Bits from HRT release

Quested · 3 Oct 2003, 07:03 (Ref:738866)

Here's a snip from the recent HRT press release that relate to some of the discussions that have been taking place here:

[QUOTE]HRT will take its two current, identical chassis to Bathurst for Skaife, Kelly, Jim Richards and Tony Longhurst - one with the tried-and-tested 18-degree engine and the other with the new-spec HMS power plant. At this stage, it is expected that Skaife and Kelly will use the new engine, however that decision won't be definite until final evaluation following practice at Mt Panorama.QUOTE]

It would be interesting to see what happens if Mark and Todd go with the new engine...

**GTRMagic** · 3 Oct 2003, 07:23 (Ref:738895)

It sure will... what an odd thing to do, yes it covers all bases, but doesnt do much for comparisons of cars back to back... well if the noise about the different weight distributions of the VX vs VY engine are true enough anyway

Be funny if they use this as a catayst to split TOdd and Mark, and get Richo and Longurst in those cars respectively

Mattracer · 3 Oct 2003, 10:16 (Ref:739053)

Skaife and Richards would no doubt be a tantalising combination, but I wonder about the alleged de-briefs concerning the '02 race and whether the HMS engine is really worth the risk when Skaife could still sneak the Championship.

IMO, it is intriguing that the choive of drivers relates so directly with the engine of choice. Surely the main proviso would be the lap time of the engne not the driver but has Jim still got the ultimate pace to keep a car at the front? In my modest book, he has, but clearly more is being considered for this event.

Armco Bender · 3 Oct 2003, 10:44 (Ref:739089)

Doesn't matter what driver combinatioms they use this year,they are only going to be following a long line of Fords home.

Aarrgh8 · 3 Oct 2003, 10:56 (Ref:739132)

"Tell him he's dreamin'."

ford boy · 6 Oct 2003, 12:20 (Ref:741837)

No can do R8, Armco Bender is right about this one.

webberisgod · 6 Oct 2003, 12:35 (Ref:741863)

will they be the fords at the back of the pack that are about to get lapped by no 1 ? :P

ford boy · 6 Oct 2003, 12:52 (Ref:741881)

Now "you're dreamin" Webberisgod.

6 Oct 2003, 14:00 (Ref:741951)

The release suggests that HRT will run with the same configuration as Sandown, ie car #1 with "the tried-and-tested 18-degree engine and the other with the new-spec HMS power plant".

Either that or both will run with the new engine. Its my understanding that you can not go back to the 18-degree engine once you have used the new one.

Therefore car #2 will use the new engine, regardless.

XR8CHYNA · 6 Oct 2003, 23:53 (Ref:742443)

If Longhurst & Richards have already used the new HMS motor (Sandown), then neither of them could race No 1 at Bathurst. Am I right? Or is it the car that can't go back to the old 18 degree motor?

**GTRMagic** · 6 Oct 2003, 23:55 (Ref:742444)

You would be correct XR8CHYNA, it would mean both #1 and #2 would need to either run the Aurora, or that Skaife and Kelly adopt #2 as a race number, and car, for the weekend

champcarman · 7 Oct 2003, 00:26 (Ref:742455)

Another thing mentioned in the press release is the amount of kms they ran on the test day as if it was some kind of enduro test. I thought teams were limited in the amount of kms or laps they can run on a test day or do different teams have different rules.

**GTRMagic** · 7 Oct 2003, 00:28 (Ref:742457)

I always thought the teams were limited only by the number of hours in the day... if 'engine-on' is at 9am, and the circuit's 'engine-off' is at 4pm, thats 7 hours of running they can use any way they like... within TEGA rules

Still not sure how they scraped enough tyres together for such a long test...

Onlooker · 7 Oct 2003, 03:56 (Ref:742535)

But it will mean that Todd has to run the HMS engine for the remainder of the year and as I would imagine that the control freak would be keen to keep his # 1 plate for the big race as would the PR machine then MS would have to step up to that new donk as well.It may be a can of worms that the team are unwilling to open and probally the #2 car with the back up drivers will remain.Wouldn't it be great to see ol Jum pull out of the draft and simply motor past the lead car!!!!!!!!!!!!

**GTRMagic** · 7 Oct 2003, 04:07 (Ref:742539)

All 4 drivers are entered in both cars, what fiddlery will happen in order to attempt to midf**k other contenders in the field should be known sometime next week

The switch from VX to VY engine, and the new crossmember, gearbox bell housing and the like is something that could happen during an overnight session... not impossible... if indeed the new motor was the way to go...

Onlooker · 7 Oct 2003, 04:11 (Ref:742542)

But car 2 can't run the old motor anymore and # would have to keep it for the remainder of the year should a swap occur,I don't know the rules but maybe just the chassis has to keep the engine,that being the case the drivers would then get the other guys tyre bank.

**GTRMagic** · 7 Oct 2003, 04:15 (Ref:742547)

Both Cars #1 and #2 are brand spankers of a few rounds' history, so should be interchangeable anyway...

Skaife ran the #2 car at Sandown so knows something about its speed with the Aurora aboard, I guess it may be a leap of faith if they run it in the 1000.

And the PR game may suggest that HRT are running the Aurora so the other teams will discount that car as the engine is "too new" then they run the VX engine, and all that previous confidence in the other teams disappears...

Mind games...

Crash Test · 7 Oct 2003, 06:03 (Ref:742585)

Q. Do we think that HRT are telling the truth and the whole truth? I don't know, but I haven't been able to snoop around their engine bays and pick out part numbers. Could they be foxing and messing with people's minds?? Shoot, if I were HRT, I'd ******* along as much as I could to give everyone else a false sense of whatever it is....

**GTRMagic** · 7 Oct 2003, 06:12 (Ref:742591)

There are some teams that get quite hung up on what the opposition is doing... SHRT is one of them, they obsess with what the SBR boys and girls are up to... whereas SBR dont seem to think there is anyone else on the track better than anyone else...

Phase3 · 7 Oct 2003, 06:14 (Ref:742595)

Hmmmmmmm, and all the Holden teams told us for yonk's that there'd be bugger all difference between the two engines, why then should it matter?

From what I've seen the hrt cars run out of power at aprox 500k's at any rate!

**GTRMagic** · 7 Oct 2003, 12:20 (Ref:742908)

Maybe they need to switch to Duracell... nothing stops the coppertop

Mattracer · 8 Oct 2003, 08:45 (Ref:743781)

Bathurst is such a different circuit to Sandown. That hill would place such an enormous load on the engine and driveline. Correct me please if I am wrong but it would be a long shot to risk the race on the performance of that engine over 161 laps on Mountain Straight and Conrod.

I suspect that #2 will be running a LOT or laps on Thurs and Fri before anything changes.

williamsf1 · 8 Oct 2003, 13:03 (Ref:744063)

what was the 2002 debrief about????? did JR get told he was somehow too consistant??? jeezzzzz.....

StuiE · 9 Oct 2003, 08:46 (Ref:744915)

Quote:

Originally posted by White Knight
The release suggests that HRT will run with the same configuration as Sandown, ie car #1 with "the tried-and-tested 18-degree engine and the other with the new-spec HMS power plant".

Either that or both will run with the new engine. Its my understanding that you can not go back to the 18-degree engine once you have used the new one.

Therefore car #2 will use the new engine, regardless.

I'm thinking that it's the actual car that can't go back, which number on it shouldn't matter.

Why should they go to the Aurora engine when the old motor proved plenty fast at Sandown?(although I guess that rain could have something 2 do with that) I don't think it would make all that much difference, especially with such a long race.

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