Audi LMP1 Discussion

[gwyllion]

I guess that he will make up his mind at the end of the year. If he wins Le mans, he can end his carreer in beautiy...

[CTD]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I guess that he will make up his mind at the end of the year. If he wins Le mans, he can end his carreer in beautiy...

Or Audi decided to make him stay

[fiend540]

So is this the permanent livery or is this just a hold over until the special livery they wanted to debut at lemans?

[sssssssss]

and what was so special about the livery, that they didn't want anyone to see it before this time?

oh, by the way, is it just me or is the shark fin going down towards the back of the car again in this paul ricard picture set, just like with the first phase of the r18?

[chernaudi]

Could be an illusion--like how I though that Audi had installed LED's in the rear wing strut that turned out to be the twilight sun reflecting off the rear of the strut with the tail facing the setting sun.

[sssssssss]

could be, but it looks like that to me in more than one picture.

although, looking at some others now... i think i was mistaken. i think it's the newer version.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I prefer the variation with some extra yellow accents that David Usal of endurance-crea.com made:

That is quite a bit nicer to my eyes as well.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by fiend540

So is this the permanent livery or is this just a hold over until the special livery they wanted to debut at lemans?

http://endurance-info.com/version2/a...ance-6976.html reports that there are rumors that the Joest Audis might have a different livery tomorrow.

[chernaudi]

I don't know if it's a mis-translation, but it says that one of the cars might change color schemes. If that's the case, I'll bet that the #1 will be the one that's changing--not only do I like it the least, unless there's been a change of policy, Audi's cars usually carry the same color scheme aside from highlights (mirrors, wings, and windshield banners in the case of the R18).

Of course, the only photo that Speed got of a R18 was one with a tarp over it.

[gwyllion]

I guess that the fact that all the R18 are covered, fired up the rumour of a surprise livery.

[CTD]

It's a bit ridiculous, why would Audi even bother to paint their cars for 1 private test, and then change the livery again, a bit later.

I don't believe it.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

http://endurance-info.com/version2/a...ance-6976.html reports that there are rumors that the Joest Audis might have a different livery tomorrow.

Oh, that must be because I tweeted that EnuranceCREA picture to McNish earlier today

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by CTD

It's a bit ridiculous, why would Audi even bother to paint their cars for 1 private test, and then change the livery again, a bit later.

I don't believe it.

I actually don't see many changes in that policy from previous years. Audi has always tested their cars with sponsor logos on them, and at the Monza private test in '10, one R15 was fully painted, and the other switched from bare carbon to being painted aside from the nose at one stage.

Unless Audi has more decals to add (which I do think has replaced paint on most of the graphics that LMPs use--F1 and NASCAR stock cars feature decal based graphics over either a base color or are all decal), we might see the #1's color scheme flip-flopped to conform with the #2 and #3, and maybe something else, as I do think that the color scheme is a bit incomplete.

[gwyllion]

I doubt it because Audi really focussed on the #1 livery in the latest press release:

The livery of the three Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18 TDI cars is dominated by puristic carbon fiber. The car of last year’s Le Mans winners carrying start number "1” even runs in the characteristic black of the extremely light and, at the same time, high-strength material, which also plays an increasingly important role in the development of new production cars.

[chernaudi]

What other changes could there be if this is the theme that Audi wants to stick with? Only reason why Audi would run one car with a different (inverted) paint scheme to all the rest of the R18s is either to signify a different entry name (Audi Sport North America, which I believe is actually supposed to be the #3, which is irrelevant--we all know that they're all Joest cars in reality), or that the #1 was last year's race winning driving team.

Either that, or Audi may have another sponsor deal, which I don't think is very likely, but that may be a possibility.

[Gingers4Justice]

I don't get the issue with the livery.

The two silver cars are running in their national colours. Who would say no to Germany vs France with Audi in Silver and France in blue?

I also think liveries should reflect the manufacturer. Audi is not an arty sort of manufacturer. A corporate livery is just Audi being themselves.

And Audi probably wanted to delay their livery launch initially to make more of a buzz about their lightweight technology stuff. They're racing more for publicity than they are to satisfy the small number of us hardcore fans.

[gwyllion]

No surprise livery. The #1 car has the same colour scheme as the pictures that Audi sent 2 days ago: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...3290427&type=1

[gwyllion]

Small correction... One small surprise: http://www.endurance-info.com/2011_Le_Mans/Alboreto.jpg

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...o.php?page=728 and http://pitlane-vision.com/fils-dactu...e-soleil-.html have quite some pictures of the R18, of course all with the body work still on...

BTW I expect that this weekend nobody will be able to take pictures of the Audi and Peugeot without rear bodywork. I think that the cars will be pushed in the garage whenever changes will be made at the rear.
Because this year is the first with the new cars, the game with the blankets and screens is on.

[gwyllion]

A cockpit shot: http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...4-DSCF9087.JPG

[Adam43]

I love the ducting.

[gwyllion]

John Dagys did a short interview with McNish: http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...audis-r18-tdi/

An intriguing quote:


“I don’t think anybody will be holding anything back,” McNish said. “You’ve got the time and luxury of [testing], otherwise you’re just reducing your chances of doing something in the race. As much as I’ve read about people saying, ‘Oh they’re sandbagging’, I’ve never done that. And it’s not been part of what we do. To me it leads you to a false end.”

Somehow Allan has not fully convinced me

[MulsanneMike]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

John Dagys did a short interview with McNish: http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...audis-r18-tdi/

An intriguing quote:

Somehow Allan has not fully convinced me

Well I don't doubt Allan hasn't sandbagged...Audi engineers on the other hand...little tweak of the engine management and viola, 50 hp disappears...

[gwyllion]

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/audi-r18-tdi/ has the first picture of the R18 engine. The exhaust appears to be running between the cilinder banks, but the location of the turbo(s) is not visible...

[gwyllion]

Baretzky is really advocating the Audi ultra brand

Here a brief chat with Ulrich Baretzky proved as refreshing as ever, never one to mince his words he voiced his opinion that leight-weight is the true route to efficiency and that hybrids were a scam.

source: http://www.racecar-engineering.com/b...french-affair/

[chernaudi]

And it seems that the R18's gearbox casing features a carbon bellhousing (no surprise) and maybe a carbon top plate that can be removed to allow access to the internals.

Interesting how they've packaged that and the electronics to get around having the exhaust routed above the gearbox casing. Otherwise, the R18's gearbox from that engine shot seems to be fairly conventional.

And it's said that the engine has a wide V angle--so it's at least 90 degrees, if not 120.