'09 LMS Round 1 • Catalunya April 3-5 - Page 11

jc_nl · 5 Apr 2009, 15:40 (Ref:2434329)

Last LMS race won by a petrol car was on september 24 2006, 1000 KM Jarama, Pescarolo won that race.

Congratulations to the Aston team, always nice to win your first race out (ask Mr. Brawn)

As for Kolles, there is a pretty high level of factory involvement there, so it is fair to expect a level of performance inline with that during the whole weekend. They did not come close to that in my opinion.

isynge · 5 Apr 2009, 15:44 (Ref:2434337)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc_nl

As for Kolles, there is a pretty high level of factory involvement there, so it is fair to expect a level of performance inline with that during the whole weekend. They did not come close to that in my opinion.

Most telling was the story on the final results for LMP1. Ninth and tenth, and critically behind the Signature LC70 and the 17 Pescarolo - both basically last year's cars, and well off the pace throughout.

Given the amount of Audi branding on there, I'd see some very penetrating questions being asked in Ingolstadt. In short, I would be equally unsurprised if the plug was pulled on this programme, or we start to see Audi works drivers in there to try and stop the rot - much like McNish appearing in the Oreca R8 in 2005.

Speedblood · 5 Apr 2009, 15:45 (Ref:2434340)

Very well done to aston

Shame they haven't got a lineup with as equal quality as the leading Audi and the Peugeots but lets hope for the best for them at le mans

kingkai · 5 Apr 2009, 16:01 (Ref:2434360)

I wonder if AMR still would have won without that last safetycar, which they created

Any way, nice to see a petrol car win in the LMS and for a first time try out. Well not exactly if you count last years effort with charouz racing AM(R)

To bad Eurosport is the only broadcaster at this moment... RadioLM COME BACK!!!

**skycafe** · 5 Apr 2009, 16:17 (Ref:2434374)

Quote:

Originally Posted by isynge

Given the amount of Audi branding on there, I'd see some very penetrating questions being asked in Ingolstadt. In short, I would be equally unsurprised if the plug was pulled on this programme, or we start to see Audi works drivers in there to try and stop the rot - much like McNish appearing in the Oreca R8 in 2005.

I was thinking the same after qualifying, now especially after the race.

TheKimme · 5 Apr 2009, 17:29 (Ref:2434423)

If theres going to be a torrent then where shoud i look?

chernaudi · 5 Apr 2009, 17:57 (Ref:2434445)

Quote:

Originally Posted by isynge

The Kolles performance hasn't been nearly as impressive as it should have been.

Too often the cars looked a real handful, and there's no reason why they should be that far back. I suspect they're discovering that the R10 is not a simple, straightforward car, and the drivers might not have the overall experience to get the most out of it. I see them having a very uphill time of it this year.

Well, the Audi R15, R8 GT3 and the DTM has taken precident over anything else at Audi Sport-Kolles is just basically a LM insurance policy, and one that's quite likely unneeded considering the R15's potential against a now very restrained(read development stopped) Pug 908. Add in that Kolles' drivers have little to no sports car experience, and that Kolles has equally little sports car experience as a team, obviously there'll be a sharp learning curve at first.

Quote:

Spot on. The likes of TK and McNish have always said the car isn't the easiest to drive and they are the best endurance racing has to offer. Add in the new rear wing which the car was not designed for and you've got a challenging ride I imagine!.

I applogize for taking a page out of the Twilight books(namely Breaking Dawn), but I would like to characterize the Audi R10 as Bella Swan pre-vampire, and the R15 as Bella post-vampire.

The R10 was kinda(and still kinda is) Bella as a normal teenage young woman-clumsy, kinda a danger-monger at times, but at the same time smart and pragmatic under normal circumstances. But the clumsiness and awkwardness is was her's(and the R10's, with the exception of the ALMS in '08) most noticeable quality.

The R15 is kinda like Bella when she becomes a vampire-she retains her more admirable qualities(as a human), but gains more powers and becomes kinda this graceful, restained beast at heart as well. The Audi R15 is like that-it has the R10s more admirable qualities(speed, most notably), but has qualities also more similar to the legendary R8-agilty, handling, ballance, being able to take to bumps and rough track surfaces compared to the R10 a little better. Against the 908, the R10 had a handling advantage, but is wasn't enough to compensate for a lack of staightline speed compared to the 908. Audi has that now with the R15-still a little slower in a drag race with the 908, but it can stay close enough to tug a draft, and is more graceful and agile than the 908. Audi may want to dust off a couple of R15s for Spa now if they can get the funding to do so.

Hope I didn't spoil the books for fans of the Twilight series, but it's about the most logical comparsion I could come up with on short notice

Quote:

Given the amount of Audi branding on there, I'd see some very penetrating questions being asked in Ingolstadt. In short, I would be equally unsurprised if the plug was pulled on this programme, or we start to see Audi works drivers in there to try and stop the rot - much like McNish appearing in the Oreca R8 in 2005.

At Oreca, McNish was added likely due to him not having a particulary good DTM season, as well as his chemistry with Ortelli.

However, the addition of Audi factory drivers is likely if the poor peformances continue.

Dead-Eye · 5 Apr 2009, 18:25 (Ref:2434465)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

I applogize for taking a page out of the Twilight books(namely Breaking Dawn), but I would like to characterize the Audi R10 as Bella Swan pre-vampire, and the R15 as Bella post-vampire.

The R10 was kinda(and still kinda is) Bella as a normal teenage young woman-clumsy, kinda a danger-monger at times, but at the same time smart and pragmatic under normal circumstances. But the clumsiness and awkwardness is was her's(and the R10's, with the exception of the ALMS in '08) most noticeable quality.

The R15 is kinda like Bella when she becomes a vampire-she retains her more admirable qualities(as a human), but gains more powers and becomes kinda this graceful, restained beast at heart as well.

*head explodes*

Now I have to forward this post to someone who reads these books to get a translation...

chernaudi · 5 Apr 2009, 19:09 (Ref:2434494)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dead-Eye

*head explodes*

Now I have to forward this post to someone who reads these books to get a translation...

Or you could cheat and read the Wikipedia plot summaries like I did.

But the fact remains, the R15 is an improvement over the R10, and Audi Sport's regular drivers are generally better than the Kolles' team's hired guns.

Audi Racer · 5 Apr 2009, 19:50 (Ref:2434533)

Did you guys notice that the aston martin P1 ran theswan neck rear wing. AKA the wing connects to the car from the top.

Audi Racer · 5 Apr 2009, 19:54 (Ref:2434537)

To add to the Kolles R10 performance. I'm not surprised. You have to have an expert crew to drive that car. McNish said that for all the time he drove the car he could never get to the apex of a of corner. He would just brake and wish the car would get close. The R10 is a real handful. Could somebody fill me in on what happened to the strakka zytek

chernaudi · 5 Apr 2009, 20:02 (Ref:2434544)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

Did you guys notice that the aston martin P1 ran theswan neck rear wing. AKA the wing connects to the car from the top.

AMR figures that if Audi are doin' it, and Acura are doin' it, it can't be all bad-surpised that Peugeot hasn't adapted to it yet. But I doubt that the Pescarolos are running them, and one of their cars dominated the race. So it can't be a big advantage, either.

SebringMG · 5 Apr 2009, 20:51 (Ref:2434588)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

To add to the Kolles R10 performance. I'm not surprised. You have to have an expert crew to drive that car. McNish said that for all the time he drove the car he could never get to the apex of a of corner. He would just brake and wish the car would get close. The R10 is a real handful. Could somebody fill me in on what happened to the strakka zytek

Well Peter Hardman and Nick Leventis are a bit slow lol - Watts did a damn good job to bring it back into contention at the end

zac510 · 5 Apr 2009, 21:18 (Ref:2434604)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

I applogize for taking a page out of the Twilight books(namely Breaking Dawn), but I would like to characterize the Audi R10 as Bella Swan pre-vampire, and the R15 as Bella post-vampire.

The R10 was kinda(and still kinda is) Bella as a normal teenage young woman-clumsy, kinda a danger-monger at times, but at the same time smart and pragmatic under normal circumstances. But the clumsiness and awkwardness is was her's(and the R10's, with the exception of the ALMS in '08) most noticeable quality.

The R15 is kinda like Bella when she becomes a vampire-she retains her more admirable qualities(as a human), but gains more powers and becomes kinda this graceful, restained beast at heart as well. The Audi R15 is like that-it has the R10s more admirable qualities(speed, most notably), but has qualities also more similar to the legendary R8-agilty, handling, ballance, being able to take to bumps and rough track surfaces compared to the R10 a little better. Against the 908, the R10 had a handling advantage, but is wasn't enough to compensate for a lack of staightline speed compared to the 908. Audi has that now with the R15-still a little slower in a drag race with the 908, but it can stay close enough to tug a draft, and is more graceful and agile than the 908. Audi may want to dust off a couple of R15s for Spa now if they can get the funding to do so.

Hope I didn't spoil the books for fans of the Twilight series, but it's about the most logical comparsion I could come up with on short notice

I don't even know what the Twilight series is, but that's an awesome post and a great way to describe a car

zac510 · 5 Apr 2009, 21:20 (Ref:2434605)

Good result for Racing Box with a fresh car too!

chernaudi · 5 Apr 2009, 21:39 (Ref:2434623)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zac510

I don't even know what the Twilight series is, but that's an awesome post and a great way to describe a car

They're a series of teen/young adult romance/fantasy novels about a normal 17/18 year old girl having a relationship with a vampire, who(along with his family) blends in to the normal population.

I haven't read them yet(I got the info on Bella from Wikipedia articles), but I feel it's a good comparision using her as metaphor for the R10 and R15, which is basically true.

porsche91722 · 5 Apr 2009, 22:36 (Ref:2434659)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

They're a series of teen/young adult romance/fantasy novels about a normal 17/18 year old girl having a relationship with a vampire, who(along with his family) blends in to the normal population.

I haven't read them yet(I got the info on Bella from Wikipedia articles), but I feel it's a good comparision using her as metaphor for the R10 and R15, which is basically true.

Sorry for being a bit o/t, I had to ask my 15 year old daughter who is into the twilight series of books to explain what it was all about. She read your post and LOL (very loud), and walked off mumbling about crazy old dudes and their sports car racing.

littleman · 5 Apr 2009, 22:38 (Ref:2434660)

Am I wrong regarding the rules covering a rolling start?

As I understand it, you can't overtake the car in front until you've crossed the start/finish line. If you watch the start of today's race, on the LMS web site,you can clearly see 3 Aston Martin's (including the winning car) pass the pole sitting Ginetta-Zytec well before the line.Shouldn't they have received some sort of penalty for this?

OK, the lights had gone Green but I don't think they should have made their move until after crossing the line.

porsche91722 · 5 Apr 2009, 22:44 (Ref:2434664)

Quote:

Originally Posted by littleman

Am I wrong regarding the rules covering a rolling start?

As I understand it, you can't overtake the car in front until you've crossed the start/finish line. If you watch the start of today's race, on the LMS web site,you can clearly see 3 Aston Martin's (including the winning car) pass the pole sitting Ginetta-Zytec well before the line.Shouldn't they have received some sort of penalty for this?

OK, the lights had gone Green but I don't think they should have made their move until after crossing the line.

Somebody will probably explain it in more detail, but as far as I am aware, as soon as the lights go green it is game on.

Dead-Eye · 5 Apr 2009, 22:47 (Ref:2434666)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

They're a series of teen/young adult romance/fantasy novels about a normal 17/18 year old girl having a relationship with a vampire, who(along with his family) blends in to the normal population.

And - according to people I trust enough to not feel the need to find out for myself (among them acclaimed writers) - apparently not terribly well written

The link to the regulations on the LMS page appears to be broken, anybody got a copy saved to look up how starts are supposed to work?

chernaudi · 5 Apr 2009, 22:55 (Ref:2434669)

In the ALMS, the green lights/flag means game's on, but that's IMSA, not the ACO.

Tom87 · 5 Apr 2009, 23:50 (Ref:2434694)

I would imagine that regardless of the rules the ACO will make an exception for this one - if anyone deserved a penalty it was the car which practically stopped at the head of a field of 44 cars, pretty dangerous in my opinion!

rich07 · 6 Apr 2009, 00:55 (Ref:2434739)

Well done to the Aston guys, good on them to win on their first race [insert comparison with Brawn GP here]

. Same here to Racing Box to come back from there troubles last season and to win the first race of 09, good stuff.

Very happy to see Kox and Rusinov win GT1 in the mighty Murcielago!!!!!!

The Badger · 6 Apr 2009, 08:43 (Ref:2434861)

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche91722

Somebody will probably explain it in more detail, but as far as I am aware, as soon as the lights go green it is game on.

I thought it was game on , but no overtaking until after the start/finish line is passed ?

AX lover · 6 Apr 2009, 08:51 (Ref:2434870)

Unless somebody steps onto the brakes

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