[WEC] Porsche Prototype Discussion

[Simmi]

I know they won't be pushing massively at test day - but surely they can keep their powder dry and still go quicker than anything we saw last year. The pace in the cars is that much greater I believe some of the above predictions are conservative.

Last year we got:
3:23:014 (#8 Toyota) at test day
3:21:789 (#7 Toyota) pole position

You can see the gap isn't that huge between the times. Ultimately it boils down to what you really think is possible out of these new cars. I'd think absolute worst case we'll see them around 3:18 at test day.

It will be fascinating!

[carbon_titanium]

usually during the test, best cars run close to the previous year pole or slightly better. Considering that, to me, toyota was already able to run under 3.21 last year, the target time for the test should be 3.19-3.20. But it won't be so unlikely to see a 3.18 from porsche.

[Spyderman]

I did some more analysis of sector times (Spa) and I found something quite interesting: The biggest improvement (proportionally) for the #18 Porsche in sector times was in sector 2 (the twisty bits).

Anyway - extrapolating the data (always a very dangerous thing to do) we should get an ideal race lap time of between 3:18.5 and 3:18.8 (for Porsche). I expect we will see quite a few race laps in the 3:19 area but mostly in the 3:20.

[Damian Baldi]

It's difficult to take a parameter from sector's time, because the electrical storage is not linear, so in one lap you could use all the stored energy in a sector, and do it in other sector in other lap.

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by Damian Baldi

It's difficult to take a parameter from sector's time, because the electrical storage is not linear, so in one lap you could use all the stored energy in a sector, and do it in other sector in other lap.

Although I see what you are getting at, surely that would be evident in the discrepancy between times in the same sector between the lap where you used the energy and the lap you did not?
Anyway, I used best sector times, so the basis is just one lap.
It's not very scientific but it, at best, gives us a slight indication of what to expect.

[Spyderman]

As of yesterday a 12 persons advance party have started setting up at Le Mans!
http://newsroom.porsche.com/en/motor...026-11027.html

I love the build up!

[Spyderman]

A nice column by Neel Jani (Google Translate): https://translate.google.com/transla...ein&edit-text==

[Spyderman]

First pictures of the preparation:

[Simmi]

The PR/branding/hospitality battle between manufacturers is always quite interesting to see when walking around Le Mans.

[Spyderman]

Big enough?

[Spyderman]

[Spyderman]

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Big enough?

Please excuse my blasphemy. When I first saw it from this angle and in these colors, I thought it was the Nissan. The Porsche has better angles and lines than this, IMO. I think the side profile with the gills is one of the best. And, I like the 917 the same way with that big tail.

[CyberMotor]

A question... why the blunt noses of the Porsche, Audi and Toyota?

Do the blunt noses add to the aerodynamics or is the shape an airplane packaging issue? The WEC flies its show around the world and packaging on an airplane has certain restrictions. Are the noses due to the most car that you can get into a crate or is it aero?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

A question... why the blunt noses of the Porsche, Audi and Toyota?

Do the blunt noses add to the aerodynamics or is the shape an airplane packaging issue? The WEC flies its show around the world and packaging on an airplane has certain restrictions. Are the noses due to the most car that you can get into a crate or is it aero?

Pretty sure it is aero and cooling and packaging of powertrain and suspension parts. Fitting on an airplane doesn't factor into the design!

[Spyderman]

Confirmation we will see the three cars in their respective colors on Test Day: http://newsroom.porsche.com/en/motor...056-11063.html

[alless]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Confirmation we will see the three cars in their respective colors on Test Day: http://newsroom.porsche.com/en/motor...056-11063.html

Cool!

Btw guys, can somebody explain me how did 2015 cars become 4 sec faster to last year?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by alless

Cool!

Btw guys, can somebody explain me how did 2015 cars become 4 sec faster to last year?

They were working hard in the off season! Overall efficiency improvements, aero, hybrid, engine and more.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Confirmation we will see the three cars in their respective colors on Test Day: http://newsroom.porsche.com/en/motor...056-11063.html

Just an observation but those are the colors of the old Imperial German flag.

[Ephaeton]

Also an observation: these colors have also been used for a later version of our flags, featuring a circle amidst. Now was there somewhere you were heading with this, bjohnsonsmith? Just curious..

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Ephaeton

Also an observation: these colors have also been used for a later version of our flags, featuring a circle amidst. Now was there somewhere you were heading with this, bjohnsonsmith? Just curious..

I get what you're suggesting but no, I'm not heading anywhere with this. I was just wondered by using the colors of the old Imperial flag, do Porsche see themselves as Germany's team as opposed to Audi?

[Ephaeton]

I wouldn't think so, because one could as well interpret the colors as an affinity to the other flag I mentioned (one which usually is meant when the imperial colors are flown, btw)
If they wanted to badge themselves "german", there are other colors that (especially after two football world cups) are acceptable to relate as a German to again (in public opinion).
I.e., no need for quirky, hidden meta-patriotism - if they wanted to be "the" german team, they'd just gone for "schwarz-rot-gold", IMHO.
So I have the firm belief, that the cars' colors, and the colors of these flags (and others: trinidad-tobago, or the yemen, or berlin (according to wikipedia)) coincidentally are the same.

[templer]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Just an observation but those are the colors of the old Imperial German flag.

Sorry, but this observation is more than poor. The flag you have added is the old flag of the Kaiser's empire. No person of modern germany will use this flag or its colours to show patriotism or prove to be "the" german works team. If you will implement this, you will choose the colours black, red, gold as already used by Porsche at LM 1986.

I think you should avoid discussions around Germany using the word Imperial or even more worse some things a few years past the Empire. No one want to conquer anything today. Not in politics and also not in motorsports !!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by templer

Sorry, but this observation is more than poor. The flag you have added is the old flag of the Kaiser's empire. No person of modern germany will use this flag or its colours to show patriotism or prove to be "the" german works team. If you will implement this, you will choose the colours black, red, gold as already used by Porsche at LM 1986.

I think you should avoid discussions around Germany using the word Imperial or even more worse some things a few years past the Empire. No one want to conquer anything today. Not in politics and also not in motorsports !!

Sorry to have touched a nerve, no offense was meant by this, I've been on 10-Tenths for too long, so my apologies.

[Pontlieue]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I get what you're suggesting but no, I'm not heading anywhere with this. I was just wondered by using the colors of the old Imperial flag, do Porsche see themselves as Germany's team as opposed to Audi?

Definitely not. The old imperial flag is mostly used by far right-wing people today (as using the Nazi flag is banned). No company would choose the old imperial colours to represent Germany. If anything, they would use black, red and yellow/gold. And even then, using the national flag or its colours is less common in Germany than in other countries.

Just wanted to clarify this, no offense taken.