Audi LMP1 Discussion

[MyNameIsNigel]

Originally Posted by Creep89

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/a...-r18-in-monza/

Audi is testing their Le Mans Spec R18 in Monza as usual.

Matteo Milani posted this brief article (in Italian) yesterday where it is mentioned that Audi apparently faced an engine-related issue during the first day of the test. The test was however resumed yesterday and is supposed to end today:

Originally Posted by Matteo Milani

Da sottolineare che l'Audi ha iniziato a girare nella giornata di ieri ma, a causa di problematiche legate al motore, ha dovuto sospendere i test che sono ripresi nella giornata di oggi. I test proseguiranno fino a domani.

It should be mentioned that Audi started running yesterday, but had to suspend the test due to issues related to the engine, which test was resumed today. The test will continue until tomorrow.

It at least seems that the issue was not as bad as the one faced at Sebring back in November last year.

[TF110]

New video. It had 0 views when I found it, let's change that!

[GT6]

Well it has now had 162 so climbing rapidly

[YorkshireLad]

The top line of the fender now carries straight through to the tops of the mirrors.
Unlike the low drag package shown in November and the package used at the prologue.


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[YorkshireLad]

Clearly visible again here, followed by a sudden vertical drop-off.


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[sssssssss]

Originally Posted by MyNameIsNigel

Matteo Milani posted this brief article (in Italian) yesterday where it is mentioned that Audi apparently faced an engine-related issue during the first day of the test. The test was however resumed yesterday and is supposed to end today:



It at least seems that the issue was not as bad as the one faced at Sebring back in November last year.

just when they were saying they got past the reliability problems...

[Victor_RO]

And the #7 dream team begins falling apart...

Leena Gade leaving Audi Sport after Le Mans to join Bentley's motorsport division.

[Creep89]

Why keep her until right after the 24h Le Mans? Seriously, I would just fire her now.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Creep89

Why keep her until right after the 24h Le Mans? Seriously, I would just fire her now.

Huh? It doesn't say anywhere that she's been sacked by Audi. In fact, an announcement that the departure is timed after Le Mans is a sure sign that she's leaving of her own free will.

EDIT: It also seems as if the rumour of her departure has been floating around since November last year.

[Deleted]

Shame. I will miss seeing her. In "managerial role" she'll be hidden behind the curtains, and I don't follow any of the series where Bentley is represented anyway.

[carbon_titanium]

just me think that actually this could be a good new?
maybe VAG finally gave green light to bentley for the P2/DPi program, supplying them with expert key people already involved in endurance racing.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

just me think that actually this could be a good new?
maybe VAG finally gave green light to bentley for the P2/DPi program, supplying them with expert key people already involved in endurance racing.

It does seem awfully odd to send a top engineer to a GT3 program doesn't it?

[chernaudi]

Chris Reinke was head of the LMP1 program for Audi until March 1 this year and is now head of Audi Sport Customer Racing. Leena will apparently be doing something similar at Bentley after Le Mans.

I've known that Leena might be leaving Audi for some other program since very late last year, and she's not leaving for performance reasons. It's personal reasons, namely that she might be spending a lot more time close to her home in the UK. I think that the motorsports grind and her being in her mid 30s and wanting to have a family life has gotten to her. It's not easier for race engineers than it is for drivers.

We also have to remember that one of TMG's engineers has scaled back his involvement for much the same reasons.

[TF110]

She'll oversee Bentley's customer racing. That's a promotion from being head of a single lmp1 imo.

[MyNameIsNigel]

Originally Posted by YorkshireLad

The top line of the fender now carries straight through to the tops of the mirrors.
Unlike the low drag package shown in November and the package used at the prologue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Watching the couple of videos posted on YouTube, it also appears that Audi have now opted for the same exhaust layout as seen on the sprint version with the two exhaust outlets sitting on the engine cover close to the shark's fin.

[GT6]

I think the move to Bentley an internal transfer within VAG is a good sign that perhaps Bentley could be looking at a GT programme for WEC in GT

[TzeiTzei]

That black Audi looks like a bat mobile

[Creep89]

The latest "Sport Auto" backs the previous rumors stating Audi has the OK to continue in LMP1 until 2020.

[Artur]

https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/...stone-2016-622

lot's of photos there.

The car seems quite conservative on the rear end(rear wing flap not too cambered, lack of Porsche-like agressive gurney, odd end plate)

On Audi Sport's twitter account there are two 720p videos and, in one of them, Fassler and Duval give impressions of the car. From Duval's comment, I'm pretty confident that we'll see the same story as 2015. Duval said, while giving a naughty blinking , that in QLF we will "find out a little bit" how quick the car is, and "even more on Sunday"

Also, if you look into the .pdf files, the #7 did 1.41.8 on the 14th lap of it's first FP2 stint. The Porsches could only do such fast lap time on much shorter stints(7th lap)

[chernaudi]

Info and pics from RCE on the R18:

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/audi-r18-2016/

[chernaudi]

Cockpit also has a central spar like the open Audi LMPs used.

[MyNameIsNigel]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Info and pics from RCE on the R18:

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/audi-r18-2016/

This car is a magnificent piece of engineering. I find this "stolen" picture of the front end with the nose removed simply stunning. You can really measure how extreme Audi have gone at the front:

(source: RCE)

Now, this must be a "nightmare" for the mechanics in terms of accessibility.

[Artur]

Oh uh, either Lotterer, and DiGraasi, are downplaying the car for Silverstone and Spa or the R18 can only be expected to be on contention for LM:
http://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/a...tterer-687452/
http://www.motorsport.com/all/article/?id=687273

Audi will not even be able to recover it's equivalent 6MJ ERS allocation, at Silverstone, it seems.

[Artur]

Oh uh, once more:
https://twitter.com/RacecarEngineer/...04375885475840

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Artur

Oh uh, either Lotterer, and DiGraasi, are downplaying the car for Silverstone and Spa or the R18 can only be expected to be on contention for LM:
http://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/a...tterer-687452/
http://www.motorsport.com/all/article/?id=687273

Audi will not even be able to recover it's equivalent 6MJ ERS allocation, at Silverstone, it seems.

Translate this into - "We have opted for pure LM Special as that is what actually matters"

Anyway, interesting british Q performance coming from team that had the most trouble during winter, but I think the race will be a bit different matter, particularly if there's no rain. Or snow...