New ACO rules announced

[Brian W Keske]

http://www.lemans.org/2003/pages/art...004_1_gb.shtml

[paul-collins]

Three things:

Le Mans prototype 2 (“LM” P2) : open or closed car weighing a minimum of 750 kilos. The cars from this category which replace the “LM” P 675 are less sophisticated and less high performance and are mainly aimed at private competitors.

So new designs to 675 kg are no longer worthwhile.

The specifications of the engines for the cars of the new 2004 regulations, are unchanged but the restrictors used will be those of 2002. The appendixes will give the dimension of the restrictors linked to diesel engines.

Motors remain more powerful than in the FIA (3.4 L NA purpose-built race engines like what Pilbeam just installed, or 2.0L blown like the MG)

The cars built according to the actual specifications will allowed to race without modification in 2004 and 2005, but keeping the reduction of the restrictors’ diameter established in 2003.

So Dyson can still race beyond this year.

Looks ok to me!

[Ali*]

Hi, i'm alistair new person to the message board, my connection to le mans is the fact my uncle did lap timings for porche during the mid 70's there. My love for le mans must obviously be a gene's thing then

Does this mean in theory speeds will be slower this year with the 10% reduction, yet 2004 should be as quick as 2002 for the LMP900's and GTS cars? bit confused.

[halfwitt]

Quote from ACO website: Le Mans prototype 1 (“LM” P1) : open or closed car weighing a minimum of 900 kilos which replaces the “LM” P 900 and “LM” GTP. This category is the only one which can lay claim to victory in the general classification of the “24 Heures du Mans”.

Does this mean that if a GTS or LMP2 (LMP750) car finishes first and an LMP1 (LMP900) finishes second or fifth, then they'll swap the order so that the LMP900 car is the overall winner? It sounds crazy to me. Certainly there are always some 900 cars well down the field, and if the top 900 cars drop out it would mean some also-ran lapping in 18th place could be declared the winner! Unlikely I admit, but it would somewhat ruin the ACO's credibility. Does anybody else think this a little strange?

[paul-collins]

It does sound a bit weird, but I think it's just a poor translation. Perhaps it's just about the LMP2 being deliberately designed to be cheaper and slower, so that if all goes according to plan, it will never challenge.

[weeks]

Will the open top cars need to have full width roll? How will the current prototypes get around this rule?

[weeks]

i meant full width rool hoops

[paul-collins]

It's not in the ACO release, but the FIA 2004 regs have double roll hoops in their tech appendix (a change from the full width of prior years).

[paul-collins]

Apparently the appendix (now released) is the same as FIA wrt chassis design, so the double rollhoop is in.

The LMP2 engines allowed are different from the FIA SR2 (as expected). The GT engine allowed is slightly smaller (normally aspirated), while ACO doesn't allow a turbo GT motor. The purpose-built motors remain the same (so, larger NA than FIA, and the 2.0 turbo is still in).

LMP1 is allowing 5.5L turbo diesels. No visible exhaust is allowed. (I wonder if late-stage rule enforcement will differ from qualification. If it stays the same, I don't think it would be fair to only penalize the diesels.)

[MulsanneMike]

I kind of had hoped diesels would be allowed in LMP2. But this may come out of my ignorance of diesels. Does anyone make small capacity diesel motors?

[Brian W Keske]

Originally posted by MulsanneMike
I kind of had hoped diesels would be allowed in LMP2. But this may come out of my ignorance of diesels. Does anyone make small capacity diesel motors?

Didn't I just hear that a new 'Mini' is coming out with a diesel engine? I wish I could remember what site I saw that mentioned...

[Nordic]

VW & Ford are both making 2litre turbo Diesels that in Road car guise at least are good for 150BHP, and VW have raced & Rallied a Golf TDi, While this is some way short of the needed BHP for a LMP, I am sure it would present a worth while project if the rules allowed.
The High Torque/low revs & better MPG you find on a diesel would make it ideal for longer races I beleive

[C_g]

BMW won the Nurburgring 24hr a few years ago with a 2.0L diesel.