IMSA: USCR 2018

[Scorchess]

No. There are no other sources beyond those two people. Who have a proven track record of propping up unsubstantiated rumors and misleading headlines.

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

No. There are no other sources beyond those two people. Who have a proven track record of propping up unsubstantiated rumors and misleading headlines.

How many other American based journalists cover sports car racing?

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

Then don't say 'it's a lock'.

Unlike Bentley, Alfa Romeo, etc... HPD has very recent activity/experience in prototype racing, running a program right up through last season. Their continued interest is well documented beyond Dagys' wishful thinking - they were even said to have been looking into a special exemption for the ARX-04b as the 2016 season neared it's end. They're as guaranteed to join as GM and Mazda were in the offseason prior to their announcements, it's just a question of when they'll get a program together.

GM and Mazda already had their partners lined up for DPi, while Honda decided to give their partner the NSX program, which I'd bet is the sole reason they didn't have a DPi right away - with the DPi likely to use the same engine, they benefit on the engine side by holding back a year to focus on that entry. Now they've got that sorted, they can focus on the aero work a DPi would need.

The Honda/Penske DPi story has snowballed as big as it has for a reason. It's not mere wishful thinking, there's genuine movement. You may think we're jumping the gun by saying it's a lock/guaranteed, but Honda to DPi is certainly as close to that as it can get prior to an official announcement.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

No. There are no other sources beyond those two people. Who have a proven track record of propping up unsubstantiated rumors and misleading headlines.

The Audi/Joest thing was also mentioned by Marcus Schurig, crucially citing his own sources.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

No. There are no other sources beyond those two people. Who have a proven track record of propping up unsubstantiated rumors and misleading headlines.

Tim Cindric isn't a reliable source? Okay, then...

(sure, Cindric's comments don't confirm a HONDA DPi-in fact they're deliberately open-ended on that matter- but combined with the movements in Honda it's a perfectly reasonable assumption to make and report on)

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

The Audi/Joest thing was also mentioned by Marcus Schurig, crucially citing his own sources.

DSC all chipped in on the VAG-Joest DPi rumor (though it could be with Audi or Lamborghini)

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/0...-comeback.html

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/0...programme.html

[Scorchess]

One of them states Audi is not interested (again) and the other only cites Pruett.

It's pretty much a circlejerk.

[Scorchess]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

The Audi/Joest thing was also mentioned by Marcus Schurig, crucially citing his own sources.

He only cited sources saying Joest is looking at a DPi programme.

Audi has confirmed multiple times there is no interest in DPi.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Scorchess

Audi has confirmed multiple times there is no interest in DPi.

So it's a lock then?

[TF110]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

So it's a lock then?

This thread will be soon going by the tone of these comments

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by TF110

This thread will be soon going by the tone of these comments

Ha! Nah, I get where Scorchess is coming from, but if we can't discuss rumors, what are we doing here? I'm a "believe it when I see it" guy but it's fun to daydream about the upcoming Penske Honda and Andretti Mclaren projects!

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Ha! Nah, I get where Scorchess is coming from, but if we can't discuss rumors, what are we doing here? I'm a "believe it when I see it" guy but it's fun to daydream about the upcoming Penske Honda and Andretti Mclaren projects!

Not to mention it has been an extremely slow summer when it comes to sportscar racing news. We didn't really even get anything out of the Le Mans week apart from a proposed Garage 56 entry.

[Scorchess]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

So it's a lock then?

As good as signed confession I would have thought

[AoB Special Stage]

Originally Posted by TF110

This thread will be soon going by the tone of these comments

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Dyson Mazda

Not to mention it has been an extremely slow summer when it comes to sportscar racing news. We didn't really even get anything out of the Le Mans week apart from a proposed Garage 56 entry.

And Ginetta's lmp1 project, which imo flew under the radar. They have the tunnel model ready and all but not much discussion took place on that front. I expected more to be announced too. But Panoz is basically all we got.

[Scorchess]

I think they did mention they actually sold a few cars. More than 2 even, if I recall.

[AoB Special Stage]

and Perrinn coming back from the dead.

[blankfile]

Wasn't perring going to reveal it's engine at le mans? We saw an announcement from morand about their engine but seemingly no chassis so putting the 2 together? Or am I overthinking things

[Akrapovic]

Not sure if this all correct, but from what I gathered -

Ginetta sold cars to Manor, for 2 entries, plus spare packages
Ginetta have lots of other interest, but nothing confirmed (AFAIK)
Perrin sold 2 cars for entry, plus another as a spare package
SMP Dallara is still on the cards
Morand has talked about engines, but not chassis (Perrin?)
Dome are involved with something

Edit: How did we get into this on the IMSA thread?

[AoB Special Stage]

Blame Dyson Mazda.

[Dyson Mazda]

IMSA considering splitting DPi and P2 in to separate classes.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/at...consideration/

BAR1 is considering a P2 entry for next year, with ORECA as the logical dance partner

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/wa...ay-notebook-4/

Saavedra & AFS are looking into IMSA options with a possible Andretti tie in

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/14193...hing-imsa-move

[RWill2073]

Unless it's to allow DPI to speed up as they develop to where they're too fast to be in the same class as P2, then this seems dumb. If that is the point, P2 will essentially become the new PC with a bunch of good drivers paired with a gentleman driver that causes a bunch of wrecks and we'll all hate them too.

If it is to allow DPI to speed up and become more of an LMP1-lite type of class, then I'm cool with that.

[chernaudi]

Both IMSA and the ACO have screwed up the prototype stuff really bad since 2014. My solution on the ACO end is let semi-works teams into LMP1 privateer, since in the past (certainly in LMP 900) we had what IMSA and the ACO held to be privateer teams running with a huge amount of factory support.

On the IMSA end, just base DPI around being a professional driver line up favoring class with ACO LMP1 privateer being the rough performance target and open tire, and have LMP2 be modeled along ACO guidelines as far as pro-am driver line ups and maybe still be spec tire.

[YZFrider]

Why not allow P2 to run their open tire spec like they do in Europe? They can find faster lap times with that change alone.

[chernaudi]

I don't think that tires should be a part of the BOP process. Then we'd have GT1 in ALMS '06 when most of what AMR got in terms of BOP was because of the crappy Pirelli tires they ran that year (they only ran on Michelin at LM).