Sportscar/GT (and Le Mans) Rumours and Repetition

[AGD]

Minassian is looking to nail down a P2 seat. Also, Montagny is hopeful that Loeb Racing will hire him to race. I still think it would be a hoot if Audi hired Montagny. I mean, why not? If AJ Foyt could hire Jeff Andretti to drive for him at Indy just a few months after AJ had this to say about Jeff's ability, why not a marriage of Montagny and Ullrich? Granted, the car Andretti was driving from the Foyt stable had a wheel break loose causing Jeff to hit the turn two wall at Indianapolis head on at a very fast pace causing serious injury. Perhaps that was just AJ's form of revenge. As far as sports cars go, I wonder if AJ and that "complete idiot" Oscar Larrauri ever kissed and made up.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by AGD

I still think it would be a hoot if Audi hired Montagny. I mean, why not?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xipnO9gofhI

[AGD]

I know what was said, but I also know what AJ Foyt said about Jeff Andretti in October 1991. By May 1992, Jeff was driving for AJ. Was AJ talking out of his arse in anger? Well, probably (though Jeff Andretti really did suck), but that's pretty much what Ullrich was saying. Either Montagny did nothing wrong or he forced Dumas into making an error. Ullrich wasn't happy with the result and he'll speak ill of him as long as he drives for the competition. If he's available, why not at least consider him? He's won some races and can cause the opposition to screw up. Hey, do you want that on the other side again or do you want him on your side? Especially when you're own drivers are so error prone?

I don't expect Montagny to drive for Audi. There might be other Peugeot vagabonds who are more fit for the job and even then I'm not sure if any of those will get hired by Audi. Nonetheless, Ullrich would be foolish not to consider the option. I'm sure (or I'd hope at least) that he would be more reasonable once the red mist has subsided.

Of course, as far as ole' jolly AJ goes, maybe Jeff Andretti was bringing some Gillette money or something like that. AJ loves his pay drivers, even the POS foreign ones like Marco Greco!

[gwyllion]

Remember that the disrespect between Audi/Ullrich and Montagny is mutual. Last year Montagny said that the R18 "looks too fat to be fast"
See http://www.racer.com/montagny-the-au...rticle/202221/

[AGD]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Remember that the disrespect between Audi/Ullrich and Montagny is mutual. Last year Montagny said that the R18 "looks too fat to be fast"

Well, I don't think Ullrich should hold the truth against Montagny, but I guess he can if he wants to! As for Montagny, well, I'm sure he'd be more than willing to give the dicke frau a ride in June given his current prospects.

I remember a couple of years ago when Bruno Junqueira called his team (Dale Coyne I think) a bunch of garbage after a bad qualifying session. He still did a number of races for them afterwards! I also remember Marco Greco and Fermin Valez essentially calling Andy Evans an idiot after an IRL race at Texas in 1997. Well, on second thought, I'm not sure if either of those actually raced for Evans again. But, hey, who hasn't called Andy Evans an idiot once, twice, or a couple of hundred times? He's heard worse around IMSA garages, that's for sure.

[MitchZ06]

I remember when Prost said a truck would handle better than his Ferrari F1 car, he kept his....oh wait nevermind....

[Coach Ep]

This is suggesting we could see a works run Porsche in the WEC as early as Autumn next year! http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/m...3-4419263.html

[deggis]

Sounds like a similar strategy than VW is doing in WRC: this year they the upcoming works team is running a S2000 Skoda.

[Spyderman]

This is typically Porsche. Methodical, precise and planned.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

This is typically Porsche. Methodical, precise and planned.

I like the sound of this. Looks like we will see Porsche AG on the Le Mans entrylist in 2013 with a works GT too. Will be interesting to see if they can somehow get the hybrid there? Not sure how they'd do it without the 56th entry.

I wonder what prototype they would use after that?

[MitchZ06]

918RSR 2.0 for 2013 Garage 56? Ah dreaming....

[Spyderman]

My thoughts too.

[gustavobamba]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

918RSR 2.0 for 2013 Garage 56? Ah dreaming....

Excuse me but in 2013 they will have the third generation of their hybrid system, so ... 918RSR 3.0 for 2013 Garage 56

[Fogelhund]

I doubt that Porsche will be entering a LMP for 2013, or later this year, given their stated goal is to build a 2014 rules car, and the 2014 rules are unlikely to be complete.

I'd agree it could be the 918, though competing as an exhibition car in WEC?

[Mal]

The article talks about doing some races in 2013 for training purposes subject to suitable exemptions.

[Spyderman]

GT Class entry for Le Mans and LMP1 (if authorized) at the end of the 2013 season.

[Jameson]

Aren't works teams forbidden in GTE?

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Jameson

Aren't works teams forbidden in GTE?

Um... Corvette Racing? Maybe in GTE-Am they would be forbidden, but not in GTE-Pro.

[alexkiller8]

work teams were not allowed to score points (that is different from not allowed to run) in FIA GT, even if there have always been teams less private than others, ex. vitaphone, af corse, prospeed etc....

[gwyllion]

The term GTE automatically implies an ACO governed series (ELMS, ALMS, WEC) and there works teams are allowed. That is the whole point of distinction between GTE Pro and GTE Am. Of course Blancpain is another matter...

[MitchZ06]

Originally Posted by Mal

The article talks about doing some races in 2013 for training purposes subject to suitable exemptions.

Suitable exemptions like ACO agreeing to let the 918RSR run unclassified? With the hybrid system running on it it would definitely be a training situation as they can make the car P2 pace quite easily and learn about the hybrid system in a much faster car than the 911.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

The term GTE automatically implies an ACO governed series (ELMS, ALMS, WEC) and there works teams are allowed. That is the whole point of distinction between GTE Pro and GTE Am. Of course Blancpain is another matter...

The article on Auto Motor und Sport doesn't say GTE, it says GT. Don't know if that makes a difference.

[FstrthnU]

http://www.automobilemag.com/feature...ley/index.html

BIG NEWS, Bentley says they could rotate with Audi and Porsche in the WEC over the next couple of years

[MitchZ06]

Audi - P1 2013
Porsche - GT 2013
Bentley - GT 2014
Audi - P1 2014
Porsche - P1 2014
Bentley - P1 2015
Audi - GT 2015
Porsche - P1 2015

Rotation?

Maybe the new V8 Conti is a nod ahead towards a future GTE car? Who knows....

[AGD]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

BIG NEWS, Bentley says they could rotate with Audi and Porsche in the WEC over the next couple of years

Are you sure that he is talking about the WEC and not something else like F1? First he says no to Le Mans, then he starts talking about some unnamed world series.