ILMC/ALMS Round 1 - Sebring - 13-19 March 2011 - Page 55

davehenrie · 20 Mar 2011, 18:28 (Ref:2850152)

Quote:

Originally Posted by profec291

Lol! Anyony in the US watching the recap show? I'm on the west coast and the abc channel is not showing the race.

I am in Texas and a semi-local Waco Church program preempted the first half hour or so of the broadcast. By the time I saw the race highlights it was nearly 4 hours in and Dindo just squeezed the Pug. I am REALLY not looking forward to 2011.

And back to my whining about the P2 class. After Ryan Hunter-Ray spun, he got the P2 Lola going and caught a GT2 car going through the final turn. By the time they exited the turn the two cars were side by side, the P2 should have made quick work of the GT2, but near the FREAKIN END OF THE STRAIGHT the Porsche had to jink slightly to keep from making side to side contact with the Lola. Oh the SHAME. If I were a P2 owner I would be wearing a brown paper bag over my head.

Might as well slap a Corvette crate motor in the back and call them all Challenged cars.
dh

JAG · 20 Mar 2011, 18:46 (Ref:2850161)

I don't know what the deal is with the P2 criticism but it all seems very selective, short sighted and reminiscent of the class first time around...........and we all know how that turned around.

These cars have 500bhp, weigh 900kg and have aero similar to a P1, P2 pole was a full 8 seconds quicker than GTE pole and just 1 second slower than the P1 Dyson.

Who cares if a particular car is slow, what matters is when running cleanly they'll be keeping the slower P1's honest and will be one of the most popular classes in the years to come.

NightStalk3r · 20 Mar 2011, 18:50 (Ref:2850162)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

These cars have 500bhp

At a stretch.

JAG · 20 Mar 2011, 19:01 (Ref:2850170)

The IES Nissan has 490bhp and it's a privateer effort.

The HPD turbo obviously has issues hence why it qualified nearly 3.5 seconds slower than the sole Signatech ORECA Nissan. I'd also say the Lola chassis maybe showing it's age given Level 5, Dyson and Rebellions less than stellar pace and RML saying the HPD chassis is leaps and bounds better than the Lola.

dxk1 · 20 Mar 2011, 19:46 (Ref:2850186)

We do seem to be a little hard on the P2s. However, remember back before the Porsches and HPDs showed up the GT1 Corvettes and Astons were routinely kicking P2 butt. There were really only 4 at Sebring and really only one was up to snuff and they had problems right off the bat and then again near the end. I think the P2s will be much better by later in the season.

DK

CTD · 20 Mar 2011, 20:04 (Ref:2850193)

We must remember that the LMP2 class filled with more or less brand new cars (in that understanding that they have all new combinations of Engines and chassis)
And therefor reliability can be a problem at first.

**Bentley03** · 20 Mar 2011, 23:27 (Ref:2850301)

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTD

We must remember that the LMP2 class filled with more or less brand new cars (in that understanding that they have all new combinations of Engines and chassis)
And therefor reliability can be a problem at first.

I'd agree with all of that, added to which we had 'the Sebring factor', the circuit's a car breaker.

I suspect things will be somewhat different in Europe.

**joeb** · 21 Mar 2011, 01:01 (Ref:2850341)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Gripping race from start to finish and too many heroes to congratulate. A classic!

There's nothing to add to what's already been said regarding Oreca and Highcroft. Fairytale stuff, and yes, I was welling up big time during those closing laps.

I would like to make mention of Rebellion who, in my opinion, also did an outstanding job in what was uncharted territory for the team. For sure, they had a relatively quiet race and didn't enjoy the best of luck under the safety car, but the car held together and (for me) they demonstrated some of the potential of their partnership with Toyota. Good job!

I was thinking the same about Rebellion. Although I wonder how much it bugs the engine crew to have been beaten by honda and Mazda!

**skycafe** · 21 Mar 2011, 01:08 (Ref:2850343)

let's see if the HPD run and result have an effect on Toyota's involvement.

the real Stig · 21 Mar 2011, 03:30 (Ref:2850376)

Quote:

Originally Posted by vyselegend

I just realised that with that win Oreca added another own record for the now legendary 908 HDI FAP and it's V12, as the car now have scored race wins in five different years (07,08,09,10 and 11).

I don't think many prototypes an brag about such result! (appart the R8)

Acura/HPD ARX-01x has won in every year stated too. Well, guessing it's more than likely to win at least one race this year if it can run the full season.

AGD · 21 Mar 2011, 04:24 (Ref:2850385)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the real Stig

Acura/HPD ARX-01x has won in every year stated too. Well, guessing it's more than likely to win at least one race this year if it can run the full season.

The ARX-01 will run a full season in LMS with Strakka and RML so I assume it will win at least one race in P2 at the very least even if Paul Ricard test wasn't encouraging. Hopefully Highcroft will get the funding they need to run more races in ALMS P1. It looks like Wirth and HPD may have hit another home run.

CTD · 21 Mar 2011, 08:17 (Ref:2850423)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGD

The ARX-01 will run a full season in LMS with Strakka and RML so I assume it will win at least one race in P2 at the very least even if Paul Ricard test wasn't encouraging. Hopefully Highcroft will get the funding they need to run more races in ALMS P1. It looks like Wirth and HPD may have hit another home run.

But in true Honda corp. style they will probably abandoned the project before they hit the nail right on

(see F1, Honda->Brawn)

vyselegend · 21 Mar 2011, 14:17 (Ref:2850597)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the real Stig

Acura/HPD ARX-01x has won in every year stated too. Well, guessing it's more than likely to win at least one race this year if it can run the full season.

You're right, I forgot about the HPD ARX 01's (strong) potential to achieve the same. Thinking twice about it, the Porsche RS Spyder scored wins in 05,06,07,08,09 and 10 (which makes it 6 consecutives years!), so indeed if we count P2s, the 908 and even the R8 are not so exceptionally dominating prototypes...

They're all legends though.

henk4 · 21 Mar 2011, 15:03 (Ref:2850625)

Quote:

Originally Posted by vyselegend

You're right, I forgot about the HPD ARX 01's (strong) potential to achieve the same. Thinking twice about it, the Porsche RS Spyder scored wins in 05,06,07,08,09 and 10 (which makes it 6 consecutives years!), so indeed if we count P2s, the 908 and even the R8 are not so exceptionally dominating prototypes...

They're all legends though.

well, for how long now have Porsche 911 derivatives been winning?

arakis · 21 Mar 2011, 15:21 (Ref:2850637)

Quote:

Originally Posted by henk4

well, for how long now have Porsche 911 derivatives been winning?

in alms gt, since 1999 up until 2005 with the 996
then it was tha 997 and
2006 Panoz,2007 Ferrari,2008 Porsche 997,2009 Ferrari, 20010 Ferrari, 2011 BMW

cbbrit · 21 Mar 2011, 15:37 (Ref:2850645)

What about Jaguar! The 098 car was still running at the end although it was suffering from something as it's lap times where way off! Then the 099 car came back out to do three final laps and it sounded like it was stuck in gear. By far the best running for them finally!

porman · 21 Mar 2011, 15:41 (Ref:2850650)

Arakis, you must be somewhat happy with the performance of the 458. We all knew that the 430 would be strong and the 458 will only get better. A shame for Rissi though. It's is going to be a very long year for the 997 RSR.

ubrben · 21 Mar 2011, 15:42 (Ref:2850651)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

The IES Nissan has 490bhp and it's a privateer effort.

The HPD turbo obviously has issues hence why it qualified nearly 3.5 seconds slower than the sole Signatech ORECA Nissan. I'd also say the Lola chassis maybe showing it's age given Level 5, Dyson and Rebellions less than stellar pace and RML saying the HPD chassis is leaps and bounds better than the Lola.

The problem here is people seem to be forgetting that LMP2 will apply performance balancing this year. Secondly a restrictor break has been given to turbo engines in LMP2 this year following lobbying by HPD and AER.

So what we have here is a dominant (pace-wise) display from Oreca and a measured display here (and at Ricard test) by HPD engine and/or chassis.

Are we sure they're just not being smart and avoiding any performance balancing before Le Mans? Not sure a dumb strategy given that the LMP2 race at the weekend was dictated by reliability (or lack of) rather than outright pace.

LMP2 is going to turn into the same sandbagging political s***fight that GTE is.

Ben

henk4 · 21 Mar 2011, 15:44 (Ref:2850652)

Quote:

Originally Posted by arakis

in alms gt, since 1999 up until 2005 with the 996
then it was tha 997 and
2006 Panoz,2007 Ferrari,2008 Porsche 997,2009 Ferrari, 20010 Ferrari, 2011 BMW

well, think big, include 935s and you get a totally different picture.....

porman · 21 Mar 2011, 15:53 (Ref:2850659)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbbrit

What about Jaguar! The 098 car was still running at the end although it was suffering from something as it's lap times where way off! Then the 099 car came back out to do three final laps and it sounded like it was stuck in gear. By far the best running for them finally!

Yeah, the pace car was still running.

It was nice to see a stronger performance as a whole.

porman · 21 Mar 2011, 15:55 (Ref:2850661)

Quote:

Originally Posted by henk4

well, think big, include 935s and you get a totally different picture.....

I'm sure you know that Mr. Arakis is anti-Porsche.

the real Stig · 21 Mar 2011, 16:05 (Ref:2850666)

I believe that the problem right now for the ACO is that they have to balance an M3 engine, (racing) Nissan, Judd and and an Honda Accord/odyssey/pilot engine that was never intended to be as efficient at making racing power as it's competitors.

henk4 · 21 Mar 2011, 16:10 (Ref:2850667)

Quote:

Originally Posted by porman

I'm sure you know that Mr. Arakis is anti-Porsche.

I have no idea and couldn't care less.

I am not pro anything, but facts are facts.

NightStalk3r · 21 Mar 2011, 16:14 (Ref:2850672)

Same **** as last year, Everyone was writing off Porsche after Sebring, then Came Paul Ricard and a 1-2 for Porsche, then many more wins all over the world through the year you all looked stupid.

arakis · 21 Mar 2011, 16:47 (Ref:2850681)

Quote:

Originally Posted by porman

Arakis, you must be somewhat happy with the performance of the 458. We all knew that the 430 would be strong and the 458 will only get better. A shame for Rissi though. It's is going to be a very long year for the 997 RSR.

I am extatic with the 458, it has not only shown speed but grat mechanical reliability, engine, transmition, drivegear, chassis, all whithstood the grooling 12h of sebring. Only issues were electrical for risi, throtle cable broke for Luxary, and i am not sure what happend to 002 esm, but after ah in the box they finished the race.----just found oout the 002 had gearbox issues but they fixd them and finished the race

as for porsche being writen off, that will not be the case at Paul ricard, where they have a large number of strong cars. but my money is still on ferrari the 2 afcorsas and JMW as back up, is mouth wattering. IMHO the favorites are AF 71 MELO-VILANDER brutal paring

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