Sportscar/GT (and Le Mans) Rumours and Repetition

[CTD]

Originally Posted by AGD

In other news, the President of Mazda hinted at a return to Le Mans during a speech at the LA Auto Show:



http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/motorsh...te_speech.html

Of course, that does not mean all that much. Is he talking about the AER MZR-R? The rumored (and supposedly shelved) Skyactiv petrol and diesel engines? P1 or P2? Who knows.

Also the phrase "Could be on the cards" is an very vague way of saying that if Mazda continues to experience growth and sees an opportunity to gain a surplus (in marketing value) of running in Le Mans, they will think about doing it .

But of course, a statement like this is only good as he could have said nothing about it.
Personally i think a Le Mans return could be possible, but most likely in GT2 with the RX8 replacement.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by CTD

Personally i think a Le Mans return could be possible, but most likely in GT2 with the RX8 replacement.

Is there a planned successor for the RX8?

Of course, Mazda was last "at" Le Mans with OAK in 2010. Ok, that was just Mazda France sponsoring the car, but Mazda has a history of being cheap. Their idea of being back at Le Mans might be to just badge OAK's Judds or something like that.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by AGD

Is there a planned successor for the RX8?

Of course, Mazda was last "at" Le Mans with OAK in 2010. Ok, that was just Mazda France sponsoring the car, but Mazda has a history of being cheap. Their idea of being back at Le Mans might be to just badge OAK's Judds or something like that.

Well sort of.
Rumors was strong before the crush, and development of an actual successor was/is likely a slowly paced program. But Mazda has said that the Rotary isn't dead and that they will continue the development of it.
But the lack of market for a sportscar bigger than the Mx-5 is likely the main blow. But this is likely changed with the FT-86 from Toyota and Subaru, i don't think Mazda will allow Toyota and Subaru take the market completely. Besides Nissan is having marketing success with the GT-R, this could also be an aim for Mazda.

Any case, a Mazda return to Le Mans will in my mind only happen with a rotary!

[AGD]

I found some more quotes:

“I’m not saying we will participate in Le Mans, but most people know that the companies that win use diesel, and our SKYACTIV technology is very efficient and gives strong torque.

“Unfortunately right now the Yen situation is putting huge pressure on profitability, but once the Yen improves or the situation is overcome then we will give a desire to return more actively to motorsport.”

http://www.caradvice.com.au/146625/m...-continue-ceo/

According to that same article, Mazda is still committed to rotary engines and has a RX-8 replacement on the horizon. So, anyway, perhaps a Le Mans program isn't imminent at the moment but could happen in the future.

[marcosgt]

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

I really wish Dome would come back! That's by far my favourite Lmp of recent years.

If it is with Inoue I hope they stay well away from marshall cars though.

I have a soft spot for Dome too, not least because they were at my first Le Mans

http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...-06-10-007.jpg

The S102 was a good looking car, but the Euskadi was prettier (and mean looking in black) - I'd love to see them back.

I'd love to see a Mazda rotary back at Le Mans, but I don't imagine there's a GT2 RX8-replacement coming any time soon!

M

[Tim the Grey]

Rotary Diesel? That could be fun.

[Livininthinair]

A Rotary engine could be used under the 2014 energy equivalency rules due to there being no mandate on displacement or # of cylinders ect. Rotary engines are not that great for fuel economy but poss. coupled with a hybrid/KERS system who knows. We may see all kinds of engine designs come forward due to more freedom in design...


Rotary diesel - not so sure, I wonder what that would sound like...

Didn't Subaru have a diesel boxer engine on the drawing board last year, seemed to fall off the radar though.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Livininthinair

Didn't Subaru have a diesel boxer engine on the drawing board last year, seemed to fall off the radar though.

It's running in the Legacy - have been for more than a year now.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Livininthinair

A Rotary engine could be used under the 2014 energy equivalency rules due to there being no mandate on displacement or # of cylinders ect. Rotary engines are not that great for fuel economy but poss. coupled with a hybrid/KERS system who knows. We may see all kinds of engine designs come forward due to more freedom in design...

Mazda has had Hydrogen powered RX8's on the road for a few years in Norway, and 5 years in Japan. Maybe that could work with a fuel efficiency formula.

[deggis]

Not forgetting this: http://www.dailysportscar.com/viewAr...A17046717C6413

...minus Mazda. Most unlikely anyway, but those comments from the auto show would be a bit weird just before of an official announcement. Right?

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Asa

Audi and Peugeot can sell their current cars off to private teams to enter in Petit. Toyota doesn't even have to go to Bahrain since it is not a full season entry AFAIK. So we could still see the big guns fight at Road Atlanta, just not the full works teams.

I think that is a daydream. Audi & Pug has not shown great interest in customer cars let alone one-off attempts and secondly, the team comprises pretty large part of the big gun equation.

[Asa]

Originally Posted by deggis

I think that is a daydream. Audi & Pug has not shown great interest in customer cars let alone one-off attempts and secondly, the team comprises pretty large part of the big gun equation.

ORECA does have a 908 HDi FAP. Kolles ran a pair of R10s also last year. Yeah these are not at the level of the works teams but it is not like there is no recent precedent.

[Acid09]

I think some people here are way overestimating the appeal the PLM has to the European squads.

Peugeot for example has no marketing interests in the US at all, they always did the PLM because it was either part of a championship (ILMC) or because it was one of the rare chances of racing against Audi.

No Audi, no championship, no interest from Peugeot.

And for the European privateers, there was word last year already that the PLM isn't exactly the favorite race for most teams for some reason we don't know.

So I hardly doubt that most of the teams will put much effort into competing in the PLM even if there was a one-week gap to the Bahrain race. Let's face it, the race is a fan favorite for sure but European teams aren't exactly dying to go there.

If the race is moved by a week, Audi could show up if Audi NA provides the funding. If the races clash, even that's impossible as Audi simply does not have enough pro-drivers for two sports car races at once.

[kober]

In other news, Olivier Quesnel is stepping down from the position of PSA Sport Director, with Dominique Serieys being the likely replacement.

[Victor_RO]

https://twitter.com/#!/dsceditor/sta...53421698998275

Greaves go with Zytek Nissans again for 2012 - Renate Ojjeh buys a new chassis for the campaign! #LM24 #WEC

So Karim Ojjeh may have retired from driving, but his family is still backing the team...

[AGD]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

So Karim Ojjeh may have retired from driving, but his family is still backing the team...

So they'll have the chassis they ran in 2011 and another new Zytek chassis? Or will it be a "new to them" used chassis? There should be a lot of old Zyteks out there.

Either way, it's good to see Zytek back in LMP2 in 2012. It would have been unbelievable if nobody chose the Zytek LMP2 chassis after all the success it had in 2011.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by AGD

So they'll have the chassis they ran in 2011 and another new Zytek chassis? Or will it be a "new to them" used chassis? There should be a lot of old Zyteks out there.

Either way, it's good to see Zytek back in LMP2 in 2012. It would have been unbelievable if nobody chose the Zytek LMP2 chassis after all the success it had in 2011.

Not sure, but if the rumours about Greaves' plans for 2012 are true, this should be a second car for the team alongside the one that won LMP2 at Le Mans this year.

Also, I suspect this car may be reserved for a father-son team for Le Mans.

[Samoan Attorney]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Not sure, but if the rumours about Greaves' plans for 2012 are true, this should be a second car for the team alongside the one that won LMP2 at Le Mans this year.

Also, I suspect this car may be reserved for a father-son team for Le Mans.

There will be two new 2012-spec cars for Greaves Motorsport, one owned by the team, one owned by Renate Ojjeh.

The current car has been acquired by the team for its test programme.

More news soon.

[AGD]

Dagys is reporting that the Brundles will drive for Greaves in the LMS.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...teks-for-2012/

[FstrthnU]

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20111118/ALMS/111119830
Autoweek says that Luca Di Grassi could be eyeing a seat with Peugeot for next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Asa

ORECA does have a 908 HDi FAP.

Is that a fact? And did you miss the Toyota+Oreca announcement?

Kolles ran a pair of R10s also last year. Yeah these are not at the level of the works teams but it is not like there is no recent precedent.

I remember but in both cases old cars (Oreca 908 @ LM '10 - was even that the latest development?). I think it is right to say they have not shown great interest.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by deggis

I remember but in both cases old cars (Oreca 908 @*LM '10 - was even that the latest development?). I think it is right to say they have not shown great interest.

Oreca's Peugeot in 2010 (at least for Le Mans) was to full factory spec, possibly the ultimate proof of that was the fact that it went kaboom just like the factory cars.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by kober

In other news, Olivier Quesnel is stepping down from the position of PSA Sport Director, with Dominique Serieys being the likely replacement.

This was rumoured during the Wales rally and Quesnel denied it in an tv interview and didn't seem to be upset about the question at all. Apparently the reason for these rumours are the way he managed Citroen's driver situation.

[Simmi]

I think if the driver debacle (sending your brightest hope for the future into the arms of VW) had come last year in the wake of the LM blow ups then it could have been bad for Olivier.

Will be interesting to see whether there is any truth to these rumours.

[alexkiller8]

i doubt that the 908 HDi is really a propriety of oreca.
About audi's private cars i have doubt on this too, during the summer there were rumors about an r18 that could be used by abt team in ALMS.