United Autosports LMP2 move .

The Badger · 2 Aug 2011, 12:47 (Ref:2934968)

United Autosports are planning a move to the P2 class with either an ex-Level 5 Lola or a HPD , according to Johansson .

http://www.autohebdo.fr/endurance/il...port-en-lm-p2-

Hope they go with the HPD , as I feel its a better package than the Lola , as the HPD is a turn key effort as opposed to having to jigsaw all your running gear together by yourself .

Love to see them in the ALMS with an Oreca/Nissan , even better .

Any idea which arena they plan to race in ?

Deleted · 2 Aug 2011, 12:54 (Ref:2934973)

I'm glad they didn't choose Stephane's championship. As they've been racing in Europe for ages the LMS sounds like the most probable choice to me, and now that P2 is the top class it all makes sense IMO

Marcel ten Caat · 2 Aug 2011, 13:45 (Ref:2934989)

Hmm...not exactly what was said at Spa this weekend. ;-)

19dodge · 2 Aug 2011, 13:55 (Ref:2934995)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stranger

Hmm...not exactly what was said at Spa this weekend. ;-)

Expect to see Zak, Stefan and another superstar driver in a LMP2 car that starts with a "O" at Petit. They've already ruled out a full-season WEC effort net year...

And Henri Richard isn't in the frame, either, as he'll be driving for PR1 in LMPC at Petit....

**joeb** · 2 Aug 2011, 14:28 (Ref:2935006)

Johansson must be itching to get back into a prototype. He was talking about leasing an ARX-01e, and now he seems to have moved on to LMP2. Choosing the Lola seems like the safe choice as they would have no problem acquiring one in time for Petit. Wouldn't they have to get a new build ARX-01g from Wirth/HPD if they went that route? With Level 5 getting two of those built right now, I wonder what the build delay would be?

edit: well after seeing the above post, I'm guessing the HPD is out of the question. Oreca it is!

The Badger · 2 Aug 2011, 14:29 (Ref:2935007)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 19dodge

another superstar driver in a LMP2 car that starts with a "O" at Petit

Come on , out with it , unless its privy news to yours truely ?

O'Connell , Oliver Pla or Lompard ?

The Badger · 2 Aug 2011, 14:31 (Ref:2935009)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

Johansson must be itching to get back into a prototype. He was talking about leasing an ARX-01e, and now he seems to have moved on to LMP2. Choosing the Lola seems like the safe choice as they would have no problem acquiring one in time for Petit. Wouldn't they have to get a new build ARX-01g from Wirth/HPD if they went that route? With Level 5 getting two of those built right now, I wonder what the build delay would be?

Oreca can knock those chassis out pretty qiuck , ala RML . Not sure exactly what Wirth does with them. Wasnt Wirth sold to Virgin F1 ?

I wouldnt be surprised with the popularity of the chassis , if Oreca dont have a few already available , especially considering the interest in the chassis .

Not doing so bad with the LC70 chassis , remembering what some arrogant thorn said about it years ago ..... Undrivable was the decsription .

Johansson , still a brilliantly quick driver .

Lola for me is a bad choice . You gotta do all the installation yourself ..... HPD would be better , but who knows . Level 5 got rid of their Lola/HPD ..... answer that question .

**joeb** · 2 Aug 2011, 15:55 (Ref:2935031)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Come on , out with it , unless its privy news to yours truely ?

O'Connell , Oliver Pla or Lompard ?

I think he was referring to the car starting with an "O" not the driver.

peckadj · 2 Aug 2011, 20:22 (Ref:2935134)

What about Herbert?

AGD · 2 Aug 2011, 23:10 (Ref:2935178)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 19dodge

Expect to see Zak, Stefan and another superstar driver in a LMP2 car that starts with a "O" at Petit. They've already ruled out a full-season WEC effort net year...

And Henri Richard isn't in the frame, either, as he'll be driving for PR1 in LMPC at Petit....

Interesting. Of course, Autohebdo's article (or at least the translation of it) said that those were amongst the cars being considered so I don't think they are necessairly dismissing the possibility of an Oreca (or Zytek...or a Norma!). And, of course, the ARX-01 is an Oreca of sorts too! But, yes, there still are questions left unanswered. First, what engine if they go with an Oreca 03? Nissan would be the obvious guess, but there is a Oreca 03-Judd in the LMS and an Oreca-HPD could happen too I'm guessing. Also, Dagys speculated that another team may be running the LMP2 operation at Petit for United. Is that still the case?

The initial rumors were that United was interested in WEC LMP2. That's interesting if that is no longer being considered. I guess it would make sense even if they are hoping to stick with LMP2. LMP2 will headline the LMS and it is a short schedule that would enable them to have time to do other things. Also, I guess there is the possibility that the ALMS may merge LMP1 and LMP2. That would be another possibility that would allow them to compete for overall wins.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

Wouldn't they have to get a new build ARX-01g from Wirth/HPD if they went that route? With Level 5 getting two of those built right now, I wonder what the build delay would be?

I don't know, but I think it would be possible to bolt on an ARX-01g kit on the old AGR tub that RML used as a spare at Le Mans and Imola. If they were able to convert that to ARX-01d spec, can they convert it to g spec as well? Is there something in that car that would not allow it to be cost-capped? Granted, a new car may be faster, but it might be ok for one race. Of course, it seems that the rumor is shifting away from United using an ARX-01 at Petit anyway so this discussion may be academic.

rich07 · 3 Aug 2011, 01:29 (Ref:2935207)

Quote:

Originally Posted by peckadj

What about Herbert?

Would love to see Herbert behind the wheel in a LMP again. Zak, Stefan and Herbet would be a great pro am line up.

Hopefully its an Oreca with the Nissan engine.

Mal · 3 Aug 2011, 06:47 (Ref:2935250)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich07

Would love to see Herbert behind the wheel in a LMP again. Zak, Stefan and Herbet would be a great pro am line up.

Hopefully its an Oreca with the Nissan engine.

If Herbert is involved it should be a Mazda engine

Marcel ten Caat · 7 Aug 2011, 23:55 (Ref:2937002)

More on United Autosports future plans can now be found in an interview with Zak Brown on DSC.

What they won't do in 2012?: "We don’t have plans to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012, nor in the FIA GT World Championship."

What they will do in 2012?: Read the article ;-)

19dodge · 8 Aug 2011, 02:01 (Ref:2937024)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stranger

More on United Autosports future plans can now be found in an interview with Zak Brown on DSC.

What they won't do in 2012?: "We don’t have plans to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012, nor in the FIA GT World Championship."

What they will do in 2012?: Read the article ;-)

DAMn, you beat me to it!

rich07 · 8 Aug 2011, 02:53 (Ref:2937029)

Give us non DSC subs a hint please?

Fogelhund · 8 Aug 2011, 03:08 (Ref:2937030)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich07

Give us non DSC subs a hint please?

It was suggested to me that the article doesn't actually say what they will do, as they can't reveal their plans at this time... or something like that.

**Bentley03** · 8 Aug 2011, 06:22 (Ref:2937042)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

It was suggested to me that the article doesn't actually say what they will do, as they can't reveal their plans at this time... or something like that.

Pretty much sums it up - I'd anticipate a British GT programme with their Audis and maybe a Blancpain campaign with a different marque (because there are already 3 factory supported Audi teams in that series).

Audi Racer · 8 Aug 2011, 06:52 (Ref:2937049)

i think its a no brainer to go for the HPD especially considering its only 300,000. cost capped will have more power and less weight. and its an HPD and the potential to move up to LMP1 with a P1 coupe since there will be associations with HPD.

for UNited Autosports. Its VLN then Lemans the the world!! lol

rich07 · 8 Aug 2011, 08:15 (Ref:2937070)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

It was suggested to me that the article doesn't actually say what they will do, as they can't reveal their plans at this time... or something like that.

So pretty much nothing then.

KA · 8 Aug 2011, 12:45 (Ref:2937178)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Pretty much sums it up - I'd anticipate a British GT programme with their Audis and maybe a Blancpain campaign with a different marque (because there are already 3 factory supported Audi teams in that series).

Basically, apart from probably continuing in British GT and Blancpain (and a continuation of their limited G-A schedule with the Michael Shank Riley), about all it confirms is that Brown has tested an LMP2 in Europe, there are plans to race one at the end of this season and he wants to enter a car for Le Mans in the future.

The Badger · 18 Aug 2011, 15:25 (Ref:2942557)

Nope , we were all wrong .

Looks like its going to be a Pescarolo P2 , with a Judd/BMW , run by DAMS , Johansson will be one of the drivers .

WOW ..... dont know what to think about that . But Johansson should make that car sing . And DAMS are a brilliant little team too .

How many differant chassis has Johansson driven now , in his career , protos I mean .

God bless the optimists in here !!! LMAO

Acid09 · 18 Aug 2011, 15:44 (Ref:2942565)

Good team and good driver but an Oreca 03 with a Nissan engine would surely have been a more potent contender right out of the box.

R4z3rw33n · 18 Aug 2011, 15:59 (Ref:2942567)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acid09

Good team and good driver but an Oreca 03 with a Nissan engine would surely have been a more potent contender right out of the box.

Considering DAMS is a past Oreca customer, that seems like a pretty logical step.

That being said, there are already enough Orecas in the P2 field (in Europe, at least).
Will be nice to see another (hopefully competitive) Pescarolo chassis on the grid.

Any information as to where (outside LM) the team will be competing?

JAG · 18 Aug 2011, 16:55 (Ref:2942589)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Nope , we were all wrong .

Looks like its going to be a Pescarolo P2 , with a Judd/BMW , run by DAMS , Johansson will be one of the drivers .

19dodge said they'd have a chassis begining with "O", this is an OAK chassis.

To compete at Le Mans they'll need to run a significant program given the number of P2 teams vying for entries. Previously they've said they want to race in NA and were looking into the ALMS with the R8's.

**joeb** · 18 Aug 2011, 16:59 (Ref:2942593)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

19Dodge said they'd have a chassis begining with 'O'.

This is an OAK chassis.

It's funny when I read that initially I only thought of Oreca and forgot about Oak! I hope they bring the car to Petit this year, would be great to see them in person.

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