IMSA DPi Discussion

[WolfsburgRS]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

Michelin only puts their best tires in open tire classes (IMSA/WEC) because in WEC P2 and GTE-AM there is a "tire claim rule". They don't want Dunlop getting their hands on their confidential tires -- it's also why the tires are returned to Michelin after sessions and in the event of failures and teams can be fined for "losing" them. The "confidential" Dunlops are very good, but not as good as the Michelins so they aren't afraid of Michelin deconstructing/reverse-engineering the tires.

The Dunlop "customer" tires are better than the Michelin "customer".

-mike

Mike, this may be something you aren't familar with, but do you know if Michelin customer teams are able to keep tires and sell them once they're "done" with them? Lots of contis would end up on sites like usedracingtires.com. A "not that great" barely used racing slick makes for a very very good HPDE tire

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by WolfsburgRS

Mike, this may be something you aren't familar with, but do you know if Michelin customer teams are able to keep tires and sell them once they're "done" with them? Lots of contis would end up on sites like usedracingtires.com. A "not that great" barely used racing slick makes for a very very good HPDE tire

The generic off the shelf customer tire (that I'm sure IMSA will be supplying to Prototype and GTD teams) is available for purchase by anyone and Michelin doesn't care what you do with it after you buy it (same as Conti/Pirelli).

Think of the "confidential" tire as more of a lease. The teams who use them don't own them to re-sale.

-mike

[WolfsburgRS]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

The generic off the shelf customer tire (that I'm sure IMSA will be supplying to Prototype and GTD teams) is available for purchase by anyone and Michelin doesn't care what you do with it after you buy it (same as Conti/Pirelli).

Think of the "confidential" tire as more of a lease. The teams who use them don't own them to re-sale.

-mike

Gotcha, thanks.

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

The generic off the shelf customer tire (that I'm sure IMSA will be supplying to Prototype and GTD teams) is available for purchase by anyone and Michelin doesn't care what you do with it after you buy it (same as Conti/Pirelli).

Think of the "confidential" tire as more of a lease. The teams who use them don't own them to re-sale.

-mike

Yeah basically, like lmp1, dpi and lmp2 engines.
Remember in late 2016, WTR team sold one of their corvette DP to a private collector without any engine inside.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by canaglia

Yeah basically, like lmp1, dpi and lmp2 engines.
Remember in late 2016, WTR team sold one of their corvette DP to a private collector without any engine inside.

There's been more than a few. The Mitty paddock at Road Atlanta last spring had at least 3 Vette DPs and multiple older spec DPs. The race winning Whelen Vette DP was racing the next April in HSR, if you believe the signage exactly as was raced at Petit.

[Damian Baldi]

I forgot to share this

"Alongside their LMP1 programme, Mecachrome are looking at the necessary modifications to build an engine (based on the 3.4-litre V6) for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The French engine manufacturer has also been selected by PSA Motorsport for the machining and assembly of its four-cylinder turbocharged engines issued from the PSA range for the new C3 R5.”

source