Audi LMP1 Discussion

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by deltawing

Sooooo...... any more doubters of the mighty diesel? Didn't they suppose to be 2 sec slower because 2 MJ, blah blah, blah? .... Anyone still doubting that Audi is going to demolish them all at the 24LM?

Yes. I'm certainly a doubter - without doubt.......

The way they went yesterday, they'll be lucky to still have a car on the track by the time it gets dark......

[chernaudi]

Probably quicker and easier to build cars up from spare tubs than to try and repair the Silverstone cars in time for Spa.

The question is was there an issue with the cars, or was it just driver error, or a mix of both? Unless they pulled a Peugeot and really missed the setup for rain, they shouldn't have had issues with the rain, since we know for sure that they tested in the rain at COTA at least.

[carbon_titanium]

when the 2014 livery was revealed during the le mans parade, I remember that someone of audi sport said that the new car has a weight distribution close to 50/50. Usually lmp1 cars had always more than 55% of the weight on rear (so far only the arx-02a had a perfect 50-50 balance). Could be this unusual mass distribution one of the reasons that made the rear of the car so unstable during braking in wet conditions?

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

when the 2014 livery was revealed during the le mans parade, I remember that someone of audi sport said that the new car has a weight distribution close to 50/50. Usually lmp1 cars had always more than 55% of the weight on rear (so far only the arx-02a had a perfect 50-50 balance). Could be this unusual mass distribution one of the reasons that made the rear of the car so unstable during braking in wet conditions?

There has been a lot of discussion on the F1 side about the effect of energy recovery on the rear of the car. I'd expect similar issues on these cars, even at only 2Mj. I'd suspect the program for that function to have tremendous impact on braking balance and stability, especially with slicks in the rain. More forward weight bias certainly can't help.

[chernaudi]

Both of the old R18 variants were also though be near 50/50, if not perhaps slightly nose heavy (because of the wide front wheels and tires), and the new cars all run the same tire and wheel sizes on all four corners.

So it's not unusual to have such weight distribution for the cars, and it's something that Audi and Toyota have done the past couple of years to get the wider front wheels and tires to work, and they still do that now due to equal-sized front and rear wheels/tires.

[Adam43]

Here are a couple of details from the Audi at Silverstone (I'll post similar shots for the Toyota and Porsche).


It's been like this for years, but the I'm always surprised by the detail and single seater nature of the current prototypes.

I prefer the tidied up end plates of the new cars.

[hcl123]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

when the 2014 livery was revealed during the le mans parade, I remember that someone of audi sport said that the new car has a weight distribution close to 50/50. Usually lmp1 cars had always more than 55% of the weight on rear (so far only the arx-02a had a perfect 50-50 balance). Could be this unusual mass distribution one of the reasons that made the rear of the car so unstable during braking in wet conditions?

Seems all spins were on straights and so with good downforce load, and before braking... Di Grassi is striking, no wheels on different kind of pavement, and none other car aquaplained there ... seems a rear differential and or suspension issue.

Don't know how weight distribution... if could help anything... could had balanced this off. To me different suspension springs and or shock absorbers will be ordered. Also i don't know if a Torsen differential is allowed and or if they had one... i don't think so for either... Audi is famous for Torsen differentials on rallies, and if they had one doubt any spin would had occurred.

[hcl123]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

Not sure where this all comes from? 2s a lap slower is the incentive designated for Le Mans, so I'd be surprised to see they still have such a deficit at silverstone.
Besides, all data including stint distance are in consistent with the BSFC ratio and stint ratio calculated in the Le Mans Evo regulation thread.
Actually, I'm surprised that Audi has such a great advantage in aero, which is visible from cornering speed, although they are 200hp down on power.

Well if you compare *fastest lap sequences* for 2013 and 2014 at Silverstone (race) http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/index.html ... its close to 2 seconds slower in 2014. But funny is only for Audi, yet managing to have better results than toyota in 2014, better results than anyone else including Porsche (besides the best lap) ... toyota best results for 2014 and 2013 are identical.

No offense, but as many use to say on internet on catch phrases ... its the fuel flows stupid! (lol)

Yes its the fuel flows ( quite unfair)... and better Audi not complain, or the coneheads at FIA will demand "diesel" ? only from a drinking straw! lol

Nevertheless doubt it will have 200 hp less... in 2013 that car was making 590hp with 3.6MJ hybrid... can't be making only 390 hp... that is even lower than the Nissam ZEOD!. More so with displacement for 4 L the "torque" is higher, and so the power should be identical no matter if the engine revs lower...

Its a tough job for Audi engineers... to kick the FIA coneheads in the groin only by pre-heating and pre-activating the fuel before injection, like having a permanent glowplug but from the outside of cylinders... make it a secret or an engine start issue so they don't ban it... then it could make 600 hp or more, and then the demolishing can proceed without a doubt.

[pre-heating and pre-activating(electric field trough the fuel) is not like the engine would rev higher and or by magic starts to have more fuel from nowhere... but the combustion will be more reactive so more fast so more complete... and by being more fast, its possible to reduce greatly "compression pumping loses" by retading the ignition/injection quite a bit... so it will have even more torque and so more power for the same revs. It could even have a little more revs, since if the combustion is more complete, the heat/pressure could be higher even with less fuel.. so just a little more torque, but more revs, and so a good bit more power trough all the usage band]

[jimclark]

Real simple. Audi again....

[TF110]

They were slower this year because the weather.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by jimclark

Real simple. Audi again....

Audi again what?

[The Badger]

I got a feeling it will not be Audis year at Le Mans , while I feel that the Porsche wont challenge outright for honors , but could well pick up places . But Porsche are very clever and wouldn't be surprised with a win ..... I feel its Toyotas year and Ill be delighted to see them win .

[Bandicoot17]

Audi are/have been at Monza. @Milo_GT2's Tweet: https://twitter.com/Milo_GT2/status/458519088776876032

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by Bandicoot17

Audi are/have been at Monza. @Milo_GT2's Tweet: https://twitter.com/Milo_GT2/status/458519088776876032

Interesting !
If they are really at Monza for tests :
1 - they prepare the high speed configuration ;
2 - they have already enough tubs in reserve to enter three cars at Le Mans. Simon and The Badger have not the same opinion. Are we certain that the tubs were damaged at Silverstone ?

Well the Audi on the picture is black. Is this an old one ?

[MyNameIsNigel]

Originally Posted by Bandicoot17

Audi are/have been at Monza. @Milo_GT2's Tweet: https://twitter.com/Milo_GT2/status/458519088776876032

Would love to see hires pictures of the car being tested at Monza. Looks like a very different bodywork package:


"Long-tail" version ? I don't know if my eyes are playing tricks but it even looks like the mandatory cutouts at the front are on the inner side... (?)

[chernaudi]

Front end also seems to be lacking the diveplanes that the high downforce version from Silverstone has.

Videos from this test will probably be up on You Tube soon because this is, after all, Monza, and the track is in the middle of a public park complex.

The person who posted the twitter photo says that more and better photos should be out soon.

[Bandicoot17]

The rear wing looks super low. It's definitely the new car, can tell by the lights and rear wing. Back does look longer, that reduces the diffuser angle so top speed increased?

They were testing this at Ricard last week, so it's certainly been putting the miles in.

[MyNameIsNigel]

Originally Posted by MyNameIsNigel

Would love to see hires pictures of the car being tested at Monza. Looks like a very different bodywork package:


"Long-tail" version ? I don't know if my eyes are playing tricks but it even looks like the mandatory cutouts at the front are on the inner side... (?)

Bingo:

(source: Endurance Café)

[Gingers4Justice]

Confirmation at the very least that Nigel isn't due a trip to the opticians any time soon. Cracking spot from the first image.

Looks like the ACO haven't got their wish about the manufacturers refraining from producing vastly different aero kits for Le Mans.

[chernaudi]

Looks like DiGrassi's helmet from the photo.

[gwyllion]

Air extractor holes moved to the inside at the front

Otherwise fairly similar to the 2013 R18 long tail aero.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Looks like the ACO haven't got their wish about the manufacturers refraining from producing vastly different aero kits for Le Mans.

I always considered the movable front wing allowance as a rule for the privateer teams (i.e., Rebellion and Kolles) to save costs.

The budget of the three manufacturers is large enough to develop multiple aero packages.

[Simmi]

I'm still holding out hope they will run the #3 in this livery.

[gwyllion]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDcCs48cv64

[Aysedasi]

Lovely! Thanks for that! I somehow expect it to take off and head for the nearest airport any moment...... 'No first chicane' eh? If only that could remain the case.......