[WEC] LMP Future Regulations (was Le Mans EVO rules - now hypercar rules)

[Justin Moran]

Originally Posted by JAG

That just means they'll fit more single seater like head protection, in the DTM, the drivers are almost sat in their own little protective tub, the WRC are also introducing similar things.

Open cars are relatively wide, but it's the head protection/HANS that protects the driver.

Im not so sure its just about head protection, it may mean they are looking into the whole lateral impact zone and the fact that they are prone to flight at the moment?

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Pingguest

I read that the maximum temperature in the cockpit will be 32 degrees. Isn't it 25 at the moment? Why will ACO raise the temperature?

It's 32 now.

[MulsanneMike]

Originally Posted by C9/89

Im not so sure its just about head protection, it may mean they are looking into the whole lateral impact zone and the fact that they are prone to flight at the moment?

Agree, I think the ACO may be contemplating increasing the size of the monocoque by raising the tub sides. Here's the current regulation as it reads:

The survival cell must provide lateral protections 500 mm
high as a minimum along the total length of the cockpit
opening (with the exception of the door openings.

The regulations (16.2.1, b/) also states these lateral areas must be at least 900 mm apart thus your tub is approximately 900 mm wide and 500 mm tall. If they increase these dimension it will go inline with the discussion of making the car bigger in addition to eating into useable aero volumes.

[AU N EGL]

More to have a two seater, then a One seat and phesudo passanger seat.

Not there there is a passanger seat, that area is taken up with computer equipment, radios, batteries and fire suppression bottles

[JAG]

That leaves manufacturers in even more of a quandary than they were before the ACO press conference on Thursday. Open and closed cars will be admitted in 2010, confirming the rumour started here in December. The existing cars will be eligible to race beyond this deadline. Diesel and petrol will be better balanced, but with the air restrictor rules not being announced until September, and possibly new aero rules announced then too, teams will have to rush through new cars if they are to race them in 2009.



Corvette denied that the C7 programme was dead and expects a decision quickly whether or not General Motors will return to top flight endurance motorsport in LMP1. This from a racing department which has consistently fought against the suits back home to deliver victory at Le Mans time and again, and turned the American Le Mans Series programme into a marketing bonanza. The case has been made, for this and for other projects. The question is which way will the suits jump?



Another case to ponder is GM’s position with the ACO, which in April presented manufacturers with a draft set of regulations for 2010. According to paddock rumour, the diesel manufacturers rejected them and delayed the announcement of their new projects. With Peugeot’s racing department not delivering for a second year, a significant reduction in diesel performance would not be well received in Paris. Audi’s programme is for five years, and this is its third, but it desperately needs a new car. Will it be petrol or diesel? That depends on the rules, and we will have to wait until the Essen Show in November after Audi delayed the announcement it was expected to make at Le Mans…

http://www.sportscarpros.com/cottonb...rs/default.htm

[TRuss]

They shoud have bumper stickers that say; The computer equipment, radios, batteries and fire suppression bottles are my copilot.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by MulsanneMike

Agree, I think the ACO may be contemplating increasing the size of the monocoque by raising the tub sides. Here's the current regulation as it reads:



The regulations (16.2.1, b/) also states these lateral areas must be at least 900 mm apart thus your tub is approximately 900 mm wide and 500 mm tall. If they increase these dimension it will go inline with the discussion of making the car bigger in addition to eating into useable aero volumes.

And that these changes should be applied to all chassis from the 2010 rules on.(?) Hmm, I would suppose to qualify to be in the 'E' (EVO) group it would need to run with a homologated engine? Whether it be a corresponding GT engine or a new engine homologated with the chassis?


L.P.

[Matt]

Reminds me a bit of this:


They are both in the same 'boat' so to say, GTP cars that kind of look like their road-going counterparts.

[CTD]

The yellow Corvette reminds me more of a Nissan R390!

[AU N EGL]

That Yellow Vette P1 car was an ACO photochop, not a GM rendition

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by TRuss

They shoud have bumper stickers that say; The computer equipment, radios, batteries and fire suppression bottles are my copilot.

we can ad GPS to that list too.



of course if it's a Pick-up truck, we have ANOTHER co-pilot in the back window rack or under the drivers seat.

[JAG]

To back track a little, I agree that, longer term, cars could have wider cockpits, higher sides etc, but current coupe P1's will be here beyond 2010, so it seems logical any side/driver protection would be focused on single seater/DTM style cocoons, rather than major chassis changes.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

That Yellow Vette P1 car was an ACO photochop, not a GM rendition

The Lola Aston or Epsilon look very different to the 908, likewise, the above C6 'Evo' rendering should only be taken as a general impression of 'potential' dimensions, it could quite easily look like the Mercedes CLR, or 911 GT1 '98, or Toyota GT-ONE, even the Panoz Esperante GTR-1!

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by JAG

To back track a little, I agree that, longer term, cars could have wider cockpits, higher sides etc, but current coupe P1's will be here beyond 2010, so it seems logical any side/driver protection would be focused on single seater/DTM style cocoons, rather than major chassis changes.

Huh? I would imagine anything being built from 2010 on will be to new (hinted at) specs, granted the current cars will still be eligible to run but only as long as they last and no new chassis (tubs) will be built to the old specs. The only way I see for lateral protection to be applied to current existing tubs, creating a hybrid per se, is to build the lateral protection into the sidepods with a bigger and better crush zone while trying to incorporate some anti-flight elements of sorts into them also.


L.P.

[AU N EGL]

So many cars are starting too look like each other.

Is racing going to go back to the 1950s with national colors?

Red = Italia
Yellow = Belgium
Blue = France
Green = UK
Orange = Holland