Mr Pescarolo personal reflections

[Mirage M6]

Mr Pescarolo has published in his web site some personal reflections about his team, Le Mans, and rules…read, it’s interesting and emotive. What do you think?

40 PARTICIPATIONS ALREADY IN THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS

While having walked up the starting grid of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 33 times as a driver...

Bulk of article removed. Please do not post entire articles. See FAQ. Highlight the bits you wish to discuss or make your point.

...
Once more, we will fight to reach the podium; it will not be an easy task but the result we obtained in these last two editions shows that our objective is not at all unrealistic.


*French version (if you can, is better to read in his own language): http://www.pescarolo.com/

[Spyderman]

"....and when I warn the public opinion on the problems of equivalences, allowing some extra one hundred hp to one type of engine,....."

This is exactly what Hartmut Kristen claims is the power deferential between gasoline and diesel in P1.

[Adam43]

He was interviewed on RLM he said similar things - he is not 'appy. It is also along the same lines as his MotorSport article a couple of months back.

[djb]

Its gotta be frustrating though, with the chipoil burners being so bloody powerfull. I really do think that the Audis are doing the 'ol sandbagging bit again during the test the other day just like last year.

[Mirage M6]

Yes; the incredible lap time of Pescarolo #16 give me hopes for a good result but obviously diesel cars can be much faster…anyway, I think Pescarolo deserve a win, they work very hard, and Pesca 01 is a potencial winner and reveals promise. A good development program for next year and the ‘mysterious’ works engine could be decisive for LM 2008.

[SebringMG]

I personally would not expect much out of a works engine deal in the first year of the deal - unless it is a manufacturer who builds race engines on a regular basis with sportscar history then performance is more likely to be a step backward.......

If it is a re-badged Judd then performance will be no different IMO....

[neiltbag]

Originally Posted by djb

chipoil burners

[Fogelhund]

I did a bit of data analysis. From 2000 to 2004 the average qualifying differential between the fastest Factory entry, and the fastest Privateer entry was 1.5%.

So far, Pescarolo is inside 1.5%, though we all know that they were pushing more, qualifying tires.... etc. The 1.5% time for practice would have been about 3:29.794 for the fastest privateer.

If we assume for a second, that the Pescarolo's ultimate qualifying pace was shown in the Practice, the Diesel's can go to 3:25.5 (in qualifying), and still be within the norm for pace differential between Factory and Privateers.

While I've been one who has long suggested that the Diesel's have too much of an advantage, I'm not sure that I can conclude this to be the case, at least using data available, so far for Le Mans. I think after qualifying, we can look at the data again, and then use if for further conversation fodder.

[Purist]

If Audi's pole lap at Road America last year was any indication, I think it's reasonably possible we will see the front couple of cars qualify in Group C territory.

[Splendid Cat]

Originally Posted by Purist

If Audi's pole lap at Road America last year was any indication, I think it's reasonably possible we will see the front couple of cars qualify in Group C territory.

What do you define as Group C territory?

Differing benchmarks since chicanes;

Alliot's 3:21 in 92 maybe out of reach, but already there vis a vis Blundell's 3:27 in 1990 and Schlesser's (ballasted) 3:31 in 91.

[neiltbag]

Originally Posted by Purist

we will see the front couple of cars qualify in Group C territory.

And what exactly IS Group C territory? In terms of average lap speed? Outright lap time? Since the track has changed since then it's hard to know. But I certainly agree with the gist of your statement: current LMP1 cars are getting close to being as quick as Group C cars were in qualifying trim.

[canam]

I would just look at the 'drag races' out of the second chicane and Mulsanne corner (diesels vs petrol). Hopefully, TV will pick up on it as it borders on the ridiculous. Forget the numbers (times) as the manufacturers are merely playing with all of us to keep the party going. Look with your eyes. Pictures are worth more than a thousand 'lies, d*** lies and statistics'.

Exit Tetre Rouge with an Audi on your LMP1 gearbox, it will be exiting the first chicane when you are braking for it!

Henri is being very measured in his response. Real question, are the other teams brave enough to register their displeasure? and give Henri support. Henri will always get the LM invites but other teams run the risk of being 'out of favour' if they rock the boat too much. Will they?

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by canam

I would just look at the 'drag races' out of the second chicane and Mulsanne corner (diesels vs petrol). Hopefully, TV will pick up on it as it borders on the ridiculous. Forget the numbers (times) as the manufacturers are merely playing with all of us to keep the party going. Look with your eyes. Pictures are worth more than a thousand 'lies, d*** lies and statistics'.

Exit Tetre Rouge with an Audi on your LMP1 gearbox, it will be exiting the first chicane when you are braking for it!

Henri is being very measured in his response. Real question, are the other teams brave enough to register their displeasure? and give Henri support. Henri will always get the LM invites but other teams run the risk of being 'out of favour' if they rock the boat too much. Will they?

So pure acceleration is 100% of the lap time? Hardly. The R10 has enough concessions for the diesel lump that it is not opitmal in other areas.

I hope Henri gets his focus back. His team need his leadership, not his musings. Give em he** Henri!

[canam]

Originally Posted by jhansen

So pure acceleration is 100% of the lap time? Hardly. The R10 has enough concessions for the diesel lump that it is not opitmal in other areas.

When you can pull out 150 meters per straight (and LM has effectively 5 of them) and also have power and torque to pull levels of downforce that no petrol LMP1 car is capable of pulling at LM, it is hard not to accept that the position is ridiculous.

As to concessions. They chose to run the diesel. Why overcompensate for something Audi and Peugeot chose to make. If Pesca decided to build a car with inherently massive drag, should he get a massive increase in horsepower to compensate.

or are you saying that:

Audi and Peugeot have made intrinsically awful cars (that should not be racing cars at all) and need the concession of a massive power and torque advantage to make them competitive (and engineer victories).

[jhansen]

The fact that you are ignoring empirical data and resorting to conspiracy theories shows you are on shakey ground. Like I said in another thread, the R8 was able to pull similar gaps. Go back to the start of the 2004 race if you have a copy.

[jhansen]

Not to mention, why bother going on about pace? Let's revisit 2005 shall we? Who had the out-right pace that year??? The R8's weren't even close. All Pescarolo needed was a trouble free run. But that didn't happen. Why? Because it is difficult for a privateer to win. Period. Even with equal or better equipment.

[chewymonster]

I got a great idea. Make the Audis and the Pugs 5 seconds per lap slower. Give them a 70 L fuel tank. This should make him happy. Oh wait, this is a race with no guarantees for victory based on specs. What year did we already have this happen? I think it was in 2005 if I remember, but my memory is very fuzzy.

P.S
the post above mine "stole" my idea.

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by chewymonster

P.S
the post above mine "stole" my idea.

[Mirage M6]

Originally Posted by chewymonster

I got a great idea. Make the Audis and the Pugs 5 seconds per lap slower. Give them a 70 L fuel tank. This should make him happy. Oh wait, this is a race with no guarantees for victory based on specs. What year did we already have this happen? I think it was in 2005 if I remember, but my memory is very fuzzy.

P.S
the post above mine "stole" my idea.

So if the post above yours stole your idea, we can post trite remarks about people reflections or a race (and false too, but obviously I’m not going to explain why)…I can’t say anymore, I’m very disappointed with that opinion.

[chewymonster]

I wrote my post without looking at the second page. Therefore, I did not see post #16 before I wrote my post #17.

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

I did a bit of data analysis. From 2000 to 2004 the average qualifying differential between the fastest Factory entry, and the fastest Privateer entry was 1.5%.



So far, Pescarolo is inside 1.5%, though we all know that they were pushing more, qualifying tires.... etc. The 1.5% time for practice would have been about 3:29.794 for the fastest privateer.



If we assume for a second, that the Pescarolo's ultimate qualifying pace was shown in the Practice, the Diesel's can go to 3:25.5 (in qualifying), and still be within the norm for pace differential between Factory and Privateers.



While I've been one who has long suggested that the Diesel's have too much of an advantage, I'm not sure that I can conclude this to be the case, at least using data available, so far for Le Mans. I think after qualifying, we can look at the data again, and then use if for further conversation fodder.

Excellent analysis. Because somehow the diesel is responsible for what happened before without any diesel?

[Matra-simca]

During the test day have there been any reports regarding LMP1 petrol cars longest distance achieved between stops. I would have hoped between Judd's more fuel efficient 5.5L and diesel's smaller fuel tanks there's now some sort of parity, i. e. petrols going longer on a tank of gas - that was the ACO's reported "balance of performance", was it not?...

Todd

[FLGTFAN]

It's funny how people say Henri should stop complaining and accept that manufacturers will always be 1.5% faster than him. At this point in the game, I wish that Audi had built a petrol R10 that is 1.5% faster than Henri's cars. At least Henri would have the same shot at an apples-to-apples victory that he had in 2005.

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by FLGTFAN

It's funny how people say Henri should stop complaining and accept that manufacturers will always be 1.5% faster than him. At this point in the game, I wish that Audi had built a petrol R10 that is 1.5% faster than Henri's cars. At least Henri would have the same shot at an apples-to-apples victory that he had in 2005.

Henri had the clear advantage in 2005. It wasn't even close to apples to apples. And he lost.

[canam]

Originally Posted by jhansen

The fact that you are ignoring empirical data and resorting to conspiracy theories shows you are on shakey ground. Like I said in another thread, the R8 was able to pull similar gaps. Go back to the start of the 2004 race if you have a copy.

Empirical Data: Looking at the first lap of another race run to a completely different set of regs?? what has that got to do with the present situation.

The empirical data emerges from the fact that the oilers can pull out 150 metres in pretty much each of the five 'straights' and LM and even improve the gap through the Porsche curves. Perhaps when you see it with your own eyes, you may embark on your own 'Road to Damascus'.

It is also amusing to see that it is pretty much generally accepted 'manufacturers' are allowed to have up to 100 horsepower more than privateers (Pug 720-750 and Audi 700-730). Why? Because they are manufacturers of course (and they should be better). What nonsense. Futhermore, we don't see the Swiss Spirt Lola Audi behaving as if it is pushing out more than 700bhp ('cos they can't find that much power with the current set of restrictors and boost pressures in the regs).

As for 2005, we know that Henri lost it--like the time when Mazda won it in the late Group C days. Completely off the pace, but they won. It does happen...but only means that flukes happen.

[SebringMG]

Look at the relative budgets Henri has 5 million euros a year (approx) peugeot is spending 100 million over 3 years....er excuse me i think that will probably give them an advantage (irrespective of the regs equivalency which has its own thread and best talked about there).

Peugeot / Audi have wind tunnels - Henri doesen't, they have in-house engine development - Henri has to buy his engines, they have test tracks to run on - actually Henri does .....but i could go on and on...

The manufacturers have the odds stacked in there favour all the time, Henri does a VERY good job to even keep them honest. BUT when he did have a very good shot at the win they failed to take advantage. Why? Largely because the Audi 'privateer' teams did a better job of preparation than he did that year!!

That was his best shot and probably his only real shot for a number of years - IF he gets a works engine deal then he gets closer but using Judd engines as a customer then NO he has no real shot UNLESS Audi or Peugeot mess up big time (even assuming the rules are equal - which they arn't).

Unfortunate but the truth