What is Aston Martin up to?

[acox93]

Originally Posted by CTD

Still - Very unprofessional.

I find it hard to see how you could consider running a shakedown silencer on the cars first track test in order to meet noise regs "unprofessional".

[NightStalk3r]

Originally Posted by acox93

I find it hard to see how you could consider running a shakedown silencer on the cars first track test in order to meet noise regs "unprofessional".

I think he expects them to spend at least a week in R&D building a proper expensive silencer just for one outing.

[JAG]

Why does AMR/Prodrive come in for so much stick, is it because the internethas deemed the new car doesn't look like a winner, if that's the criteria I could design a Le Mans winner on the back of a napkin.

This team not only kept GT1 interesting by taking on and beating P&M they were the first to take a shot at the diesels and are now putting their money where their mouth is with a bespoke P1.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by NightStalk3r

I think he expects them to spend at least a week in R&D building a proper expensive silencer just for one outing.

I can't help but thinking that this silencer is something that will restrict the cars performance.
And if AMR want to compete against Audi and Peugeot, then this just doesn't seem to be on the same level.

Originally Posted by JAG

Why does AMR/Prodrive come in for so much stick, is it because the internet has deemed the new car doesn't look like a winner, if that's the criteria I could design a Le Mans winner on the back of a napkin.

This team not only kept GT1 interesting by taking on and beating P&M they were the first to take a shot at the diesels and are now putting their money where their mouth is with a bespoke P1.

Personally i don't really care about the looks, yes it's not a thing of beauty, but just the whole program seem to be filled with little things which shouldn't be there.
1. Car was planned to entry at Sebring, instead we get a VERY late release of engine and car with basically none km/miles under the belt (this is when Audi and Peugeot has run in minimum a half year).

2. Even after the presentation of the car, AMR doesn't run in any of the major tests which is where most of the important test km/miles are laid as you test on a shared track.

AMR except to perform well at Le Mans, unfortunately i do not see this happen with the project going this far of track.
I really like AMR, i love the Lola AMR, but this project just doesn't feel right, there is too many bad news compared to good news (which is wrong in motorsports, where good news often out weight bad news)

[NightStalk3r]

Originally Posted by CTD

I can't help but thinking that this silencer is something that will restrict the cars performance.
And if AMR want to compete against Audi and Peugeot, then this just doesn't seem to be on the same level.

The AMR is already well underpowered and they know it, i dont think the make shift silencer is going to make much if any difference for a shakedown.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by CTD

I can't help but thinking that this silencer is something that will restrict the cars performance.
And if AMR want to compete against Audi and Peugeot, then this just doesn't seem to be on the same level.

It was a shakedown. You don't need maximum performance to see if the car falls to pieces and actually turns in the correct direction when you turn the wheel.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by NightStalk3r

The AMR is already well underpowered and they know it, i dont think the make shift silencer is going to make much if any difference for a shakedown.

Originally Posted by Dead-Eye

It was a shakedown. You don't need maximum performance to see if the car falls to pieces and actually turns in the correct direction when you turn the wheel.

This i understand, i have just never seen any other lmp team doing it that way.

And together with all the other stuff, it just gives me a bad impression of the team.

[NightStalk3r]

Originally Posted by CTD

This i understand, i have just never seen any other lmp team doing it that way.

And together with all the other stuff, it just gives me a bad impression of the team.

Most other teams dont test on uk circuits which most if not all have very strict noise restrictions.

[acox93]

The silencer was is a makeshift device for the shakedown. When at the events the car will not run any form of silencer as the turbo should absorb enough noise to fall within the ACO's limits.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by CTD

Personally i don't really care about the looks, yes it's not a thing of beauty, but just the whole program seem to be filled with little things which shouldn't be there.
1. Car was planned to entry at Sebring, instead we get a VERY late release of engine and car with basically none km/miles under the belt (this is when Audi and Peugeot has run in minimum a half year).

2. Even after the presentation of the car, AMR doesn't run in any of the major tests which is where most of the important test km/miles are laid as you test on a shared track.

AMR except to perform well at Le Mans, unfortunately i do not see this happen with the project going this far of track.
I really like AMR, i love the Lola AMR, but this project just doesn't feel right, there is too many bad news compared to good news (which is wrong in motorsports, where good news often out weight bad news)

What bad news other than missing Sebring?

They've had a shakedown, will go on an extensive testing program and make their race debut before the R18.

[Simmi]

It's very difficult to call them unprofessional as it is not like we are often given access to teams shaking down their cars. As others have said there is really no need to push the envelope.

[TF110]

I think if they fixed the nose and had some 'undercut to their sidepods' the car would look way better. Maybe if the Fin was incorporated into the car the way Audi has done it it'd change a good deal of the looks also. I'm wondering if they'll change the aero, I'm sure they will for LeMans, but maybe the design is for top speed? Seeing as how they lost a lot of power, maybe cutting a smaller hole through the air was their MO?

[CTD]

Originally Posted by JAG

What bad news other than missing Sebring?

They've had a shakedown, will go on an extensive testing program and make their race debut before the R18.

The very late state of the testing (again, all others have several km/miles in their cars by now)
Underpowered engine
More or less radical Aerodynamics, and therefor need more track time to dial in (just see the R15).

All things that i consider very important to figure out when we are so close to the start of the season.

Originally Posted by Simmi

It's very difficult to call them unprofessional as it is not like we are often given access to teams shaking down their cars. As others have said there is really no need to push the envelope.

Compared to how the other manufactures are doing, AMR is behind. Which is not good as AMR should be just a nudge better that the other petrol manufactures.

But this my "feeling" of this project, and normally I'm very keen on being optimistic about new cars, i just have a bad feeling about this, because it does not feel like Prodrive anymore.

[KA]

Originally Posted by CTD

This i understand, i have just never seen any other lmp team doing it that way.

And together with all the other stuff, it just gives me a bad impression of the team.

I don't think I've seen too many LMP teams testing at Goodwood?..
Given the track they were testing on, that exhaust isn't really much of a reflection on the professionalism of the team- it's just something you have to do when you're running at Goodwood, as IIRC it works under unusually strict noise limits compared to other British tracks- I suspect that without hanging that silencer on the car, they'd have been told to put it back in the truck pretty quickly...

Right now we're seeing a programme that at the moment is very obvously well behind schedule, and I'm sure Prodrive are even more aware of that fact than we are, and would much rather be doing it differently. Bearing in mind that they've already had to miss Sebring and the LMS test, I wouldn't be surprised to see AMR running anywhere they can to get mileage on the car before the race debut.

Goodwood's a curious choice though- was it simply the only UK circuit that was available for Prodrive's exclusive use for a shakedown test without having to worry about tripping over BTCC cars and whatever else might be testing elsewhere this week, or could there be any reason why it might be a deliberate choice, because of the track characteristics?

I guess from a PR point of view at least, it would have an attraction- Goodwood was a bit part of Aston's sportscar success in the 50's, and certainly if I was in charge of publicity and press for AMR, I'd have wanted to get some shots of the LMP lined up in front of the Goodwood pits...

[gwyllion]

AMR did a shakedown of the car (with ugly silencer hack) at Snetterton. Goodwood is only a demo run for PR reasons.

[KA]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

AMR did a shakedown of the car (with ugly silencer hack) at Snetterton. Goodwood is only a demo run for PR reasons.

Makes sense- and we've seen quite a few LMP teams use Snetterton for testing/shakedown work- RML tend to use it quite a bit IIRC

I guess the ugly silencer hack is a bit of an occupational hazard of using UK circuits, as quite a few have pretty strict noise limits

[Tim the Grey]

But, one of the reasons so much testing happened at snett WAS the lack of noise regs.

This has now changed, due to NIMBYS on a housing estate. This is an increasing issue in the UK, with more countryside becoming houses, and they get built next to old airfields. Which may, or may not, still be in use. Then the folks complain about EXISTING sources of noise, as they bought a house in the 'quiet' countryside. These folks even complain about cows and cockerels, not just racing cars and jet planes!

[ranksy99]

I was the one who took the majority of pictures that were posted on Flickr and then onto Autosport/AMR teams and then ACO web sites.

I watched the team from the back of the garage for over an hour as they repositioned/replaced ducts, pipes, cables and the increase heat protection around them. They then fired it up to find something leaking out from underneath. From the pictures on the pistonhead site there has clearly been an overheating problem around the engine department and I believe it was for this reason the additional tail pipe was used - not noise. It then only went round for 2 slow installation laps before disappearing into the garage again only to come out in bits ready to be loaded up with still over an hour of testing time left.

The test session was only labeled on their residents noise level web page as those operating to national standards and not to that of higher bodies. F2 opearte at the maximum level permitted - last year other LM cars ran without restriction - Rebellion/Beechdean/RML. Arena Motorsport were also there with Tom Chilton and their focus.

I think that they struggled abit - only doing about 20 odd laps between 3 drivers - S Mucke, D Turner and another I didnt recognise. The next day at Goodwood was just PR. They do have a lot to do before their first LMS race this year - is it going to win LM = not a hope!

[Simmi]

Thanks Ranksy good insight, welcome.

[carabus]

I'd like to be wrong, but all it seems so much like ... a Lister LMP story. As a Czech, I wished Tomas Enge to drive the car, now it's not the case...

[vyselegend]

Calling it a disaster is an overstatement IMHO.

Let's not forget that the program is very late, car is hitting the ground for the first time, so teething problems are to be expected.

And even if there is a design flaw in the exhaust piping, it's not the end of the world since were talking of a Prodrive run AMR, not a little privateer like WR or Lavaggi. I wouldn't bet on the cars reaching the checkered flag in two weeks at HTTT 1000km, but I don't expect them to do a JLOC either.

I'm confident they will solve the problem and skip to the next one. Coming to Spa they should be able to do a race distance at a reasonable pace I hope.

[broadrun96]

Will be painful to run a race to test but sometimes things happen and it's not like it's the first time these guys have built a car or worked on a prototype either.

[Pandamasque]

Have anyone heard of any plans to go somewhere for some proper extensive testing? Silevrstone maybe or abroad?

[JAG]

They said they'd be doing as much testing as humanly possible before Ricard.

[Mal]

Christian Klein will be the 6th Factory driver