2010 Le Mans Intercontinental Cup

[chernaudi]

So this year it's just a teams/maufacturers championship, and according to this, Audi has done what's required of them. Well, that's killed the rumors of Audi running more races until Silverstone(it was rumored after Le Mans that Audi may've done 1-2 ALMS/LMS races as sprint race tests for the ILMC or maybe go after the LMS Championship, but with Sarazin's points lead and Audi never really having serious plans to do the LMS full season, such rumors are now in retrospect useless wastes of oxygen).

However, do we know if Audi or Peugeot have been testing for the ILMC? Peugeot can't really milk more out of the 908 without hurting reliablity (if one believes that the Oreca 908 was out performed by the Joest R15 at Paul Ricard, even if aside from aero it was in the same spec as the factory Pugs were at Sebring), while Audi would be trying to at least partially remedy minor issues from Le Mans (finding a handling sweet spot between excessive understeer or oversteer, as Audi had issues with both during early practice and early in the race at Le Mans) and producing a good high downforce package for Silverstone and Road Atlanta.

It'll also be interesting if/how Audi staggers their driver line up like Peugeot had, though one car will likely have Allan and Dindo in it, or maybe Allan and Tom, or maybe all three. The second car is more open, with date conflicts and an over abundance of drivers, unless Audi plan on a McNish/Capello or a Kristensen/Rocky line up for all the races (those four have full season contracts with Audi this year, after all).

[HORNDAWG]

Joest leads the LMS team championship, so to say they have nothing to persue is not entirely true, IMO.






L.P.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Joest leads the LMS team championship, so to say they have nothing to persue is not entirely true, IMO.

Under normal circumstances that lead will be completely gone after the Hungaroring.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Under normal circumstances that lead will be completely gone after the Hungaroring.

And are/were we not postulizing reasons why Audi should run at the Hungaroring? At least in chernaudi's first paragraph?





L.P.

[chernaudi]

Lane, it was rumored by some, including Speed TV, that Audi may've done more LMS or maybe an ALMS race before the start of the ILMC, mostly due to confusion over ILMC qualifcation practices. Audi only expressed some (and note, some) interest in doing later LMS races after they discovered that Paul Ricard qualified as a double points race because it ran over the 1500km limit for a normal points race.

So it was a happy accident, but didn't do much for Audi to run more LMS races, considering that they were no-shows for Algarve and appear to the be the same for Hungaroring, and Mosport will likely go down as the same. Audi and Joest, as a team, did what was required in retrospect to qualify as a two car team for the ILMC, which was run at least one car in two non-ILMC ALMS/LMS races and enter the ILMC events, as has Peugeot with the factor team and Oreca (which is why Peugeot has only entered one of their cars for Silverstone for the manufacturers championship, while Audi and Joest are concentrating on the teams and manufacturers titles).

Under normal circumstances, Audi are leading the manufacturers and teams championships right now, but as long as the Oreca car runs 70% of the distance at Hungaroring, those leads will come to naught unless Audi suddenly enter Hungaroring, which at best is doubtful.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Lane, it was rumored by some, including Speed TV, that Audi may've done more LMS or maybe an ALMS race before the start of the ILMC, mostly due to confusion over ILMC qualifcation practices. Audi only expressed some (and note, some) interest in doing later LMS races after they discovered that Paul Ricard qualified as a double points race because it ran over the 1500km limit for a normal points race.

So it was a happy accident, but didn't do much for Audi to run more LMS races, considering that they were no-shows for Algarve and appear to the be the same for Hungaroring, and Mosport will likely go down as the same. Audi and Joest, as a team, did what was required in retrospect to qualify as a two car team for the ILMC, which was run at least one car in two non-ILMC ALMS/LMS races and enter the ILMC events, as has Peugeot with the factor team and Oreca (which is why Peugeot has only entered one of their cars for Silverstone for the manufacturers championship, while Audi and Joest are concentrating on the teams and manufacturers titles).

Under normal circumstances, Audi are leading the manufacturers and teams championships right now, but as long as the Oreca car runs 70% of the distance at Hungaroring, those leads will come to naught unless Audi suddenly enter Hungaroring, which at best is doubtful.

Yes, I realize all of that.

That is not what was in question.

The, or any, incentive for Audi Sport Team Joest to race at the Hugaroring was! That it is highly unlikely that they show up at the last minute is pretty much a given, I agree. Or for any non ILMC rounds for that matter.




L.P.

[chernaudi]

Audi could've raced at Hungaroring because of an Audi engine factory at Gyor where the TT is also built was one incentive(ie, promotional concerns), but other than to test for the ILMC (which Algarve, Road America, Mosport or even Mid Ohio or Lime Rock would've been a better test than Hungaroring would be), there no incentive given what we know now.

[JAG]

50 cars are expected at Silverstone including a pair of factory Aston Martins, the LNT Zytek and a Gallardo GT2.

[KA]

Originally Posted by JAG

50 cars are expected at Silverstone including a pair of factory Aston Martins, the LNT Zytek and a Gallardo GT2.

IIRC (don't have the mag to hand) Autosport are also suggesting that Audi haven't confirmed drivers for the 2nd car yet (one is McNish/Capello) and that there's some question about the Gentilozzi Jaguar appearance that was rumoured a few months back...

The Lambo is interesting- OK, according to Autosport it'll be an upgraded GT3 Gallardo from First Racing. but you can't help asking if there's any significance to the entry- looking at a 2011 campaign, or appearing at the other ILMC races perhaps...?

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by KA

IIRC (don't have the mag to hand) Autosport are also suggesting that Audi haven't confirmed drivers for the 2nd car yet (one is McNish/Capello) and that there's some question about the Gentilozzi Jaguar appearance that was rumoured a few months back...

I got that the second Audi entry was not confirmed, but would be TK and Fassler if it did appear.







L.P.

[JAG]

Giroix has always run interesting GT cars so perhaps he's looking to run a campaign with the Gallardo..........just to be different.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/driv...-Giroix-F.html

[KA]

Originally Posted by JAG

Giroix has always run interesting GT cars so perhaps he's looking to run a campaign with the Gallardo..........just to be different.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/driv...-Giroix-F.html

Yes, kind of what I was wondering. Maybe a tryout for 2011, otherwise it seems a bit of a random entry to suddenly turn up at Silverstone?

[Purist]

Do the GT Gallardos have their engines sleeved to stay down at a 5.0-litre displacement (presumably to keep a larger restrictor)?

[chernaudi]

Audi will probably rotate drivers in the #8 (any mixture of Fassler, Rocky, TK, as well as possibly Lotterer/Truleyer or Dumas/Bernhard for at least one race) or Tom and Rocky will drive the car full time in the ILMC, as Allan, Dindo, Tom and Mike are the only full time Audi sportscar drivers this year for the R15.

Audi will enter two cars, just as Peugeot has so that they have a shot at the teams/manufacturers championship. However, expect the #8 to be treated like the factory Peugeots with a revolving door of drivers.

[CTD]

TK has been promised a full season of Sportscars this year, so i'll be very surprised if he's not driving.

[gwyllion]

I would also be surprised if Audi rotates its drivers. Dumas/Bernhard will drive the hybrid Porsche in Petit Le Mans and (probably) Zhuhai, so they are unavailable. Lotterer/Truleyer have their job in Japan (e.g., there is a Super GT race in the same weekend as the 1000 km of Silverstone).

[cmk]

Originally Posted by CTD

TK has been promised a full season of Sportscars this year, so i'll be very surprised if he's not driving.

Well, he's already been let down in that respect if you use anything but a very liberal definition of 'full season'!

I think that Allan/Dindo/TK/Rocky will be the drivers for the ILMC in general, only Fassler makes sense as a 5th. A 2 driver and 3 driver car? As mentioned, the other 4 LM pilots all have 'day jobs' and were only on part-time Audi contracts.

[chernaudi]

Maybe Audi will enter a third car for "guest drivers" (IE, their non-full time contracted drivers). Granted, three car entries are technically banned under the rules, but the ACO and IMSA have had similar restrictions, and all that Audi and Peugeot had to do (as well as Flying Lizard in the ALMS in '08) was name the team something else (IE, Audi Sport North America, Peugeot flip-flopping their sponsor name's arragement, etc.)

In NASCAR, it basically works the same way. In NASCAR one person can only technically own two teams, but how Jack Roush and Rick Hendrick got around that was that the had someone else sign their name on the entry blank, and with the four team limit, sattelite teams popped up (Roush with Wood Bros. and RPM, and Hendrick with Stewart-Hass).

But would Audi do like Peugeot did at Le Mans this year and risk damage to the Le Mans winning car, or does Audi have another 2010-spec R15 or two laying around--they likely have at least a T-car.

However, that depends on budget, and I'll bet on an Allan/Dindo and a Tom/Rocky permanent line up aside from maybe China, which may be the only race that Audi would do with a thrid car if allowed by the ACO and/or the Audi board. Or Audi may run 3 drivers per car to maximize their driver lineup as far as numbers, but I believe that Audi may do the two drivers per car line up-after all, aside from '00, '06 and '08, Audi did PLM with two drivers per car, and Paul Ricard (which was a decision made by TK not to race) and Spa were LM warm ups.

Audi may run 3 cars with one assigned a different team name, or they may do 3 drivers per car, but I'd place my bet on a two car team with McNish/Capello and Kristensen/Rockenfeller as the main lineups.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Maybe Audi will enter a third car for "guest drivers" (IE, their non-full time contracted drivers).

http://www.audi.com/com/brand/en/exp..._mans_cup.html is pretty clear:

Audi will participate in the new Le Mans Intercontinental Cup in the 2010 season with two R15 TDI cars being entered by Audi Sport Team Joest.

That is not up for much interpretation.

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Granted, three car entries are technically banned under the rules, but the ACO and IMSA have had similar restrictions, and all that Audi and Peugeot had to do (as well as Flying Lizard in the ALMS in '08) was name the team something else (IE, Audi Sport North America, Peugeot flip-flopping their sponsor name's arragement, etc.)

I don't think there are any rules on the number of cars you can run in LMS and ALMS. Look at the entry list of 1000 km of Hungaroring. 3 cars for the AF Corse and Team Felbermayr Proton. In Spa the 3 Peugeots ran under the "Team Peugeot Total" banner.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I don't think there are any rules on the number of cars you can run in LMS and ALMS. Look at the entry list of 1000 km of Hungaroring. 3 cars for the AF Corse and Team Felbermayr Proton. In Spa the 3 Peugeots ran under the "Team Peugeot Total" banner.

In the ALMS only 2 cars can be entered per team, period. I believe that to be true at Le Mans also, as any entries past 2 are listed under a different team name. There may be, and have been, a second satellite team but it does not score points for 'the' team. It may however help with the team score by interjecting itself between 'the' team and its competitors.
As for the LMS, I thought they also ran any cars past 2 under a different team name, AF= Munchies...



L.P.

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

In the ALMS only 2 cars can be entered per team, period. I believe that to be true at Le Mans also, as any entries past 2 are listed under a different team name. There may be, and have been, a second satellite team but it does not score points for 'the' team. It may however help with the team score by interjecting itself between 'the' team and its competitors.
As for the LMS, I thought they also ran any cars past 2 under a different team name, AF= Munchies...

L.P.

Was the rule before or after Penske entered 3 cars to secure his Manufactures Championship?

Never mind he loaded that car with Helio and Briscoe and they won.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Was the rule before or after Penske entered 3 cars to secure his Manufactures Championship?

Never mind he loaded that car with Helio and Briscoe and they won.

Maybe one should read the post quoted, then check and see what the team name on the entry was!





L.P.

[NaBUru38]

2011 American Le Mans Series schedule:
March 19, Sebring
September 17, Laguna Seca
October 15, Road Atlanta

This means that the 1000km of Silverstone must be moved to October 1-2 if two-week gaps are intended.

[Purist]

No, I think they move it, and the preceding race I suppose, slightly earlier. Going back and forth across the pond makes little sense.

[JAG]

Could Silverstone move back to it's traditional May spot or is Spa the pre Le Mans test event?

In October it's likely there'll be very poor weather in the UK.