Renault returning to Le Mans?

pach233 · 5 Mar 2013, 22:38 (Ref:3214789)

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...rn-to-le-mans/

Renault to supply engines to Signatech for P2 under the Alpina brand and then move into a full works P1 effort in 2014 with their F1 engine? Would be amazing if true.

Edit to add: Not trying to infer Mr. Collins' reporting is incorrect just that nothing has been officially announced.

Simmi · 5 Mar 2013, 22:44 (Ref:3214793)

Wow. I trust Sam on this if he's confident to put out this story.

Plenty of people have speculated that Alpine/Renault are the reason for the announcement on Friday. Adding that together with the museum stuff which is going on all it seems to fit!

Canada ALMS fan · 5 Mar 2013, 22:44 (Ref:3214794)

Quote:

Originally Posted by pach233

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...rn-to-le-mans/

Renault to supply engines to Signatech for P2 under the Alpina brand and then move into a full works P1 effort in 2014 with their F1 engine? Would be amazing if true.

Edit to add: Not trying to infer Mr. Collins' reporting is incorrect just that nothing has been officially announced.

Fantastic news if true! This is how it's done Nissan.

Speed-King · 5 Mar 2013, 22:54 (Ref:3214797)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

Fantastic news if true! This is how it's done Nissan.

Maybe that's actually the reason why Nissan are doing what they are doing - after all Nissan and Renault are partners.

Canada ALMS fan · 5 Mar 2013, 23:19 (Ref:3214808)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Maybe that's actually the reason why Nissan are doing what they are doing - after all Nissan and Renault are partners.

Good point. Selfishly I want to see them now. The skeptic in me still thinks they may just be milking the exposure of G56.

ptclaus98 · 5 Mar 2013, 23:31 (Ref:3214814)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

Fantastic news if true! This is how it's done Nissan.

It's the same company! As a matter of fact, this is pretty much what I said would happen when you guys were having your *****fest about Nissan. Sportscar fans are ridiculous.

Thaw Daggerslash · 5 Mar 2013, 23:34 (Ref:3214816)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

It's the same company! As a matter of fact, this is pretty much what I said would happen when you guys were having your *****fest about Nissan. Sportscar fans are ridiculous.

Audi and Porsche are both part of VWAG, but their P1 projects are separate. What makes you think it can't be the same for Nissan and Renault?

ptclaus98 · 5 Mar 2013, 23:45 (Ref:3214827)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

Audi and Porsche are both part of VWAG, but their P1 projects are separate. What makes you think it can't be the same for Nissan and Renault?

Because Nissan and Renault are not Audi and Porsche.

Canada ALMS fan · 5 Mar 2013, 23:50 (Ref:3214830)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

Because Nissan and Renault are not Audi and Porsche.

Agreed, they are more diverse geographically. But like Audi/Porsche are using racing to prove up different technologies. How is that so different?

Canada ALMS fan · 5 Mar 2013, 23:42 (Ref:3214823)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

It's the same company! As a matter of fact, this is pretty much what I said would happen when you guys were having your *****fest about Nissan. Sportscar fans are ridiculous.

What is so ridiculous in wishing a major manufacturer would race against others instead of hiding for 2 years in an exhibition class? Look at Toyota...

ptclaus98 · 5 Mar 2013, 23:50 (Ref:3214831)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

What is so ridiculous in wishing a major manufacturer would race against others instead of hiding for 2 years in an exhibition class? Look at Toyota...

Yes look at Toyota, a much bigger and much more experienced organization. I've had this argument before, but in the off chance that I might actually get through this time, Nissan under Ghosn has been a lot more frugal, especially in motorsport. Meanwhile, in the same time period, Toyota has grown to one of the top 3 automakers worldwide, and has been extremely ambitious in every form of motorsport conceivable. How otherwise reasonable posters seem to overlook this fact and expect Nissan to magically have the resources at hand like Toyota does just astounds me.

FordCosworthPanoz · 6 Mar 2013, 00:18 (Ref:3214845)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

What is so ridiculous in wishing a major manufacturer would race against others instead of hiding for 2 years in an exhibition class? Look at Toyota...

Not sure I'd call it "hiding", the Delta Wing at least in North America got more press coverage on major networks than ANY of Audi's Le Mans victories, which got nothing. Even when I lived in Germany from 2006-2008 during the height of Audi's domination I never saw a single mention. Then the DW comes along and it's on NBC, CBS and ABC.

This is for a much smaller budget than P1 with the Delta Wing's main claim to "innovation" being a concept that was perfected in motorsports in the 1960s and by Japanese road cars in the 1980s, all while racing against nobody. Seems like Garage 56 is not exactly hiding. And who knows, if Le Mans is boring this year the Hydrogen car may be the biggest story coming out of Le Mans in 2013, for good or for bad...

Canada ALMS fan · 6 Mar 2013, 00:31 (Ref:3214848)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Not sure I'd call it "hiding", the Delta Wing at least in North America got more press coverage on major networks than ANY of Audi's Le Mans victories, which got nothing. Even when I lived in Germany from 2006-2008 during the height of Audi's domination I never saw a single mention. Then the DW comes along and it's on NBC, CBS and ABC.

This is for a much smaller budget than P1 with the Delta Wing's main claim to "innovation" being a concept that was perfected in motorsports in the 1960s and by Japanese road cars in the 1980s, all while racing against nobody. Seems like Garage 56 is not exactly hiding. And who knows, if Le Mans is boring this year the Hydrogen car may be the biggest story coming out of Le Mans in 2013, for good or for bad...

I think no one is disputing the marketing value of G56 or the need for technology to be at the fore. I was merely saying it is frustrating as a fan of racing to be so close to having another factory in the premiere class. Why not prove up technology WHILE RACING? Having seen Toyota do it last year with a small budget AND a hybrid while being on the pace makes the prospect of more factories entering very enticing. Personally I hate it when cars run unclassified in a race as the potential of them having a positive impact on the race result is zero, especially at Le Mans where with the limited pit space that could be used for a classified entry.

CyberMotor · 6 Mar 2013, 02:56 (Ref:3214876)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Not sure I'd call it "hiding", the Delta Wing at least in North America got more press coverage on major networks than ANY of Audi's Le Mans victories, which got nothing.

This just goes to prove, IMO, that innovation and relevance to the real world are central themes in both the advancement and attraction to endurance sportscar racing.

I got banned from an American forum because of my insistence that 'relevance' was a core theme and attraction. Glad to see that your observations of press coverage supports my assertions.

After saying that, I think Audi's innovations are top notch and leaders in both relevance and advanced technology. While I like seeing the DW get attention for innovations, I also would like seeing Audi and Toyota get the same attention and accolades.

Simmi · 5 Mar 2013, 22:56 (Ref:3214798)

Still not a nailed on P1 entry but we're getting close.

Definitely a step in the right direction. Going up from an engine deal to a full-blown P1 is something completely different.

Scooter185 · 5 Mar 2013, 23:17 (Ref:3214806)

So it's possible that in three years maybe we will see

Audi
Porsche
Toyota
Renault
Nissan(?)
Honda(??)

In p1? Awesome news to hear about Renault supplying engines and hopefully fielding a full effort. No wonder they don't want to add more f1 customers.

Canada ALMS fan · 5 Mar 2013, 23:21 (Ref:3214810)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter185

So it's possible that in three years maybe we will see

Audi
Porsche
Toyota
Renault
Nissan(?)
Honda(??)

In p1? Awesome news to hear about Renault supplying engines and hopefully fielding a full effort. No wonder they don't want to add more f1 customers.

All at a time when P1 gets killed in North America, if only the Don had held out... Now we get DP, neutered P2, and DWs.

Scooter185 · 5 Mar 2013, 23:23 (Ref:3214812)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

All at a time when P1 gets killed in North America, if only the Don had held out... Now we get DP, neutered P2, and DWs.

Get out of my mind! I was just about to post how it's ironic that p1 gets killed off stateside and then starts to bloom

Canada ALMS fan · 5 Mar 2013, 23:43 (Ref:3214825)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter185

Get out of my mind! I was just about to post how it's ironic that p1 gets killed off stateside and then starts to bloom

Simmi · 5 Mar 2013, 23:36 (Ref:3214818)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter185

So it's possible that in three years maybe we will see

Audi
Porsche
Toyota
Renault
Nissan(?)
Honda(??)

I'd still be inclined to put a question mark next to Renault to be honest. Still so much we don't know about this. Hopefully we'll get more info on Friday if this is what the announcement is about.

I'd feel a lot better if we had some firm start dates for P1 programmes but manufacturers lodging their interest has to be a good thing - even if it just solidifies in the mind of Audi and Toyota that this is the right place to be in '14 and beyond.

As VAG have shown the options to display different technologies makes it more feasible for sibling brands to race against each other. Hopefully that will become even more so if the regs get opened out as Nissan would like.

Fogelhund · 5 Mar 2013, 23:40 (Ref:3214820)

Quote:

Originally Posted by pach233

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...rn-to-le-mans/

Renault to supply engines to Signatech for P2 under the Alpina brand and then move into a full works P1 effort in 2014 with their F1 engine? Would be amazing if true.

FIA gets heavily involved in Endurance racing, introduce rules so that F1 engines can be raced at LM. I wonder why nobody thought of this one before. What could possibly go wrong?

Simmi · 5 Mar 2013, 23:42 (Ref:3214821)

Quote:

"@turini2: @specutainment yeahhhhhh! Toyota, Nissan, Audi, Porsche, Renault. Anyone else?" the power of LeMans24 + FiA world championship

Quote:

@dsceditor
@specutainment @turini2 (Yes at least one more!) So how long do we think its going to be before F1 notices!!

So according to Graham there's another manufacturer circling. Could be Honda? Could be someone else?

Sportscar fans are riding a wave of hope right now!

Canada ALMS fan · 5 Mar 2013, 23:45 (Ref:3214826)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmi

So according to Graham there's another manufacturer circling. Could be Honda? Could be someone else?

Sportscar fans are riding a wave of hope right now!

Agreed. Jaguar, Honda your turn!

Salamus · 5 Mar 2013, 23:50 (Ref:3214829)

Wow this is very interesting! The fact that Renault is teaming up with Signatech could explain why Signatech and Nissan split.

It is great to see manufacturers becoming interested in Le Mans again.

Simmi · 6 Mar 2013, 00:01 (Ref:3214835)

It makes you wonder how long the ACO has known about this.

If I knew Signatech were hooking up with Alpine Renault for an engine deal I'd definitely have given them two entries for Le Mans instead of one.

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