"Penalty-limit" for LM-lap-times

[GT-Eins]

Maybe I missed the info in all the discussions - but when I remember right there was last year a limit announced by the ACO that if a GT2 or GT1 was under a specific lap-time, the make which archieved this was expected to be slowed by the regulations.

I think last year it was something around 4:05 for the GT2 and while 2 or so Porsches reached this, all RSR were handicapped for this year - which explaines a little the cuurent advantage of the F430.
Now that the F430 has reached similar times at the pre-test I wonder if the ACO will slow them down too.

Are these limits from last year still valid?

[SALEEN S7R]

I have heard no mention of limits for GT1 or GT2 this year, last year yes there was specific limits but seeing as they dont seem to have been mentioned this year perhaps the ACO will let the cars run at their true pace? I hope so.

[Dutton]

Indeed, hopefully natural pace will be left alone.

It seems to rather defeat the point otherwise.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by GT-Eins

Maybe I missed the info in all the discussions - but when I remember right there was last year a limit announced by the ACO that if a GT2 or GT1 was under a specific lap-time, the make which archieved this was expected to be slowed by the regulations.

I think last year it was something around 4:05 for the GT2 and while 2 or so Porsches reached this, all RSR were handicapped for this year - which explaines a little the cuurent advantage of the F430.
Now that the F430 has reached similar times at the pre-test I wonder if the ACO will slow them down too.

Are these limits from last year still valid?

From what I've picked up any 'limits' are related to consistent race pace, hence why the GT1's seemed happy to go under 3.55 in practice.

If the P1s go under 3.30 during the race (very, very unlikely), GT1's under 3.55 (quite possible) and GT2's under 4.05 (doubt it) there could be issues.

[B24]

I really don't understand what they are trying to achieve by this rule. They should focus on controlling themselves from going over the mark.

[Bentley03]

I'm probably repeating something I've posted previously on another thread, and if not, it's something I've been thinking since the verbal 3:55 GT1 ruling was first mentioned by the ACO.

The regulations the ACO have put in place are just fine as they are. The lap times we witnessed last Sunday are proof that they ACO have got the correct balance in performance between the four classes.

If we take approximate probable pole times for next week's race we end up with gaps of almost exactly 10 seconds between each class:

LMP1 3:30
LMP2 3:40
GT1 3:50
GT2 4:00

Let the cars run to their full potential without the threat of penalties and we have a real race on our hands. I find it utterly ridiculous that the organisers of a race of this stature decided to make 'sandbagging' compulsary. Hopefully it's now been forgotten and there will be no mention of it again from the ACO this year..............

[WouterM]

Wouldn't the redesigned track make for different lap times anyways? The Pescarolo's 2006 lap times are quite a bit faster than the their 2005 times.

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

I'm probably repeating something I've posted previously on another thread, and if not, it's something I've been thinking since the verbal 3:55 GT1 ruling was first mentioned by the ACO.

The regulations the ACO have put in place are just fine as they are. The lap times we witnessed last Sunday are proof that they ACO have got the correct balance in performance between the four classes.

If we take approximate probable pole times for next week's race we end up with gaps of almost exactly 10 seconds between each class:

LMP1 3:30
LMP2 3:40
GT1 3:50
GT2 4:00

Let the cars run to their full potential without the threat of penalties and we have a real race on our hands. I find it utterly ridiculous that the organisers of a race of this stature decided to make 'sandbagging' compulsary. Hopefully it's now been forgotten and there will be no mention of it again from the ACO this year..............

I dont know about the gap being 10 seconds between all classes, take GT1 for example. Last year the pole time was a 3:48.5, that was on race tyres with a full fuel load, with qualifying tyres and a light fuel load they could probably have done a 3:44. Now assuming that the cars are again faster this year, the pole time could be a 3:42-3:43 for GT1. Yes I know the cars have 25kg more ballast than last year and have roughly a 15bhp reduction in power but the cars will have been developed from last year and so will the tyres. The cars should be as fast as last year, if not a bit faster. IMO.

Hopefully the ACO have forgotton about the lap time limits and we will see what the cars can really do during qualifying and the race and we wont see false lap times.

[arakis]

Originally Posted by GT-Eins

I think last year it was something around 4:05 for the GT2 and while 2 or so Porsches reached this, all RSR were handicapped for this year - which explaines a little the cuurent advantage of the F430.
Now that the F430 has reached similar times at the pre-test I wonder if the ACO will slow them down too.

Are these limits from last year still valid?

Well actually smaller restrictor sizes were in place at sebring on the rsr, but after sebring seeing that 430 was on the pace all restrictor limitations were brought back to normal, I dont thing they want a limit speed of the car jus to limit the competitivnes so anymone has a chance at winning witch is bull if u ask me. If a car is better it should win, not be penalized for it by adictionaly changeing the rules. Lats say this year 430 shows that it is faster then the 996 rsr thay penalise it and next year 997 comes along and 430 gets blown away before they realise they shouldnt have penalized it.

Quit chngeing the rules. Make up a set stick with it.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by B24

I really don't understand what they are trying to achieve by this rule. They should focus on controlling themselves from going over the mark.

I don't think this is an actual rule as such. There is no (immediate) penalty for lapping quicker than those times. Surely these laps times are guides to where the ACO sees each class. If they end up being quicker than that then they are pegged back in the future.

My worry is that they only peg back the cars that acheive the lap time rather than peg back the whole class, thus preserving the relative performance of the cars. If they want to keep lap times less than, say 3:55, then fine, but keep the rules relatively the same for all and don't just reward those who do nothing to make their cars quicker.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

I dont know about the gap being 10 seconds between all classes, take GT1 for example. Last year the pole time was a 3:48.5, that was on race tyres with a full fuel load, with qualifying tyres and a light fuel load they could probably have done a 3:44. .

You know, I still don't believe that.

That would put them on the same pace as the long tail F1 GTR's.

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by JAG

You know, I still don't believe that.

me neither ..

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by JAG

You know, I still don't believe that.

I seem to recall that they put in a real push for pole. I don't know about Q tyres, but I'm not sure it was full tanks. Wasn't it this that made it quite exciting at the end of Thursday practice?