Audi LMP1 Discussion

[Gil Abobeleira]

They seem to have closed the bodywork around the engine bay (http://endurance-info.com/version2/g...y24_04_055.jpg ), unlike some photos seen before from Sebring.

[chernaudi]

Sebring was also much warmer than Le Mans. The Pugs if I remember correctly ran with at least one side of the 908's pod vents closed off.

[Audi Racer]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/audi-r18-tdi/ has the first picture of the R18 engine. The exhaust appears to be running between the cilinder banks, but the location of the turbo(s) is not visible...

well you can make a really good assumption as to the position of the 1 Turbo. the turbo is connected to the exhaust system. If the exhaust sytem is line up center in between the cylinder banks chances are thats where the turbo is as well.

Its been speculated to death that the Audi has 1 large turbo(with perhaps 2 turbines). That would be the only concievable reason to have 1 exhaust pipe.

The back pressure of only having 1 exhaust pipe would cost them horsepower

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

The back pressure of only having 1 exhaust pipe would cost them horsepower

This also implies that the R18 only has one particulate filter. That might be the reason why the Audi is smoking a bit more than the Peugeot.

I wonder whether the ACO will react to extensive smoke of the R18. It was very clear on the Sebring test video and there are reports that it was also visible during the Le Mans test day. Last year the ACO did not care: http://www.racecar-engineering.com/a...s-all-illegal/

Clearly, it does not help for the Audi's "TDI clean diesel" marketing campaign.

[chernaudi]

Of course, there are those who'll argue that a "polluting" race car is cleaner and more economical than most road cars, as a lot of the stuff on the road car engines sap power and effency as far as the pollution controls. Even at that, GT3 cars and Super GT cars have to run catalyic converters (broadly what a particle filter is).

If the Pugs start to smoke (which some say that they turned up the wick in session two to match the Audi times), look for the ACO to turn a blind eye. It should be noted that the R15s at Sebring were smoking big time at low speeds (far worse than the R18s), and no one cared there.

Either it's the deal with one filter, or Audi were running rich, or when the engine isn't being pushed, the one filter is enough, but the back pressure from the turbo/turbos/compound turbo (whatever Audi has!) is blowing all the soot out that's normally collected when the engine is on wide open throttle on accelleration.

But then again, the thing on the R18's exhaust that's about the size of a muffler should be the particle filter, right?

PS: AMR have no room to complain this year, since the ARM-One seemed to smoke worse than anything out there by munching it's own cylinder liners.

[gwyllion]

Kristensen mentioned in the press conference that today they ran with air conditioning and that they probably will not need it in June (depending on the temperature conditions).

[gwyllion]

You have to give Audi credit for their attention to detail. Look at the drink bottle system of the R18: http://www.fourtitude.com/gallery/al...ssions/030.jpg

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

You have to give Audi credit for their attention to detail. Look at the drink bottle system of the R18: http://www.fourtitude.com/gallery/al...ssions/030.jpg

I bet it has compartments to prevent sloshing

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Kristensen mentioned in the press conference that today they ran with air conditioning and that they probably will not need it in June (depending on the temperature conditions).

I assume that's what the silver foil covered pipe in the cockpit was for?

Interesting in that Audi said that they didn't think that they needed the AC system in their pre-test press release, as it wasn't very hot (at least by standards where I live come summer) for the test day (they had the rear deck vents closed off that were added before the March Sebring test).

At least they know that it'll work if needed for LM. And I wonder if it's a lightweight system like most everything else on the car and how it's packaged.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

You have to give Audi credit for their attention to detail. Look at the drink bottle system of the R18: http://www.fourtitude.com/gallery/al...ssions/030.jpg

It is quite high up, rubbish

[CTD]

That is and extreme take on Water system .
I wonder this is because of Tom K, Dindo and Allans experince with the very hot Bentley

[chernaudi]

Allan never drove the Bentley (though he drove the Toyota GT-One in 1999). Guy Smith is the other guy you're looking for there, and I do think that the Dyson Lola has a similar fitting.

The Audi R8 and R10 originally had a provision for a water dispenser, but it was dropped to save weight and replaced with the driver being given water bottled during pit stops.

I think that the closed cockpit (ie, space issues) and the R18s' being well below the 900kg minimum weight minus ballast brought the drink dispenser back.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Allan never drove the Bentley (though he drove the Toyota GT-One in 1999). Guy Smith is the other guy you're looking for there, and I do think that the Dyson Lola has a similar fitting.

The Audi R8 and R10 originally had a provision for a water dispenser, but it was dropped to save weight and replaced with the driver being given water bottled during pit stops.

I think that the closed cockpit (ie, space issues) and the R18s' being well below the 900kg minimum weight minus ballast brought the drink dispenser back.

No sorry , remembered Johnny Herbert as Allan McNish.

[Audi Racer]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Allan never drove the Bentley (though he drove the Toyota GT-One in 1999). Guy Smith is the other guy you're looking for there, and I do think that the Dyson Lola has a similar fitting.

The Audi R8 and R10 originally had a provision for a water dispenser, but it was dropped to save weight and replaced with the driver being given water bottled during pit stops.

I think that the closed cockpit (ie, space issues) and the R18s' being well below the 900kg minimum weight minus ballast brought the drink dispenser back.

yep...theres a reason they are stressing the Ultra brand. they have a light v6. and the lightest chassis of the P1s without ballast

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Audi Racer

yep...theres a reason they are stressing the Ultra brand. they have a light v6. and the lightest chassis of the P1s without ballast

Is that known? Have they given a weight for the chassis without ballast?

[gwyllion]

I found this interview with TK that was taken before the test day on Saturday. At the end of the interview he very confidently predicted sub 3:30 lap times.

[chernaudi]

Audi released a ton of photos of the R18 yesterday post test:

http://www.fourtitude.com/gallery/ga...Le%20Mans/2011

No shots of the engine or gearbox, obviously, but it does have the first detailed shots of the interior of the cockpit, and a size comparison between a R15 and an A6.

[gwyllion]

Even though Audi said before the test day that the R18 does not need air conditionig, there is an AC switch on the dash: http://www.fourtitude.com/gallery/al...etails/002.jpg

BTW there is a switch label "ignition", which is a bit funny because a diesel engine does not have spark plugs

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

No shots of the engine or gearbox, obviously.

I look around, but I was unable to find any pictures of the car without the engine cover, except the blurry picture on http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/audi-r18-tdi/.

The front suspension was also covered with a blanket:
http://pitlane-vision.com/images/sto....04/3/2/13.jpg
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...2011/24771.jpg

On the other hand, Peugeot and AMR did not bother to hide the front:
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...2011/24783.jpg
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...2011/24673.jpg
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...2011/24780.jpg

[MitchZ06]

They used the AC for the test day but think it wont be needed come June.

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

They used the AC for the test day but think it wont be needed come June.

Errrr, summer is coming here.

[MitchZ06]

THEY think they wont need it, not I think they wont need it. Sorry for the possible confusion...

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I look around, but I was unable to find any pictures of the car without the engine cover, except the blurry picture on http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/audi-r18-tdi/.

The front suspension was also covered with a blanket:
http://pitlane-vision.com/images/sto....04/3/2/13.jpg
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...2011/24771.jpg

On the other hand, Peugeot and AMR did not bother to hide the front:
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...2011/24783.jpg
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...2011/24673.jpg
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...2011/24780.jpg

I think that Marshall and John from Speed let some cats out of Peugeot's bag at Sebring, and AMR's own specs released at their car's launch said that it was pretty conventional. And from what I've seen, the R18's suspension is a bit more conventional than the R15's, with the lower nose but still retaining the zero-keel concept (and has huge brake ducts on the front wheels).

And it goes back to the Audi test photo from Sebring where they used one of R18s to block the other while the front end was being worked on.

But it's pretty easy to guess that the R18's suspension, at least at the front, is a toned down version of the R15's modified for more grip/lower CG and to suit the wider front tires. The rear is a bit more of a mystery, but also looks conventional, sort of like the old 908's.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

But it's pretty easy to guess that the R18's suspension, at least at the front, is a toned down version of the R15's modified for more grip/lower CG and to suit the wider front tires. The rear is a bit more of a mystery, but also looks conventional, sort of like the old 908's.

The third spring is visible on http://www.racecar-engineering.com/w...R18-engine.jpg It is safe to assume that a torsion bar rear suspension similar to that of the R10 and R15.

[knighty]

hi folks, interesting article of race care engineering, but from what I hear when the car acellerates from the pits I have reason to believe the new Audi V6 is a single turbo engine, also the turbo shroud looks like a single turbo in the partial engine image....... it has about 2 seconds of turbo lag when acellerating from idle in the pits at sebring, whereby the engine revs up then the turbo spools up with a niticable whizz 2 seconds later......

anyway........did anyone notice what the general smoke levels were when the R18 was running at the lemans test????......at sebring it was smoking quite noticably.......I notice an image showing the pugs were smoking a touch on the lemans test.......I also hear the R18 is belching a big chuff of black smoke when acellerating away from the lemans pits - just like sebring........I'm really interested to see what the ACO do if this happens in qualifying or the race, last year they turned a blind eye, but I cant imagine thats going to be acceptable for long as it blatantly breaks the rule of no visible exhaust fumes allowed.