"Formula LaMans?"

[billaboy]

Would anyone watch a series like LaMans where broken down in classes are F1 cars, Champ Cars, Prototype Cars (Audi R8's, Panoz Ect.) and say I guess GTS or Nascar's all on the track at the same time? Or if other cars which ones?

[gttouring]

Ye sthat'd be great-throw in IRL crapwagons and it'd be a hoot
I have thought about this one for a long time actually and wondered why they never try it or even propose the idea.

[steve nielsen]

the difference between the classes would be to big, F1 is to fast for all those other cars, so: NO..........

[Knowlesy]

That would be like racing a Ferrari Enzo against a Golf GTi. Somewhat unfair.

[gttouring]

nah in a straight line and in the draft the CHamp CaRS would go flying past them all-245 MPH anyone
But the whole test is an endurance and speed F1 is too fragile, and the LM types may do well but i would wager on the Champcars.

[Neil C]

Nice thought, but openwheel and closewheel cars do not make a safe mix, especially with such a variance of speed.

[steve nielsen]

Originally posted by gttouring
nah in a straight line and in the draft the CHamp CaRS would go flying past them all-245 MPH anyone
But the whole test is an endurance and speed F1 is too fragile, and the LM types may do well but i would wager on the Champcars.

F1 cars are also faster in a straight line, the cars just never drive on ovals, but when given a straight that's long enough a F1 car would easaly blast past a Champcar any time.

[krt917]

And an old Group C car might as well!

There used to be Formula Libre in the '50s and '60s which I think had sportscars and single-seaters, but - as Neil C says - it would be dangerous.

I can't imagine any of the CART/IRl/Sportscar boys would really fancy being pummelled by the F1 cars (which they would anywhere other than on an oval).

Probably best to keep them separate, but to not have F1 on quite such a high pedastol (I rather fancy another World Sports Car Championship).

[Lee Janotta]

Like, where? The only places I can figure are the Nordschleife, and the huge oval at the Transportation Research Center here in Ohio.

[avsfan733]

someone needs to start a 24 hour race with the single rule of: no rules

[twig]

The other problem is the safety of the cars.

With F1, or Champ cars for example, you make the cars all very strong, so that if there is an accident between two cars, and no wall for example, both cars will be equally strong, and will most probably be similarly damaged. But with say, and F1 car and a NASCAR, the NASCAR would be very lightly damaged, whilst the F1 would be a wreck.

Think a truck hitting a motorcycle.

[Brandy_snap]

The cars would have to have to be slower definately to stop fatal accidents, but would be great fun at the same time.

[429CJ]

500 - 600 mile race and all the F1 cars will disappear after half lenght.

[garcon]

I don't think the speed differential would be a huge problem, given a certain degree of driver responsibility. There's already huge differential between the top LMP cars and the GT Porsches at Le Mans and other GT races. And the difference between Ferrari/McLaren/Williams and Minardi is not insignificant in F1.

The real problem is that we're talking about cars that are specifically designed for a certain type of race. F1 cars are designed to last 2 hours in race trim, Touring Cars can manage 30 or so laps. So it's a little unfair to pitch them against cars designed to go 24 hours.

In the less sophisticated cars I guess it's a case of just turning the revs down a bit, but I think there's a bit more to it than that in an F1 car...

[Hungary 89]

Originally posted by steve nielsen
F1 cars are also faster in a straight line, the cars just never drive on ovals, but when given a straight that's long enough a F1 car would easaly blast past a Champcar any time.

Wasn't There talk a few years back about some of the top F1 teams and some of the top (then) Indycar teams donating some cars for just such an event to determine which was the worlds top Formula

I seem to remember that it was assumed the F1 cars would walk it but some of the Indycar guys were well up for it to prove everyone wrong

Can't remember why it never happened though

[Hungary 89]

Quick Update It was 1993 I found a Jim Bamber cartoon in His first "The Pits" book refering to it

[Apexx]

I want to see F1, Cart, Irl (for a laugh) cars compete together for a Global Motorsports Grand Masters Series (Olympics?)on an oval and a road course. Leave Lemans for closed wheelers.

I think the argument for Cart cars beating F1 cars is based on CART's engine packages prior to this year.

[Schummy]

To spice things a bit I would do open-wheel cars go clockwise and closed-wheel cars anti-clockwise. At the end of the race a combined podium could be done with the alive drivers of both categories.

[Smokey 6 litre]

Originally posted by steve nielsen
F1 cars are also faster in a straight line, the cars just never drive on ovals, but when given a straight that's long enough a F1 car would easaly blast past a Champcar any time.

i agree, the F1 cars just never have the straits or the track to use minimum downforce, i think with a bit of tweaking an F1 could match them and be faster round corners.

[garcon]

Originally posted by Schummy
To spice things a bit I would do open-wheel cars go clockwise and closed-wheel cars anti-clockwise. At the end of the race a combined podium could be done with the alive drivers of both categories.

Schummy, I think you should lay off your Playstation for a little while...

[Schummy]

I just hope Mosley is not an user here. If audience ratings go on down...

[captain crunch]

would be fun, indeed

throw differences in fuel capacity in and the f1/champcar advantage would be removed ie.having to make more pitstops than the closed-wheelers. even a one-of race like that would be so sweet.............