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ALMS/LMS/Le Mans 2008
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(227 posts, started )
#176 - X-Ter
Oh my... Glad the guy is ok!
#177 - Speedy Pro
Quite a shunt! Glad Marc is OK. Hope the organizers allow Peugeot build another car for this year's event.
#178 - deggis
Quote from Speedy Pro :Quite a shunt! Glad Marc is OK. Hope the organizers allow Peugeot build another car for this year's event.

Well... Peugeot is French, no problem But seriously, as far as I've understood getting a new chassis is just matter of getting the paper work done and doing new scrutineering. If this had happened in qualifying then it would not be allowed I guess.
#179 - ATC Quicksilver
Came across the video on youtube just now, I didn't know the story so I thought it was a fatal accident, it looked like he hit the concrete wall roof first, and the last time I saw one like that was in the IRL and the guy died instantly.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67948

Amazing that he survived, let alone with just a fractured toe.
#180 - Primoz
Whoa, big shunt.
#181 - deggis
ACO's annual press conference:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/68235
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/68236

http://www.planetlemans.com/20 ... -annual-press-conference/

http://www.endurance-info.com/article.php?sid=5797 (crappy Google translation)

Most interesting points:

-Maximum displacement raised to 7 L for GT1 homologated engines in LMP1 cars... now look at the current GT1 grid and point out the yellow, American car which happens to have 7 litre engine.

-"LMP1 Evo" is still in the plans and set of rules will be published in November. Gordon Murray has been involved in the project.

-FIA homologated hybid technologies. I hope that has nothing to do with the "KERS" regs that FIA has planned for F1.
#182 - srdsprinter
Quote from ATC Quicksilver :Came across the video on youtube just now, I didn't know the story so I thought it was a fatal accident, it looked like he hit the concrete wall roof first, and the last time I saw one like that was in the IRL and the guy died instantly.

Greg Moore I believe you were thinking of. He raced in CART still.

Hats off to Pug for building a tank of a car.


On topic,

At least the production vette C6 ZO6 now has a 7.0 liter. When they first allowed it (to fight the Viper's 8ltr V10), the production C5 only had a 6.0, making it rediculous.
#183 - Speedy Pro
Not sure if this has been asked before, but anyone know the size of teams' annual budgets in ALMS or LMS? I'd be interested to see variations between the different classes. I'm especially curious what the privateer teams spend per season.
#184 - deggis
Quote from Speedy Pro :Not sure if this has been asked before, but anyone know the size of teams' annual budgets in ALMS or LMS? I'd be interested to see variations between the different classes. I'm especially curious what the privateer teams spend per season.

I have been curious about this too, not much official numbers available. "Couple of millions" for a private P1/P2 team would be good guess. Factory programs little bit more, for example it was reported that Peugeot program had $150 million budget over three years perioid.

Here it says Autocon Motorsports has a budget of $1.2 million. Also says Audi budget $15 million - but that must only mean what the Champion Racing aka Audi Sport North America in ALMS uses for running the car whole year - all development etc. can't be realistically included in that! In Radio Le Mans it was said some time ago that VM Motorsports has so far spent £6 millions (11 m usd)... and they're running one RS Spyder, so gives some idea what Dyson not to mention Penske must be spending.
#185 - Speedy Pro
deggis, "couple of millions" (whatever that really means) for P1/P2 seems a little bit low. I've asked on another forum and a guy said that "according to his sources" Chamberlain Synergy has an annual budget of ~$40-50M, which is up there with the Peugeot ($150/3 years). Of course, I don't know how reliable these numbers are. It seems like a lot of money for what is basically a customer chassis that isn't even close to the front runners.

In this year's 24h LeMans broadcast on Speed the commentators mentioned that the Aston Martin team would like to return to ALMS, but can't find the funding. Considering their past successes and the brand cachet, I would venture a guess that it costs quite a bit to run in ALMS, even in a GT1 car.

Thanks for your links!
#186 - samjh
I'm guessing that the top LMP1 factory teams (ie. Audi and Peugeot) are probably close to the lower or mid-field F1 teams (ie. in the range of US$70-120 million).

Top-ranked national touring car teams can spend more than US$15 million (eg. the Australian V8 Supercar series), so the factory GT-class teams probably spend at least that much, considering how advanced their cars are.
#187 - ATC Quicksilver
Quote from srdsprinter :Greg Moore I believe you were thinking of. He raced in CART still.


Yes you are correct, I saw it at like 10am in the morning before going to work, so I didn't have time to actually see what series it was, I just assumed it was IRL because it was on an oval. It is without doubt the worst accident I have ever seen in motorsport.
#188 - BenjiMC
I have a video called lap of the gods, Martin short, who runs the car for roll centre racing said it costs about 1 mil
#189 - deggis
Quote from Speedy Pro :deggis, "couple of millions" (whatever that really means) for P1/P2 seems a little bit low. I've asked on another forum and a guy said that "according to his sources" Chamberlain Synergy has an annual budget of ~$40-50M, which is up there with the Peugeot ($150/3 years). Of course, I don't know how reliable these numbers are. It seems like a lot of money for what is basically a customer chassis that isn't even close to the front runners.

Yes, that sounds simply too crazy and unrealistic. Must be an error.

Also running ALMS is probably more costly as there are twice as many races than in LMS (only 5). Costly for Audi as they're running cars in both series. I wonder how much staff, resources etc. that were previously dedicated to ALMS/Champion Racing has been now dedicated to LMS/Joest Racing.

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#190 - Primoz
#191 - deggis
#192 - deggis
#193 - BenjiMC
LMS is back in action this weekend. 1000km of nurb. It is meant to be on eurosport for a total of 3 or 4 hours and the whole race on motors TV.
#194 - deggis
#195 - Sueycide_FD
The audi only has 1 place to really strech it's legs at this track, so it will come down to if the 908 can actually hold in piece not very good at it in longer races...

That and traffic will play a BIG deal, as they may run into slower cars by lap 3-6.
#196 - Speedy Pro
#197 - MAGGOT
Anyone headed to the ALMS round at Mosport this weekend? I'm supposed to be camping there, but I'm not sure if we will be or not, yet. Still be there either way, though.
#198 - deggis
#199 - Speedy Pro
I loved the qualifying. Pretty intense battle among the top cars. It's just a bit of a pity that we only see the top runners, but none of the midfield pack. I was also kind of puzzled by the way the final results were displayed. Instead of showing lap times, they were displaying the average speed over the lap...WTF? And what's up with only showing top 5 cars in class?

The broadcasts need improvement, IMO, but even as is, it's great to be able to watch qualifying. The commentators were extremely enthusiastic

And for those who missed it (but still give a damn), SPEED will do a similar thing for next week's Detroit GP. Qualifying is on Friday at 4:30 US Eastern time.
#200 - deggis
Quote from Speedy Pro :I was also kind of puzzled by the way the final results were displayed. Instead of showing lap times, they were displaying the average speed over the lap...WTF? And what's up with only showing top 5 cars in class?

I guess because it's only shown on the net there's no point to totally revamp the graphics... but in races they show the "class leader" screen graphics very often... like someone actually gave a shit about P1 or GT1 leader Could instead show overall top 4.

Hopefully it becomes a standard to show the qualifying. If Speed wasn't FOX's junkyard for Nascar programs, maybe they even could show it on the network too.

Sometimes the tv directing sucks ass. Of course it's hard when there are 4 classes but in Lime Rock, can't remember who but there were two P2 cars battling for position and just coming to the first corner and suddenly the camera starts to show a lone GT2 car And the pass was never shown.

Quote :The broadcasts need improvement, IMO, but even as is, it's great to be able to watch qualifying. The commentators were extremely enthusiastic

John "Hindy" Hindhaugh (from Radio Le mans) gets little bit too excited sometimes
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ALMS/LMS/Le Mans 2008
(227 posts, started )
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