Sportscar/GT (and Le Mans) Rumours and Repetition

[gregtummer]

I thought I read somewhere that for 2014 older cars were grandfathered in?

[TF110]

I'll go out on a limb here, and say what if they run the Lotus T128? It may be LMP2, but they have stated in the PR that it could run LMP1. AND, Lotus is the main sponsor on Rebellion's cars Just a wild theory.

[Maelochs]

Rebellion Timepieces is Rebellion Racing's main sponsor.

I seriously don't see the team spending money on a new car of a different variety. As far as I know, P2s are legal until 2015 but I haven;'t hwear anything about P1s being grandfathered.

Since Rebellion has three Lola chassis, it would make more sense to try to buy another team's old Lola than to buy something completely new and untested, plus all the spares needed, and then try to develop it ... after all, they have made it clear that winds and good performance is what the sponsor wants. Starting from scratch and spending a third of the season figuring out the new car wouldn't be worth it (IMO.)

I don't see where the press release suggests a whole new car anyway. What IO read led me to believe that Rebellion wants to win races and maybe a championship to get publicity, and will finish fifth in WEC just to be in a World championhsip, If they can raise some extra cash to cover the extra crew.

Seems to me the team's prime thrust in ALMS, where they can actually garner headlines and good promotional material ("best of the also-rans" just isn't a strong tagline) and would still be willing to race in WEC but they don't have enough cash left over after budgeting for ALMS.

[Tzyghan]

Originally Posted by TF110

I'll go out on a limb here, and say what if they run the Lotus T128? It may be LMP2, but they have stated in the PR that it could run LMP1. AND, Lotus is the main sponsor on Rebellion's cars Just a wild theory.

Lotus LMP1, if it come true, will start in 2014 season, with new technics regulations. They are thinking about that - but for now, there is nothing more that LMP2 class.

[Tim the Grey]

The LMP2s are run by Kolles, and have NOTHING to do with the P1 Rebellion operation? Yes, there's lots of black and gold, and LOTUS going on, but then Lotus has been pimped out by it's current owners. Time was, anything with a Lotus badge on it WAS a Lotus. Not anymore...

Anyway, Is it feasible to take a P2 Lola tub, and build it up into a P1 car??? Certainly Rebellion had unique features seen on no other Lolas.

[Pandamasque]

I'm pretty sure Rebellion aren't going to make any moves from Lola for 2013.

As for Lotus being a big sponsor there, I really doubt there's anything much more in it than just a cool historic livery that comes with brand heritage and recognition to attract actual sponsors, who'd rather like their logos to be associated with Lotus brand than, say, JRM.
By the way Kodewa's Lotus car has no relation to Lotus Group either, it's only called Lotus for reasons I mentioned above.

[MitchZ06]

Rebellion already said they'll be running the Lolas in 2013, why is this being even discussed?

[Tzyghan]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

Rebellion already said they'll be running the Lolas in 2013, why is this being even discussed?

Probably because of Lola Cars problems...

[gwyllion]

And because Sam Collins suspects that they might use a different chassis in WEC:

Originally Posted by @racecarengineer

Very carefully worded press release from Rebellion hints at them running a different chassis in WEC, with a Lola in ALMS

source: https://twitter.com/RacecarEngineer/...37437840076801

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by TF110

I'll go out on a limb here, and say what if they run the Lotus T128? It may be LMP2, but they have stated in the PR that it could run LMP1. AND, Lotus is the main sponsor on Rebellion's cars Just a wild theory.

I thought Rebellion were just sponsored by a Swiss Lotus dealer, not Lotus itself.

[pablocomics]

Rebellion has the Lola chassis confirmed for the ALMS, but according with Endurance-info´s recent interview, they didn´t confirm anything about WEC. They are studiyng it, nothing more.

The situation is pretty simple to explain, we are in december and there are no news comming from Lola. No new aerodinamic pack, no new car, anythyng but empty blahblahblah... There was news about Multimatic taking control over lola, but the old lola owners also said that they still have the control of the company, that´s very confusing.

Rebellion has 3 functional Lola chassis, that´s enough for a complete succesfull one car seasson in ALMS. Although without the LOLA spare parts that isn´t enough for a complete WEC+ALMS (even with a 1 car effort in WEC).

...and the Dome is out there, you can call me crazy now

[MitchZ06]

It's been said before that parts are still available for Lolas, just at a reduced rate.

[Tzyghan]

Originally Posted by pablocomics

Rebellion has the Lola chassis confirmed for the ALMS, but according with Endurance-info´s recent interview, they didn´t confirm anything about WEC. They are studiyng it, nothing more.

The situation is pretty simple to explain, we are in december and there are no news comming from Lola. No new aerodinamic pack, no new car, anythyng but empty blahblahblah... There was news about Multimatic taking control over lola, but the old lola owners also said that they still have the control of the company, that´s very confusing.

Rebellion has 3 functional Lola chassis, that´s enough for a complete succesfull one car seasson in ALMS. Although without the LOLA spare parts that isn´t enough for a complete WEC+ALMS (even with a 1 car effort in WEC).

...and the Dome is out there, you can call me crazy now

They're coming to Sebring with two Lolas - and about WEC, from Mathias Beche words you can think, that both series (ALMS and WEC) are in Rebellion plans. In my opinion - one car in WEC and ALMS is possible. And about Dome - what exactly do you think about that? Rebellion will buy 102.5 from Pescarolo?

If I was crazy, I would rather think about buying TS030 from Toyota

[pablocomics]

Originally Posted by Tzyghan

They're coming to Sebring with two Lolas - and about WEC, from Mathias Beche words you can think, that both series (ALMS and WEC) are in Rebellion plans. In my opinion - one car in WEC and ALMS is possible. And about Dome - what exactly do you think about that? Rebellion will buy 102.5 from Pescarolo?

If I was crazy, I would rather think about buying TS030 from Toyota

I though that Pescarolo did just runed that car for a couple of races, but they didn´t was the owner of the car, Dome was. The aren´t even the owners of the Pesca 03

I was just wondering about the Dome car, really I think that there are really low posibilities for that. I don´t really think that Dome will be back before 2014, but....

[Lorenzo S]

Originally Posted by Tzyghan

...And about Dome - what exactly do you think about that? Rebellion will buy 102.5 from Pescarolo?...

I don't think Pescarolo owns anything from Dome. Minoru Hayashi funded the entire 102.5 redesign project and the car was merely run by the Pescarolo team.

Edit: Must learn to type faster!

[Tzyghan]

Originally Posted by pablocomics

I though that Pescarolo did just runed that car for a couple of races, but they didn´t was the owner of the car, Dome was. The aren´t even the owners of the Pesca 03

I was just wondering about the Dome car, really I think that there are really low posibilities for that. I don´t really think that Dome will be back before 2014, but....

That is why I would think about Toyota's TS030. But, to be sure - I'm not crazy

[pablocomics]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

It's been said before that parts are still available for Lolas, just at a reduced rate.

Yes, zero would be a reduced rate Just kidding, but a profesional team like Rebellion needs some warantees and I dont feel like Lola could warantee anything now (I´d like to be wrong).

Probably that's the big reason to didn't have anything confirmed on WEC

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by pablocomics

Yes, zero would be a reduced rate Just kidding, but a profesional team like Rebellion needs some warantees and I dont feel like Lola could warantee anything now (I´d like to be wrong).

Probably that's the big reason to didn't have anything confirmed on WEC

Multimatic will be producing spares for Lola teams next year.

[Simmi]

I've seen a few forumers tweeting about it but not seen this posted on here yet.

Autosport yesterday said that DAMS are looking hard at GTE Pro and want to ultimately run a WEC factory project as early as 2014.

So I suppose the questions are who could they link up with and will they run something in the interim to gain experience. A 'Pro' Corvette has been mooted a few times for the WEC next year. Could DAMS be a good team to run a parallel programme to Pratt & Miller?

[Tzyghan]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I've seen a few forumers tweeting about it but not seen this posted on here yet.

Autosport yesterday said that DAMS are looking hard at GTE Pro and want to ultimately run a WEC factory project as early as 2014.

So I suppose the questions are who could they link up with and will they run something in the interim to gain experience. A 'Pro' Corvette has been mooted a few times for the WEC next year. Could DAMS be a good team to run a parallel programme to Pratt & Miller?

That's possible, because DAMS was using Cadillac prototypes in Le Mans series... Of course, those prototypes were created by Riley, not P&M - but there is something connecting DAMS and Corvette, General Motors in all. But on the other side - it would be only an European Corvette project, in 24h Le Mans competing with P&M team - and in that situation, P&M will start as a factory team...

Other possibilities? Porsche comes with Manthey, BMW for now comes only with RLL, Ferrari has their fighters in AF Corse... It could be Aston Martin, starting with not one, but two cars in GTE-Pro.

Or maybe, if it's true, the factory team for McLaren and it's expected MP4-12C GTE?

[MitchZ06]

DAMS won't be involved with McLaren.

[GT3.14]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

DAMS won't be involved with McLaren.

They are already running one.

[MitchZ06]

McLaren as a factory team...

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

As far as I know, P2s are legal until 2015 but I haven;'t hwear anything about P1s being grandfathered.

Can't actually find it from the draft regs (might be just Ctrl+F-ing for wrong words), but apparently it is there somewhere:

First off, all current 2012-2013 spec LMP1 machinery will be grandfathered for at least the first season, providing teams with a transition year before purchasing new equipment.

+ http://assets.speedtv.com/images/art...mg_xlarge6.jpg

@ http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...egulations/P2/

And has been in the plans ever since the announcement in June:
http://i.imgur.com/G6XCG.png
@ http://www.lemans.org/wpphpFichiers/...ation_2014.pdf

[Maelochs]

I hate to argue, but it simply cannot be true. it makes too much sense for a real ACO rule. Dagys must have translated something wrong.