ALMS Round 9/ILMC Round 6: Petit Le Mans 29 Sep -1 Oct

[The Badger]

What team are you talking about please ?

Who is Mikey ? They cant have a 458 in GT/AM .

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by The Badger

What team are you talking about please ?

Who is Mikey ? They cant have a 458 in GT/AM .

#61 AF Corse Ferrari, Mikey is Michael Waltrip, and don't forget their "adventure" in a 458 in GTE-Pro at Le Mans itself which ended with a wrecked Audi.

[joeb]

One of the things that will be interesting for this event is the matchup between the Jaguars and Lotus'. First time on track together, and they could be right at each others pace. battle of British brand supremacy! Unless the GTE-AM Aston stomps them both!

Changing topics, IMSA has a performance bulletin here. Not any major adjustments, mostly just bringing the IMSA changes back in line with the ACO.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by joeb

Changing topics, IMSA has a performance bulletin Not any major adjustments, mostly just bringing the IMSA changes back in line with the ACO.

So they are allowing 4 drivers per car this time? That was a suggestion of mine in reference to the necessary rejection of some GTC/LMPC cars. It'll be interesting to see if any teams opt to go that route. I can't imagine any of the major teams will do it.

[AGD]

Also, it looks like Romain Dumas and Dindo will join Audi as third drivers. So I guess Dindo is not retired from the LMP1 program after all.

http://www.4-traders.com/AUDI-AG-436...-TDI-13809964/

[Tom908V12]

Originally Posted by HJJ

The Robertson Racing line-up for Petit Le Mans will be; Andrea Robertson/Melanie Snow and David Murry.

A 2/3 female line-up then

[Accident]

Originally Posted by joeb

One of the things that will be interesting for this event is the matchup between the Jaguars and Lotus'. First time on track together, and they could be right at each others pace. battle of British brand supremacy! Unless the GTE-AM Aston stomps them both!

My guess is that the Aston will do exactly that, and that both of the Evoras will be ahead of the Jags.

[chernaudi]

As for the article about the Pug test at RA, Audi put out a PR piece that says that the Sunday and Monday tests are officially sanctioned by IMSA and are part of the event schedule (and also announced that Dumas and Dindo will be third drivers at PLM).

[gregtummer]

Word is that last year, the track announcer said Peugeot hit 204mph on the backstretch.

[Purist]

That doesn't surprise me, but I doubt they'll be able to manage quite that kind of top-end this year.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Lebanza

My guess is that the Aston will do exactly that, and that both of the Evoras will be ahead of the Jags.

My guess is that at least one of the Jags will outqualify the Lotuses (while other one gets hit by usual engine problems or whatever), but in the race the Jetalliance -run machines will cover plenty of more laps. Double DNF for RSR, maybe a low-profile finish for the Evora(s).

[deggis]

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/spor...lms-61944.html

Good coverage, but apparently the author has a time machine ("International Attack", last two paragraphs).

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by deggis

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/spor...lms-61944.html

Good coverage, but apparently the author has a time machine ("International Attack", last two paragraphs).

Do I think this will be the last Petit Le Mans race? No
Do I think this will be the last Petit Le Mans worth watching and attending? Yes

Of course, all of this is based on if Petit is indeed dropped from the WEC schedule next year, but of course Scott Atherton says it wont be, so I should have nothing to worry about....

[seanyb505]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

... Scott Atherton says...

An excellent, worth while point.

[ALT F4 Racing]

Poor Petit ):

[rich07]

Originally Posted by courageous

Despite reports/rumours Jetalliance will be there with the Lotus - they have pulled out of the Silverstone 24hr (same weekend) for that reason

Shame that Wendlinger isnt in the #65 car with Rossiter and Mowlem, they will be joined by David Heinemaier Hansson who was in the #64 car at Silverstone. Why cant there be three pros in the #65? This isnt helping development at all.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by joeb

There are official track test sessions on those days. So I expect at least a few dozen cars (if not more) to be seeing action then. The big question is whether or not timing and scoring will be active those days. I can't remember if it was last year, but if it isn't it will likely be active on the test session on Wednesday the 28th.

Looks like there will in fact be live timing for these preliminary sessions which is good news.

[Deleted]

And as it's the return of ILMC, BMW is back to their utterly ridiculous 29,8mm restrictors... yawns
http://www.imsaracing.net/2011/ALMS/...MS%2011-30.pdf

Also smaller restrictors for all LMPC and P1s expect for that Autocon piece of junk

[Jonerz]

Will Greg Pickett be happy with the restrictors?

Chris

[ALT F4 Racing]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

Will Greg Pickett be happy with the restrictors?

Chris

I dont think the lola aston martins have the slightest chance. Even with stellar drivers. Mucke,Luhr,Graf,Fernandez

BMW should have 28.6mm restrictors not 29.8. Thats really sad too. After seeing the lemans pole times how does bmw still get hoover dam restrictors? Is the ACO run by bavarians by any chance?

wait for the petrol regs doesnt the lola astons get bigger restrictors like at lemans for all petrols.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

Will Greg Pickett be happy with the restrictors?

Chris

I wouldnt be, looks like we should be prepared to see yet another quality prototype team leave the ALMS next year.

[Fogelhund]

I think what is said on Friday is more important to the future participation of certain teams, over where their restrictors are on Saturday.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

Will Greg Pickett be happy with the restrictors?

No, but...

Originally Posted by ALT F4 Racing

I dont think the lola aston martins have the slightest chance. Even with stellar drivers. Mucke,Luhr,Graf,Fernandez

That's about right. They aren't going to threaten the diesels, but maybe they can race the OAKs and Rebellion. Unlike those two, the Lola-V12 is grandfathered, but I think they still have a good shot amongst that group. Of course, they should be able to hold off Dyson especially with their gentleman drivers. Dyson is probably losing more performance with the Petit rules than Muscle Milk is.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Not sure, because the Prodrive Aston was way off the pace of OAK, Rebellion, and even the grandfathered Pescarolo at Silverstone yet on pace with Muscle Milk and Dyson at Laguna. Im honestly expecting OAK and Rebellion to be much faster than the grandfathered ALMS Lolas and the Prodrive Lola Aston at Petit.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Not sure, because the Prodrive Aston was way off the pace of OAK, Rebellion, and even the grandfathered Pescarolo at Silverstone yet on pace with Muscle Milk and Dyson at Laguna. Im honestly expecting OAK and Rebellion to be much faster than the grandfathered ALMS Lolas and the Prodrive Lola Aston at Petit.

Yeah, because Laguna was running IMSA's rules, not the ACO's crazy 3-tiered P1 class rules. (Diesel, New Petrols, Granfathered Petrols.)

I'm worried Greg is gone after this season. Hopefully the ALMS announcements at the SotS Address will actually address problems with the series and document solutions that can actually save the dwindling non-spec prototype racing and the GT class. Otherwise we got problems.

Hopefully Grand-Am keeps crawling in the right direction.

Chris