Porsche in top level ALMS should they do it?

jslone · 24 Oct 2002, 06:21 (Ref:411880)

SHould they get balk in to the 675 and 900 divisons of ALMS?I think it would be a nice change if Audi decides not to continue in the top division,and furthemore should BMW come back with the M3's,I say yes,it raises the level of competition for ALMS.

SFonseca · 24 Oct 2002, 06:47 (Ref:411890)

Quote:

Originally posted by jslone
SHould they get balk in to the 675 and 900 divisons of ALMS?

t's to soon to know what Porsche will do in the future but I think Porsche need to come back to top level of motorsport (LMP900 or LMGTP classes).

**Adam43** · 24 Oct 2002, 08:32 (Ref:411932)

I wish Porsche would come back to the top-level. A nice Porsche LMGTP would be fantastic.

So the answer to your question is YES!

I think that Porsche should return to Le Mans. They have got that silly SUV out of their system now they should start making proper cars. Cars that win Le Mans.

cybersdorf · 24 Oct 2002, 09:06 (Ref:411940)

Quote:

Originally posted by jslone
SHould they get balk in to the 675 and 900 divisons of ALMS?

It doesn't make a difference if they do.

Nordic · 24 Oct 2002, 12:21 (Ref:412071)

Its also possible that Porsche will go back to F1 as an engine supplier. Would make no sense to me, but I am not in charge of these things.
I think studies are done all the time and if the mood within the boardroom is right then that is the project that gets the go ahead weather it be F1 LMP FIAGT's or Rally Raids.

**Aysedasi** · 24 Oct 2002, 12:28 (Ref:412085)

I'd always vote for Porsche being involved - sportscar competition is somehow slightly devalued when they aren't competing.

As for the M3, - absolutely not - but then my thoughts on that are quite well known already.......

Lee Janotta · 24 Oct 2002, 13:05 (Ref:412131)

Why? They've got nothing left to prove at LeMans.

Hmm... If you ask me, they need to bring back the entry-level 4-cylinder Porsche, as a roadster/coupe with a little 2.0L (optionally turbocharged) engine, and optional all-wheel drive (rear drive with a six-speed being standard).

Then build a rally version and go after the WRC.

Fab · 24 Oct 2002, 15:01 (Ref:412243)

I'll vote for a roofedtop car, a LMGTP... hope for 2004...

**Aysedasi** · 24 Oct 2002, 17:19 (Ref:412393)

Quote:

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Why? They've got nothing left to prove at LeMans.

On that basis, no-one would come back after a few wins. Yes, Porsche have dominated Le Mans for so many years, and that's why the race seems to have something missing somehow without them there.

IMO.

**Adam43** · 24 Oct 2002, 17:31 (Ref:412404)

Ferrari have nothing to prove in F1...

Audi have made Le Mans there own recently. Porsche need to redress this.

I agree Aysedasi. There is something missing. The expression "to win Le Mans you need to beat Porsche" will be consigned to history soon.

Please, Porsche, don't let it.

rdjones · 24 Oct 2002, 17:46 (Ref:412423)

2004 I hope when the new rules come into force.

cybersdorf · 24 Oct 2002, 18:30 (Ref:412476)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aysedasi
On that basis, no-one would come back after a few wins.

Well, are they? Three year programs whereever you look.
An event or series shouldn't define itself through its competitors or the cars that run in it. Yes they are important, but it should be possible to take one out, or swap it for another, without the whole house of cards collapsing (e.g. the old DTM, the FIASCC post-333SP). It needs to be more than the sum of its parts. Le Mans certainly is.
"Oh but it's not the same without..." - Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar, Talbot, Alfa,... - everyone of them a marque they thought Le Mans couldn't do without. It could.
If they want to compete, fine. If not, somebody else will.

cybersdorf · 24 Oct 2002, 18:31 (Ref:412478)

IMO

**Aysedasi** · 24 Oct 2002, 19:51 (Ref:412564)

Quote:

Originally posted by cybersdorf
IMO

Absolutely!

But I do accept what you say. Manufacturers come and go - sometimes I'm not that bothered at the loss (as I wouldn't be right now if Audi shut up shop completely), others I find very disappointing (the most obvious being Toyota's premature withdrawal from Le Mans). But perhaps its just me being silly and romantic about Porsche at Le Mans. I guess people would have said the same about Ferrari when they pulled out after their great successes.

What does everyone else think?

cybersdorf · 24 Oct 2002, 20:01 (Ref:412575)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aysedasi
Manufacturers come and go - sometimes I'm not that bothered at the loss (as I wouldn't be right now if Audi shut up shop completely), others I find very disappointing (the most obvious being Toyota's premature withdrawal from Le Mans).

And if Toyota had stayed on, and achieved the same kind of success as Audi had, you'd be happy to see them go now. What's in a name? - This is why I am convinced that "bring back Porsche" isn't a universal remedy for all that's wrong in sportscar racing. Nor, for that matter, is "bring back Gp.C".

**Adam43** · 24 Oct 2002, 23:02 (Ref:412747)

I am a massive Jaguar fan (not Jaguar Racing F1 you understand). I would love to see them at Le Mans. But...

Porsche is different.

cyber you are right in what you say, but Porsche at Le Mans. They bring a certain quality. Something that I think we all see in sportscar racing and Le Mans. That certain je ne sais quoi.

Speeddemon555 · 25 Oct 2002, 03:36 (Ref:412839)

I don't think BMW will come back to ALMS at all because they didn't like the way their M3s were penalized with reduced horsepower so they can have equal billing with the Porsche 911s. Porsche will have competition in the GT class with Ferrari and Nissan get into the fray.

Fab · 25 Oct 2002, 05:54 (Ref:412877)

Interresting debate about Porsche... let's go further on Cy and Ayse-Adam point of view...

The point is to have real competitors on the track ; what we find in Porsche before and Audi now, and found in BMW and Toyota in the late 90', it's the ability of increasing the average level at such a point that, even with more restrictive rules each year, the lap record falls...

Only major car builders could invest enough to do it. In the last 40 years, I can find only one victory of a privateer with a private build car : Rondeau. Others could have win for private teams, but see the cars : top chassis, top engine, top pilots... well, am I making a mistake here ? Even, I don't think there's a lot of privateers able to win...

So, why Porsche ? Strangely, I'm not such a Porsche fan... but I want to see them on the track, because they make the race result more valid, no, not more valid, but... well, I can't find any argument about that. Ferrari, Ford and Porsche are part of the history, and I want to see the history relive on the track again... that's why we were maybe so much moved by the Classic in September... for a lot of those cars, I had the feeling to see the "real" LM cars ! It's fake, I can face it, but afterwards, we build and rebuild the story, then the history, in our very minds... at the end of the 00', maybe will see Audi period as a remarquable time... it's too early now.

Well, I didn't solve the debate about Porsche. I just can't. I hope in the rest of my life to see other races as the 60' races, or the 1999 race : majors car builders fighting hard for the victory... and maybe a privateer winning (Courage !!!).

Splatz the Cow · 25 Oct 2002, 06:56 (Ref:412889)

No recent privateer wins....?

1997 Joest Porsche
1996 Joest Porsche
1995 Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing McLaren F1 GTR

These can be considered as non-factory wins I'd say.

Mal · 25 Oct 2002, 07:06 (Ref:412899)

Fab actually stated 'Privateer in a private built car'. All those mentioned above are in factory cars bought by a privateer.

**Aysedasi** · 25 Oct 2002, 12:17 (Ref:413094)

Quote:

Originally posted by cybersdorf
And if Toyota had stayed on, and achieved the same kind of success as Audi had, you'd be happy to see them go now. What's in a name? - This is why I am convinced that "bring back Porsche" isn't a universal remedy for all that's wrong in sportscar racing. Nor, for that matter, is "bring back Gp.C".

Whilst that might be a reasonable supposition Cy, its actually not true. I make no secret of my thoughts about the Audi, just as I make no secret about my liking of the GT One. If it were still racing now, I'd still love it. (Same as the McLaren F1 - on the other thread).

But I take your point. We don't want to get stuck in a timewarp.

**Aysedasi** · 25 Oct 2002, 12:19 (Ref:413101)

Quote:

Originally posted by Splatz the Cow
No recent privateer wins....?

1997 Joest Porsche
1996 Joest Porsche
1995 Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing McLaren F1 GTR

These can be considered as non-factory wins I'd say.

Yep, got yo agree with Mal there. Joest have long been Porsche's favourites as privateers and I find it difficult to look on them as true privateers. The KK McLaren was, at the very least, a semi-works effort.

Banks · 7 Nov 2002, 10:52 (Ref:423677)

Haven't been on the forum recently so I don't know if this has been mentioned all ready - has anyone seen this new Brumos Porsche prototype . See the pics at
www.brumosporsche.com/daytona_prototype.html

Now I could definately see this going down well at Le mans

kdr · 7 Nov 2002, 11:24 (Ref:423693)

does it fit le mans rules?

and does anyone know if they plan to race the new carrera gt?

SFonseca · 7 Nov 2002, 11:44 (Ref:423706)

Quote:

Originally posted by kdr
does it fit le mans rules?

and does anyone know if they plan to race the new carrera gt?

1st Question: is NO, it doesn't fit Le mans rules!!

2nd Question: I guess no one can give you the answer

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