Quote:
Originally Posted by EffectiveSprinkles
.....with very few adjustments they can run in the P1 class or they can just get a legal car. Penske raced Petit Le Mans with a regular P2 car already, no reason they can't do the same at Le Mans. .
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Wow.
Hmmm …..
“with very few adjustments”? How could a Cadillac DP1 become a competitive P1-L? How much would it take? Who would pay for it? When would it be done?
Are you suggesting that Action Express should buy three chassis (one per team, and a spare) and modify them to P1 specs, then test them, tweak them, and fly them to France ... for one race?
It’s not like they just need to change the decals. For one thing, they’d have to switch to Michelin rubber—which means All Suspension Data collected through the seasons past would be Worthless. They would have to do a lot of testing just to get the tires to work, and to learn how the tires work—testing other teams get over seasons of running WEC/ELMS/AsLMS.
I am not even sure if a DPi chassis can be run in P1 without all new bodywork—which means totally different aero. I Think the P2 chassis is P1-eligible—I hope so. If not, then it is even worse.
But it is bad enough.
There really are no “few adjustments” with cars which are supposed to average 140 mph for 24 hours straight. Little changes can have big consequences—such a WTR having to pull out of Daytona this year because the tires didn’t work. And those were tires the team was familiar with. Now they are switching to all new rubber from a different manufacturer?
Where is the financial return? Why would an IMSA team Want to go to Le Mans to run badly?
And yes, Penske ran a P2 in IMSA. But All their development and a lot of their sponsorship is tied to the Nissan DPi. So again, who would pay Roger Penske to buy a new car, and set it up for Le Mans?
Obviously the engine, chassis, and bodywork wouldn’t be an issue … just the tires and suspension, which are a large part of whether the car performs—or crashes.
And why would Roger Penske Want to go to Le Mans to run for the second or third class? He pulled out of IMSA (then ALMS) when he couldn’t contest overall wins with a P2. Why would he go to Le Mans to run for fifth or seventh?
As for some WEC/ELMS/AsLMS entries not making the cut—yeah, it is a cut. Cars which are marginal might not make it.
I heard plenty of complaints about Ginetta wasting two entries with cars which weren’t ready. A pair of Invitational Class DPis could have put on a decent showing, likely—and wouldn’t have to change a thing to run there, because they wouldn’t be running for WEC points. The fastest WEC cars could get full points, but the DPis could get the press and the podium and the celebration—I bet Cadillac would spring for a trip to France to get that “Cadillac Wins at Le Mans” headline.
And honestly, what would be lost? A couple of the P2 cars which were marginal at best anyway?
Do you know, without looking at the results, which were slowest four P2 cars? The last-placed P2 cars to be running at the end? I guarantee most people cannot and they would not be missed.
On the other hand, a lot of people would have been interested to see DPis running. I recall when ACO invited some NASCAR stock cars it seemed to be a pretty popular decision on both sides of the pond.
The best thing might be for ACO and IMSA to not even worry about whether or not any IMA teams contest Le Mans. But expecting teams to build special cars just to run Le Mans, and either to run foreign rubber or to pay big bucks to test Michelin tires, plus whatever other mods—it is not a sensible solution.
Two invitational spots seems a Lot simpler.
And, given that 55 or 56 entries is arbitrary—ACO could invite a couple DPis and Not bump any Euro teams at all.
So … I guess that solves all those problems, right?