ALMS 2012 Discussion

[picchiofan]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Not really. There is no link whatsoever with Dallara.

The Oreca FLM09 is based on the Courage LC70/LC75 from 2006. See http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/oreca-flm-09/.

Brain fart, I confused my uncompetitive chassis manfacturers.

[gwyllion]

Dallara an uncompetitive chassis manufacturer? Have you seen their single seaters? The Dallara SP1 was a very decent LMP car.

The Oreca 03, which is based on the same tub, did quite less in LMP2 last year.

[Nick6]

Originally Posted by picchiofan

Brain fart, I confused my uncompetitive chassis manfacturers.

Shouldn't be a difficult thing for a Picchio fan to do, but who am I to judge?

[pach233]

Originally Posted by picchiofan

Brain fart, I confused my uncompetitive chassis manfacturers.

Really? That's an extremely ignorant statement. Dallara built the 333Sp, Toyota Gt-One and the Audi R8 as well as having decent success with the SP1. They also built a very successful DP for Wayne Taylor to run in your beloved Grand-Am series. All the while building F3 and Indy Cars among other open-wheelers. Ironic somebody with the handle picchio fan talking about uncompetitive chassis manufacturers.

[chernaudi]

And with the exception of the R8C, all Audi LMPs have been built by Dallara, including the R18 series.

[Nick6]

Picchio vs. Dallara who wins?


LOL!

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

And with the exception of the R8C, all Audi LMPs have been built by Dallara, including the R18 series.

Only the tub of the Audi LMP cars is built by Dallara. The production of other carbon components (body parts, wing, ...) is outsourced to other subcontractors such as Gerg/KLK.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

And with the exception of the R8C, all Audi LMPs have been built by Dallara, including the R18 series.

But Dallara did not design and engineer them, they just built them.

[chernaudi]

But that is the Audi model--design everything yourself, but unless it's the engine, it's subcontractor time: Dallara for the tubs, Ricardo (R8) or XTrac (R10 onwards) for gearbox internals, Bosch for electronics, someone else for body panels and other CFC work, etc.

I believe that Peugeot ended up following a similar model, in that a lot of those things were subcontracted--the tub was supposed to be originally built by Dallara/ATR, but Dassault ultimately made them for the original 908 (I don't think it was ever determined who built the new 908 tubs).

TMG is a lot closer to a whole DIY deal for whole race cars, but until the F1 stuff came in, TMG had to license tub construction to Dallara for the GT-One.

This all compares against Lola and Courage/Oreca, who build their own tubs and bodywork, but sell to teams who have their own engine deals.

The closest thing that we have to a DIY constructor right now in the ALMS/WEC is HPD, who now build their own chassis (even if based heavily on the Courage/Oreca LC70 family), and their own engines. Only thing I don't think that HPD does by themselves now is engine electronics (McLaren/FreeScale, possibly Continental) and the gearbox internals, which are either Hewland (like the older ARX-family) or maybe now XTrac.

[Nick6]

Besides Porsche, I don't think anyone builds their own gearboxes.

[Simmi]

Interesting news about Abdul Al Faisal testing for Dyson after Sebring.

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-9930.html

Looks like he has some form of Red Bull backing. Looks like that's a no brainer for the second car at Le Mans and maybe later on in the ALMS.

He must have caught the Le Mans bug last year in the Felbermayr car.

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Interesting news about Abdul Al Faisal testing for Dyson after Sebring.

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-9930.html

Looks like he has some form of Red Bull backing. Looks like that's a no brainer for the second car at Le Mans and maybe later on in the ALMS.

He must have caught the Le Mans bug last year in the Felbermayr car.

Does anyone have any info on this guy?

[FstrthnU]

Originally Posted by Dyson Mazda

Does anyone have any info on this guy?

Info? Well, last year he raced for Team Need for Speed Schubert in a BMW Z4 GT3 in FIA GT3 Europe, and this year he's still with Schubert who are now known as the Saudi Falcons and are still running the Z4. His most recent race I can recall is this year's Dubai 24. He is an Arabian prince.

Last year Oryx brought a guy named Humaid Al-masood (might need to check spelling) with their Lola-Mazda, so seeing another Arabian guy in ALMS this year could be interesting.

[FstrthnU]

Can't edit that post, so one other bit of info

Al Faisal was apparently hired by Felbermayer-Proton to drive the #88 GTE-Pro Porsche at Le Mans last year. Don't think he did the full ILMC/LMS because of schedule conflicts with GT3.

[KA]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

Info? Well, last year he raced for Team Need for Speed Schubert in a BMW Z4 GT3 in FIA GT3 Europe, and this year he's still with Schubert who are now known as the Saudi Falcons and are still running the Z4. His most recent race I can recall is this year's Dubai 24. He is an Arabian prince.

Last year Oryx brought a guy named Humaid Al-masood (might need to check spelling) with their Lola-Mazda, so seeing another Arabian guy in ALMS this year could be interesting.

So maybe Dyson are looking in the direction of Middle-Eastern money again for either Le Mans and/or the third Dyson car that's been rumoured for after Le Mans? I'd already been wondering if Al-Masaood, Kane and the Oryx backing might return for one of the LM entries...

[The Badger]

It was the intention of Oryx to do Le Mans , so I would suggest thats a valid option .

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by The Badger

It was the intention of Oryx to do Le Mans , so I would suggest thats a valid option .

It just depends whether they have put all their eggs into the Grand-Am basket with the R8.

It's been intriguing me ever since the entrylist came out who we would see in these two cars. I'm hoping beyond hope that they will put two quick guys in alongside Guy Smith. They'd be stupid not to try that if they can afford it. In an ideal world you'd move Steven Kane into that car.

Then for the second car that always looked like it would need pay drivers to come on board. I'd be in favour of Al-Masood/Al Faisal as that would surely open up even more interest from a region seemingly itching to get involved in motorsport.

[The Badger]

Love to see Leitzinger in one of them cars .

[tkelland]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Love to see Leitzinger in one of them cars .

I've been (probably naiively) holding out hope for an American Chris Dyson, Butch Leitzinger, Andy Lally grouping for one car and a Euro grouping for the other in Guy Smith, Steven Kane and one more (maybe Andy Meyrick if his Aston duties aren't in use that week).

[Victor_RO]

http://www.alms.com/articles/lotus-e...racing-florida

Alex Job have gotten their hands on the Evora GTE and the associated spares package.

[KlBD]

Originally Posted by tkelland

I've been (probably naiively) holding out hope for an American Chris Dyson, Butch Leitzinger, Andy Lally grouping for one car and a Euro grouping for the other in Guy Smith, Steven Kane and one more (maybe Andy Meyrick if his Aston duties aren't in use that week).

Isn't Lally linked to the Lizards for 2012, or is that just for the ALMS enduros?

[Deleted]

IndyCar just confirmed Reliant Park for 2013, so may we get this street event back to ALMS schedule too? I may be in minority but I loved the 06-07 races on this bumpy stop-and-go track, especially as it was run on evening. I would hate if we lost yet another support bill opportunity for Grand-Am or World Challenge

October date would of course move it close to PLM though

[Purist]

If PLM is kept the same weekend as this year, there will still be two weeks between the two. That should be quite workable, and seeing the cars run under the lights was a good time.

The track has a few decent overtaking points, has fairly generous width for a temporary circuit, and contains a few nice, quick corners. The previous races there for ALMS and ChampCar didn't have huge amounts of running under caution, so that's a good sign.

[FstrthnU]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/29/a...%28Autoblog%29

Just a little something, Autoblog scored an exclusive interview with GMG Racing to talk about their Audi R8 LMS. At the end of the interview, GMG said they'd love to homologate it for the ALMS but they would need a lot of factory support from Audi to make the modifications. GMG says it could definitely be done though, and they've already had talks with the IMSA.

[picchiofan]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/29/a...%28Autoblog%29

Just a little something, Autoblog scored an exclusive interview with GMG Racing to talk about their Audi R8 LMS. At the end of the interview, GMG said they'd love to homologate it for the ALMS but they would need a lot of factory support from Audi to make the modifications. GMG says it could definitely be done though, and they've already had talks with the IMSA.

What an odd article.

"We don't like the GA spec R8, because they reduce the aerodynamics and detuned the engine, so we're looking at homologating an R8 for World Challenge, to do so we'll need to reduce the aerodynamics, and detune the engine".

'kay. Translation: There's 30+ car fields in GA with about 12 strong front running entries, as opposed to two cars in WCGT.

Also a little confused with the "less clutch" comment. The GA spec car ran the same clutch as the rest of the R8 race cars, Audi claims the lack of traction control caused it to shatter, multiple times, even with the detuned engine. For Barber they're getting a full on race clutch.