Sebring 2010?

[SebringMG]

The Audi is apparently not going to be 2010 compliant by Sebring how is that Peugeouts fault?

That is a decision made by Audi given the budget (or lack of) given by the parent company - it fits in better with the motorsport programme to skip Sebring and develop the car for what really matters Le Mans.

I can understand Pug complaining about a non-compliant car being present it is what most manufacturers would do in the circumstances, fairly sure Audi would do it.

Lets be honest Audi are using it as an excuse, albeit convienient, for a lack of a budget.

[fieldodreams79]

so much anger....so i'll tell a little story.

went to the mailbox yesterday and found the Sebring Int'l Raceway's 12 hours publication there. there's a pic of an Audi leading a Pug at Sebring with the title;

Rivalries Return for the 58th Sebring

and in the article itself, there is this quote;

A stellar entry highlighted by the return of the Audi vs. Peugeot rivalry is expected to battle on Sebring's legendary 3.7 mile road course.

wishful thinking or was the publication printed a month or two ago?

[gwyllion]

According to Murphy Audi will test with an interim car the week after Sebring. So I don't think budget is such a big issue. I am sure that Audi is more than happy to spend some $ to promote TDI power in the US.

[merlot brougham]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

According to Murphy Audi will test with an interim car the week after Sebring. So I don't think budget is such a big issue. I am sure that Audi is more than happy to spend some $ to promote TDI power in the US.

Point taken, but testing requires FAR less money than competing. They can bring one car, a reduced squad of engineers, mechanics and drivers. They will run through a testing program, pack it up and leave. Stephane Ratel said something about the cost of competing in a 24hr race being 3-4x more than a 10hr race. I would imagine the same holds true with testing vs. the 12hrs.

I firmly believe that Audi will re-assess their level of participation mid next year. That is what my company is doing. We aren't allowed to backfill positions or work on projects that don't generate revenue. Everyone I have talked to is in a similar situation regardless of the industry. Mid next year we are told that the budget situations will change if the things are looking up economically. Now is the time to be conservative and make sure you have money stowed for the next "rainy day", not participate in every race you can. And although it may not be a significant money savings to just test, I'm sure it saves some money and that is all that matters to the bean counters. Ultimately auto racing is a luxury and not a necessity.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

and in the article itself, there is this quote;




wishful thinking or was the publication printed a month or two ago?

"is expected" is probably the operative word here.

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by Dead-Eye

"is expected" is probably the operative word here.

How about a new tagline for the ALMS. Drop the "World Class" which is a joke considering the upcoming season and replace it with "Not what you´ve expected.."

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Acid09

How about a new tagline for the ALMS. Drop the "World Class" which is a joke considering the upcoming season and replace it with "Not what you´ve expected.."

"World Class" was dropped, I believe at the start of 09'. It became "To Tomorrow, Faster".

[Acid09]

Oh really? Well, good, seems like there's some sense of realism left.

Edit: Well, maybe not. The series website is still using the World Class slogan.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Acid09

Oh really? Well, good, seems like there's some sense of realism left.

Edit: Well, maybe not. The series website is still using the World Class slogan.

You are correct... in the logo... hmmmm

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by ubrben

Spot on. It was obvious the Audi was legal based on the clarification issued regarding the valance panels on the Porsche RS Spyder.

Peugeot spanked the Audi at Le Mans (low downforce) and Petit (High Downforce) so quite why they want to block them coming to Sebring is beyond me. Surely they'd have the confidence in the 908 to be able to beat the R15 on pace and they'd then have a genuine win.

Anyone who knows how the ACO works knows how political it is. Lets be honest, the only reason we have the diesels at all is that the rules were skewed to allow a diesel more hp than the petrol LMP1s so that Audi and Peugeot would come and play in the first place.

Being dogmatic about things now is unfortunate. As I understand it Peugeot were on the verge of walking away if Audi weren't forced to change the R15. It's not anti-French to say this - they made a threat and got the response they wanted.

Ben

I wouldn't say that Audi got spanked by Peugeot at Petit Le Mans-if anything, Audi spanked Peugeot. By the one hour mark, the #08 Pug was two laps down to the #2 Audi, the #07 was on it's way to being lapped, and the Audis were running 1-2, and the Audis between them lead 90% of the race. It also must be remembered that the #2 Audi ran the race's fastest lap and was consistantly faster than both Pugs and the #1 Audi that lost a lap due to staying out too long on rain tires and go caught out on a yellow was catching the 908s.

I don't see a reason why Peugeot has complained so much, especially when they were on the pace at Sebring, dominated at Le Mans, and, albeit on a fluke, won PLM. The Pug was built for one thing-straightline speed, ie, Le Mans. Audi built the R15 to be run at LM, but also designed it with the intent of running in the ALMS-of course, the Porsche debacle in '09 and the ACO's late rules announcement for '10 has killed any serious chances of that unless IMSA is granted a waiver for 2011 to allow 2009/10 LMP1s to race to their rules package. And guess what, the Pugs were 10 miles an hour faster than the R15s down the Mulsanne at Le Mans, and that translated to a 1-3 second advantage at LM over the course of a lap until the track rubbered in and the R15's handling erased that advantage, but that couldn't erased a gap of 3/4 of a lap that the #1 Audi had to the 908s at that time.

I think Peugeot should take their straightline speed advantage at Le Mans and be happy, because it can all change in 2011 if they continue.

Maybe Peugeot is worried that the 2010 rules will slow them to Audi levels at Le Mans?

[mattcat]

Originally Posted by merlot brougham

I bought my Sebring tickets before the announcement was even made. It is times like this that the series needs your support. It is times like this that if the support is still there, it brings more teams in when financial conditions improve. Sebring is a blast in all aspects. Even if the competition isn't the greatest ever I KNOW I will still have a great time. AND I already bought Mid-Ohio and PLM tickets. People need to step up and support the stuff they love or they may blink and it's all gone.

Very well put. Sebring is an experience, even if the entry list isn't so hot.

[chernaudi]

I think that there are a lot of people who wish that they had the power/talent that Renesmee Cullen(a fictional half human/half vampire character)has-the ability to channel thoughts into someone's mind just by touching them. I'll bet that the Peugeot guys would stay well away from her if they knew she was an Audi fan.

But what I don't get is that the Pug's doors don't conform to the "spirit" of the ACO's or IMSA's regs-maybe IMSA and the ACO should force a door redesign on Peugeot at the 11th hour.

But then again, if the ACO didn't screw around for four months, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

But this might come back to bite Peugeot-Audi has said that they'll test more in the states this year and use the R15+ to develop it's replacement. And Audi has tubs for the R15 series to spare(considering that they'll use 2009 Sebring and LM spec cars for testing as well), and I don't believe that Peugeot has any tubs to spare, especally if they want to run four cars at Le Mans, and considering how bad/agressive some ALMS drivers are, I think that Peugeot could be playing Russian Roulette early in the race, if not though out it with the LMPC and GTC cars, while Audi will have fresh, hopefully sorted cars for Spa and LM and PLM.

I think that Peugeot should be careful what they wish for, considering that the ACO and IMSA didn't up and grant Audi a waiver more out of not wanting to listen to Peugeot whine than rules compliance.

And they should wait until 2011 when the coupe's larger air restrictor gets taken away, which I feel should've been done when GTPs were allow to move from running LMP675/2 tires to the wider LMP900/1 tires in '04.

[The Badger]

Will Oreca be there in some form ?

[Dauer 962]

In autumn they said yes, but at that time they didn´t have a Pug.

[ger80]

Oreca will be there - supporting the FLM cars and hopefully entering a LMP1

[joeb]

The Bear posts that an AMR Lola Aston is likely for Sebring. Wonder if they will be able to keep up with the Pug?

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by joeb

The Bear posts that an AMR Lola Aston is likely for Sebring. Wonder if they will be able to keep up with the Pug?

Nope! But that doesn't really matter to me. If it's going to be there, so will I.

[fieldodreams79]

...but if the AMR Lola Aston shows at Sebring, will they return for PLM?

tis good news no matter how you look at it.

and they may not need to keep up with the Pugs as Sebring is known for "eating" cars. granted, it seems the "kinks" have been worked out on the French cars; all they would have to do, if Audi don't show (most likely), is cruise and avoid trouble.

surely, they won't cruise as the are really testing for LM.....again.

[joeb]

It would be sweet to see a Gulf livery here in the US. and AMR would be testing for LM too, so it would be nice to see if they can last over the bumps.

[pablocomics]

The AMR will be a private car, the first one was sell to Signature, the second one to an unknown american client (Mr. X). He was rumoured to be a collector but who knows...

[TWK]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

You are correct... in the logo... hmmmm

All previous slogans have been officially superceded by "LEADER GREEN RACING" Sad but true.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by pablocomics

The AMR will be a private car, the first one was sell to Signature, the second one to an unknown american client (Mr. X). He was rumoured to be a collector but who knows...

That's not the message on the bear's twitter. The quote is "...AMR Lola Aston...", which means that AMR refers to the team, not the car.

[TWK]

Originally Posted by pablocomics

The AMR will be a private car, the first one was sell to Signature, the second one to an unknown american client (Mr. X). He was rumoured to be a collector but who knows...

Murphy thinks (he told me so) the car, whatever its current ownership will be run as an "AMR" Lola Aston Martin; that would include the Gulf livery.

That makes sense, even in the case of a collector. The Bear said early that the cars were pre-sold to collectors. A run a Sebring is a "value-builder."

[mattcat]

Originally Posted by TWK

Murphy thinks (he told me so) the car, whatever its current ownership will be run as an "AMR" Lola Aston Martin; that would include the Gulf livery.

That makes sense, even in the case of a collector. The Bear said early that the cars were pre-sold to collectors. A run a Sebring is a "value-builder."

It would really be fantastic to see it in the Gulf livery. I wonder who the pilots will be if this does come to fruition...

[The Badger]

I wonder if it is Primats car , if so , Primat might probably be one of them ?