What is Aston Martin up to? - Page 10

**FIRE** · 10 Jan 2008, 17:47 (Ref:2103624)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dxk1

Howard Chappell, in his interview, has stated he would like to run full ALMS season with DBR9. Link here:

http://www.americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=3875

I guess sponsorship and resources will be final determinant.

DK

Like always.....

KA · 10 Jan 2008, 19:13 (Ref:2103679)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dani Filth

i love the new livery for AM DBR9 .. much better than the BRG .. hope the Lola won't be green

I like the DBR9 in BRG, but Gulf colours...

Memo to the Gulf Oil Company. You really want to extend the deal to cover the full season in ALMS, you know it makes sense....

Tom908V12 · 10 Jan 2008, 19:27 (Ref:2103691)

Really nice the Aston-Martin in Gulf livery !!!

broadrun96 · 10 Jan 2008, 19:50 (Ref:2103704)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KA

I like the DBR9 in BRG, but Gulf colours...

Memo to the Gulf Oil Company. You really want to extend the deal to cover the full season in ALMS, you know it makes sense....

I would not at all be surprised to see at least Sebring and the PLM Laguna swing be sponsored by Gulf. Making me wish I could go to Sebring this year, thinking AMR will have at least some presence there advertising their new toys and hopefully racing 2 of them.

TWK · 10 Jan 2008, 19:58 (Ref:2103709)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KA

I like the DBR9 in BRG, but Gulf colours...

Memo to the Gulf Oil Company. You really want to extend the deal to cover the full season in ALMS, you know it makes sense....

Not really. There are two Gulf Oil Companies. One, Gulf Oil International, Ltd., holds brand rights the Gulf trademarks in Europe and Asia, has only 280 employees. They make their money "branding" oil products and service stations produced/held by others. They have locations and ownership in the UK, Netherlands and India, but are incorporated in the Cayman Islands.

The other "Gulf Oil," is Gulf Oil Limited Partners, a US company that holds the rights to the brand in the United States, and operates as a wholesaler of petroleum products. The operate similarly in that they have buy and distribute products refined by others, and have no service stations, but rather charge fees to others who do to brand themselves as Gulf Oil.

All that's a consequence of the merger/acquisition/dismemberment of Gulf in the 1980's. There really is no Gulf Oil anymore. There is no legal or business relationship between GOI, Ltd., and GO LP.

In the past few years, the Gulf sponsorship we've seen in racing is that of Gulf Oil International, so the cars (except for a "visit" or two to the ALMS) have raced in Europe. Based on that, I suspect that this also is a European program, and as such has absolutely nothing to do with the "Gulf" we see around the US.

I suppose the visibility of such sponsorships might help those who pay a fee for the branding, and thus influence upwards the value of that branding, increasing the fee and perhaps interest in changing to that branding by independents. Seems a stretch, however, and niether Gulf Oil entity

dj choc ice · 10 Jan 2008, 21:12 (Ref:2103765)

charouz are running a lola coupe with the aston martin V12

WWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no im not excited at all by this

minimangler · 10 Jan 2008, 22:37 (Ref:2103815)

i think a little bit of wee just came out there?

while he changes his pants...

can the aston lola win anything?

TWK · 10 Jan 2008, 22:54 (Ref:2103826)

Quote:

Originally Posted by minimangler

can the aston lola win anything?

In my opinion, probably not. But then again, there was that Mercedes stock-block entered by Penske at Indianapolis, wasn't there? If they can make the Cd and weight of that motor work with the chassis, who knows?

Zytek_Fan · 10 Jan 2008, 23:21 (Ref:2103847)

Remember last time a GT1 engine was fitted in an LMP1? (Lister Chevrolet LMP1) we all know how successful (sarcasm) that was.

Zytek_Fan · 10 Jan 2008, 23:23 (Ref:2103850)

New Aston Martin FTW!! (the Gulf colours)

The359 · 10 Jan 2008, 23:24 (Ref:2103852)

Hardly the same type of entry here. The Chevy V8 had no support, and Lister's budget is nothing like Prodrive.

dj4monie · 10 Jan 2008, 23:38 (Ref:2103864)

Why would you question Pro Drive? Let's be honest, here, they have many half the budget the big teams have, which is clearly why the cars are littered with decals.

For their budget they have some smart people over there with plenty of racing in all types under their belts to get the job done. Do you REALLY think they would run a stock-block style engine if they felt it wouldn't be competitive????

Do you think they would jump into the deep end with Porsche and Ferrari at the top of their games to only LOOSE in GT2 competition?

I have a feeling many are not giving ProDrive the credit they deserve and can only think about favorably rules changes during the 2006 season. They still had to cross the line first and where the Corvette's that much slower? - No

Would be NICE to have them return to ALMS competition in any car they see fit, great people, smart guys and top level talent.

Are you saying you want more Team Transports than ProDrive????

AU N EGL · 10 Jan 2008, 23:43 (Ref:2103870)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Why would you question Pro Drive? Let's be honest, here, they have many half the budget the big teams have, which is clearly why the cars are littered with decals.

Not quite. Smart business man and team owners, no matter how much money they have, will get some one else ( sponsor or partner ) to pay for the car and team. ie sponsors / partners decals.

Any one who has lots and lots of money and expects to race with NO sponsors will soon loose all their money.

What is that saying? How to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a LARGE fortune.

Matra-simca · 10 Jan 2008, 23:52 (Ref:2103879)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWK

In my opinion, probably not. But then again, there was that Mercedes stock-block entered by Penske at Indianapolis, wasn't there? If they can make the Cd and weight of that motor work with the chassis, who knows?

Tom

As you well know, the last bastion of non-spec racing - LMS/ALMS - certainly provides a platform to find out... If history's on Prodrive side, BMW made the process work last time, taking Le Mans winning Mclaren/BMW Paul Rosche's V-12 masterpiece and placed it in the LMR prototype, beating the pants off some heavy opposition in 1999. I recall drivers complaining how top-heavy the F1 felt. Bill Auberlen told me - who'd driven both cars - that the difference was like night and day. Then again, big difference there as BMW's Williams-built chassis was designed around the V-12. Evidently Lola's B08/60 isn't.... So, like you say, question marks remain.

Todd

porsche45 · 11 Jan 2008, 00:00 (Ref:2103881)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

Not quite. Smart business man and team owners, no matter how much money they have, will get some one else ( sponsor or partner ) to pay for the car and team. ie sponsors / partners decals.

Any one who has lots and lots of money and expects to race with NO sponsors will soon loose all their money.

What is that saying? How to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a LARGE fortune.

Amen. The Penske Spyders (Penske anything, for that matter) aren't exactly nude.

Zytek_Fan · 11 Jan 2008, 00:04 (Ref:2103884)

Look at Toyota's F1 effort. They have the largest budget in F1 ($500 million+) yet they still have sponsors

wapomumalo · 11 Jan 2008, 00:04 (Ref:2103885)

Quote:

Originally Posted by minimangler

i think a little bit of wee just came out there?

while he changes his pants...

can the aston lola win anything?

Well, trying to give some credit to them...maybe the Aston Martin Engine has just two big advantages over the Judd GV5(considered the benchmark in "Gas" P1 Class):

-An enourmous amount of torque, that will help Charouz to get the Non Diesel Victory at Lemans.

-And the unbreakeable record in terms of reliability and full use of the available power during the race, another factor to consider running at LeMans.

Let´s not forget the fact that this Aston-Lola partnership has the sole target to get the best out of the package in order to show it all at the LeMans 24hours.

As it was said, the weight of the engine should be appointed as its main problem...and economicy in terms of rebuilding as the major atractive to costumers as well.

One question: can somebody xplain which restrictors ACO may apply to this engine??? I heard they may have greater than normal P1 rules due to it being a production based engine...

jhansen · 11 Jan 2008, 00:08 (Ref:2103888)

But this is Charouz right? Prodrive supported yes, but the team is Charouz is it not? Unless they are using Prodrive's race team, then I can't give this effort full credit. I'm thrilled to see it, but it's still not as good as it could have been.

A full on AMR two car effort was what I was hoping for. This is substantially less.

johntt · 11 Jan 2008, 00:22 (Ref:2103896)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wapomumalo

One question: can somebody xplain which restrictors ACO may apply to this engine??? I heard they may have greater than normal P1 rules due to it being a production based engine...

The ACO 2008 rules state that P1 cars with production based engines (such as Aston Martin's 6.0l V12) are allowed to run with larger air restrictors, giving them an advantage over non-production derived engines such as Judds, Zyteks, etc.

SALEEN S7R · 11 Jan 2008, 01:07 (Ref:2103905)

Any idea how much larger the restrictors are for the production based engines Johntt?

Speed-King · 11 Jan 2008, 01:26 (Ref:2103919)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Restrictor size for 6 litre V12 and 4 valves/cilinder:

GT1: 2 x 30.4 mm
LMP1 homologated: 2 x (33.3 + 0.4) = 2 x 33.7 mm
LMP1 non-homologated: 2 x 32.5 mm

If A/C is used, add extra 0.3 mm.

There you go, Saleen!

HORNDAWG · 11 Jan 2008, 01:33 (Ref:2103922)

Slightly off topic, Maybe old news but I have not seen it yet and there is no current AMR/Prodrive thread that I saw.

Prodrive to not go to F-1, as in never (for now).

Quote:

Richards said that the new Concorde Agreement had dashed Prodrive’s hopes of becoming the Formula One team.
New rules make it mandatory for all teams to have constructor support. That, says Richards, will make it “not financially viable for smaller teams to enter the sport. It would be “too impractical to be competitive” he said.

link
Refocusing on WRC, and hopefully Sports Cars.

L.P.

Mal · 11 Jan 2008, 07:39 (Ref:2104018)

Its interesting to note that 2009 will be the 50th anniversary of Aston winning at Le Mans and perhaps this new venture is a toe in the water, to prepare for a stronger factory based onslaught in 2009.

Mal · 11 Jan 2008, 08:08 (Ref:2104024)

Just noticed this the president of Gulf is quoted as saying that the deal with Aston is a multi-year deal ... and

"whilst it will be with the GT1 car at Le Mans this year it would not be too hard to imagine that we will be working with Aston Martin not just this year, but in 2009 and beyond, in whatever they race in the future - whether that is a GT car, or something that might fight closer to the front of the race."

Seems to back up my theory above

rdjones · 11 Jan 2008, 08:57 (Ref:2104049)

I was at the Autosport Show yesterday and there are a few more photos of the Aston at:- http://www.rdj-pics.co.uk/Photos/200...how/index.html

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