ILMC/ALMS Round 1 - Sebring - 13-19 March 2011

[Audi Racer]

On race day the race will start about an hour from now .

[chernaudi]

So are Audi and Oreca sitting on their hands right now waiting better temps more like what'll be experienced in the race, or are they that slow right now?

[Simmi]

Another red flag according to Oreca.

[Audi Racer]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Yeah T+S has gone for a burton as apparently Brabs has just gone second with a 1m48.342 which is only six tenths off the lead Pug. Very early days though.

What is the problem with this. This is what we expect of the HPD.

[Audi Racer]

I expect the HPD to be on pace with the Peugeot and i expect it to be a little bit better through the orners despite the large fronts on the puegeot because the peugeot tends to be stiffly sprung which isnt particularly good on the bumps and offers less mechanical grip

[chernaudi]

T&S probably don't indicate that, and Simmi might have gotten the info from a better informed source (and by better, I mean something along the lines of alive and working ).

Temps have hopped up by about 10 degrees F since the start of practice. If a warmer track should benefit anyone, it should be the heavier Audis and the Oreca Pug.

Also with the Highcroft car going well, could the big factory/factory assisted cars (Audi, Peugeot and Oreca) be sandbagging, or has equivlancy between diesels and gasoline cars have been achieved, at least out side of Le Mans?

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

What is the problem with this. This is what we expect of the HPD.

No problem with it at all I just mean that time isn't showing up on T+S.

[Simmi]

Second red flag for two incidents apparently.The #24 'gentleman' OAK and a TRG Porsche. One of which has gone off at Turn 1. Maybe both?

[Tom908V12]

Er...live timing frozen since long time now ?????


Edit: OK it's back

[chernaudi]

T&S has finally updated, and we have a new 908, the HPD, and a R15 within about .8 of a second. It seems that as the track has gained temperature, more teams are starting to crank up the dial.

In the end, though, I don't think we'll see insanely fast times, but I'll bet that in qualifying, we'll easily see 1:46s, maybe even 1:45s, but that's days away now.

Current top five (according to T&S) is new 908, HPD, Audi, Audi, and Oreca Pug.

Update: I fear that T&S is off the rails again--hasn't updated in a while.

[Audi Racer]

I remember the fernandez acura did a low 1:47 in the race with a cracked restrictor. the HPd has a bigger one and even though theres more weight itls probably do 1:45 in qualy with pagenaud

[Audi Racer]

Well well well. The Bimmers came out to play and Priaulx laid down a lap!

[Tom908V12]

What happened to the #7 Peugeot ??? It doesn't seem to move on track according to the Live-Timing ????

[godlameroso]

I would be surprised if the LMP cars are separated by more than 5 seconds on a single flying lap. The place where the diesels will always have an advantage is in traffic. Even if there is not much difference in overall lap time, it's the intangibles like ability to negotiate traffic, how hard it is to pull out those fast laps, how fit your driver is.

Before it was just that the 908 had more power and more downforce, and more traction than everyone else. The R15+ may have been on the pace but was too inconsistent, too draggy, and their drivers and crew not as sharp as the Pugeot one.

In Sebring acceleration matters for passing, as there is only 3 real passing zones, everywhere else is too dangerous. The gas powered cars pass with top speed so they will be closer to the braking zones when they attempt to pass, the diesels have a little more leeway because of the broad torque. This allows the driver to be somewhat more relaxed, as opposed to someone that has to use all his concentration to pass right before he overshoots the braking zone on the right sweeper leading onto the starting line.

[Audi Racer]

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

Well well well. The Bimmers came out to play and Priaulx laid down a lap!

wow he did that on lap 9 for that matter. did the BMW dip into the 2:00 albeit being disqualified in last years qualy

[Audi Racer]

Heres an interesting thought. We know the Oreca Peugeot will go faster than the Audi because the peugeot 908 HDI FAP is about 1-2secs faster than the audi from a car standspoint. REgardless of restrictior it will go atleast a second faster. That will be the true comparison to the new 908X. even if the oreca doesnt lay down a flyer today if the audi does a flyer we know what to expect from the oreca who has no doubt been given the peugeots setup info

[Audi Racer]

well Auberlen goes quicker with a 2:01.9. well things are looking grim for the GT2 field

[chernaudi]

I know that this is early, but based on the past, I'd expect the Oreca car to be up there at least with the fastest Audi, but it really hasn't run a fast lap.

In reality, no one has run a fast lap for a while now--the #1 Audi recently ran a high 1:48, but everyone else has consistanly lapped above a 1:50.

[Bentley03]

No sign of the Jaguars(?).

[Audi Racer]

Perfect i want the HPD to be faster than the audi

[Audi Racer]

oh yeah forgot. Since theres traffic its hard for the LMPs to get clear laps

[Audi Racer]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

No sign of the Jaguars(?).

Its a shame(they probably wont be competitive) but its not surprising

[chernaudi]

ALMS notes said that only about 40 or so cars have turned a lap to now.

It also seems that the R15s, the Oreca 908 and the HPD seem to handle traffic a little better based on lap time fluctations. Just coincidence or do the open cars and the possibly torquier Oreca Pug have a bit of an advantage?

And the #1 Audi has been consistantly lapping in the 1:48 range over the past few laps. It seems like everyone is focusing on long runs so far.

[godlameroso]

It also depends where you get traffic. If you get traffic in a straight, no problem just side step them. If, however, you get traffic in a sweeper where there is only one line through the corner then you're bound to get held up to even 3 seconds.

[chernaudi]

I don't know who's in the car right now, but the #1 R15 has bumped the HPD from second is is only .43 behind the early fast lap of the new 908. And the Oreca is starting to gain some speed, too.

Current top 5: #8 Pug, #1 Audi, #01 HPD, #10 Pug and #2 Audi.

Peugeot, Audi, HPD and Oreca all look strong right now.

Update: The Cytosport Lola Aston has lapped faster than in the winter test by over a second recently as well.