Quote:
Originally Posted by Pandamasque
Actually, just a couple of days ago I read an article on Audi R18 on Autoblog.com. It's always more interesting to read the comments, as the public there is generally not very knowledgeable about racing. One of the commenters posted something like "The car looks so un-Audi". That kinda struck me, as such thought never even crossed my mind.
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We get lost in that, don't we. No one would ever say that about an Audi F1 car, because they don't expect it to look like one. But prototypes have covered wheels, headlamps, a roof, a passenger seat (ahem). As I explained earlier, they were originally called "prototypes" as they were the prototypes of models that manufacturers intended to sell after racing at Le Mans.
Now the only thing that's "prototype" is some of the technology, rather than the cars themselves, but there needs to be a link.
The 962 had indicators, a stock block engine, and a Porsche badge stuck on the front with immense pride. It
became a Porsche.
Is it possible to do that with a current LMP1? The ACO need to ask themselves that. They need to remember why Le Mans is celebrating 90 years this year...why it's survived a World War, a couple of economic depressions and oil crises.
Two word answer to that. Road. Relevance.