Toyota/Rebellion Racing - Le Mans/ILMC/LMS - 2011 (merged)

[rich07]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Yes the above is true - the Toyota engine has been testing for some time

Hopefully its a toe in the water, if the engine performs well then maybe Toyota may be persuaded to field a full LMP1 entry either by a factory team or by a outfit like Rebellion.

Would like to see the LFA in GT at least if building a GT1 version of the LFA isnt viable.

[Victor_RO]

Rebellion-Toyota deal has been confirmed officially today, it's showed up on the team's Twitter feed.

http://twitter.com/#!/RebellionRacin...24755479908352

http://twitter.com/#!/RebellionRacin...24955455934464

[CTD]

Toyota have officially (more or less) paid for both a chassis and engine development!
When, oh, when are they going to put the 2 together!

[joeb]

That is certainly an expected announcement! and good news to boot.
The press release was especially vague, no mention of engine specs, and no mention of what series the cars will run in (ILMC perhaps?). I know I'm getting picky now, but couldn't they have shown a picture of the car testing?

[Fogelhund]

The engine is their Super GT 3.4l V8 engine.

http://www.lemans.org/fr/actualites/...iste_2478.html

I imagine this is a bit of a test bed to see if the ACO has the Diesel regs right, in anticipation of a potential Toyota entry in 2012.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

The engine is their Super GT 3.4l V8 engine.

http://www.lemans.org/fr/actualites/...iste_2478.html

I imagine this is a bit of a test bed to see if the ACO has the Diesel regs right, in anticipation of a potential Toyota entry in 2012.

That sounds about right, testing a solid petrol engine against the diesels could help steer future regs.

It is kind of interesting to see Toyota put the 3.4L SGT engine into P1, and isn't Nissan (with Zytek) putting a larger/older SGT derived engine into the P2 category.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by joeb

isn't Nissan (with Zytek) putting a larger/older SGT derived engine into the P2 category.

correct... basically the same engine they won Super GT with in 2008.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

correct... basically the same engine they won Super GT with in 2008.

That'd be 2007.

[Victor_RO]

Also, the four LMS drivers from last year will remain with the team in the first year of the Toyota partnership, i.e. Prost, JCB, Belicchi and Jani. As for the 5th and 6th drivers for Le Mans itself... I guess we'll have to wait and see. You can't really fault any of them... maybe apart from Bouillon's occasional wild antics at the wheel.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Also, the four LMS drivers from last year will remain with the team in the first year of the Toyota partnership, i.e. Prost, JCB, Belicchi and Jani. As for the 5th and 6th drivers for Le Mans itself... I guess we'll have to wait and see. You can't really fault any of them... maybe apart from Bouillon's occasional wild antics at the wheel.

Perhaps one of Toyotas SGT drivers?, like they did with Dome?

[gucom]

my french rather sucks, but doesn't the lemans.org article say that toyota hasn't given any tech specs, but it's possibly based on the SuperGT engine?

[knighty]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

The engine is their Super GT 3.4l V8 engine.

http://www.lemans.org/fr/actualites/...iste_2478.html

I imagine this is a bit of a test bed to see if the ACO has the Diesel regs right, in anticipation of a potential Toyota entry in 2012.

yeah thats the one, I seem to remember digging into this a while back and the engine is actually Toyotas old IRL motor, good news I must say, this all a bit reminiscent of what AML did in the early days, whereby they give a good established LMP1 team a warmed over existing engine, dip your toes in the water for 1 year, then announce a full works effort.......it would be nice to have another gasoline runing LMP1 manufacturer alongside AML when they realise the diesel regs are still bent.......but lets not go there.........dont do it, resist, resist!!!..... otherwise bentley03 will bive you the red text treatment ;-)

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by knighty

the diesel regs are still bent.......but lets not go there.........dont do it, resist, resist!!!..... otherwise bentley03 will bive you the red text treatment ;-)

Extraordinary self control Knighty........respect!

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

As for the 5th and 6th drivers for Le Mans itself... I guess we'll have to wait and see.

We will. I very much doubt we'll see the same two return for the 2011 edition........one of the two, maybe, but not both.

Perhaps Toyota will provide one or both, from their existing pool of drivers.

[Simmi]

Let's see if Kazuki Nakajima is built for endurance racing...
I suspect not...

[CTD]

Will Rebelion continue with the Lola chassis? (don't know if this has been confirmed earlier).
But they could choose to rent the Dome!? (The S-102 is for up for rent)

[knighty]

whats the probability of Rebellions Lolas starting to look quite different as the 2011 season progresses???...... I'm thinking that Toyota have a bunch of ex F1 staff twiddling their thumbs in the redundant F1 cologne facility and the temptation to evolve the Lola chassis into something more slippery will be all too tempting........admittedley I think the majority of their F1 staff have gone, but I seem to remember hearing that a portion of them are still about in the cologne F1 factory???

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by CTD

Will Rebelion continue with the Lola chassis? (don't know if this has been confirmed earlier).
But they could choose to rent the Dome!? (The S-102 is for up for rent)

I was assuming they were going for the new Lola LMP1 chassis. Definitely a Lola. Hence the quote from Martin Birrane in the press release.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by knighty

whats the probability of Rebellions Lolas starting to look quite different as the 2011 season progresses???...... I'm thinking that Toyota have a bunch of ex F1 staff twiddling their thumbs in the redundant F1 cologne facility and the temptation to evolve the Lola chassis into something more slippery will be all too tempting........admittedley I think the majority of their F1 staff have gone, but I seem to remember hearing that a portion of them are still about in the cologne F1 factory???

Yep. Including Pascal Vaselon.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by knighty

whats the probability of Rebellions Lolas starting to look quite different as the 2011 season progresses???...... I'm thinking that Toyota have a bunch of ex F1 staff twiddling their thumbs in the redundant F1 cologne facility and the temptation to evolve the Lola chassis into something more slippery will be all too tempting........admittedley I think the majority of their F1 staff have gone, but I seem to remember hearing that a portion of them are still about in the cologne F1 factory???

Maybe that is why they didn't release any pictures from their recent testing sessions with the press release?

[FIRE]

[Simmi]

What are the rules with regards to changing aero mid-season? If they start the year with something then come out with something new and improved for Le Mans onwards is that allowed?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Simmi

What are the rules with regards to changing aero mid-season? If they start the year with something then come out with something new and improved for Le Mans onwards is that allowed?

It is normal for teams to run a LeMans specific package, but there is also only so much you can do without having to re-homologate the car. But this season there are also considerations for what chassis/engine combo you are using and whether or not it is being grandfathered in. It is my understanding that you can still use an 2010 P1 engine in a 2010 P1 chassis (without fin) but you aren't allowed to make changes or only minor changes to the chassis. But if you use a 2011 approved engine then there is more you can do to an 2010 chassis.

[Félix]

Reminds me of the 2008 Charouz Lola AM effort. In fact Rebellion owns it - it's one of their 4 Lolas. We'll see where that effort goes; the other Charouz car became one of the 3 LMP Gulf AMRs. Chassis with more lives than cats...

[MulsanneMike]

Originally Posted by Simmi

What are the rules with regards to changing aero mid-season? If they start the year with something then come out with something new and improved for Le Mans onwards is that allowed?

1.2.4 - A car is not permitted to undergo scrutineering before taking part in an event if it has not been homologated by the ACO. A minimum of 30 days is required between the homologation of a new car and its presentation for scrutineering before taking
part in an event.
A minimum of 15 days is required between the homologation of modifications (*) made on a car already homologated and its presentation for scrutineering before taking part in an event except in cases of force majeure at the discretion of the Stewards of the Meeting.