Acura/HPD's future plans

[TF110]

Some poster on autosport forums says he overheard during Sebring that acura/honda/hpd is looking to enter lmp1. I don't recall hearing that. Anyone else?

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by TF110

Some poster on autosport forums says he overheard during Sebring that acura/honda/hpd is looking to enter lmp1. I don't recall hearing that. Anyone else?

I kind of doubt that. Honda is investing a lot of money into their F1 program. HPD don't seem to have the funds to run a P2 program.

[carbon_titanium]

Originally Posted by TF110

Some poster on autosport forums says he overheard during Sebring that acura/honda/hpd is looking to enter lmp1. I don't recall hearing that. Anyone else?

unlikely... the whole arx-04 mess has been created by the HPD decision to fold any lmp1 program.

[Coach Ep]

Maybe as a potential engine supplier for privateer P1s? (a la Nissan?)

[Makaze]

Looks like no Honda DPi until 2018.

HPD went to Dallara to do it and found out they are already working with GM(Cadillac).

So NSX GT3 in PWC and looking for teams to run it in IMSA GTD.

[Starfish Primer]

Originally Posted by TF110

Some poster on autosport forums says he overheard during Sebring that acura/honda/hpd is looking to enter lmp1. I don't recall hearing that. Anyone else?

But if they are manufacturers they have to enter as LMP1 hybrid, isn´t it?

[Deleted]

HPD never enters anything on their own.

[TF110]

Here's the updated 04b running it's Sebring test with Shank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXjlAKkYioU

[kvenom]

What might have been had Wirth not messed up so badly.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

Here's the updated 04b running it's Sebring test with Shank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXjlAKkYioU

Almost as sad sight as seeing today's LMP1s testing at Sebring, unable to race.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by TF110

Here's the updated 04b running it's Sebring test with Shank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXjlAKkYioU

Any word on lap times?

[Lanky Turtle]

Here's video I shot today from basically the same locations but more zoomed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ievzNK_0_g

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Lanky Turtle

Here's video I shot today from basically the same locations but more zoomed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ievzNK_0_g

Thanx!






L.P.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by joeb

Any word on lap times?

Have to ask the uploader(s). I wish we knew.

[Lanky Turtle]

The car was generally doing a few laps at a time before pitting. It was off track more than on in the short amount of time I was there and I was moving from corner to corner. I was able to time a couple laps with my wristwatch in the 1:54s but I wouldn't consider those times as useful information since I wasn't able to time the car more accurately or for many laps.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Lanky Turtle

The car was generally doing a few laps at a time before pitting. It was off track more than on in the short amount of time I was there and I was moving from corner to corner. I was able to time a couple laps with my wristwatch in the 1:54s but I wouldn't consider those times as useful information since I wasn't able to time the car more accurately or for many laps.

Thanks!

[TF110]

Racer.com has a little update on the arx-04 run by Shank. No laptimes, but very close to their Ligier.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by TF110

Racer.com has a little update on the arx-04 run by Shank. No laptimes, but very close to their Ligier.

With the Ligier being restricted again maybe they should give the car a try. With the way IMSA's handling things, it can't be any slower.

[Deleted]

It's in HPD's interests to make their partner Shank say positive (whether true or not) things about the car they are still attempting to push to the market, so the comments have little value.

Anyways, I wouldn't think it to be completely impossible for there to be a headline like "MSR to trial-race HPD ARX-04 at Road America" and the team to keep the Onroak chassis on hold just for that one event. Per 'request' of HPD.

[TF110]

There's no reason for them to push an agenda when there's no interest to date. If anything, they (shank) would look to running the car themselves.

[Deleted]

I'm not saying this overall scheme with the 04 makes logical sense anymore since the chassis is obviously (and very unfortunately as I still love the look and feel of this) doomed by the lamo regulations, and the mistakes that piled up last year. But if you're going to go ahead regardless, the only way to generate interest out of thin air is by showing the thing still exists and giving positives about it. Especially after that deal with the LMPC team dried up. And since HPD won't run it themselves, because they Scrooge McDucks, the only alternative is to have someone other do it. Of course MSR as their last remaining real partner in prototypes got the task, and will do again if the "need" arises. And they will say what HPD asks them to say. "If HPD wants us to do it we do it".

[PorscheFanNo1]

Why do both HPD and SMP still push for their cars? Granted, SMP is far ahead, as they have 4 cars running this year, but they still dont have a single customer, they run all cars themselves, which HPD also could have had if they wanted to run the cars themselves. So from a customer perspective they are both in the same boat.
But whats the agenda here, why do they keep trying?
-Do they hope to attract customers in Asian LMS, which is the serie that will allow old LMP2 cars the longest? Problem with this is that when WEC, USCC and a year later ELMS no longer allow old cars there will he heaps of old Ligiers and Orecas on the market for cheap to be picked up for Asian LMS.
-Do they hope that either ACO or IMSA will finally budge and allow more constructors then the allocated 4? Much like LMP3 just recently got expanded?
-Do they hope that a team, either existing LMP2 or a new team looking to get into LMP racing, dont want to be a part of spec-LMP2 after 2017, and might consider HPD or SMP cars for privateer LMP1, and therefore its important to show that the chassies are good in LMP2 trim to have a solid foundation to build a LMP1 car from? I get the feeling Manor might be a team in this category?

Or are there any other reason why those two teams keep insisting on developing and puching for their cars, when there clearly, right at this moment atleast, is no way to make money out of those cars. I'm really struggling to see the logic behind this

[Deleted]

Quick, someone call Scotland Yard detectives to investigate!

The HPD business I don't understand at all really, but with SMP, they seem to have so much cash lying around everywhere - on top of the AF Corse connection - that they could probably organize series of their own and run all of these LMP2s there, along with GTE and GT3 Ferraris. The resources seem to edge those of the real powerhouses, ie Oreca and Onroak etc. Which makes not committing to LMP1 yet ever more stranger. If Colin Kolles can make the switch out of blue, why not these folk...

I don't think there's any chance of extra spot opening for the spec LMP2 slots, as they are not only greedy, but number was set to lower than LMP3 on purpose. Also in LMP3 Norma likely only got the 6th spot because existing 5th manufacturer (ADESS or Ginetta, pick either) had effectively disappeared from supporting the class. There are some Ginettas there now, but the "factory" isn't paying attention anymore, and ADESS is ???

[Makaze]

HPD is under a very tight budget from American Honda(no help from parent company in Japan).So if they can sell or lease the ARX-04,it would really help with their cash flow.At the moment, it is just a reminder of a project disaster and wasted money sitting there in the shop for everybody can see.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Quick, someone call Scotland Yard detectives to investigate!

The HPD business I don't understand at all really, but with SMP, they seem to have so much cash lying around everywhere - on top of the AF Corse connection - that they could probably organize series of their own and run all of these LMP2s there, along with GTE and GT3 Ferraris. The resources seem to edge those of the real powerhouses, ie Oreca and Onroak etc. Which makes not committing to LMP1 yet ever more stranger. If Colin Kolles can make the switch out of blue, why not these folk...

I don't think there's any chance of extra spot opening for the spec LMP2 slots, as they are not only greedy, but number was set to lower than LMP3 on purpose. Also in LMP3 Norma likely only got the 6th spot because existing 5th manufacturer (ADESS or Ginetta, pick either) had effectively disappeared from supporting the class. There are some Ginettas there now, but the "factory" isn't paying attention anymore, and ADESS is ???

Yeah I agree with you, I fully expect SMP to be in LMP1-L next year, the money seem to be there, and the will to race their own car is clearly there (as they have stated several times).

Why Norma got the 6th LMP3 spot is also easy to see, as you say, but I still have the feeling that just maybe IMSA will allow HPD in with their own chassie... But if they do that, it will open a whole new can of worms...