Possible 2005 LMES entries.

[JAG]

Seeing as we are coming to the end of the sportscar season I've decided to put another list together, this time for potential entries for the 2005 LMES.

Judging by the latest news and rumours it looks like 2005 will be another giant leap forward for the the prototype class, with both quality teams and cars expected to enter.



So here goes:-


LMP1

Audi UK x 2 R8s?

Rollcentre x 2 Dallara. Second dependant on budget

RFH ?

Taurus x 1 Diesal

Courage Competion x 1 C60 Hybrid

NASAMAX x 2 DM139 Hybrids

Listor Racing x 1 Storm Hybrid

Creation Autosportif x 2 Zyteks. Second dependant on budget

Pescarolo Sport x 1 Pescarolo C60 Hybrid

Team Jota x 1 Zytek

Chamberlain x 1 Lola?



LMP2

RML x 1 B01/60 Hybrid. Second chassis possible

Belmondo Racing x 2 C65 Hybrid

Welter Racing - x 1 Hybrid WR V6

Tracsport x 1 C65/Lola

PiR Competition x 1 ?

Lucchini Engineering x 1

G Force x 1 ?

Palmyr x 1 ?

Noel Del Bello x 2 C65 Hybrids

Epsilon x 1 C65 Hybrid



GTS

Larbre x 2 Prodrive 550s

Vitaphone x 2 S7Rs

GNM x 1 S7R

GPC x 1 575GTC

Barron Conner Racing x 2 575 GTCs

Creation Autosportif x 1 C5-R


Any more to add?

[jhansen]

I know Courage announced that they would build a C60 prototype, but did they actually announce that they would race it also?

And did Barron Conner announce that they would run in 2005?

[Matt_S]

Don't know if you have seen or not but Tracsport have been testing a Courage for the LMP2 category next season rather than the Lola

[JAG]

Courage are racing the C60 hybrid as they do not want to compete against their customers with the C65. I would assum BCR will carry on with the 575GTC as they want to stick with Ferrari.

There are also 2 confirmed European customers for the new Lola. That could run in both LMP1 or LMP2.

[JAG]

Originally posted by Matt_S
Don't know if you have seen or not but Tracsport have been testing a Courage for the LMP2 category next season rather than the Lola

I think they are still considering their options.

RML were linked with the new Lola, as well as leasing an 'MG' Lola from the factory for next season.

[Fogelhund]

I would be suprised to see Larbre running the 550's. Suggestions are being made that they will be changing classes next year.

[paul-collins]

...of course, Larbre occasionally ran multiple classes this year. But that Panoz will be retired after this year.

[Tim Northcutt]

How about any ALMS Teams....

Champion Audi

Factory Corvettes

Intersport

GT Teams???

Thee isn't one on that list that I've seen yet...

[jhansen]

It's a LMES 2005 entry list thread Tim.

Unless you're asking if any ALMS teams might compete in the LMES next year?

Although Tim, I do nominate you to start a 2005 ALMS entry list thread.

[Tim Northcutt]

Sorry guys....misread the thread name...

MODS: Please delete my post...

I'm brain-dead today....

[Fogelhund]

Originally posted by Fogelhund
I would be suprised to see Larbre running the 550's. Suggestions are being made that they will be changing classes next year.

In other news

http://racingfanatics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=671

[GT1]

This was a simlar situation to the attempt to sell the Panoz LMP to customers when it was passed it's sell by date. In this case, the car isn't a proven winner yet, and unless they can make some big gains or can offer them quite quickly, I don't see a lot of people in line.

[gwyllion]

10/12
> 2 Panoz Esperante LM-GT purchased by LMES Team..report soon

source: www.lmsr.net

[Fogelhund]

The full Panoz press release that lmsr.net got its information from is posted at my link above.

That the cars would be run in the LMES next year, and by whom has been agreed upon since mid summer. Of course, who that team is, has been given away already. There is a pretty extensive testing program planned for the winter, both in North America, and at said principle's private track (Not in South Africa).

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by Fogelhund
The full Panoz press release that lmsr.net got its information from is posted at my link above.

That the cars would be run in the LMES next year, and by whom has been agreed upon since mid summer.

Just for emphasis, in case you all missed it. Some people have been sitting on this information for a few months, now.

My personal angle is that I hope Scott Maxwell lands a ride in the second ALMS-bound Panoz. He had done a lot of the initial development work, and ought to have been in the first one instead of noodling around in the Lambo, but timing is everything.

[19dodge]

i think you can scratch off the 2 Vitaphone Saleens. Franz Konrad states that they will not go back to the LMES unless the rules (And weekend format) will be improved. He said that they would go run in the new German GT series instead.

but since the FIA and ACO rules will be the same next year, their plans may have changed. who knows..

[SALEEN S7R]

Hmm ive not heard that story 19dodge - and I sincerly hope u are mistaken. Only time will tell I guess but it will be a huge loss to the LMES/FIA GT if the Vitaphone/Konrad cars leave.

[19dodge]

it was not a published story (Well, it may have been in a German site) but i have a friend who works for Gt-Eins.de, and he told me the news...

I know AB/Vitaphone will run 2 Saleens in FIA GT next year (they will actually be 2 brand new chassis's) and Konrad has sold one chassis to Max Stanco for FIA GT in 2005. And Franz may still run one car under the Konrad Motorsport banner. so that could be 4 Konrad-Supported Saleens in FIA GT next year.

but since the rules will be the same next year, i wouldnt be surprised to see at least 1 Konrad-Supported S7R in LMES.

[tblincoe]

if the rules do become unified, expect to see Konrad back, if the rules stay the same, Konrad won't be back and I don't blame him, the saleen is just not the same beast in ACO format that it is in the FIA-GT.

my list would look like:

LMP1

2x Audi UK Audi R8
1x Team Goh Audi R8
2x NASAMAX DM139
2x Creation Zytek
1x Jota Zytek
1x Rollcentre Dallara
1x Lister LMP Hybrid
1x Courage C60 Hybrid
1x Pescarolo C60 Hybrid
1x Taurus Diesel

LMP2

2x Belmondo C65
2x Noel del Bello C65
1x Tracsport C65
1x RML Lola B05/40 Hybrid
1x G-Force Lola B05/40
1x PiR Pilbeam MP93
1x Lucchinni LMP2
1x Welter WR

GTS

2x Konrad S7-R
2x Barron Connor 575
1x GPC 575

GT

usual porsche runners
2x Cirtek 360 GTC
2x Larbre Esperante GT-LM
2x RSR Racing TVR T-400R
1x Racesports Salisburry TVR T-400R

[SALEEN S7R]

Intresting list tblincoe - so ur expecting the LMES grids to be SMALLER next year than they have been this year? By the way its my understanding that the FIA GT rules will be changing to those of the LMES/ALMS - not the other way around, if the rules do become unifed that is. So really, if Konrad/Vitaphone wants to run in a International series in 2005 their hand will be forced.

[tblincoe]

i dont see where on that list you get the notion that the grid will be smaller... ??? the only class that will lose runners will be GT1, but Larbre will still run two cars in GT2

[marcush.]

so we won´t see the aston-martins in 05 apart from contesting in the big one???

with konrad ,they should go out there and just take a look at their car in ACO/LMES spec performing.
Even as a spectator you could clearly see the rear wing influenced by the heavily buffetting rear deck lid on the run down to eau rouge...has this car ever seen some aero developments yet ?

[JAG]

There are so many GT2 teams, that I did not bother listing them.


As for the Saleen, it is quite clear the ACO spec cars in the LMES have not been set up as well as the ACEMCO car, probably because the teams' main focus, at least last season, was FIA GT.

With the unification of the GTS regs next year, the Saleen teams are going to have to up their game in ACO spec. Look how well the C5-Rs and 550s have adapted to ACO spec.

There are likely to be a number of one off entires such as ALMS teams or Aston Martin, but I would rather concentrate on the season long entries.

BTW I would expect a few new GT1 entries, particulalrly as I expect many withdrawels from FIA GT, especially if FIA GT has even more overseas races. Also consider that many top line cars from BMS etc. are likely to be up for sale.

[19dodge]

Well, DAMS looks set to say "goodbye" to their Lambos, unless they get factory support from Lambo. They are having the same problem as Barbour did.. sad, since those are nice looking cars..

BUT Amprex is going to run 1 or 2 Lambos in LMES next year.. so count them in

and btw.. the ferraris and vettes did not have to adapt to the aco rules. the rules were written around them!!
The ACO doent like saleen because they cheated on the number of road cars produced. this dates back to early 2003. And thats when they put the smaller wing on it, and didnt accept them into the 2004 24hrs (4 Saleens were entered, every other GTS car entered for the 24hrs were accepeted except the 4 saleens)

thats another reason to not like the aco (in Konrads eye's)

[tblincoe]

i thought that DAMS was getting factory support from Lambo??? it was stated that Lambo techs were at each race with the team... thats a shame, i think the Lambos really do look cool.

i totally forgot about Amprex, good looking out... the list should now look like:

LMP1

2x Audi UK Audi R8
1x Team Goh Audi R8
2x NASAMAX DM139
2x Creation Zytek
1x Jota Zytek
1x Rollcentre Dallara
1x Lister LMP Hybrid
1x Courage C60 Hybrid
1x Pescarolo C60 Hybrid
1x Taurus Diesel

LMP2

2x Belmondo C65
2x Noel del Bello C65
1x Tracsport C65
1x RML Lola B05/40 Hybrid
1x G-Force Lola B05/40
1x PiR Pilbeam MP93
1x Lucchinni LMP2
1x Welter WR

GT1

1x Amprex Lambo
1x Konrad S7-R
2x Barron Connor 575
1x GPC 575
1x JMB 575

GT2

2x Cirtek 360 GTC
2x Larbre Esperante GT-LM
2x RSR Racing TVR T-400R
1x Racesports Salisburry TVR T-400R
2x Autorlando Porsche
1x Choroq Porsche
1x Perspective Porsche
1x Sebah Porsche
2x Freisinger Porsche
2x Seikel Porsche
1x T2M Motorsport Porsche
1x IN2 Porsche