[LM24] When will Viper bite back at Le Mans?

[Garrett]

One of the best GTS cars was the factory Team Oreca Vipers. But sadly, Oreca was the only team who raced the Vipers like they should have been, and after Oreca, the Viper's venom was not as lethal.


Will the new generation GTS-R Viper make a come back where its older brother left off? Will Oreca run the program if it ever happened? What can we expect to see with future of the Viper?


Any thoughts or guesses...

[The Badger]

There was talk a few years back that Chrysler had commissioned Oreca to do a study on the new Viper and to race it . But I think it never got past the study stage ..... great shame too !!!

But ya never know !!

[Bramzel]

Larbre didn't do too bad with it either imho.

[BSchneiderFan]

There was the occasional decent performance from Belmondo, too. But ORECA were the masters.

[The Badger]

Carsport America must be the best in the business at rebuilding them !!!

[BSchneiderFan]

Carsport America are virtually engaged in archaeology.

[TheNewBob]

FIA GT champions in 2001 and 2002 - I too think Larbre did a pretty good job with the car. I guess by 2002 the car was starting to age too much and never did nearly as well after that (same applies for Lister).

[cmk]

Oreca were logically the "best" team running the car because they were the factory-backed effort. They deserve praise completely, because they are a fabulous team, but it's important to remember the excellent job that teams like Larbre have done within the privateer context. Carsport Holland made some pretty rapid Vipers too, if only their modifications didn't tend to break.

Carsport America is, regardless of whatever else they are, the team running the fastest Viper GTS-R in the world to date.

[The Badger]

I never understood why an american team didnt run a Viper in the ALMS sooner ! It didnt seem to atract very much interest from home ... I miss it !!!

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by cmk

Oreca were logically the "best" team running the car because they were the factory-backed effort. They deserve praise completely, because they are a fabulous team, but it's important to remember the excellent job that teams like Larbre have done within the privateer context. Carsport Holland made some pretty rapid Vipers too, if only their modifications didn't tend to break.

Hezemans/Carsport used a Hollinger gearbox, which became soon the standard Viper racing gearbox.

[JAG]

Looking forward to seeing the two Belmondo Vipers at Silverstone. Maybe the last time to see them in an international event.

Funny, I was sick of them when there were a dozen of them thundering around in FIA GT.

[marcush.]

at first ,the vipers were fielded (at lemans) with little success and even in the first time oreca struggled ..weren´t they even switching from GT1 to GT2 back then?
I feel the new viper will be more like a GT3 thing and the discussions about how gt3 will happen clearlyhave an impact on how you can push forward with such a project.

[garry]

If you want to see an awsome Viper race, come to Silverstone on the 9/10th September when the Dutch Super Car Championship make their first visit to theis country. They have a wonderfull grid of cars with Porsche 996 bi turbo's, Vipers, Mosler, V8 Stars, Marcos etc. Also if anyone is interested in joining their races see the post on National Club Racing for details.

[Marcel ten Caat]

And this is how the Dutch Supercar Challenge Vipers look:
http://www.formule2.com/stranger/200...uscarworld.jpg
http://www.formule2.com/stranger/200...uscarworld.jpg

[lj79]

Originally Posted by Stranger

And this is how the Dutch Supercar Challenge Vipers look:
http://www.formule2.com/stranger/200...uscarworld.jpg
http://www.formule2.com/stranger/200...uscarworld.jpg

The blue one raced at Spa 24 in 2004. Nice car, but not very competitive

[Bramzel]

Not competative? It led it's class for 12 hours untill it blew the engine.

[stoney]

To quote one of my yoofs - it looks pretty minging...

[BSchneiderFan]

Have the rumours that ORECA was looking at the new Viper now been dismissed?

[tblincoe]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Have the rumours that ORECA was looking at the new Viper now been dismissed?

Don't know about ORECA, but I know on the ALMS boards a guy said his next door neighbor is a Dodge/Chrysler exec. and that he claimed the next generation Viper GTS-R will have an ACO race program beginning late 2006 with an aim at being full-song for 2007. How much weight you want to put in that is up to you...

[BSchneiderFan]

Interesting, interesting! Has anyone else heard any rumours about this?

[FIRE]

The Dodge brand will be relaunched in Europe in 2006. Maybe they will promote Dodge by a Oreca Dodge Viper at LM?

[lj79]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

Not competative? It led it's class for 12 hours untill it blew the engine.

Yep just checked programme. It was entered in the single make class!!! But it was only up against 4 GT3 Cups and that silly little Lotus

I thought it was in the National class gainst the SRT Corvette and PSI Porsches and M3 GTRs

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by lj79

Yep just checked programme. It was entered in the single make class!!! But it was only up against 4 GT3 Cups and that silly little Lotus

I thought it was in the National class gainst the SRT Corvette and PSI Porsches and M3 GTRs

This Viper of US Carworld is not a GTS-R but a SRT10 car.

[lj79]

Originally Posted by FIRE

This Viper of US Carworld is not a GTS-R but a SRT10 car.

I know. I saw it at Spa in 2004

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by lj79

Yep just checked programme. It was entered in the single make class!!! But it was only up against 4 GT3 Cups and that silly little Lotus

I thought it was in the National class gainst the SRT Corvette and PSI Porsches and M3 GTRs

That's also where Ratel is planning the car in his GT3-class plans. I think the Competition Coupe is a bit of a betweener. Not fast enough for GT1 or GT2, but too fast for GT3. Though I'm pretty sure they'll tune it down if it proves too dominant in GT3.