BMW rumour for Le Mans 2017

[LC2guy]

Just seen this. Would be great.

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...mp1-programme/

[GT6]

It makes sense for them to try LMP1 rather than F1 has it likes to compete against the other german manufacturers and its products fall between Audi and porsche

[deggis]

Maybe deserves its own thread but was discussed earlier:

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...88#post3538988

[GriffM3]

I hope this is true, it would be so awesome to BMW back with an LMP programme and might spur Mercedes to consider it as well with audi and BMW in the fray. How awesome would it be for Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Toyota and Nissan to be battling it out? Gives me chills thinking about the possibilities.

[Beetle]

If Audi does indeed drop out of LMP1 (sorry!), this would certainly be a good replacement. We'll see how this pans out.

[GT6]

i think it is more likely to make Audi stay

[Starfish Primer]

Fingers crossed in case someone drops.

[Simmi]

If this came off it would be incredible. As mentioned elsewhere a similar route to Nissan could be beneficial and if the ACO can get the rules right it could lure them in.

Balancing all that would be difficult, but adding BMW to what we've already got is beyond my wildest dreams.

[GT3.14]

With MB and Audi doing so well in motor racing BMW really should do something to get noticed and P1 is certainly the best option for them. Considering they actually make carbon tub hybrid road cars, they fit the model for P1 more than any of the other brands there.

Meanwhile Jaguar refuses to race a GT3 F-Type when there is a GT3 version of all of it's rivals. Putting a bunch of celebs in the Mille Miglia year after year is growing tiresome. Hard to watch a brand with such pedigree throwing everything away.

Having BMW in P1 would be amazing.

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by GT3.14

With MB and Audi doing so well in motor racing BMW really should do something to get noticed and P1 is certainly the best option for them. Considering they actually make carbon tub hybrid road cars, they fit the model for P1 more than any of the other brands there.

Meanwhile Jaguar refuses to race a GT3 F-Type when there is a GT3 version of all of it's rivals. Putting a bunch of celebs in the Mille Miglia year after year is growing tiresome. Hard to watch a brand with such pedigree throwing everything away.

Having BMW in P1 would be amazing.

It's the Tata Group's fault for not bringing Jaguar back to racing. But that's another story...

While I'm excited to see BMW return in LMP1, the question is how to make a competitive car? It's either going with the same (and boring) proven route or pursue a different approach like Nissan.

If BMW want to go for the latter, it'll have to make it distinctive from the rest of the pack!

[cokata]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

It's the Tata Group's fault for not bringing Jaguar back to racing. But that's another story...

While I'm excited to see BMW return in LMP1, the question is how to make a competitive car? It's either going with the same (and boring) proven route or pursue a different approach like Nissan.

If BMW want to go for the latter, it'll have to make it distinctive from the rest of the pack!

What?!? The cars are a lot more different compared to each other then in F1 for example. Also every cars has it's own unique engine and hybrid architecture.

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by cokata

What?!? The cars are a lot more different compared to each other then in F1 for example. Also every cars has it's own unique engine and hybrid architecture.

I know that they're different as far as the drive-train and hybrid technology goes. But for the untrained eye (barring the different-colored liveries), all 3 current manufacturers barring Nissan have fielded mid-engined LMP1 cars.

Like I said, I'll applaud BMW if they tackle Le Mans differently other than going conventional. If they want to put the engine (or a big electric motor/battery) beside the driver, I'm fine with that!

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

I know that they're different as far as the drive-train and hybrid technology goes. But for the untrained eye (barring the different-colored liveries), all 3 current manufacturers barring Nissan have fielded mid-engined LMP1 cars.

In 1999, Mercedes, BMW, Toyota and Audi were all mid engined rear drive and nobody complained it was all the same and boring. We must have riduclously high standards if we're complaining that 4 different engine layouts, 2 different aspiration types, 2 different fuel types and 4 different hybrid system is boring.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

I know that they're different as far as the drive-train and hybrid technology goes. But for the untrained eye (barring the different-colored liveries), all 3 current manufacturers barring Nissan have fielded mid-engined LMP1 cars.

Like I said, I'll applaud BMW if they tackle Le Mans differently other than going conventional. If they want to put the engine (or a big electric motor/battery) beside the driver, I'm fine with that!

Question: do you want WEC to be a car show or a professional sport/racing series where the best car wins because it is the best and not because it is the most different?

Funny how now after Nissan and their PR-propaganda "conventional" has such a negative tone, as if it was somehow an easy and lazy route. It is only logical and lets say Darwinistic to follow a concept that has been proven as a winner. Didn't see many complaints back in Peugeot years when they at times used even the exactly same engine configuration than Audi.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

It's the Tata Group's fault for not bringing Jaguar back to racing. But that's another story...

While I'm excited to see BMW return in LMP1, the question is how to make a competitive car? It's either going with the same (and boring) proven route or pursue a different approach like Nissan.

If BMW want to go for the latter, it'll have to make it distinctive from the rest of the pack!

All 3 current factory cars are mid engine part-time 4wd, but far from boring. If they want to be different, going fwd or front engine would be following Nissan. So if there is something they wish to pioneer, they need the blessings from the rule makers. Thats probably what he meant in this quote

I don’t think we need to follow what everyone does. The WEC is still following and what we need to figure out is a new path that suits BMW, like with ‘i’.

Sounds like he wants rules to change so they could do something unique that would be recognizable to their 'i' brand.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by TF110

Sounds like he wants rules to change so they could do something unique that would be recognizable to their 'i' brand.

Like I said in the other thread, sounds like just hot air. Nissan kept saying similar things before finally going ahead... with zero changes in the regs (thankfully).

[TF110]

Originally Posted by deggis

Like I said in the other thread, sounds like just hot air. Nissan kept saying similar things before finally going ahead... with zero changes in the regs (thankfully).

Nissan just wanted something that they felt was closer to a road gtr and could use the flow-through concept. BMW is not planning on entering until the new rules are made. What better way to try and influence the rule makers then expressing interest but saying the wec could still be more 'innovative'? I'm pretty sure bmw know theyre saying "if" with these comments.

[JacobP]

Originally Posted by GT3.14

With MB and Audi doing so well in motor racing BMW really should do something to get noticed and P1 is certainly the best option for them. Considering they actually make carbon tub hybrid road cars, they fit the model for P1 more than any of the other brands there.

I think the fact that a lot of people still think that BMW is the "ultimate driving machine", even though most of BMWs sold these days are far from it, underscores the fact that BMW can achieve a lot through a clever marketing campaign and without the need to be seen in top level motorsports.

[GriffM3]

Originally Posted by JacobP

I think the fact that a lot of people still think that BMW is the "ultimate driving machine", even though most of BMWs sold these days are far from it, underscores the fact that BMW can achieve a lot through a clever marketing campaign and without the need to be seen in top level motorsports.

Sad but so true Jacob.

[GT6]

Well i want good racing and interesting racing with new ideas and developments some of which will be successful other not but that is what makes things interesting rather than a boring one make/idea series

[YorkshireLad]

Can you have too much of a good thing..

[wolfhound]

I think about four manufactures is about the right number for the WEC. If any more join especially if it has six or more it means somebody is going to finish bottom of that pile without much to show for it.
The other danger is that manufacturers will start an arms race in their attempts to win the WEC or LeMans and if it gets too expensive they could all leave in numbers like happened in F1 in the late noughties or Group C in the early nineties.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

I think about four manufactures is about the right number for the WEC. If any more join especially if it has six or more it means somebody is going to finish bottom of that pile without much to show for it.
The other danger is that manufacturers will start an arms race in their attempts to win the WEC or LeMans and if it gets too expensive they could all leave in numbers like happened in F1 in the late noughties or Group C in the early nineties.

Agreed. And unless they up the grid count, if you start adding more manufacturers with 2 or 3 cars, you start losing LMP2s and GT cars - cars which are more important than I think the LMP1 teams would like to admit. They are the true enthusiasts and I wouldn't want to lose more for more LMPs.

[deggis]

It's kind of funny that the biggest obstacle to growing grids is the semi-artificial grid cap.

Also, on the other hand, the more manufacturers there are, the more there are also left when some of them eventually leave. Now that 3-way overall win battle has become a norm and maybe soon 4-way, going back to two would be a downer.

[Deleted]

There is one way two tier could be better than current four tier. Ferrari vs Porsche

Anyway there isn't really grid limit for current LMP1, it only exists for the other classes.