Audi LMP1 Discussion

[gwyllion]

Le Mans preview by McNish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUOyoJpZ2PA

[Mal]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Can anyone summarize his findings?

Easy ...... Audi will win

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Mal

Easy ...... Audi will win

yup, we might as well stay at home...

[Mal]

Originally Posted by henk4

yup, we might as well stay at home...

Oh no.... there is a lot more to Le Mans than who wins

[Ultimo]

Originally Posted by Mal

Oh no.... there is a lot more to Le Mans than who wins

e.g. Who can drink the most beer and live.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Ultimo

e.g. Who can drink the most beer and live.

If that was the required mentality, I'd definitely stay at home.......

[sssssssss]

i don't quite understand one thing about this article:
http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24h/u...ttro_7540.html

tom is saying the ultra and the e-tron quattro are the same except for the hybrid device (which we already knew), but then states that the ultra is faster down the straights than the e-tron. why would it, since they are the same and the e-tron accelerates faster? theoretically, better acceleration at the beginning of a straight, coming out of a corner, should produce a higher speed at the end of the straight, right? and at the test day, it was the e-tron that hit the highest top speed of the audis.

[The Badger]

So Ayse , what do you think about the Audi livery . I reckon its probably the most exciting livery they have had in years .

Will some of the panels glow in the dark ?

Possibily the e-tron is carrying more equipment , for the hybrid device ?

[sssssssss]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Possibily the e-tron is carrying more equipment , for the hybrid device ?

both the e-tron and the ultra seem to have the same weight, according to tom:
"The e-tron system started at 100kg, but has now been shaved down to about 80kg which just makes the car reach its 900 kg minimum weight. The ultra car has been weighed down with ballast".

[henk4]

Originally Posted by sssssssss

both the e-tron and the ultra seem to have the same weight, according to tom:
"The e-tron system started at 100kg, but has now been shaved down to about 80kg which just makes the car reach its 900 kg minimum weight. The ultra car has been weighed down with ballast".

perhaps we should stop believing everything the PR department of Audi is asking the drivers to tell to the outside world?

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by sssssssss

tom is saying the ultra and the e-tron quattro are the same except for the hybrid device (which we already knew), but then states that the ultra is faster down the straights than the e-tron. why would it, since they are the same and the e-tron accelerates faster? theoretically, better acceleration at the beginning of a straight, coming out of a corner, should produce a higher speed at the end of the straight, right? and at the test day, it was the e-tron that hit the highest top speed of the audis.

The e-tron quattro accelerates faster to its top speed because of the hybrid system. However, the top speed is lower because the hybrid system adds extra drag: the front drive shafts disturb the air flow and additional cooling is required for the electric motor, the flywheel and the electronics.

[gwyllion]

Lotterer acknowledges that the Toyota hybrid system is more powerful, but the Audi solution is lighter.

Our flywheel system is light, compact and reliable. The super-capacitor [used by Toyota] is more powerful but bigger and more sensitive. We're looking at the bigger picture and in the end we'll see which is proven best.

source: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/100344

Vasselon also stated that their solution is more powerful.

Q. The Audi drivers say their system is quite subtle and it can be hard to know whether it's working or not. What do your drivers say?

PV: Our hybrid system is more powerful. Our drivers – you cannot not notice it, there is a really big boost. But they complain that when they are out of the boost, there is nothing left!

source: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/100341

[gwyllion]

In http://lemanslive.com/Lemanslive/New...he-hybrid-tyre Michelin has announced that they have developed "a revolutionary new ‘hybrid’ (slick/intermediate) tyre".

The Michelin PR people decided to use the buzz word of moment

This is the tyre that Gene used in Spa when he was the first to switch to slicks.

“We tested the new hybrid tyre at the end of 2011,” said a Michelin spokesperson. “Audi and Toyota then both ran it in testing during the spring. Audi also raced it at Spa and it turned out to be one of the cornerstones of the win of the N°3 car: Marc Gené used it for his second stint on a track that was still damp from earlier rain. It is effectively very efficient in drying conditions.”

[Spyderman]

Rumors coming through those diesel engines will be excluded from 2014 rules. Not sure if true, but it will certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons ...at VAG.

[Creep89]

I bet it's because Toyota is crying.

[gwyllion]

That would mean that Baretzky can finally make his beloved 4 cilinder petrol turbo engine. Or perhaps he is forced to make a V6 turbo, which can be used in F1.

[Spyderman]

Lets see. Diesels allowed in P2 from 2013.

[TF110]

Creep, that's Henri's job! HAH

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Rumors coming through those diesel engines will be excluded from 2014 rules. Not sure if true, but it will certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons ...at VAG.

Diesel and petrol will both be allowed in 2014. Regulations will be based on allotted amount of fuel PER LAP. Private LMP1 teams get more fuel to work with.

[chernaudi]

Audi are still down on top speed by about 2-4 or so km/h in the speed trap (or about 1-2 mph or so), but are still faster over the course of the lap. It's clear that Audi are running more downforce than the Toyota, and still have a probable power advantage and for sure a torque advantage, even for the R18 Ultra when Toyota can't use their hybrid system.

Toyota, with their LD configuration and hybrid system can run competitive flyers, but there's the question of consistency in lap times over a stint. I think that the Toyota will be held up in traffic more than the R18s because of a lack of torque, and hence, a lack of non-hybrid aided acceleration. The power issue is there, but the torque issue for Toyota is probably a much bigger hurdle to bound over.

[Bubak]

So, this is very ambitious from Audi I think to say.



Only thing to say about it: Porsche will be baked you in 2014... :-P

[cdsvg]

I noticed from the TV coverage that from the outside, the non-hybrids have a very pronounced, high-pitched turbo whistle that the hybrids dont have, almost jet-engine like. I dont remember that last year.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by Bubak

So, this is very ambitious from Audi I think to say.

Love the humour, good fun!

[Articus]

Is this car that boring haha? No post here the entire LM race.
It just goes like clockwork when the drivers aren't hitting things.


Do you think Allan McNish will be driving a Ferrari anytime soon? I think he has had enough of these Red Ferrari's.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Articus

Is this car that boring haha? No post here the entire LM race.
It just goes like clockwork when the drivers aren't hitting things.

or the car decides to take small breakes, like Bonanomi experienced