Wirth Research - 'a very interesting coupe'

[chernaudi]

Unless the tire rules have changed, I'd expect the Audi R18 and the Peugeot 90x to use the same (or at least similar) wheels and tires to what the R15 and the 908 use: both use 13' tires up front and 14.5' at the rear, and both use 13.5x18 front wheels and 14.5x18 rears.

In otherwords, the new LMP1s will basically be sort of like LMP2s with LMP1 wheels and tires.

For the wide front tires, you'll need a lot of weight up front or a lot of front downforce to prevent what happened with the ARX-02--it took an eternity for it's front tires to got up to full temperatue, and until then, the car likely had dreadful understeer due to a lack of front grip. On the long run, the car was good because of excellent grip once the tires were hot and had very good tire wear, but the Audi R15 and Peugeot 908 triple- and quadruple stinted tires at LM this year without issue.

However, I do feel that tire/wheel widths will likely be within a inch or so of what the rears are, but that's also the current status quo.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

For the wide front tires, you'll need a lot of weight up front or a lot of front downforce.

With the smaller engines the weight distribution will automatically move forward. Add electric drive of the front axle into the equation and the wide front tires suddenly make a lot of sense

[chernaudi]

The Porsche 911 hybrid used standard 911 GT3 RSR tires on it, which is why they popped LF's until they switched to a harder compound and adjusted air pressure.

Drag is also an issue. When you consider the fender bulges on the Audi R15 to allow for steering lock, they'd be even wider if Audi ran 14.5/14.5x18's instead of 13/13.5x18 tires and wheels. Drag was a big problem with the ARX-02, namely with the small engine. LM is going to be the man focus, and I don't think that the teams can afford any more drag than they already have. Hence, the exposed diffuser front ends (Bentley Speed 8, Audi R15, Peugeot 908, Acura ARX-02 and Audi R10) may certianly dissapear or be adjusted, certianly at Le Mans.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Drag was a big problem with the ARX-02, namely with the small engine.

I guess that is why the next Wirth Research LMP1 car will be a coupe