IMSA DPi Discussion - Page 136

Tique · 28 Dec 2018, 18:09 (Ref:3872856)

Bear in mind that G-Drive racing and TDS Racing is the same team. If you look the list of driver that drove the Oreca07 at Sebring, you have Roman Rusinov, Matthieu Vaxivière, François Perrodo and Loïc Duval. Three of those guys are the one driving in the WEC series with the TDS Racing Oreca 07. So it is not so surprising to see them there in order to practice a bit. They might have used the G-Drive Oreca 07 as the TDS one must be somewhere on a boat on his way back from China. Just my view on this…

Akrapovic · 28 Dec 2018, 18:48 (Ref:3872859)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Protecting the brand.

IMSA wants ( I assume) major U.S. manufacturers to fight it out for publicity. IMSA (nor the manufacturers) want some no-name team taking the top honors. "Panoz" winning doesn't help anyone but Panoz.

If Acura beats Cadillac, at least people think Cadillac lost to a a major force, a big factory. If Joe and Bubba beat Cadillac ... well, Cadillac must really suck, no?

Getting more cars on the grid hasn't been an issue. But to keep the game worthwhile for the major manufacturers, all the cars have to bear a recognizable name.

I fully agree, and I think CORE doing so well prompted it. IMSA would prefer a manufacturer win over teams like CORE.

Akrapovic · 28 Dec 2018, 18:52 (Ref:3872860)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tique

Bear in mind that G-Drive racing and TDS Racing is the same team. If you look the list of driver that drove the Oreca07 at Sebring, you have Roman Rusinov, Matthieu Vaxivière, François Perrodo and Loïc Duval. Three of those guys are the one driving in the WEC series with the TDS Racing Oreca 07. So it is not so surprising to see them there in order to practice a bit. They might have used the G-Drive Oreca 07 as the TDS one must be somewhere on a boat on his way back from China. Just my view on this…

Whilst G-Drive and TDS Are the same team, it isn't that simple because Rusinov changes the operators constantly. Graff also run a G-Drive car, and Jota, Sinatech, Oak, WRT and Reiter have all run cars for them too. Oh, and DragonSpeed. G-Drive is a brand, and they change who runs those cars more than I change underpants (make of that what you will...). I wouldn't be surprised if a G-Drive sponsored car rocked up at Sebring operated by a completely random team.

canaglia · 28 Dec 2018, 20:52 (Ref:3872884)

guess everyone gets ****ed off by Rusinov ASAP, the only time I think Rusinov was right was in 2014 when new ligier lmp2 had serious brake issues everywhere

gert · 29 Dec 2018, 14:58 (Ref:3873003)

I think G-Drive is staying with TDS for LMS in 2019 for a second year, which is indeed more exception than rule.
Not sure about the Graff-run car though.

Akrapovic · 29 Dec 2018, 15:41 (Ref:3873008)

Quote:

Originally Posted by canaglia

guess everyone gets ****ed off by Rusinov ASAP, the only time I think Rusinov was right was in 2014 when new ligier lmp2 had serious brake issues everywhere

I think it works both ways. Rusinov wants instant results, and if it doesn't go well immediately he'll go elsewhere.

The TDS for 2 years, as gert says, is an exception rather than the norm. But I suppose, they absolutely dominated Le Mans, even if you remove the time gained from the illegal fuel rig. So I guess they're looking at TDS as the best option given the results. I half expected a Russian stop over the modified rig costing them the win, but it never came.

But G-Drive are also fine with the idea of cars being run by multiple teams at once. So even if TDS are going to continue running the European cars, don't be surprised if a G-Drive branded Cadillac turns up being run by people with SoD shirts on. Or something mad like they pay CORE to run more Nissans or something.

hondafan37 · 7 Jan 2019, 17:59 (Ref:3874519)

Three new DPi marques on horizon for 2020. Ford, Hyundai and a new Japanese manufacturer could join the grid next year.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/d...ding-for-2020/

tjh8402 · 7 Jan 2019, 18:01 (Ref:3874520)

Quote:

Originally Posted by hondafan37

Three new DPi marques on horizon for 2020. Ford, Hyundai and a new Japanese manufacturer could join the grid next year.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/d...ding-for-2020/

Assuming it has to be Subaru. Only them and Mitsubishi left. What engine will they use? 600 hp is a lot to ask out of a production 2.4 or 2.5 flat four although that would certainly be a unique engine. Too bad they can’t dust off the old F1 engine from Koenigsegg.

canaglia · 7 Jan 2019, 18:57 (Ref:3874551)

Well, ford just needs to transplant the ecoboost V6 in the multimatic tub; a lot of work should be done for a decent aero efficient bodywork as well considering how crap is the standard ACO multimatic-riley lmp2.
About efficiency, mitsubishi? lol in a top gear episode an old evo lancer had the worst fuel mileage ever! less than a km per liter! very unlikely to me.

Ss long I wish to see a V10 5.2L powered dallara-lamborghini dpi, hope toyota would think about a lexus dpi with their box french buddies

kvenom · 7 Jan 2019, 19:27 (Ref:3874556)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjh8402

Assuming it has to be Subaru. Only them and Mitsubishi left. What engine will they use? 600 hp is a lot to ask out of a production 2.4 or 2.5 flat four although that would certainly be a unique engine. Too bad they can’t dust off the old F1 engine from Koenigsegg.

It doesn't really make any sense for Subaru to do it. They don't really do racing anymore, GT300 being the exception. There is no connection between the brand (AWD family boxes) to DPi, and they don't have an engine as you mentioned. It would be quite a surprise to see Subaru Corp stick their neck out for this.

FormulaFox · 7 Jan 2019, 19:27 (Ref:3874557)

Quote:

Originally Posted by hondafan37

Three new DPi marques on horizon for 2020. Ford, Hyundai and a new Japanese manufacturer could join the grid next year.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/d...ding-for-2020/

*looks at article's writer* Yeah, I'll stick to believe it when I see it for now.

Nick Woodbury · 7 Jan 2019, 20:16 (Ref:3874565)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

*looks at article's writer* Yeah, I'll stick to believe it when I see it for now.

Heheh.

Quite depressing to read however, among all this excitement of "potential" programs next year, that Ford will likely be leaving the GTLM class next year, leaving quite a big hole in the class....effectively leaving 6 (or 7 teams if Risi can somehow find sponsorship for next year) GTLM cars in the class.

ATLFalconsFAN · 7 Jan 2019, 20:46 (Ref:3874570)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kvenom

It doesn't really make any sense for Subaru to do it. They don't really do racing anymore, GT300 being the exception. There is no connection between the brand (AWD family boxes) to DPi, and they don't have an engine as you mentioned. It would be quite a surprise to see Subaru Corp stick their neck out for this.

My BRZ and my wife's WRX would take offense to that statement...

As we have become a Subaru household, I would be thrilled to see them enter top level sports car racing!

MaskedRacer · 7 Jan 2019, 20:58 (Ref:3874572)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

Heheh.

Quite depressing to read however, among all this excitement of "potential" programs next year, that Ford will likely be leaving the GTLM class next year, leaving quite a big hole in the class....effectively leaving 6 (or 7 teams if Risi can somehow find sponsorship for next year) GTLM cars in the class.

If the existing GTLM teams are ok with it you could bring in "GT3-Pro" to join the class. Cars like the Mercedes AMG, Audi R8, etc are already not that far off if you remove the BoP mandated in GTD and make the line ups all pros.

tjh8402 · 7 Jan 2019, 21:02 (Ref:3874574)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kvenom

It doesn't really make any sense for Subaru to do it. They don't really do racing anymore, GT300 being the exception. There is no connection between the brand (AWD family boxes) to DPi, and they don't have an engine as you mentioned. It would be quite a surprise to see Subaru Corp stick their neck out for this.

I agree it’s a stretch but it’s not like Mitsubishi is better positioned. If not them, who else is left? What’s another mid size Japanese automaker besides those two that’s not already in the class?

carbsmith · 7 Jan 2019, 22:09 (Ref:3874582)

If he's counting Lexus as one, then Infiniti. I know that sounds stupid but it makes as much sense as anything else considering.

FormulaFox · 7 Jan 2019, 22:18 (Ref:3874583)

Quote:

Originally Posted by carbsmith

If he's counting Lexus as one, then Infiniti. I know that sounds stupid but it makes as much sense as anything else considering.

If Nissan ever decided to actively back a DPi program, I do suspect they'd use the Infiniti badge to match GM's usage of the Cadillac brand. But for the time being, Nissan seems content to just sell GT3s and let the customers run them where they please. From what I understand they were only observers in the new P1 talks, not actively involved in the discussions, which says a lot about their current prototype ambitions.

Coach Ep · 7 Jan 2019, 23:19 (Ref:3874590)

Plus Nissan/Renault have bigger issues to deal with right now, see for instance

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/10/busin...pan/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/07/busin...nce/index.html

This pretty much rules out Nissan/Infiniti and maybe Mitsubishi as well??

carbsmith · 8 Jan 2019, 00:11 (Ref:3874597)

Doesn't have much of anything to do with US marketing decisions. DPi isn't a major high investment racing program, you just fish out some VK56s and a few million bucks.

broadrun96 · 8 Jan 2019, 01:59 (Ref:3874609)

Quote:

Originally Posted by carbsmith

Doesn't have much of anything to do with US marketing decisions. DPi isn't a major high investment racing program, you just fish out some VK56s and a few million bucks.

Why would Infiniti do a program with the Nissan project saved from extinction by Core? Makes zero sense esp given the paltry investment already from them and making ESM pay the "marketing fee" last season.

TF110 · 8 Jan 2019, 08:42 (Ref:3874672)

I don't really believe the story but I think only Subaru fits the bill of mid size Japanese manufacturer. Mitsubishi is all suvs and is not mid size at all. On top of that they are part of the Renault/Nissan group. I place this story with the McLaren and Ferrari to the wec in hypercar lmp1's, sounds good but I'll believe it when I see it.

rich07 · 8 Jan 2019, 09:20 (Ref:3874678)

I can’t see Subaru joining the ranks. It just doesn’t make any sense from a marketing perspective. I can’t see them spending that amount of money also.

Maelochs · 8 Jan 2019, 11:01 (Ref:3874697)

Maybe it is my imagination, but haven;t' we seen that same story every year since forever? Hasn't it always turned out to be BS?

Certain (unnamed) publications hear "We wouldn't do that unless hell froze over" and translate it as "We are considering that program possibly for next winter."

FormulaFox · 8 Jan 2019, 11:26 (Ref:3874707)

Suzuki

**joeb** · 8 Jan 2019, 16:53 (Ref:3874750)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

Suzuki

Didn't they stop selling cars in the US a few years ago?

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