[LM24] Pescarolo Sport future plans...?!?!

[Tim the Grey]

Pescarolo Aston Martins...
Pescarolo Jaguar LMP2?

[CTD]

Pescar Williams BMW's?.

With Tom K as lead driver?

[JAG]

LAA Pescarolo Chevy P2.

[dxk1]

Silly season is in full swing and has come early this year!! But it sure is fun!

DK

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Well, there was an extraordinary rumour circulating at Le Mans this year, but since then I've seen nothing mentioned anywhere in the public domain. Best I keep my mouth firmly shut!

What I will say, however, is that should the rumour prove to be true, there'll be a lot of very surprised people. Details were sketchy and it wasn't clear at the time if a deal had actually been done. But, given the identity of the sources and Henri's confidence in that interview regarding 2011 (together with the promise that he'l be back 'stronger than ever') I do wonder if perhaps things have moved a step closer.

Just have to wait and see............

Come on mate , out with it !!!

Whatever it is , I reckon it wont be with a Pescarolo chassis . That chassis is still a good little chassis , but possibily getting a little long in the tooth .

Maybe a possible works engine deal ..... chassis , couldnt even hazard a guess about that .

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by dxk1

Silly season is in full swing and has come early this year!! But it sure is fun!

DK

Aint it great !!!

[CTD]

Could Henri and AMR join forces!?.
This just accrued to me. Henri has often done miracles with "low end top teams", and AMR is just that!
(This is a copy from the AMR thread, but i thought it to be just as relevant here)

[isynge]

If anyone is interested in a more or less turnkey LMP package there's one coming up for sale in the next couple of weeks.

Details, in French, here.

[vyselegend]

That's in this kind of moments you really wish you were a billionaire...


I so much hope it will end in the good hands!

[CTD]

Henri?

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by CTD

Henri?

It would be unfortunate for him to have to buy back his own old chassis, but... who knows?

[cmk]

Is item number 1 really 64 trophies that they have one up for sale? My French tells me that is the case, whereas Google Translate's tells me it means they are selling 64 price cuts they've won... It seems so wrong indeed that they would have to auction off the trophies, and I really hope some good person buys them and gives them to their rightful keeper, Henri!

[Victor_RO]

Yeah, "64 trophies" is what I understood as well.

[vyselegend]

It's the trophies indeed.

Item two is basically all the toolboxes, computers and connectics.

items 3,4&5 are the trucks, motor home and a mobil home.

And the main items are two LMP1 chassis, the first (from 2008, chassis n°8) said to be delivred with a "Judd mounting kit". (Obviously it's not the engine, I don't know what to expect exactly -maybe just a fixation kit).
The second one (from 2007, chassis n°1) is delivered with exhausts and gearbox, along with others parts.

Sure what I'd love to do is to buy all that stuff and just give it back to Henri and his team (especially the Trophies. I find it rather obscene that someone would buy those for his own viewing pleasure, wherehas that's the kind of item which only real value is for those who gained it.)
But for that I should first start to play & win national lottery...

Honnestly I'm pretty pessimistic for 2011, I just can't see how any racing program for next year could be decided in november, especially with a rule change meaning you need to bring a new car to be competitive. Only option would be manufacturer support, but I can't see any of the manufacturer in the place being in the need of Henri and his crew. Poor old man will have to sit down and watch for one more year IMO.

[cmk]

It would not shock me if a collector bought the trophies to give back to Henri or, at least, to go into the Le Mans museum collection. Unless the buyer is thinking of reselling at some point, it would be only just to have them displayed publicly so everyone can marvel at the legend's accomplishments.

I assume the Judd mounting kit is just that - the chassis is laid out to accept a 5.0L V10 from Engine Developments. Given that the car can't be raced in ACO competition that way anymore, I'm sure it's a heads-up to the buyer that there will be modifications required in the engine bay to fit a motor for anything other than historic competition.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by cmk

Given that the car can't be raced in ACO competition that way anymore

I'm pretty sure that by putting a current LMP2 engine in it, attaching the honkin' great fin and ballasting the car up to 900kg, one could race the Pescarolo in LMP1 next year, if I understand the regulation change correctly.

[CTD]

Those cars should not be touched in respect to Henri in my opinion.
Some of them hold a lot of value for him.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by cmk

It would not shock me if a collector bought the trophies to give back to Henri or, at least, to go into the Le Mans museum collection. Unless the buyer is thinking of reselling at some point, it would be only just to have them displayed publicly so everyone can marvel at the legend's accomplishments.

I really hope that happens, ten-tenths whip around?

[courageous]

That link makes for depressing viewing - what a waste

[isynge]

Originally Posted by courageous

That link makes for depressing viewing - what a waste

I didn't find it too depressing, but I guess I see your point.

It's a bit like seeing a ship on the way to the scrapyard - nothing can take away its original elegant lines, and once it's gone you've still got the memories, but there's a certain sadness in the process.

It's a sad end to an era, but reading what Henri has said elsewhere, he seems pretty phlegmatic about it, and is more looking to what the future could potentially hold rather than getting too sad about the lost opportunity of 2010.

Short term maybe best to forget and smile than remember and be sad, that way, in a few years time when someone sees fit to run them in a historic race at Le Mans, we can suddenly revisit how great a contribution Henri has made over the last decade - much like seeing the Rondeau collection at LM this year.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

I'm pretty sure that by putting a current LMP2 engine in it, attaching the honkin' great fin and ballasting the car up to 900kg, one could race the Pescarolo in LMP1 next year, if I understand the regulation change correctly.

I meant that it couldn't be raced with a 5L V10, so the new buyer would certainly have to re-jig the engine bay substantially no matter what class they wanted to race in.

Originally Posted by rich07

I really hope that happens, ten-tenths whip around?

Top notion but I'm a grad student so I'm not flush with trophy-buying coin!

[vyselegend]

Just read in french magazine autohebdo another detail of the sale, which didn't appear in EI's article.

The auction actually contains another item, which is no more or less than the datas from the 2011 LMP1 studies.

On one hand, I feel this might not be as great as it seems, because the team was virtually ruined already so the 2011 project certainly didn't have lots of cash injected in it, but on the other hand, I can't remember Pescarolo ever building a bad car either.

Although probably those 2011 studies must consist in a few wintunnel hours with the honking fin grafted. Hopefully a bit more than that...

Anyway it's not going in the good direction, because it means that even if Henri was coming back next year, it would be without all the IP from last years, current, and even futur Pescarolo cars.
The only think I'm thinking now as a good move, would be that Jacques Nicolet buys all the auction stuff. Oak having already bought IP of 2010 car (I may be wrong on this) and developing it for 2011 LMP2, they could actually become the new Pescarolo entity. Then they could continue their LMP2 challange with Mazda France backing, while letting the LMP1 effort in Henri's hand.

OK, this is utopist, and nothing makes me think Oak has the funds for that, but it's nice to dream isn't it?

[mackteck]

auction today....
http://www.interencheres.com/ventes_...e=201010150024

[Robbo28]

Dodgy translation:


Sold at auction following the bankruptcy of the team, Pescarolo Sport equipment might be scattered to the four winds. It will not happen!


This afternoon, two passionate and gentlemen Nicolet River relied on expertise of Hervé Poulain - the famous Paris-auctioneer to buy all seven lots for 400,000 €. This issue has been strongly welcomed by applause from the audience. The buyers intend to make such property available for Henri Pescarolo, who could then resume his sports activities!

[KA]

Originally Posted by Robbo28

Dodgy translation:


Sold at auction following the bankruptcy of the team, Pescarolo Sport equipment might be scattered to the four winds. It will not happen!


This afternoon, two passionate and gentlemen Nicolet River relied on expertise of Hervé Poulain - the famous Paris-auctioneer to buy all seven lots for 400,000 €. This issue has been strongly welcomed by applause from the audience. The buyers intend to make such property available for Henri Pescarolo, who could then resume his sports activities!

Interesting....

Herve Poulain? Presumably that's the Herve Poulain who was involved with the BMW Art Cars at Le Mans in the 70's?