General Sportscar Chat thread

[Deleted]

SRO has the 20 year anniversary today - so congrats, we might have had our differences at times but you've also done lot of good for this kind of racing and old BPR + FIA GT were something else.

It's not the biggest birthday set on the table though is it. And because Stephane and pals didn't want to wake up early and come to office in Saturday, they celebrated it yesterday already

[TRspitfirefan]

From the Rolex thread.

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

Very good point.
It does raise a troubling question though.
What is the purpose of endurance racing, if pushing boundaries is not allowed?
It's really just a huge waste of time and resources. There are a lot of safer, cheaper and more efficient ways to produce mere entertainment.

Originally Posted by Speed-King

99,9% of all racing in the world isn't about pushing technological boundaries...you wanna outlaw all of that?

I think it's a subject that deserves some attention.
If motorsport does not contribute to safety, efficiency, etc. in the broader automotive industry, then what is the justification for such an extravagant use of resources, and the significant risk to human life?
Even the purity of the sporting competition aspect is questionable, when lap-down wave byes and BOP is so heavily employed.

#tough questions we really don't want to ask.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

If motorsport does not contribute to safety, efficiency, etc. in the broader automotive industry, then what is the justification for such an extravagant use of resources, and the significant risk to human life?

Because they can.

Most of us that post on here live in a free society, and that means that people can spent their money whichever way they want to unless they infringe on the freedoms of others.

If you go down your train of thought, you'd also have to outlaw aero-development on the P1s... surely there is little to no road relevance in all the hyper-advanced black-art aerodynamics seen in P1 and F1, either. Why not make them use volume production model roadcar shells?

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Because they can.

Most of us that post on here live in a free society, and that means that people can spent their money whichever way they want to unless they infringe on the freedoms of others.

If you go down your train of thought, you'd also have to outlaw aero-development on the P1s... surely there is little to no road relevance in all the hyper-advanced black-art aerodynamics seen in P1 and F1, either. Why not make them use volume production model roadcar shells?

I believe strongly in freedom, so I'm not suggesting outlawing anything.
This is an issue that each person who chooses to support this sport, has to think about.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

I believe strongly in freedom, so I'm not suggesting outlawing anything.
This is an issue that each person who chooses to support this sport, has to think about.

Actually, even in my worst anti-capitalist punk rocker phase 15 years ago I found that I could justify being a racing fan:
Capitalist pigs spending their ill-gotten gains for my entertainment, what's not to like?!

[Mal]

With Nissan joining the party this year is that it for P1 manufacturers? Who do you think, if any, will be the next one to step into the ring?

[Mike E]

Good to see Audi nurturing young talent. With Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini and Bentley involved in GTs and prototypes, the VW Group must be a great place to get a foothold.

http://www.endurance-info.com/en/kel...rive-for-2015/

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Mal

With Nissan joining the party this year is that it for P1 manufacturers? Who do you think, if any, will be the next one to step into the ring?

Tough question. I would actually change it to, Will another manufacturer join before one of the current leaves?

[Rodger Davies]

I think their programmes are very independent in that regard though. Yes, Dumas and Bernhard were loaned to Audi, but that was to keep their hand in P1 driving to benefit Porsche.

That said, for anyone without a budget for working their way to F1, GTs are showing that they can be a serious way into DTM, if you look at the likes of Martin and Gotz, one of the few genuinely professional series around (arguably more so than F1 and Indycar).

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Because they can.

Most of us that post on here live in a free society, and that means that people can spent their money whichever way they want to unless they infringe on the freedoms of others.

Well, yes. But pay drivers are often not the fastest drivers.

As TRspitfirefan says, if professional motorsport becomes irrelevant, it will die.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by joeb

Tough question. I would actually change it to, Will another manufacturer join before one of the current leaves?

Last rumor we heard was Subaru contemplating an entry. Maybe 2017? Hopefully no one leaves. Toyota entering wrc has some questioning their lmp1 program's longevity though.

[Articus]

I think the way WEC program is being run suggest some sort of longterm stability.
If Toyota knows the clock is ticking on the WEC program, they would probably run 3 cars. So yeah they want to win Le Mans this year or next but it obviously isn't that desperate that they would run 3 cars. So I don't think the clock is ticking on this program.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

Last rumor we heard was Subaru contemplating an entry.

And Lamborghini...

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Chiana

And Lamborghini...

Back at that time, it seemed like the thinking/wishes of their test driver Giorgio Sanna. Well now he's head of Lamborghini motorsports! I wonder if this means his lmp1 ambition will be seen?

[Deleted]

Well back when it first surfaced he was already titled, apart from being driver, as "Lamborghini motorsports coordinator", but I guess this makes his role even more influential.

In any case, interesting times

[Mike E]

Spyker's bankruptcy has been declared null and void. The company has re-entered the Dutch equivalent of the US Chapter 11 creditor protection.

http://spykercars.com/company/corpor...-void-with-133

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Spyker's bankruptcy has been declared null and void. The company has re-entered the Dutch equivalent of the US Chapter 11 creditor protection.

http://spykercars.com/company/corpor...-void-with-133

I suppose that is positive news, but they are still facing an uphill battle to get back in business building and selling cars let alone racing them.

[Deleted]

I wrote a few lines about this to another thread already, but it's something worth thinking about: do you guys realize how massive operation Oreca is running now? I mean, few years ago they were maybe more visible to common folk who would see their team banner on top of LMP1 or GT1 car they were running themselves, but now they are almost the LMP equivalent to what Dallara is for single seater racing. They are simply everywhere. We talk a lot about Oak Racing, and as great and grand their efforts truly are, Oreca is the real mastermind holding the strings of customer LMP racing right now.

2015 projects in ACO racing:

LMP1
- Rebellion R-One: design modifications (like the engine department) and service
- Toyota TS040: assistance with on track operations

LMP2
- Oreca 05: final design, construction, supplying and service
- Oreca 03: supplying and service (also EVO kit over the winter)

LMP3
- All entries: engine+ECU+gearbox supplying and service

LMPC
- FLM09: service

Would love to see entry under their own banner again of course, in P1.

[Mr Pink]

What Oreca does really is impressive. It's also good to know that it's still possible to make some money in racing!

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Chiana

I wrote a few lines about this to another thread already, but it's something worth thinking about: do you guys realize how massive operation Oreca is running now? I mean, few years ago they were maybe more visible to common folk who would see their team banner on top of LMP1 or GT1 car they were running themselves, but now they are almost the LMP equivalent to what Dallara is for single seater racing. They are simply everywhere. We talk a lot about Oak Racing, and as great and grand their efforts truly are, Oreca is the real mastermind holding the strings of customer LMP racing right now.

2015 projects in ACO racing:

LMP1
- Rebellion R-One: design modifications (like the engine department) and service
- Toyota TS040: assistance with on track operations

LMP2
- Oreca 05: final design, construction, supplying and service
- Oreca 03: supplying and service (also EVO kit over the winter)

LMP3
- All entries: engine+ECU+gearbox supplying and service

LMPC
- FLM09: service

Would love to see entry under their own banner again of course, in P1.

And hey, that is only the LMP side of their operations.
Oreca as a whole is massive, and undertakes pretty much all kinds of motorsport.

[FIRE]

How many people work at Oreca?

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by FIRE

How many people work at Oreca?

Not quite sure, but IIRC they have two or three locations rather than one, with the prototypes being built in Courage's old facilities at Le Mans.

[Mike E]

It's already been discussed in the Super GT thread but I thought the wider implications of Heikki Kovalainen's move to Japan would be of interest here too. If he gets on well with SARD and produces some good results, how long before he appears in a prototype of some sort?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117634

[Deleted]

I am bored. So let me ask you a question I asked on Autosport some time ago.

If you could only follow (live, TV) five sportscar events during the year for whatever reason, which would those be? And secondary, if you could only watch five motorsport events in general during the year, which would those be.

Mine right now - for both lists

Le Mans 24h
Nurburgring 24h
Suzuka 1000 KM
Petit Le Mans
Silverstone 6h

I've kept PLM there even though the racing product is whatever it is, it's just always used to be my favorite NA event and the track is fabulous. For Silverstone, it's only because of being season opener now - I hate the post-2010 track and atmosphere. But especially with the LMP1s right now it's just a must watch

[FIRE]

• Le Mans 24h
• Nurburgring 24h
• Bathurst 1000
• Bathurst 12h
• Daytona 500