[WEC Race] 2012 Six Hours of Shanghai

[TF110]

Check Toyota's twitter; a fan in the stands was waiving a Toyota flag! They appreciated the gesture so much they invited him to their pit box.

[tux]

A good season and next year will be much better. One really annoying thing the audio on the tv coverage is really low so you turn the tv up loud to hear and then the tv coverage switches to adverts and it almost blows the speakers, not ideal at 3am in the morning.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Beryl

It seemed awkward. Though there was cheering, presumably from the Toyota crew. There was also a lot of squeaking from the flag raising.

Squeeking ..... I was expecting an RSJ to land on the top of the podium at any second !!!

Excellant race , delighted for Toyota , Aston finish on a high note , just great .

[ArnageWRC]

Originally Posted by tux

A good season and next year will be much better. One really annoying thing the audio on the tv coverage is really low so you turn the tv up loud to hear and then the tv coverage switches to adverts and it almost blows the speakers, not ideal at 3am in the morning.

Ah MotorsTV, don't you just love it? And shown in PreHistoric LowDefinition....
However, we must be grateful for them showing it.

[Scooter185]

Last race of the season and I figure out that I can watch Audi.tv on my tv through my ps3. It was nice to not have to sit in front of my computer to watch it.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Lotterer with a 1:48.9, very close to the Toyota's fast time. As posed on air, why couldn't Audi run competitive times in the race until now?

How full is the fuel tank at that point ?

[Simmi]

Into the final 45mins of the race now on my Sky+. Really not a thriller this one but you have to admire the way that Toyota just went out and broke the will of Audi right from the first lap.

Awesome to see Aston get the win and hopefully they can kick on next year, especially if they can secure that second pro car on the grid.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Fassler has been off the pace at Fuji and it seems the same is going on here.

These are the average lap times of all the stints of the #1 Audi.

no	driver	laps	average
1	Tréluyer	27	1:51.758
2	Tréluyer	28	1:51.604
3	Fässler	28	1:51.958
4	Fässler	27	1:51.891
5	Lotterer	28	1:51.844
6	Lotterer	28	1:51.194
7	Lotterer	25	1:52.015

Fässler had a similar average lap time as the first and third stint of Lotterer. However, Lotterer probably consolidated his position during his last stint.

A similar analysis for the #2 Audi.

no	driver	laps	average
1	McNish	27	1:51.574
2	McNish	28	1:51.783
3	Kristensen	28	1:51.721
4	Kristensen	28	1:51.284
5	McNish	28	1:51.373
6	Kristensen	28	1:51.331
7	Kristensen	24	1:51.526

Finally, a similar analysis for the #7 Toyota.

no	driver	laps	average
1	Lapierre	23	1:50.719
2	Lapierre	25	1:50.719
3	Wurz	25	1:50.714
4	Wurz	25	1:50.402
5	Lapierre	25	1:50.600
6	Lapierre	25	1:51.243
7	Wurz	21	1:50.983
8	Wurz	22	1:51.690

This shows that Toyota was gaining 1 second per lap during the first half of the race, which was more than enough to do the final splash. At the end of the race (from stint 6 on) the drivers just brought the car home.

The average sector times show where Audi was losing time to Toyota.

	sector 1	sector 2	sector 3	total
1	38.410	40.227	33.103	1:51.739
2	38.253	40.111	33.130	1:51.493
7	37.799	39.876	33.214	1:50.889

[broadrun96]

Now I remember why I have stuck with the ALMS race threads. Just because one team does well with their chosen weapon doesn't make the others choice lesser. Can't be just be glad two are left to battle it out without ripping each to the minutiae of who is technically better and has a better future? Somehow the WEC, LMS and LM threads rip ALL of the enjoyment I get from sportscar racing right out and crap on it. I like to be able to read about what has happened or what teams may be making but apparently the forum is full of the SMARTEST automotive engineers of all time and I should just be grateful for their presence and genius.

Sorry but in describing the two cars to those people who buy and consider Audi, BMW, Lexus, MB (aka most of the race teams target audience) no one has ever asked which will win for the street or which is more advanced. Most have just been BLOWN away completely that they race for 24 hours and what the cars can do in corners and traffic, and yes the youtube app is a GREAT sales tool for getting new fans. And mostly being suburban Americans, the Toyota with a petrol engine is more their style as they just don't get diesels in cars. Although video with sound of an Audi coming around a corner with almost no noise has yet to thoroughly impress anyone that's seen it.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Now I remember why I have stuck with the ALMS race threads. Just because one team does well with their chosen weapon doesn't make the others choice lesser. Can't be just be glad two are left to battle it out without ripping each to the minutiae of who is technically better and has a better future? Somehow the WEC, LMS and LM threads rip ALL of the enjoyment I get from sportscar racing right out and crap on it. I like to be able to read about what has happened or what teams may be making but apparently the forum is full of the SMARTEST automotive engineers of all time and I should just be grateful for their presence and genius.

Sorry but in describing the two cars to those people who buy and consider Audi, BMW, Lexus, MB (aka most of the race teams target audience) no one has ever asked which will win for the street or which is more advanced. Most have just been BLOWN away completely that they race for 24 hours and what the cars can do in corners and traffic, and yes the youtube app is a GREAT sales tool for getting new fans. And mostly being suburban Americans, the Toyota with a petrol engine is more their style as they just don't get diesels in cars. Although video with sound of an Audi coming around a corner with almost no noise has yet to thoroughly impress anyone that's seen it.

I'll admit some of the discussion does get a bit anal but you can't criticise fans just because they want to look deeper at what is going on. Strategy, stints and all the various factors are how you win an epic race like Le Mans.

Don't really get your point regarding sound. The Audi's are mighty impressive to watch from trackside - plenty of people who've seen them will attest to that. Stick to the ALMS if you like.

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by Beryl

It seemed awkward. Though there was cheering, presumably from the Toyota crew. There was also a lot of squeaking from the flag raising.

Actually the whole flagpole fell off during the overall podium ceremony - that squeaking noise was dreadful

[Maelochs]

I spent some time between Turns Six and Seven at Road Atlanta two years ago and I can tell you that the Audis were Very impressive. They would give no warning; they’d just Be There, and by the time your eyes could register them, they would almost be past.

You could hear the Peugeots a little; even though they were faster, they didn’t seem as fast because you could get ready for them. The Audis seemed to just appear in front of you without having covered the distance from the previous corner.

Impossible to photograph, but wonderful to try and watch.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

...that squeaking noise was dreadful

And quite hilarious. The old stereotypical "Made in China" was the first thing that came to mind, just like when the Chinese F1 Grand Prix trophy fell apart in the hands of a winner a few years ago.