IMSA: USCR 2018

[Matt]

Jokes tend to be funny.

[Maelochs]

Originally Posted by Matt

Jokes tend to be funny.

Humor tends to be subjective .... which makes what you said very funny ...to me.

Thanks.

[joeb]

Looks like Cameron might not be the only Action Express driver out next year. S365 reports another driver is on the chopping block. I'm guessing it is out of the 5 car.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/ke...ction-express/

[chernaudi]

Also makes one wonder (more) about MSR's future beyond this season, given that Keene was their team manager. Also, several HART (Honda America Race Team, made up of Honda America engineers from Marysville) are also wanting to make an effort at running a NSX as a privateer team next year. Some of these guys are currently also working at MSR.

I think that AXR need some new blood in their driver line up. Not to sound ageist, but the Taylors are young guns and AXR has been down in speed compared to WTR most of the season. I doubt it's drivers alone, but some shake ups have to happen at that team to get them back to where they were just a year or two ago.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by joeb

Looks like Cameron might not be the only Action Express driver out next year. S365 reports another driver is on the chopping block. I'm guessing it is out of the 5 car.

Fittipaldi if I had to guess.

And HART and MSR could run one NSX each in GTD next year.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Fittipaldi if I had to guess.

And HART and MSR could run one NSX each in GTD next year.

I disagree. I think Barbosa would be more likely to go. He has been mistake prone in the DPI.

[TF110]

Haven't seen anything on the Lexus DPi rumor since early this summer when Pruett was speaking about potential DPi's on racer.com. Is there anything new on this or what? He spoke about the Penske program around the same time.

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by TF110

Haven't seen anything on the Lexus DPi rumor since early this summer when Pruett was speaking about potential DPi's on racer.com. Is there anything new on this or what? He spoke about the Penske program around the same time.

No it has been rumored, and Scott A continues to suggest it, that there is a 5th DPi manufacturer out there. On MWM this week, Hindy brought it up with MP and MP thought TRD was the most likely answer (above Mclaren). I know the other well echoed rumor from earlier in the year was Hyundai/Genesis and that would make a lot of sense as well.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Dyson Mazda

No it has been rumored, and Scott A continues to suggest it, that there is a 5th DPi manufacturer out there. On MWM this week, Hindy brought it up with MP and MP thought TRD was the most likely answer (above Mclaren). I know the other well echoed rumor from earlier in the year was Hyundai/Genesis and that would make a lot of sense as well.

Atherton tends to claim good things are coming even if they're not. There is a very real possibility he believes one of the "evaluations" is a precursor to an actual program with no reason to assume so.

That being said, if a 5th manufacturer really is on the way, the most likely possibilities are ones that already have either a GTLM or GTD entry. They're already paying the "partnership fee" so if they can scrounge up the development bucks they're good to go.

[Coach Ep]

Well, let's see:

- Ford (GTLM)
- BMW (GTLM + GTD)
- Porsche (GTLM +GTD)
- Ferrari (GTLM + GTD)
- Lamborghini (GTD)
- Audi (GTD)
- Mercedes (GTD)
- Lexus (GTD)

Do participating brands in CTSC have to pay the Manu. fee as well? If so, you can add McLaren and Aston Martin to the list.

That's 8 or 10 brands currently involved. Plenty of choices either way.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Well, let's see:

- Ford (GTLM)
- BMW (GTLM + GTD)
- Porsche (GTLM +GTD)
- Ferrari (GTLM + GTD)
- Lamborghini (GTD)
- Audi (GTD)
- Mercedes (GTD)
- Lexus (GTD)

Do participating brands in CTSC have to pay the Manu. fee as well? If so, you can add McLaren and Aston Martin to the list.

That's 8 or 10 brands currently involved. Plenty of choices either way.

Do not know if Conti manufacturers must pay the bill, but you can add Aston Martin to the list regardless due to a (very limited) entry in the 0217 Weathertech series.

But I feel we can rule out Aston, BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, and Audi - Porsche, BMW and Audi seem to want to be in areas where tech development is allowed when they're not doing GTs, thus their Formula E programs, and Ferrari and Aston Martin have shown no real interest in prototypes of any sort in recent years.

I would likely rule out Mercedes as they seem to view the IMSA program as less than important, what with other parties having brought a portion of the money to the table.

So that leaves Ford, Lexus, Lamborghini and possibly McLaren. Ford probably won't do a program until the planned period for the GTLM program wraps up, though weirder things have happened.

Now, ANY manufacturers is a realistic possibility if someone else puts up money for development(and partnership when applicable) of a program(like with the Nissan DPi), but let's to stick to considering who's most likely to do it on their own volition.

My money would be on Toyota - not Lexus, as it will be courtesy of the parent company rather than American-based TRD. Toyota doesn't seem that concerned with the tech side of LMP1-H, at least not as much as Audi and Porsche were.

The ACO at this point have no choice but to open up LMP1-L, and if they allow DPis in as part of that, then expect Toyota to hop in.

[canaglia]

Last year, mercedes was going to finalize a dpi program. Hope they think about that again. I guess main problem for manufacturers is to find a good team to support with a limited factory effort.
At the end AMG just would need to buy 2 ligier/oreca/dallara, make different nose/headlights and fit inside the 6.2 V8

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Well, let's see:

- Ford (GTLM)
- BMW (GTLM + GTD)
- Porsche (GTLM +GTD)
- Ferrari (GTLM + GTD)
- Lamborghini (GTD)
- Audi (GTD)
- Mercedes (GTD)
- Lexus (GTD)

Do participating brands in CTSC have to pay the Manu. fee as well? If so, you can add McLaren and Aston Martin to the list.

That's 8 or 10 brands currently involved. Plenty of choices either way.

They do to earn manufacturer points in the championship but not to race. And I believe it is much smaller than the WTSC payment. It was in an S365 article early season I think.

[chernaudi]

MSR planning to run Acuras in GTD next year as a privateer team, basically going back to their DP model (running pay drivers/pro-am drivers), though in a pro-am class platform (unlike prototype where it became increasingly hard to run a pro-am line up successfully):

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/ms...rn-with-acura/

[Akrapovic]

Legge is a silver driver (she really shouldn't be though, she's gold standard, but that's another argument), so this may put her in a sticky situation.

[chernaudi]

I don't know if she'll be back with the team next year. IMO, Katherine has been a bit hit or miss. She's won a couple of races, but she's also been involved in accidents/collisions in others (though VIR wasn't really her fault, that was pretty much outright rough driving on Karam's part).

Bigger question is is Legge considered a "sneaky" silver, or does she actually bring money/sponsorship? That is after all the intended model for GTD to be a pro-am class, basically it's based on a combination of driver ranking and pro-am drivers "paying to play". And Mike Shank has said that he's looking for a couple more pay drivers/pro-am drivers to help fund the program, and maybe even be more in the spirit of what GTD is supposed to be.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by canaglia

Last year, mercedes was going to finalize a dpi program. Hope they think about that again. I guess main problem for manufacturers is to find a good team to support with a limited factory effort.
At the end AMG just would need to buy 2 ligier/oreca/dallara, make different nose/headlights and fit inside the 6.2 V8

They were not any closer than any of the other manufacturers that were "evaluating" a program.

[AoB Special Stage]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

My money would be on Toyota - not Lexus, as it will be courtesy of the parent company rather than American-based TRD.

I see your point, I counter with GT500.

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

Toyota doesn't seem that concerned with the tech side of LMP1-H, at least not as much as Audi and Porsche were.

I'd say the company that started the push for 10+MJ might've cared a good bit.

[Akrapovic]

Yeah, Toyota are (or were) concerned with the tech, they just weren't willing to spend the ridiculous budgets VAG were. Completely understandable too - they tried that in F1 and it bit them.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by AoB Special Stage

I see your point, I counter with GT500.

And I counter with the more relevant LMP1-H.

Every major Lexus-badged racecar to date has been some form of GT or touring car. I don't see Toyota changing that unless TRD decided to roll with something, what with Lexus being a MUCH bigger deal in the US than the rest of the world.

I'd say the company that started the push for 10+MJ might've cared a good bit.

They pushed for 10MJ when there was still a worry that Audi's diesel-engined hybrid had an advantage over gas hybrids if they didn't have more to use on the hybrid side. Once costs got crazy and it became clear the diesel no longer had an advantage, the push for 10MJ kinda faded.

Toyota was never as concerned with the technology as much as their ability to be competitive. Yes, they cared about the technology, but not to the extent of Audi and Porsche.

[Matt]

?

Pretty major as an engine supplier to the DP's.

[AoB Special Stage]

And he picks the ugliest of the ducklings.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Matt

?

Pretty major as an engine supplier to the DP's.

Jesus, man, you've got to warn people before you do that.

[Coach Ep]

Haha, but his point stands. Didn't Lexus win a G-A championship with Ganassi?
So they might decide to try and do it again especially since Acura, Nissan and Mazda are all involved with DPi next season.

[AoB Special Stage]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Jesus, man, you've got to warn people before you do that.