Lmp675

[BSchneiderFan]

The LMP675 rules are soon to be superseded by a higher weight limit (750 kg?), and I think this is a shame. The whole point of LMP675 - or so I thought - was that it was a secondary category but one from which a car might, under exceptional circumstances, if well-prepared and well driven, win a race outright. The closest we ever saw, I think, was the pace of the works MGs at Le Mans (I'm exception the overall SR2 win in the SportsRacing World Cup - that's was a different rule book). Now the ACO will make an outright win all but impossible, as the weight differential between the premier and secondary prototype categories will be smaller.

Long story short, I think it's a shame. Thoughts?

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by BSchneiderFan
Now the ACO will make an outright win all but impossible, as the weight differential between the premier and secondary prototype categories will be smaller.

Long story short, I think it's a shame. Thoughts?

Yes, I tend to agree its a shame, but the LMP675s (the MG's in particular) have ended up suffering for their speed. The ACO doesn't want a win to come from elsewhere than the top class.

[paul-collins]

What MG should have done is sandbagged until they had their reliability sorted, then bonzai'ed the field.

[Lee Janotta]

Stupid ACO makes promises about the competitiveness, affordability and longevity of a class, and then... Oh, they changed their minds!

Typical French.

[veeten]

Would you rather have them produce chassis/engine rules ala Grand Am?
Look what it's done for the SRP II/GTS/AGT competivity against the DP's.

[Aysedasi]

No, the ACO's decisions are generally far more sensible.

[H16]

I don't think Rob Dyson will be happy. I seem to remember part of the deal to buy the MGs revolved around the thought that 675 would remain the same until at least 2005. Looks like he just wasted some serious cash to run around like the SRPII guys in the WSC formula, where a victory is out of the question unless it rains or attrition, like the wet Spa 2001 FIA race where a Lucchi (spelling wrong, sorry about that), Alfa won overall.

[JAG]

I read somewhere else that LMP675 is now expected to remane the same when the 2004 regulations are announced.

As for the IRM its also being made into an LMP900 so whatever happens to LMP675 the IRM should still be able to compete for overall wins if converted (if it is possible to convert it!)

[danhx]

It is possible to convert the IRM car since it was designed with both classes in mind, and since it weighed in at a husky 744 kg at Petit Le Mans it could probably be amazingly fast if they either get it down to under 700 kg or stick in a more powerful engine and bump it up to 900 kg... As far as the LMP675 weight limit goes, I keep hearing rumors heading in both directions; a bunch say they're going to 750 and many others say they've heard the ACO is sticking with 675. I hope for the teams' sake that they stay lighter since, as one of you said, guys like Rob Dyson have just dropped a massive wad on cars like the MG/Lola EX257 and Luc Alphand with the Courage C65. In my opinion it would be detrimental to the sport to change the weight limit, especially since the class is just starting to be able to push the LMP900 cars.

[H16]

Yes, the IRM/Reynard has been crash tested for both 900 and 675, though I think the design itself was proabably for a 675 that someone said "hey, we could add another couple hundred kilos and advertise it as a 900 as well". Easier to go from a 675 to a 900 as opposed to the first 675s which were about 100 lbs overweight and virtually slimmed down 900 machines.

Also, with a 900 to 675, you have to cut weight anywhere you can. With 675 to 900, you can add weight where you want, most likely on near the bottom.

[Sean Crockett]

The question I would ask about upping the weight from 675kg would be why would anyone bother to develop one.

Surely designing, building, testing, developing & running a good LMP675 cannot be much less than going for a LMP900; if the carrot of a possible overall win is taken away, why spend that money on trying for a class win, when a similar amount on a 900 could put you in the ballpark for overall honours?

I really think the ACO would be mad to increase the weight of the baby prototypes.

[H16]

Exactly. At least in SRPII, it was made clear from the begining that A) the car would, in normal conditions (ie no rain) not compete with SRP, and B) certain materials such as carbon tubs and particular engines were banned.

It was basically a class for the driver/team that wasn't quite financially or skill ready to step up to the bigger class.

When the 675 debuted in 2001, it was the Reynard VW, even though it didn't contend for outright victory, it was quick enough considering it was a slimmed down version of the unloved Reynard 2KQ LM with a small four cylinder engine, that convinced people that a true 675 could win overall.

To get a car down to 675 kilos, which is about the weight of a Formula One car, it takes exotic materials to build what is virtually (according to Steve Machect's view when he took a close look at the MG Lola) a two seater F1 car with bodywork. They are expensive, perhaps not outright as expensive as a 900, perhaps. If they add weight, the Lolas and Reynard/IRMs, Courages, etc, will still have to use exotic materials and still will cost about the same. It won't make sense and will effectively destroy the class.

It will be like the current DP VS GT in Grand Am. Why spend all that money for a car like that?