Traction control?

[Carse]

Can someone clear this up for me? What classes are aloud to use tracion control by law and what cars where/where not running it at LM this year, as away from arnage in the wet this year only a few cars seemed to be squirming putting the power down.

[Carse]

i could also hear something that sounded like a terrible missfire like they wernt reving clearly from most of the protos all through the weekend when wet like at tertre rouge n dunlop chicane/esses section so was just wondering if anyone could clear it up for me?

cheers

sean

[Adam43]

The technical and sporting regulations are available from lemans.org

AFAIK Traction Control is allowed in all classes, although not all cars run it.

[Svierge]

Yep, all classes run TC. We have it on our GT2 car (and GT3) and I know most (probably all) of the LMP cars do.

And yes, that would be the misfire too, though the way it works varies from car to car. Some work on ignition timing alone, while others actually cut the spark like an F1 car. The Audi, being a diesel, works differently and employs a system similar, as far as I understand it, to that used by Minardi in F1 in about '93: it electronically applies the brakes to the spinning wheels to slow them down because there's no ignition timing to adjust or spark to cut. Quite clever really.

[JAG]

Warren Hughes said the ASM Lola wouldn't run with TC at LM because they had a 'soft map' for the engine, which was adequate.

[Satorian]

Originally Posted by Svierge

The Audi, being a diesel, works differently and employs a system similar, as far as I understand it, to that used by Minardi in F1 in about '93: it electronically applies the brakes to the spinning wheels to slow them down because there's no ignition timing to adjust or spark to cut. Quite clever really.

That's odd, as the regulations only allow TC working through the engine. I would have rather guessed that the Audis use electronic fly-by-wire throttle and could cut into the electric throttle signal going to the engine. Just a guess though.

[Svierge]

Originally Posted by Satorian

That's odd, as the regulations only allow TC working through the engine. I would have rather guessed that the Audis use electronic fly-by-wire throttle and could cut into the electric throttle signal going to the engine. Just a guess though.

Yes, the regs do appear to be clear on that, but I'm just repeating something I heard on RLM at the weekend.

I'm used to 'interpreting' regulations but I reckon I'd struggle to get that past the ACO...

[minimangler]

If you're talking about squirming in the wet, you'll find many will have had more restrictive traction control in the race, to save tyres, whereas in qual they may have 'gone crazy' to save seconds.

[The Badger]

I just found out from an Audi interview , that the R8 "never" ran traction control ..... and the engine supplied to the Swiss Spirit Lola will not have it either .

[Satorian]

Yeah, RLM mentioned that as well. The question still remains about the R10, with the Diesel having no spark plugs to cut the ignition.

[Ayreon]

Originally Posted by The Badger

I just found out from an Audi interview , that the R8 "never" ran traction control ..... and the engine supplied to the Swiss Spirit Lola will not have it either .

Which explains why the car flew in the dry but had problems in the wet.
Doesn't augur well for Spa, where it always rains

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by Satorian

Yeah, RLM mentioned that as well. The question still remains about the R10, with the Diesel having no spark plugs to cut the ignition.

Just cut the injection.

It was said that Audi tested traction control last year, but they choose to not use it because it was too hard on the gearbox. 1100 Nm - 0 Nm - 1100 Nm seems like a bad idea

[The Badger]

I also found out a little info ..... that Audi are prepared to supply the R8 engine to any well funded privateer too ..... but the wedge has to be in place .