Le Mans Series 2008

[gwyllion]

Perhaps RML will switch back from AER to Judd.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Perhaps RML will switch back from AER to Judd.

That thought did occur to me. I also wondered about LNT (if they abandon Panoz and decide against Zytek). Certainly I would expect it to be a British team.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

I was wondering that myself, there are no obvious candidates amongst the current LMP2 teams running with Judd power. Only Embassy could be classed as 'front runners'. Unless the Embassy 'German' connection is something of a red herring, I reckon one of the AER teams will jump ship.

I think Horag can do their stuff too .....

[HORNDAWG]

I think Kruse might be a legit candidate also, plus the team might very well welcome the opportunity considering.....


L.P.

[SebringMG]

My bet would be on Embassy As for the germanic engineering element....do they run bilstein or sachs dampers ?

[JAG]

From Endurance Mag,

Martin Birranni confirmed Lola are very close to a manufacturer deal.


Michelin state endurance racing is their priority. They are working directly with the organisors to ensure marketing, promotion, media coverage and the technical level of the series is improved hugely in order to take the series to the next level .


TBH it sounded like they are done with F1, while the WRC is a lesser priority, now it's time to bring the series as a whole upto this level, not just Le Mans, and plan for a long term future.

[E46]

Quifel ASM is looking for other car in 2008. Firstly the Lola B05/40 AER was rumored to be substituted by a Porsche RS Spyder (it was a strong rumour even the last winter) but now a LMP1 looks more likely, Porsche Spyder is too expensive and with European restrictors doesn´t seem a good choice. Talks with Pescarolo and Zytek are in the way, mainy with the French team to buy a P1.

Of course the money coming from Miguel PaÃ*s do Amaral will help this new adventure.

Source: www.sportmotores.es

[Zytek_Fan]

Originally Posted by E46

Quifel ASM is looking for other car in 2008. Firstly the Lola B05/40 AER was rumored to be substituted by a Porsche RS Spyder (it was a strong rumour even the last winter) but now a LMP1 looks more likely, Porsche Spyder is too expensive and with European restrictors doesn´t seem a good choice. Talks with Pescarolo and Zytek are in the way, mainy with the French team to buy a P1.

Of course the money coming from Miguel PaÃ*s do Amaral will help this new adventure.

Source: www.sportmotores.es

The RS Spyder is $1.5 million just for the rolling chassis :O

[dj choc ice]

Originally Posted by Purist

Yeah, I wouldn't underestimate Oreca. Didn't they run an R8 one year? Also, they ran the factory Chrysler team with the Vipers, so they know what they're doing, and how the make a car damn fast.

oreca ran the sole audi R8 in the 2005 LMES season, they won the silverstone 1000km narrowly from a great battle with creation and were on the podium for the other round i believe apart from spa were their R8, the ex-veloqx 2004 car was totalled in a crash behind the safety car.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by E46

Quifel ASM is looking for other car in 2008. Firstly the Lola B05/40 AER was rumored to be substituted by a Porsche RS Spyder (it was a strong rumour even the last winter) but now a LMP1 looks more likely, Porsche Spyder is too expensive and with European restrictors doesn´t seem a good choice. Talks with Pescarolo and Zytek are in the way, mainy with the French team to buy a P1.

Of course the money coming from Miguel PaÃ*s do Amaral will help this new adventure.

Source: www.sportmotores.es

These guys go under the radar but I expect them to be P1 front runners like Charouz.

[Hammerdown]

Originally Posted by E46

Porsche Spyder is too expensive and with European restrictors doesn´t seem a good choice.

I thought LMS and ALMS P2 restrictors were the same at the moment. ALMS started off with last year's regs, but changed a few races ago and brought in the 5% smaller size. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Hammerdown

I thought LMS and ALMS P2 restrictors were the same at the moment. ALMS started off with last year's regs, but changed a few races ago and brought in the 5% smaller size. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct with your thoughts, they are the same.

All these potential cars entries are very good news. Does this change the balance of the field, leaving more GT2 entrants on the outside looking in? A nice problem to have, unless you own a GT2 car I suppose.

[Speed-King]

I don't think so. After all the Oreca Courage deal means one car less overall when they give up the Saleen and Embassy have one car now as well. Add to this the Dutch Spyder and we have two cars more. Nothing earth shattering as by now...

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

I don't think so. After all the Oreca Courage deal means one car less overall when they give up the Saleen and Embassy have one car now as well. Add to this the Dutch Spyder and we have two cars more. Nothing earth shattering as by now...

Well, one Spyder so far, another rumoured. An additional Embassy entry. What are LNT up to? Do you think the Zytek was a one off, or are they looking? Certainly they won't be back with the Panoz. To me it looks as though there will be more Prototypes, at the expense of GT's.

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

What are LNT up to? Do you think the Zytek was a one off, or are they looking? Certainly they won't be back with the Panoz.

I think that LNT has realized that the Panoz is about finished with and they want to move to another car for next year, and they are probably considering a prototype which the Zytek would be a good option. There is probably a very good possibility that we will see them with two Zyteks next year.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

I don't think so. After all the Oreca Courage deal means one car less overall when they give up the Saleen and Embassy have one car now as well. Add to this the Dutch Spyder and we have two cars more. Nothing earth shattering as by now...

I didn't think that Oreca buying Courage meant they would give up the Saleen operation. Oreca is a sizeable company (Dieudonne mentions 3 major wings before the Courage acquisition) which is more than capable of running cars in 2 classes if funding (ie Matmut) is available.

[Dutch racer]

Ok, now I'm lost in the rumours

I know there's the Dutch Spyder next year, but which teams are currently rumoured to buy one as well?

And will there be an LMP2 Acura next year?

[The Badger]

BMS were supposed to get either 1 or 2 but i think its on hold till 2008 .

Uwe Alzen was supposed to get his hands on 1 , i think it was owned by SPS or something like that , but thats gone quite too .

Talk about ASM still being interested .

[gwyllion]

I remember reading ASM wants to go LMP1?

[brielga]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I remember reading ASM wants to go LMP1?

I doubt it for 2008

[Bentley03]

The Badgers's quote below is from the Interlagos thread.......didn't want to take it off topic!

Originally Posted by The Badger

Whats wrong with Brno for next year for example , possibily pit spaces ?

I like the look of Brno, spent quite a while watching the FIAGT coverage yesterday to try to assess it as a potential Le Mans Series circuit. It's wide, open and nearly three and a half miles long, perfect for the Le Mans Series in my opinion. The only thing it lacks as a circuit is perhaps a long straight. The problem is (from memory, so correct me if I'm wrong) a maximum capacity, for cars, of just 40.

Someone mentioned that they struggle to get a big crowd even for the WTCC here. Well, given how small Le Mans Series crowds appear to be anyway, I don't see this as a major problem in the run of things. I'm not sure of their stature in their homeland, but could there be a 'Charouz factor' which could help in terms of attracting spectators.

[Marcel ten Caat]

IIRC Brno will only have a chance to get on the calendar if the Nürburgring can't find a suitable date.

I think it was GT-Eins which mentioned that the Ring has a 70% chance to return at this point.

[Speedman]

My thoughts for 2008 are as follows:

Keep the 4 'Classic' tracks, i.e. Spa, Silverstone etc. 5th round to be held at Brno, subject to 50+ cars on the grid, or Zandvoort. The Dutch know how to party and Holland is easy for most 'Europeans' to get to.

Absolutely stay with the 4 different classes. Great to see the different levels of performance on the same piece of tarmac at the one time.

Also stick with 1000kms per race.

Better support races at Silverstone. World Series and 911s were awesome at Spa.

Sort out the safety car so that it doesn't end a class battle after 30 minutes like happened at Silverstone. There really was no excuse for not letting 4th place and lower in GT2 past before they did.

I'm sure I've left something out, I'll come back if I think of anything else.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by The Badger

BMS were supposed to get either 1 or 2 but i think its on hold till 2008 .

Uwe Alzen was supposed to get his hands on 1 , i think it was owned by SPS or something like that , but thats gone quite too .

Talk about ASM still being interested .

Well looks as if it were Horag. Who'd a thought.

L.P.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Well looks as if it were Horag. Who'd a thought.

L.P.

Indeed, Fredy purchased a Spyder, to compete in the LMS in 08', plus Sebring, LM and PLM. Deal completed late Friday night, or early Saturday morning, press release Saturday morning.