ALMS Round 1: Sebring 12h, March 15 2008 - Page 10

mazda1 · 11 Mar 2008, 21:04 (Ref:2149456)

Peugeot fastest this morning. 142.801!! 0.838 faster than the Audi's.

mazda1 · 11 Mar 2008, 21:09 (Ref:2149460)

I don't think the times posted on americanlemans.com are accurate, since they already have the times for Wednesday.

ss_collins · 11 Mar 2008, 21:13 (Ref:2149467)

Actually they have a bunch of fortune tellers on hand on hand..

isynge · 11 Mar 2008, 21:19 (Ref:2149472)

Hugely impressive time from the AGR Acura, eyebrows duly raised.

Anyone have any ideas why we haven't seen the Radical on the track yet?

dj4monie · 11 Mar 2008, 21:26 (Ref:2149478)

Quote:

Originally Posted by isynge

Hugely impressive time from the AGR Acura, eyebrows duly raised.

Anyone have any ideas why we haven't seen the Radical on the track yet?

To my knowledge it has been running, its mid-pack with the LMP2 cars.

I think 1:46 and change is there fastest lap thus far, which is pretty good for a brand new effort.

dj4monie · 11 Mar 2008, 21:33 (Ref:2149481)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazda1

Peugeot fastest this morning. 142.801!! 0.838 faster than the Audi's.

Looks like my pole predictions are going to stand up.

We haven't even gotten to simulated qualifying runs yet....

Penske did a mileage check and ran the car out of fuel on track.

I really think considering how the AGR was on the lead lap even at the end of the race last year; I believe that the race pace will be around 1:45

Only the top LMP teams can run at that pace, while the rest will run around a 1:48.

GT2 race pace will be around 2:03-2:04

If you can't lap down in that zone, you'll going to be down a lap in a few hours...

I expect any car thus far that hasn't run 2:04 or faster to be a lap down by 1st pit stops.

JHamilton · 11 Mar 2008, 21:34 (Ref:2149482)

No way those times are right. If so I'm very impressed with the #7 LMP2 Tafel Ferrari 430 put in.

dj4monie · 11 Mar 2008, 21:36 (Ref:2149484)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHamilton

No way those times are right. If so I'm very impressed with the #7 LMP2 Tafel Ferrari 430 put in.

LOL they aren't right its a typo!

mazda1 · 11 Mar 2008, 21:36 (Ref:2149486)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

To my knowledge it has been running, its mid-pack with the LMP2 cars.

I think 1:46 and change is there fastest lap thus far, which is pretty good for a brand new effort.

I hope the radical is fast and last the whole race. We really need another serious LMP1 out there!!

Purist · 11 Mar 2008, 21:39 (Ref:2149488)

I guess I must have missed something over the winter, but what happened to the #31 in GT2?

mazda1 · 11 Mar 2008, 21:41 (Ref:2149492)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Looks like my pole predictions are going to stand up.

We haven't even gotten to simulated qualifying runs yet....

Penske did a mileage check and ran the car out of fuel on track.

I really think considering how the AGR was on the lead lap even at the end of the race last year; I believe that the race pace will be around 1:45

Only the top LMP teams can run at that pace, while the rest will run around a 1:48.

GT2 race pace will be around 2:03-2:04

If you can't lap down in that zone, you'll going to be down a lap in a few hours...

I expect any car thus far that hasn't run 2:04 or faster to be a lap down by 1st pit stops.

You are right, but if we go back to Petit Le Mans, going down a lap or two at a race like this doesn't mean anything as the Zytek and the Mazda were running 2nd and 3rd in the LMP2 class close to the end of the race.

yamato · 11 Mar 2008, 21:47 (Ref:2149496)

Lou Gigliotti down under 2:04 in just the third session with the new car. Less than 2 seconds off of the leaders in the same session, and almost 2 seconds faster than the VICI 997 with the same tire supplier! I am liking this a whole lot.

Re: #31 - the team owner pulled the plug right after the Dakkar Rally was cancelled. Not sure if that had huge effect on it, but that is the timing. Word was, no sponsorship. His own companies had been footing most of the bill, and the real estate market has been hit hard recently. It couldn't help that they invested time and money for Dakkar and then it was all wasted.

mazda1 · 11 Mar 2008, 21:52 (Ref:2149501)

New Sebring Tuesday test times posted at americanlemans.com

dj4monie · 11 Mar 2008, 21:57 (Ref:2149509)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazda1

I hope the radical is fast and last the whole race. We really need another serious LMP1 out there!!

Honestly my thinking is this -

We were somewhat cheated last year considering Penske had electrical problems right at the drop of the green flag and we have sense seen the pace they can run at and harass the larger LMP1 cars.

Acura started the season with an overweight car and with EVO changes all season but the major cockpit change not taking place until the off-season, I don't think we have seen all the Acura teams have got either.

Add all this with Peugeot constantly being quicker than Audi and I think the race will be VERY CLOSE and I see at least 4-5 cars being on the lead lap or less than a lap down at the end.

To stay ahead of the LMP2 cars Audi and Peugeot will give up some mileage to gain some needed pace to try and distance themselves from the pack.

As you saw at Road America this can backfire if you get into a door handle to door handle battle for position. That is the little talked about disadvantage to turbocharged cars nobody really talks about. You make more power, but to do that you need to use more fuel... That also means you're pit windows are narrower.

If the LMP2 have also pick up mileage in the off-season, then most of these rule change will be moot. On paper some of the pit stuff helps Audi and Peugeot (for this race) but the fact remains I think LMP2 can extend their pit windows at least a lap or two.

That's why I believe based on early test times, race pace will be around 1:45 (Audi fastest time in morning warm ups last year was 1:47, pole time was 1:44) that's constant with the race pace being faster than the previous season's qualifying pace, which is largely true.

Baring any wild reliability problems, at least until mid race I expect this thing to be one of the closest Sebrings EVER.

Graham Goodwin · 11 Mar 2008, 21:58 (Ref:2149511)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

To my knowledge it has been running, its mid-pack with the LMP2 cars.

I think 1:46 and change is there fastest lap thus far, which is pretty good for a brand new effort.

I don't know where you got that from but afaik its waiting for a part and hasn't run

Zurbert82 · 11 Mar 2008, 21:59 (Ref:2149512)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazda1

Peugeot fastest this morning. 142.801!! 0.838 faster than the Audi's.

That was from the Winter Test back in January. As for the Radical, I'd be surprised to see it dip below 1:55..

yamato · 11 Mar 2008, 22:03 (Ref:2149517)

We can dream about 4-5 cars on the lead lap at the end. If any field could produce that, this would be the one, but I don't think that there have ever been more than two on the lead lap at the end,....

I recall 2005:

TK - "do you want a photo finish?"
Kettler - "keep the hammer down"

and that was still over ten seconds I think.

My thought is that the P2's will not be able to hang, and either one of the Audi's or the Peugeot will be alone on the lead lap at the end. But,... we can dream

yamato · 11 Mar 2008, 22:04 (Ref:2149518)

I don't believe that the Radical has run yet

Tom908V12 · 11 Mar 2008, 22:07 (Ref:2149521)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazda1

Peugeot fastest this morning. 142.801!! 0.838 faster than the Audi's.

Are you sure it's not rather the Winter tests time ???

Purist · 11 Mar 2008, 22:16 (Ref:2149530)

SS, are you planning to get speeds from the back straight?

The diesels still running the 81-litre tanks, correct?

I suspect towards the end we'll have at least two of the diesels, one of the Penske cars, and one of the Acuras at the sharp end of things.

mazda1 · 11 Mar 2008, 22:16 (Ref:2149531)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom908V12

Are you sure it's not rather the Winter tests time ???

I know now that the times posted on the ALMS website are from winter test. They say 12 hours of sebring though. The times from tuesday testing are still not clear either. I think They have a mess right now. Tomorrow I will be at the track, so I won't have to depend on their website.

**Bentley03** · 11 Mar 2008, 22:21 (Ref:2149537)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

To my knowledge it has been running, its mid-pack with the LMP2 cars.

I think 1:46 and change is there fastest lap thus far, which is pretty good for a brand new effort.

As far as I'm aware, the car has yet to turn a wheel at Sebring.

Also, if the car does turn a lap that's even remotely close to a 1:46 this week, it'll be in the hands of Ben Collins. I don't think he is due to arrive at Sebring until tomorrow (but I may be wrong about that).

minimangler · 11 Mar 2008, 22:23 (Ref:2149539)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

Offical entery list has Tafel with two Ferrari F430 GT.

Here you go from the American Lemans Photos

Source: http://www.americanlemans.com/Galler...70&GalleryID=8

That's the new 997.

hadn't you heard?

mazda1 · 11 Mar 2008, 22:23 (Ref:2149541)

At lastturnclub.com they have a few pictures from Vici racing doing a transmission swap this morning. The guy taking the pictures got right under the car with the tech.

mazda1 · 11 Mar 2008, 22:25 (Ref:2149544)

Quote:

Originally Posted by minimangler

That's the new 997.

hadn't you heard?

Porsche can only dream of their car looking like as good as a Ferrari.

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