Acura/HPD's future plans

[joeb]

The location of the mirrors might be genius on the new HPD:





https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B66v8MXCcAAhuHy.jpg

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by joeb

The location of the mirrors might be genius on the new HPD:

Not sure if the driver can see it clearly, but that's an ingenious way of putting those mirrors!

[TF110]

Thatd be the only issue, if they can pass the mirror test in the rules.

[Japanese Samurai]

Why aren't there louvers to hide rear wheels in the rear end of the ARX-04b?

[Maverick248]

Very strange solution, I also think it's not the better way to see something.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by Maverick248

Very strange solution, I also think it's not the better way to see something.

Keeps them from getting knocked off by DPs, saves repair pitstops.

[Maelochs]

^ Painful Lol at a sadly true if likely inaccurate response.

Very disappointed by the ESM HPD at the Roar. I guess I was thinking of Highcroft and how they made their brand-new HPDs run right right out of the box. ESM is a Very different team. Still, I am sure the new HPD will eventually be as good as any other P2--and I love the look. It is weirdly proportioned and has those odd nostrils but still looks like it should be very fast.

ESM has less than two weeks to get the thing right. Not hoping for a lot from them, sadly.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

ESM has less than two weeks to get the thing right. Not hoping for a lot from them, sadly.

It will be their first race (24 hours at that) with less than 2 months of testing since the first car was assembled. What expectations would you realistically have for the car? I'd say if they can be running strong for the first 6 hours (a WEC race length) they will be encouraged. If they make it last 12 hours they will be happy, and if they make it 24 they will be thrilled.

[TF110]

Interesting little video

http://youtu.be/LBmuwOQqcAg

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

^ Painful Lol at a sadly true if likely inaccurate response.

Very disappointed by the ESM HPD at the Roar. I guess I was thinking of Highcroft and how they made their brand-new HPDs run right right out of the box. ESM is a Very different team. Still, I am sure the new HPD will eventually be as good as any other P2--and I love the look. It is weirdly proportioned and has those odd nostrils but still looks like it should be very fast.

ESM has less than two weeks to get the thing right. Not hoping for a lot from them, sadly.

It's just testing, it means nothing. Especially at this stage of the car development. And besides Roar is basically NASCAR version of spring FIA GT3 BoP tests at Paul Ricard, you don't want to be fast there.

Anyway the miraculous Highcroft car you probably speak most of - ARX-01e - only ran one race in history and even if amazing in race trim it wasn't particularly outstanding in one lap pace in prior testing and practice (not 2009 De Ferran qualifying miracles)

These new cost cap cars are not as diverse as the old ones anyway so you don't get class killers in P2 anymore, and particularly not on American side of the pond today

Oh and I still think ESM is just using Daytona and Sebring as pure reliability prep-up for WEC

[Ginaro Zukovsky]

Plus if we're talking about being fast at ALMS winter testing, didn't that take place at the end of January/start of February?

[Maelochs]

Not really trying to diss ESM. Scott Sharp and the rest talked at length about how they were going through each system, system by system, and then trying to get them all to work together, and even with a dedicated Honda engineer, it was a very slow process. I know they are trying, and I know they are not idiots or anything—the team's record proves that. Also, I know they didn't have the car for long, and hadn't even received the second one—I guess HPD was in a real rush as well, trying to get something ready to roll for the Roar.

What I said was that I was disappointed. Highcroft's first P1 HPD (the first wide-wheel car, I want to say the 03a but no time to check) was pretty quick out of the box and except for power-steering-pump issues (wide front tires) ran well on its first outing,. The year after (2010, I believe) they showed up at Sebring with a car they had only had for a week and finished second overall (yes, I know an Audi and Pug retired and others had accidents.)

I still feel like Highcroft had a better organization—maybe because there was more available cash? Not sure, but all I can really express are opinions. Fact? There is Google for all that.

Anyway ... I hadn't expected much of Krohn because they have never been really a thrat at the front (despite I think two Rolex wins and the driving of Nic Jonsson.) Krohn is a smaller team and takes longer to get results.

I had hoped ESM would come out fast. Just a hope. They didn't so I was disappointed. I am sure they will get it together given time. I had hoped, though, that they would be a player in the Rolex. They still might. We shall see.

As far as what might constitute success? I still expect to see Action express, Ganassi, and WTR fight it out, with VisitFlorida and Starworks close behind.

Shank did alright during the Roar, and the Ligier is a proven package, but it's a new car to the team, and but 24 hours is a long time. I haven't looked at trap times or sector times, so I don't know if the Ligier can really compete with a DP (Oak was quickest in Roar session in 2014, and totally out of luck in the race.)

If ESM shows up and runs and doesn't retire due to driver error, I guess that could be called success. Still, I like the team and would really like to see them get an upset win. Same with MSR, a team I liked since the Rolex series days, which never seemed to get lucvky—except at that One Rolex 24 (2012?) when Pruett dumped the transmission on pit lane near the end of the race and MSR won.

Whatever. I am hoping for an enjoyable Rolex 24 for as many fans and teams as possible, I guess.


Oh, and ALMS Winter Test was usually Wed-Sat/ the second week of Feb, I believe. Two days for Porsche Cup/Lites/Open Wheel, two days for ALMS.

[Japanese Samurai]

Unique front bulkhead of ARX-04b

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

I had hoped ESM would come out fast. Just a hope. They didn't so I was disappointed. I am sure they will get it together given time. I had hoped, though, that they would be a player in the Rolex. They still might. We shall see.

I wouldn't be that hard on them if you don't know the details about the car behind the scenes. :-)

-mike

[Deleted]

Smooth onboard from speedway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6G7zoX6sx4

Can't make any observations on the mirror front from that angle. Could use with rear monitor like the Strakka Dome did at Ricard in any case.

The cockpit does look slightly less crowded than in the Oak coupe

[joeb]

You could see the left mirror reflection a little, but a visor cam would give a better idea.

[Jack Spratt]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

I wouldn't be that hard on them if you don't know the details about the car behind the scenes. :-)

-mike

Bingo.

[chernaudi]

Does the ARX-04 use torsion bars or coil springs?

I see the silver colored areas on the front of the tub that look like places where a torsion bar is inserted, but there's also something inside the right side of the tub that look like a coil spring or wires.

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

I wouldn't be that hard on them if you don't know the details about the car behind the scenes. :-)



-mike

Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!

[Articus]

.

[carbon_titanium]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Smooth onboard from speedway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6G7zoX6sx4

Can't make any observations on the mirror front from that angle. Could use with rear monitor like the Strakka Dome did at Ricard in any case.

The cockpit does look slightly less crowded than in the Oak coupe

arx04 now uses a f1 style s.wheel, with that motec dashboard placed on left very far from s.wheel and driver eyes. Almost useless.

[Jam3s]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Does the ARX-04 use torsion bars or coil springs?

I see the silver colored areas on the front of the tub that look like places where a torsion bar is inserted, but there's also something inside the right side of the tub that look like a coil spring or wires.

Definitely a coilover damper front right there and the circular access holes which are open there will be to adjust the bump and rebound settings.

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

arx04 now uses a f1 style s.wheel, with that motec dashboard placed on left very far from s.wheel and driver eyes. Almost useless.

It's really not that far out of sight and will very much be clearly in his periphery. My guess is they would use it for warning and alarm details.

Not sure what dash system they are using, doesn't look like Motec though?

[Deleted]

I'd say it's motec C125 from that grainy view

[Jam3s]

Ooooh didn't realise they had upgraded from the ADL3, wonder if the 05 will use that system.

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

I wouldn't be that hard on them if you don't know the details about the car behind the scenes. :-)

-mike

Hope that whatever those issues were, they're something that will be beneficial to the HPD effort in the long-term. Would be great to see a couple more teams pick this as their machine of choice.

Issues or not, it would be harsh to judge ESM and the car on the basis of its first public test session, let alone race. Looking forward to seeing (on a screen) these cars run at Sebring, that will be a more appropriate time to see how the programme is developing IMO.