Sportscar/GT (and Le Mans) Rumours and Repetition

[old man]

Having just returned from LM where the main LMP1 excitement became which Audi would crash next I read this, perhaps a GT Peugeot?


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...fade-cars.html

[rich07]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

God I've put my foot in my mouth a few times today....

Not sure about the VIR test, more info on that would be nice.

Dont worry about putting your foot in your mouth, I have trouble keeping one out of mine on a daily basis .

As for Black Swan-funding troubles?

As for VIR and people being unhappy-well Im still in the dark but someone will know and clear it up a bit.

[Gingers4Justice]

A lot of positive noises in this thread.

With the amount of fllirting going on from manufacturers right now I'd be amazed if someone else didn't join Toyota, Audi and Porsche.

Would Lotus count as a manufacturer?

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Would Lotus count as a manufacturer?

One that'd be ill-advised I think on the basis of the on-going debacle that is Lotus engines in Indycar.

I think by the sounds of it, Honda seems to be the most likely candidate to enter LMP1 as a manufacturer.

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

I think by the sounds of it, Honda seems to be the most likely candidate to enter LMP1 as a manufacturer.

If Honda becomes a LMP1 Manufacturer, it needs some assistance from Wirth and HPD to produce a coupe LMP1 car.

In my opinion, they should provide engines for privateers instead of tackling the likes of Audi and Toyota. They might rage-quit for not putting up a challenge.

[Mr Pink]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

If Honda becomes a LMP1 Manufacturer, it needs some assistance from Wirth and HPD to produce a coupe LMP1 car.

In my opinion, they should provide engines for privateers instead of tackling the likes of Audi and Toyota. They might rage-quit for not putting up a challenge.

What makes you think a full-on manufacturer effort from Honda wouldn't be competative?

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

What makes you think a full-on manufacturer effort from Honda wouldn't be competative?

A full on effort should be competitive, but that isn't quite how they've done things the last little while. It seems the prior suggestion was thinking that they wouldn't do a full on effort, just provide cars.

[Mr Pink]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

A full on effort should be competitive, but that isn't quite how they've done things the last little while. It seems the prior suggestion was thinking that they wouldn't do a full on effort, just provide cars.

Oh I misinterpreted then. I thought he ment that they should just provid cars because a full on effort probably wouldn't be competitive anyway.

[Simmi]

Nick Wirth sounded pretty bullish about the capabilities of the car they have had on file during the LM weekend.

I think the Honda/HPD/Wirth link-up makes a lot of sense and would love to see it, providing they stop messing around and call themselves Honda Racing.

Really hope they jump in with both feet come 2014 and lay yet more foundations next season. Get Highcroft back in the mix too as a customer team.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Nick Wirth sounded pretty bullish about the capabilities of the car they have had on file during the LM weekend.

I think the Honda/HPD/Wirth link-up makes a lot of sense and would love to see it, providing they stop messing around and call themselves Honda Racing.

Really hope they jump in with both feet come 2014 and lay yet more foundations next season. Get Highcroft back in the mix too as a customer team.

Was it on RLM at Le Mans they talked to someone from HPD about the "Honda" branding!?

The conclusion where anyway that all HPD activities was going to be marked as Honda in the future.

(I'm really in doubt of my source, but i have heard it somewhere )

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

If Honda becomes a LMP1 Manufacturer, it needs some assistance from Wirth and HPD to produce a coupe LMP1 car.

Considering HPD is part of Honda, that's a bit of a paradox. Honda assisting itself?
And I don't see anything wrong with contracting work out to a specialist (Wirth) either.

[GT3.14]

The Norma P2 has hit the classifieds just a few days after Le Mans. http://www.racecarsdirect.com/listin...orma_lmp2.html

[isynge]

Originally Posted by GT3.14

The Norma P2 has hit the classifieds just a few days after Le Mans. http://www.racecarsdirect.com/listin...orma_lmp2.html

For a slightly unusual car it's got a not bad level of provenance - and for me was one of the pleasant surprises of this year's Le Mans, going round pretty regularly in distinct contrast to some of the more fancied runners.

What I found interesting is the availability date - I'm assuming that "November 2012 at the latest" is a mistype / mistranslation (not sure why it would stop being for sale in December?) and it should be "at earliest" - which leads me to read that they're still planning on running the full ELMS season through to Portimao.

[jaguarista]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

That would be cool, the F-Type looks much racier than the XK. Do you have links to the speculation?

no, the link has been removed. The choice of Jaguar no longer subsidize the american team RSR not just for bad results but also because the actually XK is not considering it as a good basis for GT racing, while the F-Type was born just as true and pure sports car. Frank Williams and his team have already proven the feasibility studies with the C-X75 and the F-Type with excellent results.

A prototype of the F-Type will race at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and will be officially presented in Paris this year. It will be on sale before in two-seater convertible version and then the coupè. V6 3liter, V8 5liter and V6 3litre with hybrid system "push on demand" (+95hp).

[ss_collins]

I wonder if Toyota would even allow their engine in the Dome.

yes they would

[kurski]

Former GP2 driver Jose-Maria "Pechito" Lopez said that wants to run in Europe next year. He wants to run Le Mans in the category and will go next week to discuss with the European.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by kurski

Former GP2 driver Jose-Maria "Pechito" Lopez said that wants to run in Europe next year. He wants to run Le Mans in the category and will go next week to discuss with the European.

If he has money he could easily find an LMP2 seat. Wonder if Pecom would fancy slotting him in to replace Ayari?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

One that'd be ill-advised I think on the basis of the on-going debacle that is Lotus engines in Indycar.

I think by the sounds of it, Honda seems to be the most likely candidate to enter LMP1 as a manufacturer.

I am not very optimistic about that. Wirth's comments don't help with that.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by kurski

Former GP2 driver Jose-Maria "Pechito" Lopez said that wants to run in Europe next year. He wants to run Le Mans in the category and will go next week to discuss with the European.

Would not surprised to see him in the Honda WTCC factory team.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I am not very optimistic about that. Wirth's comments don't help with that.

Which comments? Everything I've heard sounds very positive...

[FIRE]

Talking about supplying customer LMP1 cars. I assume if he had a manufacturer deal he doesn't need customers.

[Simmi]

Couple of bits from Autosport mag today:

1. Hope Racing are back!!!!! Okay not that exciting but they plan to run at Silverstone under the new banner of Morand Racing. They recently tested with Steve Zacchia at Hockenheim with the latest Flybrid system.

2. Nissan are now said to be evaluating the launch of a major motorsport programme in the next two years. This could be good news for sportscars or they could go in a different direction. They said in January they wouldn't be planning an assault on a major motorsport series but they seem to have gone back on that now. Could be something and nothing? Let's see.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Simmi

2. Nissan are now said to be evaluating the launch of a major motorsport programme in the next two years. This could be good news for sportscars or they could go in a different direction. They said in January they wouldn't be planning an assault on a major motorsport series but they seem to have gone back on that now. Could be something and nothing? Let's see.

NISSAN Green GT?

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Simmi

If he has money he could easily find an LMP2 seat. Wonder if Pecom would fancy slotting him in to replace Ayari?

Why , where is Ayari going ?

[kober]

Originally Posted by Chiana

NISSAN Green GT?

OMG! Please no!