[WEC] Porsche Prototype Discussion

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Mal

I dont think an R18 and TS030 look the same

Frankly, I agree.

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

We are now about 2 months away from the car's roll out. I have just remembered how fearful I am of seeing that ugly, ugly fin on my beloved LMP1 Porsche!

I am just excited to see a Porsche LMP again! I am used to the fins now, don't love them, but they are part of the game.

[Dario911]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Frankly, I agree.

I agree, too. Expecially the front of the car is quite different. Only a woman may confuse one for the other!

[Simmi]

I know it's tough for people like us to speak for the casual observer but who are these 'casual observers'? I can't imagine anyone has gone and asked them about the looks of the latest P1s.

Compared to F1 cars they probably look poles apart.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I know it's tough for people like us to speak for the casual observer but who are these 'casual observers'? I can't imagine anyone has gone and asked them about the looks of the latest P1s.

Compared to F1 cars they probably look poles apart.

What most casual observers distinguishes cars by, are things like Headlights and cooler grills.
F1 cars got neither front mounted cooler grill or headlights.
LMP's got no front mounted cooler grill, but do have headlight which gives the cars an easy way to spot which car is which. Something which can be very hard with an F1 car without livery!

[Breitling24]

Originally Posted by Dario911

I agree, too. Expecially the front of the car is quite different. Only a woman may confuse one for the other!

Maybe your woman, my wife is a fan, and can tell one from another.

[Dario911]

Originally Posted by Breitling24

Maybe your woman, my wife is a fan, and can tell one from another.

I've teached to my girlfriend to distinguish all the 911 series, and all the other Porsches... We are lucky men, I think!

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I know it's tough for people like us to speak for the casual observer but who are these 'casual observers'?

My definition...

An autosports enthusiast, but someone who doesn't particularly follow prototype racing. So take someone who is into NASCAR, or MotoGP, or even powerboat racings. Remove the livery and ask them to look at photos of current/recent P1 and P2 cars (coupes to coupes and open to open) and they will likely note how similar they are.

Yes, to us, we can point out a myriad of differing details. I poorly communicated this, but my point is that I wonder if people are expecting Porsche to pull a rabbit out of the hat and come up with something substantially different. I am thinking that it is more likely to be a multitude of small things and not any one large one, but again, I hope I am proven wrong. I am trying to not get my hopes up too much! I expect that in the final car we will be able to see various elements that may exist in other teams cars (an angle here, a hole there, etc.)

Regardless, I have faith that it will be interesting and different. But maybe not to the "casual observer".

Richard

[porman]

Richard, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your posts. You always provide a well thought-out idea/response and just happen to support Porsche.

A+ in my book.

[Spyderman]

I'll second that. Thank you Richard

[Spyderman]

The issue that I have with the fin is that it spoils what used to be a very attractive line (in general) over the engine bay. To my eyes, it just looks horrendously ugly.
I live in dread of those fist photos; I only hope that Porsche has done a "fin-tastic" job on the rest of the car.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

My definition...

An autosports enthusiast, but someone who doesn't particularly follow prototype racing. So take someone who is into NASCAR, or MotoGP, or even powerboat racings. Remove the livery and ask them to look at photos of current/recent P1 and P2 cars (coupes to coupes and open to open) and they will likely note how similar they are.

Similar, as in designed to the same rules and competing against each other, yes. But unless they were just glancing at the photos, they would still be able to tell that they are seeing different cars.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Salamus

To many, the R18 and TS030 are very similar because both consist of a big fin, small cockpit, etc.
.

Thats like saying they look similar because they have wheels, or a wing!

What most casual observers distinguishes cars by, are things like Headlights and cooler grills.

If you take F1 as the benchmark as it has the most 'casual observers' then most distinguish cars by colour schemes and sponsors labels

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

My definition...

An autosports enthusiast, but someone who doesn't particularly follow prototype racing. So take someone who is into NASCAR, or MotoGP, or even powerboat racings. Remove the livery and ask them to look at photos of current/recent P1 and P2 cars (coupes to coupes and open to open) and they will likely note how similar they are.


Richard

Richard

To use your comparisons - if you strip away the liveries then a P1 Audi / Toyota will look far more different than any NASCAR, MotoGP or Powerboat.

So as I observed above - in all these sports the colour and sponsors labels are the feature that most casual observers will use to distinguish the car

The problem for sportscars is that is a niche sport that takes time to understand the structure, the history, the characters and the strategies that make it interesting to you and me and can hold our attention for long periods of time - whereas the sports you are comparing with can be turned on by the so called casual observer and the excitement, thrills and spills are usually staring them in the face - so they do not have to invest time and thought into them.

The key for the governing bodies in Sportscars is building that long term loyal and quality fanbase - not grabbing loads of short term TV junkies who will turn off as quickly as they turn on.

Mal

[Spyderman]

...a bit like cricket.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

...a bit like cricket.

I suppose - but cricket is boring .... and in cricket all the player wear the same colours - how on earth do you tell them apart?

[Dario911]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

...a bit like cricket.

... but just a little quicker!

[GT6]

There are some similarities between cricket and endurance car racing, small differences in lap times build up over time and you can sit at the track side as one car slowly catches another, But at the same time other cars are trading places and fighting in different classes or for different positions, in fact you have just about everything except a boring procession unlike F1

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

The issue that I have with the fin is that it spoils what used to be a very attractive line (in general) over the engine bay. To my eyes, it just looks horrendously ugly.
I live in dread of those fist photos; I only hope that Porsche has done a "fin-tastic" job on the rest of the car.

Yeah , my thoughts exactly . Its a woeful contraption !!!

[The Badger]

A mate of mine , his sister bought a new car . When he asked what kinda car it was , she replied "a red one" !!!

I find many people tell me most P cars look the same , they don't have that attention to detail as us anoraks have . My little daughter loves the pink car (OAK Racing) , knows what a Pescarolo was and her favourite car is a Porsche ..... but I doubt she could really tell the difference if she saw one up close .

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by GT6

There are some similarities between cricket and endurance car racing, small differences in lap times build up over time and you can sit at the track side as one car slowly catches another, But at the same time other cars are trading places and fighting in different classes or for different positions, in fact you have just about everything except a boring procession unlike F1

In addition to those similarities; ...."it is a (niche) sport that takes time to understand the structure, the history, the characters and the strategies that make it interesting".

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by The Badger

A mate of mine , his sister bought a new car . When he asked what kinda car it was , she replied "a red one" !!!

Originally Posted by The Badger

I find many people tell me most P cars look the same , they don't have that attention to detail as us anoraks have .

You know Jeremy Clarkson?

Originally Posted by The Badger

My little daughter loves the pink car (OAK Racing) , knows what a Pescarolo was and her favourite car is a Porsche ..... but I doubt she could really tell the difference if she saw one up close .

As long as she's a Porsche fan, all will be forgiven.

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by Dario911

... but just a little quicker!

I don’t know; with the 2014 rules I reckon it will be touch and go.

[GT6]

It only has to be faster than the cars it is racing

[Gingers4Justice]

Of course all P cars look the same...name me an era of motorsport in any category where anyone but the anoraks can seriously tell the difference between the cars. Even in pre-war sportscar races, I often use colour rather than shape to distinguish between cars.

I don't think Prototypes look too similar, they look different enough for me. I could easily tell you which prototype was which if you painted them all white...F1 fan as I am, I'm not sure I could do the same with them.