Audi: Will they or wont they? (LMS 2008) - Page 2

dxk1 · 30 Nov 2007, 15:21 (Ref:2078763)

Three cars at LeMans, participation in ALMS and in LMS:

http://www.planetlemans.co.uk/cmsv2/...=3478&Itemid=2

DK

gwyllion · 30 Nov 2007, 15:30 (Ref:2078771)

Any native English speaker presents? What does the following exactly mean?

Quote:

Audi plans to enter two cars in the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans Series in Europe through Audi Sport North America in the USA and Reinhold Joest's team in Europe.

2 cars in ALMS and LMS. Or 2 cars in ALMS and 2 cars in LMS

So Biela and Pirro will be only do Le Mans. Not nice for Biela: another year of near unemployement.

gwyllion · 30 Nov 2007, 15:50 (Ref:2078788)

Any native German speakers present?

Quote:

In der American-Le-Mans-Serie und in der europäischen Le-Mans-Serie plant Audi den Einsatz von je zwei Fahrzeugen durch das Team Audi Sport North America in den USA und die Mannschaft von Reinhold Joest in Europa.

Doesn't this say 2 car each for Champion and Joest?

The Real DMN · 30 Nov 2007, 16:17 (Ref:2078812)

2 in both I belive.

gwyllion · 30 Nov 2007, 16:20 (Ref:2078815)

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64186 interpreted it in a different way:

Quote:

That means that Frank Biela, who was out of contract with Audi after June of this year, will remain involved with them, while Emanuele Pirro will also only race at Le Mans.

Robbe · 30 Nov 2007, 16:27 (Ref:2078821)

Quote:

In der American-Le-Mans-Serie und in der europäischen Le-Mans-Serie plant Audi den Einsatz von je zwei Fahrzeugen durch das Team Audi Sport North America in den USA und die Mannschaft von Reinhold Joest in Europa.

ALMS: 2 cars run by Audi Sport North America
LMS: 2 cars run by Joest

Regular drivers: Luhr, Capello, McNish, Werner

(Are there any calendar conflicts between ALMS and LMS? If not I assume they will do both with the same drivers)

The official press release also says Pirro and Biela will do Le Mans once again, and Audi wants to keep them for the time after their active career to represent Audi.
So Le Mans as the last race for both?

Mal · 30 Nov 2007, 16:27 (Ref:2078822)

It also says that the correct & marketing TV package plus rules that position LMP1 as the top category are conditions of entering both series - so the statement doesn't really commit to anything except Le Mans itself

canam · 30 Nov 2007, 16:35 (Ref:2078827)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

It also says that the correct & marketing TV package plus rules that position LMP1 as the top category are conditions of entering both series

I would suggest that, behind the scenes, Audi must be livid with the Penske Porkers. P Peter's gentlemen 'rule' carries more teeth than i thought.

GT-Eins · 30 Nov 2007, 16:37 (Ref:2078829)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robbe

..

(Are there any calendar conflicts between ALMS and LMS? If not I assume they will do both with the same drivers)

...

Yes - there are some:
April 5 : ALMS : St. Petersburg
April 6 : LMS : 1000km of Barcelona
..
April 26 : ALMS : Houston
April 27 : LMS : 1000km of Monza
May 18 : LMS : 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps
May 18 : ALMS : Salt Lake City
(as posted on Mariantic)
so sharing the same crews is unlikely - it won´t work without Pirro/Biela

gwyllion · 30 Nov 2007, 16:38 (Ref:2078830)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robbe

(Are there any calendar conflicts between ALMS and LMS? If not I assume they will do both with the same drivers)

Yes.

April 5 : St. Petersburg (ALMS)
April 6 : 1000 km of Barcelona (LMS)
April 26 : Houston (ALMS)
April 27 : 1000 km of Monza (LMS)
May 18 : Salt Lake City (ALMS)
May 18 : 1000 km of Spa (LMS)

source: http://www.mariantic.co.uk/lmp/webs.asp

So if Audi races in both ALMS and LMS, they will race with different driver lineups. Otherwise it does not make sense with championship points.

Thus Pirro and Biela might not be unemployed after Le Mans afterall. And Audi might need 2 extra drivers...

HORNDAWG · 30 Nov 2007, 16:44 (Ref:2078832)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64186 interpreted it in a different way:

With having 2 cars in each series there is need for 8 regular R-10 drivers. So I do not see anyone being relegated in this case. The ALMS/LMS have 3 races which conflict with each other this year ( St. Pete/Barcelona, Houston/Monza and Utah/Spa ) and I do not think that Joest will accept anything but a full on attack at the LMS. So I would expect the LMS driver teams to be set for the entire season and the conflicts make that impossible to run both series with the same drivers!

L.P.

edit: Dang, I do not type fast enough!!!

gwyllion · 30 Nov 2007, 16:47 (Ref:2078834)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

In the most optimistic scenario Audi will need 2 extra drivers. How many LMS races overlap with DTM races? Maybe they can use Rockenfeller and Premat.

I just compared the calendars of LMS and DTM, and there is only one clash: 1000 km of Spa and DTM race at Lausitzring are on May 18.

Mal · 30 Nov 2007, 16:47 (Ref:2078835)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Yes.

April 5 : St. Petersburg (ALMS)
April 6 : 1000 km of Barcelona (LMS)
April 26 : Houston (ALMS)
April 27 : 1000 km of Monza (LMS)
May 18 : Salt Lake City (ALMS)
May 18 : 1000 km of Spa (LMS)

source: http://www.mariantic.co.uk/lmp/webs.asp

So if Audi races in both ALMS and LMS, they will race with different driver lineups. Otherwise it does not make sense with championship points.

Thus Pirro and Biela might not be unemployed after Le Mans afterall. And Audi might need 2 extra drivers...

Do these dates clash with DTM?

Mal · 30 Nov 2007, 16:50 (Ref:2078840)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

Do these dates clash with DTM?

I have just check and the 18th May is the only date clash - is it possible they could run DTM drivers in LMS except Spa?

gwyllion · 30 Nov 2007, 16:50 (Ref:2078841)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

Do these dates clash with DTM?

I was already on to that

Overlap between DTM and ALMS is worse.

The weekend of May 18 there will be a ALMS, LMS and DTM event. So using Rockenfeller and Premat in LMS is not an option.

**Bentley03** · 30 Nov 2007, 16:52 (Ref:2078844)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I just compared the calendars of LMS and DTM, and there is only one clash: 1000 km of Spa and DTM race at Lausitzring are on May 18.

That's a major clash.........ALMS, LMS and DTM all on the same day!

gwyllion · 30 Nov 2007, 16:54 (Ref:2078845)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

I have just check and the 18th May is the only date clash - is it possible they could run DTM drivers in LMS except Spa?

In that case Rockenfeller/Premat will not score championship points that weekend, but Audi could solve that by pairing these youngsters with the oldies, e.g., Biela/Rockenfeller and Pirro/Premat.

Speed-King · 30 Nov 2007, 17:24 (Ref:2078867)

With a little effort (i.e. a private jet) it might be possible for Rocky and Premat to race at Spa.
The race at the Lausitzring will be over at about 15.00, so they might be able to get to Spa by plane to drive the final stint. Audi would need two additional drivers though, as I don't think it would be allowed for Pirro and Biela to drive a 4 or 5 hr stint.

henk4 · 30 Nov 2007, 17:58 (Ref:2078884)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bentley03

That's a major clash.........ALMS, LMS and DTM all on the same day!

(Been there, seen it and could understand it

)
this was actually mentioned by Ulrich.
The decisions have not been made for both caregories
ALMS: Audi wants the LMP1 to be the top race class, so make the rules that can win
LMS: Audi wants the TV coverage and marketing better organised. (it was not mentioned, but I am sure this is something that they should organise behind the scened together with Peugeot).

So conclusion: No decision as yet but a clear intention to enter both series. Team Joest does LeMans with 3 cars ( with the same driver line-up as last year) and LMS with 2, while Team Audi America does ALMS with two cars.

Furthermore apart from Luhr they will need two more drivers.

JAG · 30 Nov 2007, 18:02 (Ref:2078888)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

It also says that the correct & marketing TV package plus rules that position LMP1 as the top category are conditions of entering both series - so the statement doesn't really commit to anything except Le Mans itself

It should be pointed out that Patrick Peter, on Endurance Mag stated they could have spent huge sums promoting the series upto now, but have been waiting until the schedule and on track product was of a sufficient standard.

I guess the time to unlock the piggy bank has arrived!

HORNDAWG · 30 Nov 2007, 18:51 (Ref:2078925)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speed-King

With a little effort (i.e. a private jet) it might be possible for Rocky and Premat to race at Spa.
The race at the Lausitzring will be over at about 15.00, so they might be able to get to Spa by plane to drive the final stint. Audi would need two additional drivers though, as I don't think it would be allowed for Pirro and Biela to drive a 4 or 5 hr stint.

It may be possible to do in the extreme but that to me is not bringing the "A" game to the LMS. And I, at least, would think that they would want their "A" game to go up against Peugeot! Or anyone else who might push to the sharp edge next year.

L.P.

henk4 · 30 Nov 2007, 20:36 (Ref:2078966)

just for fun, here is the man, with the Audi 2007 programme projected behind him..

http://img405.imageshack.us/my.php?i...riich1sss3.jpg

porsche45 · 30 Nov 2007, 23:35 (Ref:2079072)

Quote:

Originally Posted by henk4

just for fun, here is the man, with the Audi 2007 programme projected behind him..

http://img405.imageshack.us/my.php?i...riich1sss3.jpg

Forget the man, who's the woman?

brielga · 1 Dec 2007, 00:35 (Ref:2079098)

From the statement (and previous history and declarations) it was clear that they want to commit to ALMS if IMSA gets the extra weight on the LMP2s. This seems to be the case (at least partially) and, as the Diesel marketing is just starting in the US (including gasoline at an unprecedent 3$/gallon courtesy of OPEC), all indicates this is a very probable deal.

On the LMS obviously they want to race Peugeot but they want it to be known!! At the risk of repeating myself...this needs more PRO-MO-TION!!!!!

Thanks Henk for the spin, it makes absolute sense. The ball on the LMS' court now....

brielga · 1 Dec 2007, 00:37 (Ref:2079099)

Quote:

Originally Posted by henk4

just for fun, here is the man, with the Audi 2007 programme projected behind him..

http://img405.imageshack.us/my.php?i...riich1sss3.jpg

And the last bullet on that slide is crystal clear... "DEPENDING on..TV rights...etc."

View Poll Results: Will Audi join the LMS in 2008?
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