Sebring Winter Test 2011

[NightStalk3r]

Originally Posted by seanyb505

It hasnt rained as of yet. Timing isnt working for me though.

It did earlier.

[Dani Filth]

it seems that the #40 Robertson Ford just did a mid 2:03 with a Robertson on board .. and that's quite a good time

[NightStalk3r]

Originally Posted by Dani Filth

it seems that the #40 Robertson Ford just did a mid 2:03 with a Robertson on board .. and that's quite a good time

Lady Robertson has been driving the wheels off that car both days, she has been very impressive.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by NightStalk3r

Lady Robertson has been driving the wheels off that car both days, she has been very impressive.

I do believe that Boris Said has been in that car at times, but not listed. I would likely attribute the fast times to him, unless someone in the know states otherwise.

[Dani Filth]

that makes sense actually .. she may have improved .. but not quite that much

[NightStalk3r]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

I do believe that Boris Said has been in that car at times, but not listed. I would likely attribute the fast times to him, unless someone in the know states otherwise.

Well it is hard to keep track of who is driving what when half of the drivers at the test are not listed

[joeb]

Does anybody know why Risi is listed as having both a 458 and 430 at the test? is the 430 being run for another team?

[NightStalk3r]

Originally Posted by joeb

Does anybody know why Risi is listed as having both a 458 and 430 at the test? is the 430 being run for another team?

for back to back comparisons.

[arakis]

btw it seems there was rain between the tests today, there seem to pudles on the track, but esting will resume soon

[joeb]

Originally Posted by NightStalk3r

for back to back comparisons.

That makes sense to me. I only asked because on the Sebring entry list there are other cars as the #61 and #62, while Risi (like many other alms regulars) had to add a 0 to their car number and are #062.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by joeb

That makes sense to me. I only asked because on the Sebring entry list there are other cars as the #61 and #62, while Risi (like many other alms regulars) had to add a 0 to their car number and are #062.

Non-ILMC entries in the ALMS have to add a 0 to their number for ILMC rounds.

[Audi Racer]

i'm pretty confident that the Audis and peugeot will be doing 1:44s and possibly 1:43. At a place like sebring there are only two straights. They cars have smaller engines so less weight back their., shorter wheel base, better brakes, the power won't make much of a difference at Sebring. Quite frankly don;t read into the times set by the aston martin because,
1. its the first running of the car by cytosport.
2. that aston is not a particularly good handling car.(not enough downforce and not particulary great weight distribution)
3.The HPD should be very good around here too

[Audi Racer]

Is anyone else thouroughly dissapointed at the fact that Risi will not be at Lemans. Its quite a shocker considering its not really a guarantee that they will win the alms championship.

[arakis]

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

Is anyone else thouroughly dissapointed at the fact that Risi will not be at Lemans. Its quite a shocker considering its not really a guarantee that they will win the alms championship.

me obviusly, but i understand that if they had money problems, that a trip to le mans + runing the car for 24h can prove costley when you don't have the cash

I am aslo disapointed at their testing here at sebring, they run the lowest nuber of laps then any other major player

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

i'm pretty confident that the Audis and peugeot will be doing 1:44s and possibly 1:43. At a place like sebring there are only two straights. They cars have smaller engines so less weight back their., shorter wheel base, better brakes, the power won't make much of a difference at Sebring. Quite frankly don;t read into the times set by the aston martin because,
1. its the first running of the car by cytosport.
2. that aston is not a particularly good handling car.(not enough downforce and not particulary great weight distribution)
3.The HPD should be very good around here too

I really think you've got Sebring as a track all wrong. I'll stick with my 47 as a prediction.

[Audi Racer]

Originally Posted by arakis

me obviusly, but i understand that if they had money problems, that a trip to le mans + runing the car for 24h can prove costley when you don't have the cash

I am aslo disapointed at their testing here at sebring, they run the lowest nuber of laps then any other major player

Their no doubt probably sandbagging. I'm also disspointed at how thw BMW's skipped this test isntead choosing to have their won private test.(This one no doubt to see the true pace of the car). It hink that all the games being played in the GT ranks just show the amount of competition on the gt field. If we remember the BMW's were SCARY fast at sebring last year. I feel like the battle will be between the corvette and the BMW but they'' bag their cars into eachother and out of contention of rthe flying lizard boys to take the win.

[Audi Racer]

Anyone else think that Bergmeister and Long won't be so passive this year. They have every reason to jsut go out their and try something new. They won the championship the past two years with the same strategy of all the competitors banging them selves out of contention. Well for my sake i hope they are a bit more aggresive. you saw sparks of that aggressiveness last year like at Laguna Seca.

[TWK]

I've hear Jorge called a lot of things over the years, but "passive" was never one of them.

[seanyb505]

Just because they won the last two years doesn't give them reason to deviate from their game plan. They've found something that works, why not stick to it or build from there? I believe they have zero reason to try something new as opposed to, say Jaguar. They need to try something new.

[WolfsburgRS]

I've been pretty impressed with the Falken Tire times so far, they've been up at the sharp end of the sheets on both days. If they've got their durability up from last year they could be a real contender for a good finish, and a great addition to the 'tire war' aspect if they begin supplying other teams.

[Audi Racer]

Originally Posted by seanyb505

Just because they won the last two years doesn't give them reason to deviate from their game plan. They've found something that works, why not stick to it or build from there? I believe they have zero reason to try something new as opposed to, say Jaguar. They need to try something new.

because thats boring.

[Audi Racer]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

I really think you've got Sebring as a track all wrong. I'll stick with my 47 as a prediction.

The R18 s believed to already have done a 1:44 during testing. That makes your prediction obselete. I think you still dont understand that sebring is not that much of a power track. The P1's from audi and peugeot have much better handling and braking due to lighter engines and what not. They are also close coupes. Also horsepower is not the determining factor here. I assume that you believe that the audi R18 is slower in every aspect. YOu would be pretty surprised but i'm preyy sure in a straight line from 0--120mph the Audi r18 would be able to match the R15 and the cars prior to it. Its top end speed. the kind of top end we see at lemans not sebring that is what took the hit. The acceleration from 0-120 or so will be comparable.

Do you remember how they gave the GT2 cars a smaller restrictor last year yet they still went faster . Car performance is not all engine engine engine as you probably believe. In the ALMS horsepower is something you'd like to have but it does not make the car as they always say.

[chernaudi]

A member of the ALMS fan forum posted that as an estimated time based on observations. I think that we'll see the LMP1 diesels for sure running 1:46s, maybe even 1:45s. I don't think we'll see 2009 times, though.

[Dario911]

Good job for Falken Team. I hope they may be more reliable than past season. I'm impressed by Corvette. At the end of 2010 I said 2011 would have been their year. Yes, I know, it is early to say something... but I think they will be the team to beat! They've been very fast and reliable through all the test.
For Porsche I think it will be a quite difficult season. The car is fast, consistently in the first places on the sheet. But it is at its last racing season, and so is at its full evolution. Opponents are newer, with a larger development margin. So I think this is going to be a transition season for Porsche, waiting for the next RSR generation. Anyway, teams are always on top, the car is fast, and they will have the chance to do their best.
For the new 458... it has been quite on the same level of 430, a good result for a debuting car. But... I thought it would have been faster, but I'm sure they are sandbagging. It will be interesting to discover how much reliable this car will prove to be.
On the other hand Porsche, Corvette and BMW has proven their reliability, and this will make a difference in the long distance races. The same is for F430, wich will be the first opponent for the new 458.
We are going to assist a wonderful season, this is for sure.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

because thats boring.

Winning championships is anything but boring.