[WEC] Porsche Prototype Discussion

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by Rennen

Sorry if this has been quoted here before? I was reading a Porsche Magazine whilst waiting for my cars MOT test this morning...Porsche said they had debated wether to go F1 or WEC, but rejected Formula One as a "Tabloid Sport! and recognised WEC was followed by "Real Enthusiasts"...Cool!

That indeed is great to read !

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by Tim240z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yo6xuVS7tg

Thanks! The 5-stroke seems to have some of the properties of the Stirling Engine in the way it uses compression and expansion.

[kurski]

Which drivers will take the remaing Porsche LMP1 seats?

[Dario911]

Originally Posted by Rennen

Sorry if this has been quoted here before? I was reading a Porsche Magazine whilst waiting for my cars MOT test this morning...Porsche said they had debated wether to go F1 or WEC, but rejected Formula One as a "Tabloid Sport! and recognised WEC was followed by "Real Enthusiasts"...Cool!

I have always thought this!

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

And I think that it can be put to rest now: Roger Penske on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain did admit to talking to Porsche about their LMP1 car. However, Roger confirmed that Porsche has their own factory team to run their cars next year, so Penske is out of that race.

Speculation/my take: Penske might run the Porsche LMP1 as a customer program in the future if there's a place in America to run it or he decides to run LM or the WEC, but Penske's out for sure as far as a full factory program, let alone being the new factory team.

This has been known for a while as far as hardcore sportscar fans, but this also might put to bed the rumors of an American LMP1 racing series as far as that happening any time soon.

Noting that the LMP2 program was denied, right up until the day it was announced. The last person to listen to is the team principle, or PR people, as most often they must deny things, until official announcements can be made. That isn't to say that I believe anything will happen, just that I don't put much faith in such statements.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Rennen

Sorry if this has been quoted here before? I was reading a Porsche Magazine whilst waiting for my cars MOT test this morning...Porsche said they had debated wether to go F1 or WEC, but rejected Formula One as a "Tabloid Sport! and recognised WEC was followed by "Real Enthusiasts"...Cool!

Which of course most of us here have known for a loooonnnngggg time......

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by kurski

Which drivers will take the remaing Porsche LMP1 seats?

I suspect they might go for an American for marketing reasons but not sure who. In the past Porsche has usually had somebody from the USA in their squad.

[Articus]

Audi/Toyota don't have an American driver and Porsche and Audi have the same American marketing interest so i dont think there is a push for a token American driver. Selection purely based on ability in the cockpit.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Articus

Audi/Toyota don't have an American driver and Porsche and Audi have the same American marketing interest so i dont think there is a push for a token American driver. Selection purely based on ability in the cockpit.

Yep. I don't think Porsche will base it on anything else.

In fact, so serious is this project, that some of the noises coming from them suggest beating the opposition is more important than the marketing from the project....!

[The Badger]

Dumas-Berhnard-Webber-Jani are for sure ..... names that are flying around in the rumour mill are :

Vernay-Lyonnais-Pla-Heidfeld-Conway-Luhr-Graff-Makowiecki-Martin-Watts-Stanaway-Christensen-Pilet-Tandy-Holzer-Lieb .

Some of the currant Porsche drivers have expressed a wish to stay in GTE , good .

There ya go , a right speculation of mixed talent . This is being talked about , and Porsche indeed seem to want a 3rd car for Le Mans ..... YES Source is this article from Endurance-Info below .
http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...nce-19837.html


I'd like to see Lieb in the car .

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

In fact, so serious is this project, that some of the noises coming from them suggest beating the opposition is more important than the marketing from the project....!

Some mistake, surely!

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Vernay-Lyonnais-Pla-Heidfeld-Conway-Luhr-Graff-Makowiecki-Martin-Watts-Stanaway-Christensen-Pilet-Tandy-Holzer-Lieb .

I may be mistaken, but didn't Makowiecki come close to a Peugeot drive several years ago?

[porman]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

In fact, so serious is this project, that some of the noises coming from them suggest beating the opposition is more important than the marketing from the project....!

Their marketing machine has been hard at work reminding everybody that they are returning for some time now. That is not to say that winning isn't a top priority as it goes hand in hand with exposure. That said, if anyone thinks that Porsche doesn't have something to prove and is going to be happy with not winning they are sorely mistaken.

It is a matter of pride within the motor sports group and beyond. I was reminded as much last Summer with a visit to the factory and having been fortunate enough to talk with certain employees. This is a way of telling anyone who thinks that they are not the same Porsche that most of us remember that they are back. They are going to do everything within their power to beat all comers, especially Audi.

:

[Spyderman]

...and may they be successful.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

I may be mistaken, but didn't Makowiecki come close to a Peugeot drive several years ago?

yeah , I seem to recall something about that in the back of my mind . Same for varney , wasn't he a spare driver for them one year . Be great to see Pug return !

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Some mistake, surely!

In the article , Porsche Ceo expects them to win asap . I cant imagine Porsche doing anything else to be honest .

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Some mistake, surely!

Not really. We're talking about winning Le Mans here. That'll be Porsche's single aim. Any entries in the WEC could maybe see some american drivers in a couple of years...

[Gingers4Justice]

This is Porsche. Their marketing strategy often involves no marketing strategy, by which I mean they turn up to Le Mans, win it magnificently, and then all of a sudden we (the enthusiasts) have an urge to by a Porsche (not including me in this obviously, my Panda is somewhat easier to insure at my age than a 911). As Rennen said earlier, this is an enthusiast's sport and they know it. If you want to market your cars to Joe Public and sell your Cayennes or whatever to them, stick an ad on the tele or in a newspaper...that will do you more good than an F1 podium every now and again. And that's what they'll do.

To some people - most, in fact - "Porsche" is a brand name that is desirable. But that's built on a pedigree that we, the enthusiasts, have helped create. Porsche have obviously felt the need to continue that.

Ergo, every driver whose bottom touches the seat of this LMP1 Porsche will be the best driver available when the contracts are signed.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

This is Porsche. Their marketing strategy often involves no marketing strategy, by which I mean they turn up to Le Mans, win it magnificently, and then all of a sudden we (the enthusiasts) have an urge to by a Porsche (not including me in this obviously, my Panda is somewhat easier to insure at my age than a 911). As Rennen said earlier, this is an enthusiast's sport and they know it. If you want to market your cars to Joe Public and sell your Cayennes or whatever to them, stick an ad on the tele or in a newspaper...that will do you more good than an F1 podium every now and again. And that's what they'll do.

To some people - most, in fact - "Porsche" is a brand name that is desirable. But that's built on a pedigree that we, the enthusiasts, have helped create. Porsche have obviously felt the need to continue that.

Ergo, every driver whose bottom touches the seat of this LMP1 Porsche will be the best driver available when the contracts are signed.

I agree with what he said

[vincegail]

I may have missed it, but is there any info on what Energy Recovery System Porsche will use with their tiny 1.8 - 2.0 inline 4-cylinder turbo-charged engine?

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Some mistake, surely!

I was kidding, guys...

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by vincegail

I may have missed it, but is there any info on what Energy Recovery System Porsche will use with their tiny 1.8 - 2.0 inline 4-cylinder turbo-charged engine?

I haven't heard but their 911 hybrid used a flywheel system like Audi's. I think this was developed by Williams originally.

[vincegail]

Can the flywheel system harvest and release the energy quick enough?

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by vincegail

Can the flywheel system harvest and release the energy quick enough?

Works for Audi!

[Maelochs]

If you mean, can it be expanded to eight megajoules ... no clue. The flywheel stores the energy as rotation, so to increase storage, either mass or speed would need to increase. Harvesting and discharging shouldn't be a problem but storing the energy might be ... but I am not an engineer.

EDIT: "Works for Audi!" Not yet. The current system which is much much smaller has worked well for both Porsche and Audi in endurance racing, but as far as I know, no test results for the much larger 2014 system have been published.

I assume the engineers at Porsche and Audi can make it work. They seem to be pretty good at their jobs.