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18 Dec 2011, 22:18 (Ref:3001665) | #2401 | ||
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Also, the R18 has a bulge on the left side of the engine cover--in one of the Sebring photos, it seems to be quite visible.
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18 Dec 2011, 22:24 (Ref:3001667) | #2402 | |
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http://forums.fourtitude.com/entry.p...est-at-Sebring has some very interesting rumors:
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18 Dec 2011, 22:54 (Ref:3001673) | #2403 | ||
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If the rumor turns out to be correct, it will be great to see Dindo get another run at Le Mans. Too early to say, but you'd have to wonder at who they'd be putting in the R18 and who they would have in the hybrids.
I guess it would come down to how much development they get into the hybrids before Le Mans, and what real chance they see in getting a hybrid to actually win rather than using it as a publicity tool, and just finishing 24 hours. |
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18 Dec 2011, 23:06 (Ref:3001679) | #2404 | |
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I don't know what Audi and Peugeot plan on bringing to Sebring (and Spa for that matter), but it looks like Toyota's goal of being the first hybrid car on the podium might get shattered before they even compete in a race. Granted, we've been thinking that might be the case ever since Toyota uttered those words.
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19 Dec 2011, 02:03 (Ref:3001707) | #2405 | ||
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Surpised that Joest hasn't been pointed out as entering 3 cars (assuming that the R18 Hybrids will clearly be factory cars), unless they plan on entering an old or at least a non-hybrid R18 as a back up.
And since Joest can only enter 3 cars under the WEC rules for endurance races (and only the two registered or highest finishing cars are points eligible), who could the tender be for the 1-2 non-Joest cars entered? Any rumors on that front recently with private R18 entries? |
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19 Dec 2011, 02:06 (Ref:3001709) | #2406 | ||
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Quote:
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19 Dec 2011, 02:26 (Ref:3001713) | #2407 | |
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It's funny how the rule gets extended to allow "official" three car teams, and the next moment Audi decides that four is better than three
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19 Dec 2011, 02:38 (Ref:3001716) | #2408 | |
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If Audi enters 4 (still unconfirmed rumor at this point as far as I can tell), I wonder if Peugeot may enter 4 as well. They've had 4 entries the past few years now through Pescarolo and Oreca. In which case, how many at-large entries will be left? Not too many and there could still be some WEC surprises. This could be concerning at some point and I wonder if that could lead the ACO to reject some WEC entries.
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19 Dec 2011, 03:04 (Ref:3001719) | #2409 | |
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Hi, I also noticed that the rear wing endplate tail lights are gone.
Are they trying to reduce weight and save on electricity drain even though LED's are the pinnacle of power saving bulbs |
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19 Dec 2011, 07:19 (Ref:3001762) | #2410 | |
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It is a test car for a reason. The car does not have a window screen wiper either.
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19 Dec 2011, 08:00 (Ref:3001767) | #2411 | |
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I remember DAILY SPORTSCAR saying something along the lines of 'expect changes at Audi in 2012' suggesting a team other than Joest could run the cars. At the time, we thought Joest would make themselves available to Porsche from 2012 onwards, with another team stepping in. I'm now wondering if we might see Abt (or one of the other DTM teams) with a pair of non-hybrids and Joest running the hybrids.
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19 Dec 2011, 11:26 (Ref:3001817) | #2412 | |
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19 Dec 2011, 14:46 (Ref:3001865) | #2413 | |
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Even though they hardly did anything wrong, I wouldn't be surprised to see Audi drop Joest. Outside of Le Mans the results have been poor and they have to try something new I guess.
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19 Dec 2011, 23:09 (Ref:3002048) | #2414 | |
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More Audi gossip. According to http://murphythebear.com/blog/index....timore-buh-by/ Romain Dumas is heading back to Porsche "soon" and Audi and Porsche are fighting over Timo Bernhard.
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19 Dec 2011, 23:15 (Ref:3002050) | #2415 | |
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http://www.86400.fr/articles/195-laudi-r18-evolue- has some good pictures that highlight the R18 updates.
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20 Dec 2011, 00:18 (Ref:3002066) | #2416 | ||
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Quote:
Abt has been rumoured for some time, I also note Penske were in talks to run an R18 at Le Mans last year, whoever it is will more than likely have to enter at least a partial season in the WEC/ALMS to get upto speed with the car. |
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20 Dec 2011, 10:54 (Ref:3002173) | #2417 | ||
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Quote:
*No public hints so far. Also 4th Pug is rumored, could be Pescarolo. |
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20 Dec 2011, 20:10 (Ref:3002403) | #2418 | ||
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It's been seen in the recent past in GT1 with Porsche AG and Zakspeed, AMG Mercedes and Pearson, while teams ran R8's under the banners Audi UK, NA, Japan and France. The big factor this time around is hybrid technology, these factory cars are super reliable, but it would take a brave man to go into this race without the back-up of a couple of conventional cars. |
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20 Dec 2011, 20:33 (Ref:3002415) | #2419 | |||
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If Audi chooses 2 R18H and 2 R18's (which I'm a bit skeptical about), they would want the two R18's to be just as fast as the Peugeots and Toyotas. If Toyota and Peugeot chooses same strategy (running both hybrids and conventional), they will too want the conventional to be as fast as possible. Pushing these cars to the extreme will result in more failures, so i'm expecting a Le Mans which could go any way. (much like Le Mans 2010) |
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21 Dec 2011, 00:03 (Ref:3002485) | #2420 | ||
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More fire for the Audi 2012 driver lineup speculations: Loic Duval, himself rumored to be a part time Audi Sport driver, is rumored to also be headed to the #23 Nismo GT-R in Super GT, where it's expected he'll replace the rumored to be departing Beniot Treluyer. This info was found in the Super GT thread.
Treluyer, if we remember, has been believed to possibly be headed to the WEC, and Audi is a likely candidate. And it's also known that Andre Lotterer has asked Audi for a mulit-year WEC/LMP contract to be a full time driver, and both Ben and Andre were at the R18H test at Sebring this week. If both end up being full time Audi drivers, what are the chances that they may end up being paired up as a full time squad? |
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21 Dec 2011, 07:30 (Ref:3002539) | #2421 | |
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It is self-evident that McNish and Kristensen will team up for WEC. For the second car Audi has to choose between Bernhard, Fassler, Lotterer and Treluyer.
Lotterer and Treluyer will only give up their factory drives in Japan if they get a full time WEC seat and perhaps even a multi-year deal. Murphy suggested that Audi wants to steal Bernhard away from Porsche, which is only possible if they give a full time WEC seat. Fassler was the best Audi driver in WEC last year, so he might feel entitled to a WEC seat as well. Dr. Ullrich has a tough choice to make. |
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21 Dec 2011, 13:48 (Ref:3002695) | #2422 | |
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Would be a stupid decision on Bernhards part. He's been with Porsche for so long and now that it's time to go for the real reward he's leaving?
If I had the chance to contest Le Mans with either Porsche or Audi, that's a no-brainer, isn't it? Especially given that Audi has lost its invincibility at Le Mans and is in kind of a downward spiral performance-wise. |
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21 Dec 2011, 14:29 (Ref:3002717) | #2423 | ||
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Quote:
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21 Dec 2011, 14:32 (Ref:3002719) | #2424 | |||
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In 2012 he can probably still do a few races (Le Mans, Spa) with Audi. However, when Porsche starts testing with their LMP car in 2013, Audi might no longer ask for his services. Quote:
Toyota has Perhaps not yet fully in 2012, but in 2013 for sure. |
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21 Dec 2011, 20:43 (Ref:3002892) | #2425 | |
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R18H is probably an internal name, because according to http://www.sportauto-online.de/motor...t-4179774.html it will be called "Audi R18 TDI Plus e-tron".
In http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...-to-the-track/ Sam suggests that Audi will use the mechanical solution from Flybrid sytems that is used by Hope Racing, and hence not the electromechanical solution from Willliams Hybrid Power that is used in the hybrid 911. This implies that the hybrid system will operate on the rear wheels and not the fronts. |
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