DPI laps times vs old LMP1

[JimboCycling]

I often hear it said (I think on radio le mans and Marshall Pruett) that modern DPI are running similar lap times to early-2000s LMP1.
Clearly those old cars had far more power, so how are DPI cars able to run that pace?

[seanyb505]

Tire tech, better aero and I might also guess better drivetrain management of power delivery

[WyldStallion]

Audi R18 in 2013 I think ran 1 min 43 sec at Sebring. The DPI cars are at 1 min 45-46. Too bad we have not gotten WEC to do more compare and contrast with in teh past 2 editions of Sebring.

GTLM has steadily gotten faster and faster over the past decade. GTLM pole at Sebring this year was an amazing 1 min 54 which enters old pre-2017 LMP2 territory. GTLM today would be competitive in the mid pack of prototyes in 2014 when the combined series started. But that is as fast as we are going to get for GT cars for a logn time since only GT3 cars will be running anytime soon.

[canaglia]

dpi are faster than early '00 lmp1 if we consider the time interval from early 2000 to the end of 2007 because in 2008 peugeot 908HDi brought competition and overall performances to a new whole level that private/nowork lmp1 were able to match only 10 years later.
With the introduction of michelin tires dpi are roughly in same performance window of 2011-2012 audi and 2012-2013 toyota lmp1.

[NaBUru38]

At the 2019 1000 Miles of Sebring, the top Toyota qualified at 1'40.3.

[jimclark]

Originally Posted by canaglia

With the introduction of michelin tires dpi are roughly in same performance window of 2011-2012 audi and 2012-2013 toyota lmp1.

The mention of tires is tres important. Tire tech plays a huge part in lap times.
The owner of the Porsche (IMSA GTU 911) I drove many, many years ago, was owned by he for a number of years. He changed nothing on the car other than rebuilds yet the car got faster and faster each year at the same circuits. The only difference was the tire development.

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by jimclark

The mention of tires is tres important. Tire tech plays a huge part in lap times.
The owner of the Porsche (IMSA GTU 911) I drove many, many years ago, was owned by he for a number of years. He changed nothing on the car other than rebuilds yet the car got faster and faster each year at the same circuits. The only difference was the tire development.

switching from rubbish continental to spec michelin dpi gained about 2.5s at daytona... and we are talking about a spec michelin compound, wonder how fast dpi could be if allowed to develope their own confidential tires...

[WyldStallion]

Top GT lap times will have a slight drop too. GTLM pole went 1 min 42 at Daytona and 1 min 54 at Sebring this year. GTD Pro pole will probably be 3 or 4 seconds slower than that in 2022 at each track.