WEC PROLOGUE 2024 - LOSAIL; QATAR

[seanyb505]

Focusing on race trim with some version of keeping cards close to chest?

[pach233]

Yeah I wouldn’t worry about Toyota pace at all. They’re clearly the most experienced and should therefore be the most sorted. I doubt they did any low fuel new tire runs. I expect them to be at or near the top once the the actual race meeting starts. If they’re at the bottom of the top 10 a couple hours into the race I’d be surprised.

[flatlandsman]

Are they sandbagging to try and get some sort last minute BoP relief, they are clearly quicker than this I would imagine, unless they have been very much penalised.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by veeten

Then there's Toyota, and everyone's asking, "what happened?".

I’m not. It’s. Would be weird to ask that after a couple of test sessions.

Falling of the table like this will have a few screaming for a BoP re-do, as this is definitely not what they expected. Competitive, yes... but this?!

…

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

Are they sandbagging to try and get some sort last minute BoP relief, they are clearly quicker than this I would imagine, unless they have been very much penalised.

How would that work? Which data points that are used for BoP calculation sandbagged?

And relative to Ferrari what impact would the changes since last year make? Surely adding 9kg and 5hp doesn’t change the relative pace that much.

Not that’s BoP change after this would surprise me, but it won’t be because of those lap times.

[KlBD]

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

Are they sandbagging to try and get some sort last minute BoP relief, they are clearly quicker than this I would imagine, unless they have been very much penalised.

Considering the torque sensors and mandated power curves, sandbagging is unlikely. If it's still business as usual at TGR, they are probably looking to get on top of the tires at their new mandated BoP parameters for the race. After all, there's 10 hours to play on Saturday.

[tomcug]

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...ints-in-qatar/

with our current performance we would struggle to even score points

I totally believe that!

[GT3_Fan]

Originally Posted by tomcug

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...ints-in-qatar/
I totally believe that!

We can all hope! I guess by hour 2 that hope will be smashed.

[Adam43]

That’s interesting, they think the weights could make more difference at this track especially with tyre graining.

[Mike E]

GT3 sights and sounds

https://youtu.be/FDEIXKfZcXs?si=P2VYwjyYgpwoC_De

[joeb]

Just read on DSC that the Peugeot was the fastest car in trap speeds by quite a lot.

How funny would it be if this car gets a podium or dare I say a win on its last race?

[veeten]

Now you know just what I was referring to, between the newly released BoP allocations and how they are working out on the track.

Now, add in the one thing that Porsche, Cadillac, and BMW have that the others don't: Daytona.
Freshly minted racing data, that can be used when running their cars at Losail. All the rest have testing data, which can tell you a certain amount, but it's not the same.

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by joeb

How funny would it be if this car gets a podium or dare I say a win on its last race?

A proper goodbye to the wingless car it would be

[Akrapovic]

https://rss.com/podcasts/theracinglinevoecast/

Doing a podcast, because that's what all the cool kids do now days. Episode 2 is thoughts on WEC Prologue and looking at Qatar 1812km.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by joeb

Just read on DSC that the Peugeot was the fastest car in trap speeds by quite a lot.

How funny would it be if this car gets a podium or dare I say a win on its last race?

It is, but I wonder about the actual fastest example. It’s a bit like that mad Ferrari one from last year.

[TF110]

Isotta was the fastest car until that 319kmh blast. I wonder if thats an anomaly or did they do an out lap on that.

[Adam43]

IF’s second fastest was 305.9 and third 301.7 in that session. There is som slipstreaming action going on. Peugeot, in another session had quite a few faster than 305.

But there is some natural peaks from getting a tow.

I’ll do a distribution at some point, although the way the week is going I’m not sure it is before the race.

[greenmachinets040]

Originally Posted by pach233

Yeah I wouldn’t worry about Toyota pace at all. They’re clearly the most experienced and should therefore be the most sorted. I doubt they did any low fuel new tire runs. I expect them to be at or near the top once the the actual race meeting starts. If they’re at the bottom of the top 10 a couple hours into the race I’d be surprised.

I really hope you are right, mate, FP3 has just finished, the Number 7 is eaking closer to the others with the gap at around 0,86 Sec. Toyota Nr. 8 is seemingly making tyre evaluations. What is evident at least for me, that Porsche put a pair of sandbags on their cars, they could not afford to run another session and be on top. They are super fast.

Ferrari is the real dark horses here..they are somewhat sandbagging to my eyes, but they have definitely problems of some kind, like the Toyotas.


I would be surprised to see a Toyota on the podium, but if they do, that would be mega!

[veeten]

And, again, the Caddy and Porsche were the class of the field.

Now, was I wrong about Toyota? They look... well, lost out there.

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by veeten

Now, was I wrong about Toyota? They look... well, lost out there.

In a few hours we find out What's interesting, Porsche also got a BOP nerf after Bahrain, comparable to Toyota I think (less weight added but more power taken away).

[greenmachinets040]

Originally Posted by tomcug

In a few hours we find out What's interesting, Porsche also got a BOP nerf after Bahrain, comparable to Toyota I think (less weight added but more power taken away).

There is something definitely brewing here. Something is not right...could it be the track characteristics or somebody/everybody is playing possum?

[greenmachinets040]

Originally Posted by veeten

And, again, the Caddy and Porsche were the class of the field.

Now, was I wrong about Toyota? They look... well, lost out there.

According to them the main problem is the added weight and thus the graining of the tyres, the field, they were the most competitive in.
They are claiming the long runs do not look as bad, but I would be surprised seeing a Toyota on the podium. Well, let s find out.

[greenmachinets040]

Originally Posted by tomcug

In a few hours we find out What's interesting, Porsche also got a BOP nerf after Bahrain, comparable to Toyota I think (less weight added but more power taken away).

Speaking about the Qualifying I do not see a chance for Toyota to be in the top 10.

[veeten]

True, and we are seeing what Cadillac would do if only they had just two more laps at Daytona. The BoP has done well so far, for them.

And the Peugeots are making hay while the (desert) sun shines. Shows how this system can perform in the right conditions.

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by veeten

True, and we are seeing what Cadillac would do if only they had just two more laps at Daytona.

I wouldn't go that far, Caddy was fast there, really fast, but overtaking the 963 wasn't easy. We'll never find out what could have happened if Daytona hadn't been ended too soon.

[Adam43]

Pace in a random practice session demonstrates how another car would have done in a racing situation in a different series and conditions.

Man you’re good. I follow the series and clock each session and pour over the lap times, stint lengths, etc…, etc… but I am just not clever enough to deduce that.