The never ending Toyota return to Le Mans (LMP1) Saga

[AGD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

A couple of interesting bits and pieces here.

Namely speculation on the future of Lotterer and a possible new Asian entrant.

Interesting. Lotterer, Duval, and Lapierre?

As for this statement:

Finally we hear that in the next couple of years F1 may not be the only series with KERS and DRS!

Please let it not be sports cars! Please! KERS is one thing, but DRS?

[CTD]

Originally Posted by AGD

Interesting. Lotterer, Duval, and Lapierre?

As for this statement:



Please let it not be sports cars! Please! KERS is one thing, but DRS?

A DRS system which works for All prototypes Down The straights would, give Them an speed edge over The Gt's and therefor solve some of The issues with The small speed difference.

[The Badger]

Whats DRS please ?

[CTD]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Whats DRS please ?

A system that allows the driver the decrease the downforce produced from the rear wing, by a push of a button down the/a straights. In F1, its used when a driver is coming up on another driver (under 1sec) he will then be allowed to open his rearwing, and get a better chance of overtaking.

[lms]

Originally Posted by AGD

Interesting. Lotterer, Duval, and Lapierre?

As for this statement:



Please let it not be sports cars! Please! KERS is one thing, but DRS?

yeah. Keep f1's bull**** out of endurance racing
And prototypes would need a speed edge over the gt cars now? Wow, I guess gt cars will need some speed reduction too. needless to say, hp/speed increase for lmp is out of the question

[CTD]

Originally Posted by lms

yeah. Keep f1's bull**** out of endurance racing
And prototypes would need a speed edge over the gt cars now? Wow, I guess gt cars will need some speed reduction too. needless to say, hp/speed increase for lmp is out of the question

They certainly do need an extra edge! Lmp2's are almost slower down Mulsanne than the GT's!
This forces Lmp drivers to be more risk taking through the corners to make up the time fighting the GT's

[MitchZ06]

What sort of aerdynamic havoc would DRS cause on an LMP? Reduce downforce at the rear and thanks to those giants holes over the wheels the pressure point moves more towards the front...

[R4z3rw33n]

Originally Posted by lms

yeah. Keep f1's bull**** out of endurance racing
And prototypes would need a speed edge over the gt cars now? Wow, I guess gt cars will need some speed reduction too.

Agreed. The implementation is very contrived.
I'd rather not see the sport reduced to that level of artificiality.

There's BoP, and there's that.

[deggis]

"Anyway this is all just bar room tittle tattle and should not be given too much credence."

Also it could mean any series really since the article talks about IndyCar too.

[deggis]

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20111103/ALMS/111109931

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by CTD

A system that allows the driver the decrease the downforce produced from the rear wing, by a push of a button down the/a straights. In F1, its used when a driver is coming up on another driver (under 1sec) he will then be allowed to open his rearwing, and get a better chance of overtaking.

Thank you , and no , I dont want to see them introduced either .

[Aysedasi]

DRS in sportscars, absolutely not. Let's keep the F1 artificiality out of sports cars.

[Mal]

If they want to increase straight line speeds of the prototype just give them a restrictor break - far simpler than DRS.

[Japanese Samurai]

Originally Posted by AGD

I'm not sure if this is true of the Dunlop brand in all countries, but I believe Goodyear owns most of Dunlop Tire with some interest owned by Sumitomo Rubber of Japan. Interestingly, I believe Sumitomo owns part of or all of Falken Tires as well. So, oddly enough, Dunlop may be more American than anything else at this point. The odd thing is that it seems like Dunlop is a lot bigger (or at least as a much bigger marketing budget) in Europe than they do here in the US. Their American website looks like it was last updated in 2007 or something! Having said that, Dunlop sells tires here and is an OEM supplier for many companies/models in the US (Honda, Infiniti/Nissan, Suzuki, Chrysler, maybe even Toyota).

Sumitomo rubber is a licensee in Dunlop's Japanese area.
And it owns Falken brand, too.
Therefore, it sells a tire by Dunlop brand in Japan.
And it sells a tire by Falken brand in overseas.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

DRS in sportscars, absolutely not. Let's keep the F1 artificiality out of sports cars.

DRS is ANYTHING, absolutely not!

[JAG]

There's nothing wrong with DRS, active aero started in sportscars in the 60's, F1's problem is it's artificial implementation in the name of entertainment.

http://www.tunersgroup.com/active_aero_history.html

[Pandamasque]

"There's nothing wrong with DRS" says post #666. How symbolical. :P

I get your point, but the term DRS is F1-specific, and implies not only the principal but the implementation and the premise.

[Speed-King]

The series with DRS will probably be the new Scandinavian Silhouette series that's breaking away from STCC right now...

[deggis]

Renault World Series will a a new car next year with DRS. That's old news now, though.

[Adam43]

Sportscar doesn't need artificial F1 gimmicks, it has it's own, thank you very much. As it has its own politics, money grabbers, poor driving, lack of overtaking, and governing bodies that ruin everything.

Still, F1 doesn't have Toyota.

[TF110]

DRS just came to fruition from the blown wing systems teams were using. It's just cheaper and better controlled by the FIA during races. Hope some more info on Toyota's lmp is revealed soon.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by TF110

Hope some more info on Toyota's lmp is revealed soon.

Maybe need to wait until Tokyo Motor Show, which is held Dec 3.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by Mal

If they want to increase straight line speeds of the prototype just give them a restrictor break - far simpler than DRS.

Yeah, exactly. Plus, it just seems to me that LMP drivers can pass each other if they try hard enough. I don't think the LMPs suffer from the aero induced no passing parades. Plus, GT traffic and such helps create passing situations as it is. There isn't a need for gimmicks.

It's just speculation, but if Toyota puts Lotterer, Duval, and Lapierre in one car, does that become the best driving lineup on the grid? I know it's hard to say seeing how LMP1 driver's stock seem to rise and fall at a very rapid pace these days.

[Japanese Samurai]

Originally Posted by deggis

Maybe need to wait until Tokyo Motor Show, which is held Dec 3.

Or TOYOTA and GAZOO RACING Festival @Fuji on Nov 27
http://www.tgrf.jp/index.html

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Japanese Samurai

Or TOYOTA and GAZOO RACING Festival @Fuji on Nov 27
http://www.tgrf.jp/index.html

Wasn't this called Toyota Motorsport Festival previously? In 2008(?) we expected LMP announcement because there was a "LMP-look-a-like" silhouette on the website. It was then revealed and ended up being some kind of concept race car or student project or something.