IMSA Race 2016 12 Hours of Sebring

[carbon_titanium]

IMSA doesn't need lmp1 cars, IMSA just would need more teams really interested in P class to field at least 12-15 lmp2 race by race and about 20 at daytona and sebring; powered by different engine suppliers like HPD, GM, mazda and why not nissan and ford too.
Call these cars as you wish, DPi, lmp2, IMSA P etc... IMSA need quality and quantity by his side, it's all about find a way to attract new teams to lmp2 specs, as GT3 manufacturers have been able to do with some american teams almost never involved before in GT racing, example dyson -> bentley.

I don't know how much expensive is to run IMSA/TUSC but if 2 american teams, prefers to run a full ELMS season than a domestic series, surely there's something wrong.

Unfortunately I can't see any new team interested to step in, otherwise I can expect to see teams like AXR and WTR going out for good once DP cars won't be elegible anymore

[chernaudi]

As much as I love LMP1 cars and loathe the NASCAR/F1 "dumbing down/dulling down" of motorsports, and as much as I'm not impressed with the slowish laptimes of the prototypes at Sebring (not so much being nearly 10 seconds off the pace that Audi ran in 2013, and only being about as fast as Audi were 15 years ago, but being only a few seconds a lap faster than the GTLM cars), you don't necessarily need the fastest cars to have a good race.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

IMSA doesn't need lmp1 cars, IMSA just would need more teams really interested in P class to field at least 12-15 lmp2 race by race and about 20 at daytona and sebring; powered by different engine suppliers like HPD, GM, mazda and why not nissan and ford too.
Call these cars as you wish, DPi, lmp2, IMSA P etc... IMSA need quality and quantity by his side, it's all about find a way to attract new teams to lmp2 specs, as GT3 manufacturers have been able to do with some american teams almost never involved before in GT racing, example dyson -> bentley.

I don't know how much expensive is to run IMSA/TUSC but if 2 american teams, prefers to run a full ELMS season than a domestic series, surely there's something wrong.

Unfortunately I can't see any new team interested to step in, otherwise I can expect to see teams like AXR and WTR going out for good once DP cars won't be elegible anymore

I expect AXR and WTR to be fielding Cadillac DPi's next year.

[carbon_titanium]

I can see AXR and WTR using cadillac DPi only if backed by GM. WTR has some connection with GM (and dallara too if will be picked by GM as chassis partner) while I simply can't expect to see AXR throw out all their coyote stuff for free and pay for new toys.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

I don't know how much expensive is to run IMSA/TUSC but if 2 american teams, prefers to run a full ELMS season than a domestic series, surely there's something wrong.

Half the amount of races (6 vs 12), in a geographical area that is 1/4 to 1/3 the size (distances needed to transport equipment). 24hrs total of racing in ELMS only covers the amount of hours in the opener on this side of the pond.







L.P.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Nah, it was dickish! The facts of the matter have been known for some time, since the merger in fact. That's plenty of time for even the most obtuse to have seen and know the direction in which IMSA was headed with the class. So for someone who has been exposed to the facts for that length of time to prop it up as a 'loaded question' is just wrong, IMO. As to the expectation of the ego stroking answer sought... The Audi (P-1) has not been in the series for some time now, so for you to be asking such a question means you have to have been a fan of some length of time, therefore you should know all of the answers to said question. He gave the only honest answer available. If giving the only truthful, factual, answer to the instantly discernible dickish question asked was offensive, then all I can say is when asking that kind of question you better expect a brief response at best!

A dickish man deserves dickish treatment. Scotty has repeatedly told the team I have been in contact with that he does not want them on the grid because they're "the worst sort of competitor." What makes them so bad? They're coming to win - not merely participate.

I have no respect for a man who treats prospective entries like dirt for such stupid reasons. A good leader does not deliberately try to alienate participants.

[Matt]

I'm guessing you're still not gonna tell us which team that is?

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Matt

I'm guessing you're still not gonna tell us which team that is?

Ya think?!







L.P.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

I can see AXR and WTR using cadillac DPi only if backed by GM. WTR has some connection with GM (and dallara too if will be picked by GM as chassis partner) while I simply can't expect to see AXR throw out all their coyote stuff for free and pay for new toys.

I can see WTR with a Cadallara if they are ready in time but AXR and maybe WTR I see in their current cars when IMSA realizes 2017 is too soon for the switch and grandfathers everything. Not only are the P2s not ready but the rules aren't even finished for the DPi.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Matt

I'm guessing you're still not gonna tell us which team that is?

As I've said before, NDAs are involved. The NDAs expire when the team goes public, and I will confirm their identity at that time.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I'm not smart enough to know why they can't re-fired easily and I don't know if this has always been an issue with them. What I do know, is the cars are dated and there's two or three teams that really seem to have a hot shoe with 1 or 2 decent gentlemen drivers. The rest just seem to have a great deal of difficulty not cocking up in the most inopportune times.

That is what I am curious about. Is it a prep issue? But it seems to happen randomly (I have not been paying that much attention to know-I would have to check to see which team got walloped by the Delta in turn one at Daytona, or which team had problems from turn 10 to 13 at Sebring, until it went only on tow rope, or even if the same team)

Please note, I am not really against the PC cars, and this isn't meant that way. I am more technically curious then anything.

[BullMan]

Ryan Eversley said some time ago (maybe during Daytona) that the engine changes have made it so that they are killing the starters. When the car stops, the engine puts so much strain on the starter that it just doesn't work. I don't know how or why that is, but that is what he mentioned.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by skycafe

That is what I am curious about. Is it a prep issue? But it seems to happen randomly (I have not been paying that much attention to know-I would have to check to see which team got walloped by the Delta in turn one at Daytona, or which team had problems from turn 10 to 13 at Sebring, until it went only on tow rope, or even if the same team)

Please note, I am not really against the PC cars, and this isn't meant that way. I am more technically curious then anything.

Starworks entry got hit up the back by the D'Wing.

[skycafe]

Ok, that is helpful.

I assume the starter can not be changed to something else (if there is something else) because of the spec nature of the class?

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by Matt

Starworks entry got hit up the back by the D'Wing.

Which car went flat late at Sebring?

[Matt]

That I do not know, was out karting with a bunch of friends from 5:30-midnight. :\

[Artur]

Originally Posted by Matt

That was all down to Pipo being Pipo F***ing Derani and the fact he is the quickest driver in the series. Put him in any of the cars in the P field and he would have done the same thing. This is the same team with Ed Brown on it and they've won the 36 Hours of Florida.

Brown barely raced. Albuquerque is a great driver, was easily one of the highlights of last year's LM(depending how you rate ROC, he also beaten several F1 big names there, including Vettel in the final). I think people are getting carried away with Derani, in a faster P2(new tires), appearing to be better than he actually is.

I would definitely bet on Albuquerque versus Derani if both drove equal cars. I know Derani since his days of British F3. There were lot's of other drivers that were better than him back them: Jack Harvey, Harry Tincknell, Alex Lynn and even Felix Serrales and Carlos Sainz Jr(it took a lot of time for this guy to pick up peformance in the F1 ladder)

I won't be surprised if Derani get's completely overshadowded in the much tougher enviroment that is WEC. There, Alb, for instance, will also drive a Ligier P2

For the record, I don't want to start a hard debate about it. I'm just posting my humble opinion about Derani so that if he doesn't shine as brightly on WEC, I can say that I already saw it coming.

[Akrapovic]

Dernai also had new tyres, so the ESM should've been faster at that point, and was. You could argue that because the P2 had new tyres and the DP was on old, that if the DP was faster it'd have showed the BoP in favour of the DP.

Car on new tyres being faster than the car on old tyres does not warrant a BoP investigation.

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by nasportscar

Data analysis from Ben Wedge http://nasportscar.com/bens-analysis...rs-of-sebring/

So the Ligier Honda is now the fastest car on the straights. Unsurprisingly no one is complaining about BoP now

[Madkart]

Originally Posted by Artur

Brown barely raced. Albuquerque is a great driver, was easily one of the highlights of last year's LM(depending how you rate ROC, he also beaten several F1 big names there, including Vettel in the final). I think people are getting carried away with Derani, in a faster P2(new tires), appearing to be better than he actually is.

I would definitely bet on Albuquerque versus Derani if both drove equal cars. I know Derani since his days of British F3. There were lot's of other drivers that were better than him back them: Jack Harvey, Harry Tincknell, Alex Lynn and even Felix Serrales and Carlos Sainz Jr(it took a lot of time for this guy to pick up peformance in the F1 ladder)

I won't be surprised if Derani get's completely overshadowded in the much tougher enviroment that is WEC. There, Alb, for instance, will also drive a Ligier P2

For the record, I don't want to start a hard debate about it. I'm just posting my humble opinion about Derani so that if he doesn't shine as brightly on WEC, I can say that I already saw it coming.

Felix Serralles is such a good driver. Trust me, I grew up racing against him!

[nasportscar]

a few thoughts on the weekend http://nasportscar.com/arm-chair-rac...-imsa-sebring/

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TzeiTzei

Is ESM now OAK in disguise?

Why do you think they've transformed to such awesome force from the garbage performers they still were last year? Of course that's the main reason*, just like with other programs Oak/Onroak has camouflage-managed for the past few years.

(*besides Derani of course)

Anyway good for them, and I mean when you look at someone like Toyota Racing, it's also co-run by Oreca.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Why do you think they've transformed to such awesome force from the garbage performers they still were last year? Of course that's the main reason*, just like with other programs Oak/Onroak has camouflage-managed for the past few years.

(*besides Derani of course)

Anyway good for them, and I mean when you look at someone like Toyota Racing, it's also co-run by Oreca.

They partnered with them for logistics and implemented personnel in their team, probably srategy calls and stuff. Not sure if what Oak does with ESM is comparable.

[carbon_titanium]

Agree, oreca is no more than a support partner; in 2016 ESM is OAK.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

As I've said before, NDAs are involved. The NDAs expire when the team goes public, and I will confirm their identity at that time.

I'm betting that team isn't showing up, and the NDA would have expired by now.

You've been going on, and on, and on, and on about this magical team that nobody else has heard of.