[WEC] Rebellion Racing

[Mal]

Maybe the sudden flurry of customer P1's announced in the summer was when Rebellion were making enquiries and making their decision. Unfortunately it may be that there are few other customers out there?

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by joeb

Rebellion's recent press release made it sound like the first race would be tight for them as well.

If I had to guess I'd say they will have one car for Silverstone (paint likely still wet) and then a second for Spa.

[TF110]

Nico Prost confirmed for 2014! http://www.rebellion-racing.com/131016.html

[GT6]

Good news, lets hope the rebellion line up takes the fight to the factory teams, good luck to them

[Simmi]

Very intrigued about what Rebellion do driver-wise next year.

I'm really hoping they will take on a couple of guys like a Turvey or a Brundle and help bring genuine talents on in P1s. Will Heidfeld be back? It's looking more and more likely as the Porsche link goes cold.

Beche may return and is a good young talent. Belicchi? Cheng? I suppose it depends how much they need drivers with a bit of budget.

[JorritVD]

I hope Bleekemolen will return at Rebellion, but I guess that chance will not be so big.

[vincegail]

Why not? Did something happen between them? Surely Bleekemolen would like to drive a LMP1 at Le Mans, and surely Rebellion would like a top notch driver like him to drive their car?

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Very intrigued about what Rebellion do driver-wise next year.

I'm really hoping they will take on a couple of guys like a Turvey or a Brundle and help bring genuine talents on in P1s. Will Heidfeld be back? It's looking more and more likely as the Porsche link goes cold.

Beche may return and is a good young talent. Belicchi? Cheng? I suppose it depends how much they need drivers with a bit of budget.

Hartley is more or less confirmed for Porsche next year, as well as Marc Lieb. I doubt Heidfeld will be going anywhere other than Rebellion next year... which is a good thing, mind you!

[isynge]

I've been really impressed by Heidfeld this year. His performance in the opening stint at Laguna Seca was particularly standout.

Having him as part of the 2014 Rebellion line up would have virtually no downsides to my eye.

[TF110]

I hope he stays as well. He has great feedback and is a fast guy.

[TF110]

Interview with Bart Hayden http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/sport...s-bart-hayden/ some good information there. Interesting things like the new car being ready for the first wec race in 2014, and not just one!

[JorritVD]

Originally Posted by TF110

Interview with Bart Hayden http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/sport...s-bart-hayden/ some good information there. Interesting things like the new car being ready for the first wec race in 2014, and not just one!

Well, they are on schedule to have two cars ready. Still a long way to go, so you never know what will happen. But with Oreca as a partner, they already are on the right direction.

Btw, the article mentions also that there is interest in the Lola-Rebellion cars. Hopefully we will one or both cars next years in Fia WEC to.

[Acid09]

The buyers of these cars would really need to honor the olympic spirit though, not only will these cars not be competitive against the works cars anymore but they will be outrun by the new privateer P1s as well.

Hard to see a perspective for these cars unlike they're entered by someone who just enjoys to be part of the show and run among the front running cars

[TF110]

Originally Posted by JorritVD

Well, they are on schedule to have two cars ready. Still a long way to go, so you never know what will happen. But with Oreca as a partner, they already are on the right direction.

Btw, the article mentions also that there is interest in the Lola-Rebellion cars. Hopefully we will one or both cars next years in Fia WEC to.

Seems to me TUSC series guys may want to use the chassis for a p2 conversion. Not wec.

[cmk]

I can't see how that would work? You would have to strip it down to a bare tub, which I think might still be equivalent to the cost-capped P2 Lola tub (anyone know?). Everything else would have to be purchased from Lola anyway, to be cost-capped/homologated. I cannot see that being a better option than buying a new Lola. I think someone looking at it for WEC (bad idea or not) is the only likely scenario.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by cmk

I can't see how that would work? You would have to strip it down to a bare tub, which I think might still be equivalent to the cost-capped P2 Lola tub (anyone know?). Everything else would have to be purchased from Lola anyway, to be cost-capped/homologated. I cannot see that being a better option than buying a new Lola. I think someone looking at it for WEC (bad idea or not) is the only likely scenario.

Thats not what the article says, I'm saying thats about the only logical thing to do with it. IMO you would be wasting your time thinking it will be a competitive package next year in P1. You have at least 3 or 4 other makers of up to date customer p1's, so the only thing that could be better about purchasing this car would perhaps be the price?

[ger80]

Years ago we always had some P1 teams in Le Mans with no hope of winning, why not 2014?

[Tim the Grey]

Quite. Are people really telling me Strakka expect to win Le Mans? Nick Leventis races because he likes it, and can afford it...

[isynge]

Originally Posted by ger80

Years ago we always had some P1 teams in Le Mans with no hope of winning, why not 2014?

I distinctly remember during the 10/10ths pit visit to Rebellion Bart Hayden stating that their backers to be in LMP1, where realistically they were always going to be beaten by Audi and, at the time, Peugeot, rather than winning in LMP2. I suspect there are others out there who feel the same way and the current Rebellion cars are proven packages, likely to still be relatively competitive next year amongst privateers, and have the proven ability to go the distance.

Compared with the completely unknown quantities of going for one of the new LMP1s, compounded by the possible lack of availability given timescales, the Rebellion Lolas could be a very persuasive prospect for running in LMP1 next year.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by TF110

Seems to me TUSC series guys may want to use the chassis for a p2 conversion. Not wec.

Multimatic will sell you a new P2 Lola though. Not sure if converting a P1 would make sense then.

[Maelochs]

Straight from the article---teams looking to run the old Rebellion Lolas in P1:

"JD: Have you received any interest in selling customer R-Ones, or even potentially your Lola-Toyotas, which will be grandfathered into LMP1 next year? BH: “People have approached us but more towards the interest in grandfathering the Lolas we have."

[TF110]

Like I said, why get an old grandfathered car with all the other new options available. Just yesterday, WR expressed their intent to build a car. Hpd has a car. Dome has a car etc. The thought of getting Rebellion's old car must be price imo.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by TF110

The thought of getting Rebellion's old car must be price imo.

Agreed. Price and the fact that, unlike a number of the other options, the Rebellion chassis physically exist. They aren't a scale model, or on a hard drive.

[cmk]

Physically exist and are well-sorted. With Lola having been largely resuscitated, parts should be readily available. If a team's looking to learn the P1 game, this is probably the best deal out there. A step to a new car could come in 2015 if desired.

[Maelochs]

As far as I know, the only Actual 2014 P1 cars belong to Porsche, while Audi and Toyota have almost finished theirs. Everyone else's are vaporware, often with vaporware power plants.

Depending on how the 2012 cars are treated, a pair of race-ready Rebellions might be the best privateer options by far. People depending on potential cars might end up having to skip the opening Silverstone round and doing basic break-in at Spa.

It's great that so many constructors are "planning" engines and chassis, but which, aside from Oreca/Rebellion, are fully funded and likely to be realized?

Considering it is already nearly November, I'd say the constructors still looking for partners and customers (funding) are probably not going to produce much this season.