'10 LMS Round 1 • Castellet • April 9-11

[zac510]

Off topic I know but at Spa will you be able to get RLM on the public airwaves with a regular radio?

[courageous]

Would have been even better if they had added an hour or so to the end - got the race to 1000 miles & into proper dusk, but yeah really enjoyed the twists & turns and as you say the chance for recovery drives really added to the thrill.

[ianroke]

Originally Posted by courageous

Would have been even better if they had added an hour or so to the end - got the race to 1000 miles & into proper dusk, but yeah really enjoyed the twists & turns and as you say the chance for recovery drives really added to the thrill.

Wouldn't have made any difference to me whatsoever because in the UK we still would only see about 2 hours of the race in 45 minute intervals!

[Victor_RO]

Random thought related to the race: I hope the ACO TV director sees the onboard camera light and uses as many camera cars at Le Mans as he has done for this race.

[Stefvh]

Originally Posted by zac510

Off topic I know but at Spa will you be able to get RLM on the public airwaves with a regular radio?

There is the radio from the circuit, in french, dutch and english.

But no Hindy.

[Dead-Eye]

Are you certain? The french, dutch and english announcers were on the PA last year, but you could receive Hindy via Radio.

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by Acid09

Source? I keep reading it's a slightly upgraded 2009 chassis..

Comments from Bruno Famin at Racecar Engineering.com amount to the '10 factory and Oreca 908s being updated 2009 cars with minor updates to try and regain the HP lost from the air restrictor changes, but no major updates and the cars would otherwise be very similar to '09.

I doubt that Peugeot would make major changes this late in the game unless Audi gave them a major thrashing, and even now it may be too late, and the 908 seems to still be competitive, but the R15 2010 may be able to force the Pug to show it's age, as it was consistantly faster today, even with Sarazin in the car.

But yes, the Oreca car is in the same spec as the factory 908s.

[the real Stig]

Originally Posted by isynge

We shouldn't be all that surprised by this (even although let's be honest, we probably are), the Acura has been shown to be a match for an RS Spyder - and we'd expect one of them to be the class of this or any LMP2 field.

That sort of gap however really does surprise me. I haven't up to now seen any evidence that the Acura is that much faster than a well sorted Lola - based on the evidence with Dyson last year - to say nothing of the Zyteks.

Of course the Mazdas have been boosted by IMSA's restrictor break to make up for Mazda's lack of developmet in the chassis and engine. Their engine runs somewhere ~60Hp over the HPD and only just makes them competitive. Unfortunatly for them it bings them that much closer to blowing up and also wrecks their mileage.

The ACO make no such competitive adjustment and now you see the real picture. And you can see also the difference the chassis makes. With RML in the Lola and Straka in the HPD the difference is only the Chassis (with some driver delta).

Well done Straka for the win.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by zac510

Off topic I know but at Spa will you be able to get RLM on the public airwaves with a regular radio?

Not over the whole circuit, but you should get it from the bus stop to the start of Eau Rouge.

If you have unlimited bandwidth on your 3G mobile phone, you could always listen that way.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Not over the whole circuit, but you should get it from the bus stop to the start of Eau Rouge.

I had no problems anywhere except on top of hill at Les Combes (worked only when I was facing a certain direction) and around Stavelot. And that was with an MP3 player, not a decent radio.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by the real Stig

Of course the Mazdas have been boosted by IMSA's restrictor break to make up for Mazda's lack of developmet in the chassis and engine. Their engine runs somewhere ~60Hp over the HPD and only just makes them competitive. Unfortunatly for them it bings them that much closer to blowing up and also wrecks their mileage.

The ACO make no such competitive adjustment and now you see the real picture. And you can see also the difference the chassis makes. With RML in the Lola and Straka in the HPD the difference is only the Chassis (with some driver delta).

Well done Straka for the win.

Absolutely - and thanks for flagging up the IMSA engine issue which I'd completely overlooked.

What strikes me is that what this sows is that Nick Wirth's design and its performance at Ricard is the ideal answer to those carping about his Virgin F1 design - whatever way you cut it he knows how to draft a car.

The other aspect of the race in LMP2 (which was the one thing that kept me popping back to the PC) was that the Pescarolo is surprisingly quick. I know this time out the only reason it was a close race was the long stop Strakka had but with a more pro-like (3 driver?) lineup (the Oak Pescarolos ran pretty much 50:50 in terms of pro-am driver balance) they might have been that bit closer, which adds to the sadness that you've got a potentially race winning chassis in the US doing historics (appreciate this is somewhast OT). I seem to remember JCB ran the LMP2 Pescarolo in a test a couple of years back and it was right on the pace - and it's nice to see it still doing well - especially as an LMS race without a Pescarolo on the grid always feels hollow.

[carsten66]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

No commentary rants directed towards Signature-Minus... so Ragues and Mailleux have learned to drive for this race. Or were they (as someone suggested earlier) simply trying to charm Vanina?

For sure they were not the fastest ones on the track, but kept their nose clean and at least managed to finish 6th overall... and Vanina just stepped into the car without any testing before...

[Audi Racer]

i think the ACO should see based on what happened in LMP qualifying that the main advantage that Audi and Peugeot have is not entirely diesel power. The pole peugeot qualified only 1.159 seconds faster than the 3rd place petrol aston. If you ask me Mr Chappel is playing a very dirty game with his cars. They have run flawlessly in both races just cruising around making trying to make it look like the diesel engine still has a huge advantage.

if you look at how the Audi R1 TDI was pushed to the Limit in Lemans 2008 you say that is how a slower car should fight. Everyone knew the R10 was no match for the 908. Audi used every tactic they had. You can hardly say that Aston Martin fought the way Audi did. and all these petrol teams complain about how the diesels have a power advantage but they can't even get their underpowered cars to run the full Lemans distance without huge problems, let alone worry about contending for the win(again except the lola aston which just cruises).

Now look at LMP2. That Acura qualified 2.5 seconds faster than second place in LMP2. So what do you want to put that down to??
No one is talking about that Acura. You know what it comes down to. the Acura is a superior chassis. To come from 5 laps down. i can imagine how it literally blasted by the other P2 like it was passing a GT2.

the performance advantage is not all the diesel engine it's the ability of a factory team to produce a stellar chassis and aero. No one made a big deal about it. That HPD car is on par with the Lola Aston Martin. You can hardly call the lola aston marting a factory built Aston car. It's a lola not an aston.

i am sure without a doubt that if Audi and Peugeot built petrol engines they would still dominate. If i recall the Audi R8 won Lemans 6 or seven times and dominated ALMS.

[arakis]

Originally Posted by Dario911

I'm impressed by Porsche and Felbermayr performance and efficiency. They've done a huge job: have dominated the race, no troubles, magistral strategy and perfect car&crew.
A perfect race for the best team on the track.
Porsche is more efficient than Ferrari: better fuel consumption is one of the plus of the 997 RSR.
In Le Mans you can win if your car is not forced to stop in the pits every few laps.

you mean like ferrari did last two le mans, and last who knows how many endurance 10+ races

[gwyllion]

The full timing information of the race is available on
http://www.lemanseries.com/fr/s52_ci...&id_circuit=19

Top speed during race for LMP1:

1. 7 Audi R15 TDI 331 km/h
2. 009 Lola Aston Martin 327 km/h
3. 4 Oreca Peugeot 908 325 km/h
4. 008 Lola Aston Martin 323 km/h
5. 5 Mansell Ginetta-Zytek 09S 307 km/h
6. 13 Rebellion Lola B10/60 - Judd 303 km/h
7. 12 Rebellion Lola B10/60 - Judd 303 km/h
8. 6 Oreca 01 - AIM 302 km/h

For LMP2:

1. 42 Strakka Racing HPD ARX-01c 290 km/h
2. 25 RML Lola HPD Coupe 288 km/h
3. 41 Bruichladdich Ginetta-Zytek 09S 284 km/h
4. 40 Quifel - Asm Ginetta-Zytek 09S 281 km/h
5. 35 OAK Racing Pescarolo - Judd 281 km/h
6. 27 Race Performance Radical SR9 - Judd 281 km/h
7. 24 OAK Racing Pescarolo - Judd 281 km/h
8. 30 Racing Box Lola Coupe B09 - Judd 279 km/h
9. 29 Racing Box Lola Coupe B09 - Judd 276 km/h
10. 37 WR / Salini WR-Zytek 276 km/h

[Martin90]

the top speed of the R15+ is remarkably high, I didn't expect that car to take the number one position on the speed trap.

[ianroke]

Originally Posted by Martin90

the top speed of the R15+ is remarkably high, I didn't expect that car to take the number on position on the speed trap.

Really? I think part of their issues were they didn't have a good top speed. I remember at Sebring 2009 the Peugeots were racing up the back of them on the straight.

Wasn't part of their aero changes to do with lowering drag?

[Martin90]

I think so as top speed was an issue at le mans last year, but they've been consistently quicker than the 2010 spec peugeot (which was running low down-force as well) in every single session this weekend.

compared to le mans last year
Peugeot at Le Mans: 340.86 kph
Peugeot Paul ricard: 325 kph

Audi R15 at Le Mans: 329.92 kph
Audi R15+ at Paul Ricard: 331 kph (it ran 335 in free practice 3)

Sure this isn't entirely comparable because the oreca car isn't a works peugeot, but it is a 2010-spec car.

[ianroke]

They have got rid of a lot of clutter around the front which can only help with cooling and lower drag. No point being great round the bendy bits if you loose five seconds a lap on the Mulsanne!

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by Martin90

compared to le mans last year
Peugeot at Le Mans: 340.86 kph
Peugeot Paul ricard: 325 kph

Audi R15 at Le Mans: 329.92 kph
Audi R15+ at Paul Ricard: 331 kph (it ran 335 in free practice 3)

Make that 332 km/h for Audi for practice 3 and qualifying. The 335 km/h was done by Aston Martin

The new aero package of Audi is clearly doing a good job at producing less drag.

[911targa]

Originally Posted by 911targa

#88FELBERMAYR is just 3 seconds far from#90CRS,Long could pass KAFFER i believe.
I have to go to sleep now,hope i could get the news,both Proton Porsche do well and IMSA gets more points when i woke up

my dream just come true!greaaaat job Proton did!
anyway,Prospeed might bring a pair of 997RSR at Spa,hope they do well.
IMSA should gets updates for their car,their performance moved me,Pilet can pass 2010spec F in a 2009spec Porsche

[ianroke]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Make that 332 km/h for Audi for practice 3 and qualifying. The 335 km/h was done by Aston Martin

The new aero package of Audi is clearly doing a good job at producing less drag.

So if Aston can manage that down the straight and the Lola chassis is certainly not shabby could we see an upset in Le Mans this year?

[Dani Filth]

rrrr .. nope ..

[Javi]

Originally Posted by ianroke

So if Aston can manage that down the straight and the Lola chassis is certainly not shabby could we see an upset in Le Mans this year?

Would love to see that but..., no way, mate. It´s an R15+ or a works 908 winning again. Having 6 factory diesel cars anything more than the lower step of the podium for a non diesel-non factory car is a miracle...

[Javi]

and, altough important, as important as top speed is how fast you get to reach that top speed, and there the diesels should hold a massive advantage.
LMP2 cars use to have lower top speeds than GT1 cars, but they accelerate faster, brake later and have higher cornering speeds= so, faster lap times.