Audi LMP1 Discussion - Page 120

NelisB · 19 Mar 2012, 12:12 (Ref:3044582)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

The first pictures of the R18 ultra test car in the Sebring paddock: http://www.quattroworld.com/audi-r18...ra-at-sebring/. Note that the car is not yet in 2012 aero specification.

Keep checking that website for updates:
Hopefully they can tell us how much faster the R18 is in its 2012 trim.

In those pictures you can also see that they still run a swanneck in the wing. The swanneck has a different color carbon/kevlar.

gwyllion · 19 Mar 2012, 12:27 (Ref:3044591)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NelisB

The swanneck has a different color carbon/kevlar.

That is nothing new. Just look at the pictures of the unpainted 2011 R18 during post-Sebring testing last year: http://www.fourtitude.com/gallery/ga...ter%20Test%202

gwyllion · 19 Mar 2012, 12:30 (Ref:3044594)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Presumably in order to compare data accurately with the data accrued from the old car during race week?

Maybe the 2012 aero is not yet ready or they do not want to show it to the public before Spa.

gwyllion · 19 Mar 2012, 13:59 (Ref:3044650)

George Achorn from fourtitude.com will so report about the R18 sebring test.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @fourtitude

I'm at Sebring International Raceway - Pits (Sebring, FL)

chernaudi · 19 Mar 2012, 14:15 (Ref:3044660)

Basically as long as driver change times don't become the most important factor again or the rules don't benefit the open cars like in the first half of the last decade, it seems that Audi will stay with the closed car, and hence, RHD.

gwyllion · 19 Mar 2012, 18:09 (Ref:3044780)

John Dagys reports that Audi is testing with four 2012 cars

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

Busy day testing at Sebring today. Audi is out with four cars, including two new R18 e-tron quattro hybrids, as well as DeltaWing & Aston

chernaudi · 19 Mar 2012, 18:23 (Ref:3044790)

Dagys has also received info that the R18s are running with some unique louver solution from a Quattroworld reporter. Photos to possibly come soon.

I think that you touched upon this in the Sebring thread, but it's reported that it's way different than other LMPs have adopted.

gwyllion · 19 Mar 2012, 23:46 (Ref:3045017)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

The first pictures of the R18 ultra test car in the Sebring paddock: http://www.quattroworld.com/audi-r18...ra-at-sebring/. Note that the car is not yet in 2012 aero specification.

On facebook a comment was posted about the pictures above by the Audi Sport account: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...comment_id=710

Quote:

The picture shows indeed the new R18 ultra but with 2011-spec aero. 2012-spec cars can be identified by the new mandatory fender holes. Audi Sport is running one R18 e-tron quattro with 2012 aero-spec at the Sebring test

I am looking forward to the first pictures of Audi's 2012 aero package.

Simmi · 20 Mar 2012, 00:03 (Ref:3045026)

Apparently Bernhard binned it in testing! Ouch! No word yet on which chassis.

Via Marshall Pruett on twitter:

Quote:

Was just told Timo Bernhard had a major crash at Sebring's T17, got out under his own (wobbly) power and the chassis might be a write-off.

https://twitter.com/#!/marshallpruett

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 00:47 (Ref:3045048)

There are some tweets by John Dagys with more information about Timo's accident.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

Working on getting more info on Timo's accident at Sebring just now. Apparently it was massive. #WEC

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

Timo appears to be OK, but awaiting official confirmation. #WEC

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

@EthanGilles well whatever car he was in, it was a write-off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

Audi had 4 cars running today. 1 of the 2011-spec cars from 12H, 2 e-trons and 1 Ultra. Not sure which one Timo was in at time

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

Hearing Timo was in the No. 3 car - the new R18 Ultra, went off in T17 after clipping wall and slid backwards into wall. #WEC

Glad to hear that Timo is okay. Accidents in the post-Sebring test have become a tradition for Audi

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 01:16 (Ref:3045061)

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...bring-testing/ has a short report on the crash.

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 08:02 (Ref:3045128)

In an interview with Motors RMC Dumas revealed that the #3 car had a power steering failure at the end of the race. Because of the accidents during the Thursday night practice, Audi was also low on spare parts, especially for the #3 car (they were using the last nose). That is why they drove with a lot of caution in traffic.

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 12:58 (Ref:3045302)

I hoped that more news (laptimes, pictures from 2012 aero, ...) would have leaked out about the ongoing Sebring test, apart from the Bernhard's huge crash.

The following tweets suggest that Mike Juergens from quattroworld.com and George Achorn from fourtitude.com were invited by Audi, but there is not yet a report on their website.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @mikejuergens

Really awesome day at Sebring. It was a big honor too be the first to see the R18 hybrid on the track.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @fourtitude

We're headed home from Sebring but unable to post photos etc because the MacBook appears to have died. More to come later this week.

Mal · 20 Mar 2012, 13:37 (Ref:3045338)

Not such a good tweet from Dagys:

Quote:

Hearing Timo Bernhard may have not walked away completely unscathed from the accident yesterday. Possible vertebrae fracture. More news soon

Simmi · 20 Mar 2012, 13:44 (Ref:3045349)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

Not such a good tweet from Dagys:

Damn that's a shame for Timo. Hopefully that doesn't rule him out for Spa.

Not sure if we will ever find out but, again, it sounds like a huge accident. You have to wonder how the car stood up to the direction change in terms of getting airborne.

adrs2k · 20 Mar 2012, 14:30 (Ref:3045386)

Chris Dyson just tweeted to John Dagys:

What have you heard about the other serious Audi wreck that happened last night? Driver airlifted according to Barry Foster.

This makes it sound like there were 2 major Audi crashes yesterday...

Simmi · 20 Mar 2012, 14:31 (Ref:3045387)

Apparently Audi haven't been out testing yet either today. Just DW and Aston thus far according to Dagys.

Clearly they are still taking stock of what has happened.

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 14:41 (Ref:3045392)

I think that that Audi situation is not that serious as those confusing reports suggest. Otherwise, the Audi drivers would not be joking on twitter:

Quote:

Originally Posted by @ollyjarvis

Just seen this picture of @AllanMcNish. Very very amusing! In Allan's defence I think the mechanic is at least 5 foot http://pic.twitter.com/90BcmJgt

Quote:

Originally Posted by @AllanMcNish

@ollyjarvis hey Mr Jarvis, but I am a great example if Ultra light technology

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 15:05 (Ref:3045399)

John just confirmed that only one accident occurred:

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

Despite reports of possibly two separate accidents by Audis yesterday, hearing that it was just one - Timo Bernhard's in the Ultra.

That still does not clarify whether Timo fractured a vertebrae.

EverOne · 20 Mar 2012, 15:21 (Ref:3045404)

.

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 15:32 (Ref:3045406)

More updates

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

Timo's impact was apparently huge. One source tells me he impacted wall at 128 mph, having scrubbed off speed from 174 mph on back straight

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

Confirmed: No second accident yesterday. Timo's condition is unknown, as nobody from Audi is commenting at this time, but it's believed Timo may have suffered a broken vertebrae or two, near his neck. But that's still unconfirmed by Audi.

Acid09 · 20 Mar 2012, 15:39 (Ref:3045411)

Oh dear, not good.

It was only a matter of time until all these R18 crashes would result in serious consequences

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 15:49 (Ref:3045419)

Apparently Audi is very tight lipped at the moment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @johndagys

@SeanEdwardsR suspected mechanical failure. But unconfirmed. Audi won't confirm any of this even happened!

Maybe they are waiting until the severity of the medical condition of Timo is absolutely clear. In the past Audi never announced accidents in testing either.

chernaudi · 20 Mar 2012, 15:52 (Ref:3045421)

And the Pug testing crashes last year didn't? I believe that Gene and Nic had multi-night hospital stays, and Nic was badly injured enough in his incident that he had to sit out Sebring.

Only difference is that Peugeot got it out of their system in testing, and hopefully Audi will do the same and avoid the shambles of last year at LM.

And of course, with little word from Audi on this, we're left to wonder what a "possible mechanical failure" means--it could be anything from a cut tire to a suspension collapse, with especially if it was at the rear leads one to wonder about that pullrod system, or it was a freak occurrence.

gwyllion · 20 Mar 2012, 15:56 (Ref:3045423)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

And the Pug testing crashes last year didn't? I believe that Gene and Nic had multi-night hospital stays, and Nic was badly injured enough in his incident that he had to sit out Sebring.

Only difference is that Peugeot got it out of their system in testing, and hopefully Audi will do the same and avoid the shambles of last year at LM.

Minassian only broke some ribs last year. That is a lot less serious than a broken vertebrae! Bernhard could be paralyzed for all we know

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