Feel the love?

[Nordic]

Reading the threads on who will win/get pole/want to win etc Le Mans this year, I don't detect much love for the Audi team, why is this?

It can't be the teams running the cars, Both Joest and Champion are good, well run pro teams. Headed up by true fans and ex drivers with great historys behind them.

Is it the drivers? Tom k, Nishy etc are among the best around and have many fans. That can't be it.

Is it the crushing way it does its's winning? There have been other cars in the past that had similliar backgrounds, yet are often stated as amongst the best ever, The 917, 956/62 all won pretty much as they pleased in period and used the full might of a factory team to do it.

Is it the look of the thing? to my eye at least it looks little worse than any of the current LMP1's.

Is it the sound. A rumbling V8 or wailing 12 its not, but its the speed that counts right, and these things are fast so we should love them.

The only real problem I have with them is the fact that thy don't sell many, if any, to private teams with any freedom to run them.

We are all fans of sportscars racing, yet we cannot, it seems find any love for one of the most succesful teams embarking on a groundbreaking design program that may to some extent change the face of racing.

It may not be a popular view, but I for one wish them well this year. But I hope Pesca pulls it off. Winning by 2secs after a hard race against the R10's.

[Marcel ten Caat]

Were the Porsches that much loved when they dominated everything or did people realise that it was a fabulous car after it was officially retired.

I think this is what will happen with the R8. For the last couple of years it seemed that when Audi was entering a race, they won it. Modern racefans want action and don't wanna know the winner before the race.
Perhaps in a few years everyone will appreciate the R8 and people will be happy seeing one in demo runs or talk about 'seeing them for real in competition'.

The second cause could be the sound, or the lack of it, of the R10. People want roaring cars. Not quiet diesel cars. But then again...that might change when they see the car for real.

[Audi Racer]

Don't know about you but I love the R10s I have posters in my room of it.

[jhansen]

I'm a big Audi fan personally. Have been since I first saw the R8 in the flesh. You can see how well their cars are put together when you get up close. So much attention to detail. The R10 is no different. Can't wait to see it in person. The Audi teams are also very professional with top drivers and a top budget.

I don't think the issue is dislike for Audi. People are most likely disappointed that no one has challenged Audi toe to toe consistently. Why they don't show this discontent toward other manufacturers is probably the real question. I would love to see them fight for wins and titles. But I put the blame for lack of competition elsewhere.

I could also argue that it's a case of people not appreciating too much success. That seems to be common in today's society. They'll cheer for that first win and that first title. They'll marvel at the second. They'll be happy for the third, but will then start to become irritated. It then comes to a point where they are disgusted by it. Once positive comments turn to negative. That team only wins because they have lots of money, they manipulate the rules, etc. Personally, I like to see things done well. I like to see success and the people that drive it.

Like them or not, Audi have done a lot for the sport. They are one of the few promoters that sportscar racing has. And they actually feature their sportscars and racing success in ad campaigns. Glad I'm around to see them, just like I'm glad I saw the 962.

[Aysedasi]

I don't like the R10s any more than I liked the R8s - which wasn't much. Incredible cars of course, but I suspect I'd have had a lot more time for them if the situation wasn't so factpory dominated and if there had been (true) customer cars. On looks, I've always said I thought the R8 looked dull and I maintain that - the R10 does nothing to improve the looks of the car at all to me - where as the Pesca is such an elegant car, pretty even. As are others - take Chamberlain's yellow car from last year.

Its time for Pesca to do it, in my opinion. There's nothing more I'd like that to see both of the Audi's run into early mechanical problems and have to chase the other leading runners. Audi have had it all too easy in recent years. I suppose you can say they deserve it as they've built the best cars, but its time for the order to be upset a bit.

[jhansen]

No offense intended Ayse, but that's the kind of opinion I was repsonding to. Audi "have had it all too easy." Again, that's not their fault. Why point the negativity towards them?

In racing you make your own luck. Pescarolo have not been able to do that and that's their problem. Without Audi you would not have seen Dyson pushing their privateer program so hard. Same with Pescarolo. He's done a lot over the past five years to challenge the Audi bunch. That's what competition does. If Pescarolo would have had their reliability sorted last year then Champion would not have won.

Audi's fault? I think not.

[cptkablamo]

Too many wins by one car is all. If anyone gets dominant, people are gonna start to barrack for anyone else to win. If Pescarolo or Zytek win the next 5, then in 5 years time people will be wanting someone else to win. That is just the nature of sport and people's opinions and view points.

Personally I don't want them to win but wait so next year can be a fight between them and Peugeot for the honour of the first diesel to win at Le Mans.

And I agree with the motion that in 2,3,5 years after R8 and then the R10, people will see the car for its greatness rather than its continual domination...

[FIRE]

No love but a lott of respect for the cars from Ingolstadt.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by cptkablamo

Personally I don't want them to win but wait so next year can be a fight between them and Peugeot for the honour of the first diesel to win at Le Mans.

That's also my opinion.

It's a shame Audi didn't develop a closed car. The R10 looks more like a R8 with some aerodynamic changes.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by jhansen

No offense intended Ayse, but that's the kind of opinion I was repsonding to. Audi "have had it all too easy." Again, that's not their fault. Why point the negativity towards them?

In racing you make your own luck. Pescarolo have not been able to do that and that's their problem. Without Audi you would not have seen Dyson pushing their privateer program so hard. Same with Pescarolo. He's done a lot over the past five years to challenge the Audi bunch. That's what competition does. If Pescarolo would have had their reliability sorted last year then Champion would not have won.

Audi's fault? I think not.

I've not attributed any fault to Audi. I accepted they have built incredible cars. The fact is that I personally find them dull and, yes, even boring. I yearn for something else to win at Le Mans and I'm even prepared to wish Audi a little bad luck for that to happen - or at least to make them have to work really hard for the win. I fully accept that when one marque is all but unbeatable, its up to everyone to raise their game. I felt the same when TGF and Ferrari were unbeatable - but I didn't have my love of Le Mans to help me then - so I either fell asleep or switched off instead......

Its a view thing - an opinion thing - even an emotional thing, I suppose. That's why I cheered for the Bentleys notwithstanding the fact that their BRG was silver-tinged........

I used to be the same when Senna was alive. I wanted him to win everything. It wouldn't have bothered me in the slightest if he had won every Grand Prix for ten seasons. He was my hero. The same can apply to cars. I loved the 962s for example, but I don't find that the R8/R10s particularly grab me, any more than Michael ever has in F1. The best thing that Audi could do for me is bring back the R8C.......

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by FIRE

That's also my opinion.

It's a shame Audi didn't develop a closed car.

Great minds think alike.......

[ger80]

I am a big fan of audi roadcars, but not of there LMP cars. We are able to look into mostly every pit at LMS races, but not into the Audi pits. I am visiting the tracks for that, watching the races is much better on TV.

[Knowlesy]

I don't have a great feeling of affection for Audi, I must say. I've always cheered for Pescarolo, even when Bentley were there....

But I admire what they have done. To sustain such a high level of success is no mean feat and the R10 looks like it is more of the same, only better!

[JAG]

I don't think people mind the Audi, just hope they have some competition.

They will definately have it from Acura, Peugeot and Porsche in coming years, in the meantime everyones sticking up for the underdogs.

[EliseGT1]

budget, budget, budget, budget, budget, budget and more budget...

Just curious if Audi would perform the same if it had the same budget as Pescarolo, Creation or even Racing for Holland. I respect every team competing at Le Mans, but isn't it all about money? It may be emotion to us fans, but it is much more to Audi.

The Audi Diesels have already driven Le Mans several times, on a dyno...I also hope another team gets their chance, but I fear it is an idle hope.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by JAG

They will definately have it from Acura, Peugeot and Porsche in coming years, in the meantime everyones sticking up for the underdogs.

I hope with you, but the Cadillac and Chrysler projects are still fresh in mind...

[ger80]

who missed a works car in Spa? I not

[EliseGT1]

Originally Posted by ger80

who missed a works car in Spa? I not

Good one Ger, indeed...not me!

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by EliseGT1

but isn't it all about money?

Tell that to the Toyota F1 team...

[prototype]

Originally Posted by jhansen

I don't think the issue is dislike for Audi. People are most likely disappointed that no one has challenged Audi toe to toe consistently.

My thoughts exactly!!! Where are you Jaguar? How about you Porsche? Mercedes?

I could go on forever.

[dj choc ice]

well maybe the main reason why no-one likes the audi is because of the noise side, the main thing for me and a lot of people is the noise, the zytek's screaming V8 and constant backfiring everytime it slows down, the shriek of the V12 aston's and the wailing judd 5.0 V10's and the grumbling V8's of the corvette's and the lister storm'd but not a diesel, racing cars just so people dont know are meant to be loud and fast not quiet and civilised that is for road cars, my mum's honda civic type R makes more noise than that R10 and in my eyes no matter how much people respect audi a diesel is for the road not the race track, the race track i want screaming V8's and V10's and rumbling V8's and the odd shrill turbo car to add variety thats what i want and so does everyone else and by the way this is a general dig at audi for making a diesel racing car, when i first saw the audi R8 flash past me at silverstone i was saying to my girlfriend like a little boy " thats an audi R8, thats an audi R8!" i was so overjoyed to see that car racing and even though it was a bit on the quiet side the old R8 it was pretty loud and it sounded lovely when it went past but the R10 just a whistling noise and when wound up it sounds blowy and somehow reverbarative but in a horrible way, if i had it my way i would make a rule at lemans and all motorsport in general, no god damn DIESELS!!!!, motorsport is not a place for greenpeace or green cars it is a place for loud fast earth bound rockets and passion and performance not nerds saying "oh this car only makes a remarkable 2 mm of carbon dioxide in a year" its a place were fans can cheer for their favorite cars, to cherish the astonishing noise and just look at my thread feed me videos on the toyota TS010 noise, thats car is the sound of sports car racing a screaming V10 and a screaming rotary engine and a shrill urgent roar from a turbo V6 or V8 not a whistle from a diesel thing come on audi you have probably just taken away the future of the best thing in motorsport , THE NOISE!!!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

......THE NOISE!!!

Sssshhhhhh!

You'll wake the Audi mechanics.........

[dj choc ice]

oh yeah i forgot they are like bats which are ultrasonic noise ear's and sleep by hanging from the roof lol

[brielga]

It is just a David vs Goliat feeling which I also have in other competitive sports, a combination of the respect I have for Henri Pescarolo since I was a kid and the admirable dominance that Audi has had of Le Mans (5 of the last 6) . I can't help hoping Pescarolo to win this time around....

[Sooty]

From a slightly different angle, Audi's involvement has raised the bar in LMP1 over the past 7 years. What standard would all the other cars be at now if they hadn't had a target?

Actually if you take all R8/Bentley involvement out of the ALMS/LMES and LM over the same period, the P1 grids would have been fairly sparse.

However, they are well sorted, graceful cars but it is time for others to step up to the plate!


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