 2006, 06:50 (Ref:1621698)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 19dodge

Zakspeed recieved their car in either September or October 2005....

According to someone with good contacts to the team in gt-eins forum it was october

geeteeone · 29 May 2006, 08:35 (Ref:1621749)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Is Jarek Janis anything to do with Jarislov Janis ?

I believe they are one and the same person. Jaroslav Janis is his proper full name.

geeteeone · 29 May 2006, 08:41 (Ref:1621758)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gil Abobeleira

I've read on the Dailysportscar that Adam Proctor from Balfe had said that the difference between them and Zakspeed was down to the fact that Zakspeed had been develloping the Saleen for 18 months...

I find this hard to believe. The new cars are considerably more advanced than the original RML built cars. Updated aero package, different engine builder, better build quality, probably a revised wiring loom. Obviously with a lot of expense you could bring the older cars up to the same level but you'd have to strip it right down and replace most of the internals.

WouterM · 29 May 2006, 09:03 (Ref:1621769)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gil Abobeleira

I've read on the Dailysportscar that Adam Proctor from Balfe had said that the difference between them and Zakspeed was down to the fact that Zakspeed had been develloping the Saleen for 18 months...
Yet, I think they (Zakspeed) only got their Saleen at the end of last year.

Could this be true?

Oreca brought a similar S7R to winning form in just a few months. The two cars are different and clearly the new ones are superior.

AdamP · 29 May 2006, 11:33 (Ref:1621883)

Yes, I made an error there, didn't I?!!
My apologies to those that have read that, and to the Zakspeed guys, it was my fault. I was talking to Janos and was thinking about the timescale in my head that the Balfe team had had the Mosler for, and I got my years mixed up in my head.
The Zakspeed guys have had their car slightly longer than the Balfe sqaud. I think by about two or three months and they hit the ground a bit earlier than us too.

I think I'll have to carry around a calendar with me, too many seasons are starting to roll together!

The Badger · 29 May 2006, 15:56 (Ref:1622145)

Quote:

Originally Posted by geeteeone

I believe they are one and the same person. Jaroslav Janis is his proper full name.

Thanks ..... i remember he drove a Panoz LMP1 a few years ago for a British team that ran the car for a couple of races ..... cant remember the name of the team . If he is 22 now , he was only maybe 17 then !!1 Can anybody remember the name of the team ? I think they also ran a yellow and blue 911 at Le Mans and Micheal Caine or Ray Bellm had something to do with it ?

The Badger · 29 May 2006, 16:16 (Ref:1622165)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamP

I think I'll have to carry around a calendar with me, too many seasons are starting to roll together!

I know the feeling mate ..... im a bit confused too , with the Lms , Alms , and fia gt all running at the same time . I sometimes get my cars mixed up too ..... but its great to have so many championships running at the same time .....

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