Audi LMP1 Discussion

[henk4]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Treluyer said add more downforce and turn up the engine. That would explain why the top speed did not go down.

Anyway the Audi drivers felt that they could not follow the Peugeots in the twisty 2nd sector. Either that means more mechanical grip (better use of tyres) or more downforce...

If the engine was turned up, it is probably reassuring for Peugeot that they lasted for six hours. 24 hours might be altogether different.
On the other hand, none of the Audis managed the pace they had shown during the practice and qualifying sessions. So speculation will continue for another four weeks.

[chernaudi]

And someone reported that the diesels in general didn't smoke like they did at the test day, so both Audi and Peugeot were likely sandbagging.

Peugeot were faster in sector 2 than Audi were in the race, which was the place that it seemed that Audi had the edge over them in practice.

I have to agree with Allan, since he drove the car, and none of us did. Spa is still a high downforce track, and the F1 cars prove that. Also, the fuel mileage gap didn't play a big role until the R18's got off sequence with their stops, so that could suggest that either Audi cut back on fuel, or Peugeot turned up the wick.

And of course, he admitted that not having raced the R18 before Spa likely cost them the advantage that they had in practice once the lights went out.

Interestingly, it wasn't visibility that caused Audi problems in traffic, so it must've been aero and/or tire pickup, which are things that you don't often find out in private testing. Testing can help with the big things, but not sometimes the more trivial but ultimately important matters.

[GT6]

Both the pugs and the audi's gave off a load of smoke as the started eau rouge but did not see any where else.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by GT6

Both the pugs and the audi's gave off a load of smoke as the started eau rouge but did not see any where else.

I saw the smoke there too, but I think it is because they lift just a tiny bit.

[chernaudi]

Anyone know if this was before or after the 1000km?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_6WW6aMXfY

Video shows the team changing the rear clip on one of their cars, and it seems that they did it much faster than they did on the #3 late in the 1000km (about 0:55 vs 1:40).

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Anyone know if this was before or after the 1000km?

There are other cars on track. Maybe on Wednesday during the SPEED EuroSeries test session.

[chernaudi]

The upload date was yesterday, so it would either have been Sunday or Monday (which ever day Audi chose to do this), or they arrived early before the week started.

If after the race, then they're trying to fix what went wrong during the event.

If before, I have to question why they had so many issues with getting the rear deck off the cars, as it seemed to go smoothly there.

And an other question as far as the date, it seemed like a track day, as there were a mix of racing and road cars on the track (I think I saw a Radical and an Audi TT in the video near pit exit). If it was a track day following the race, that may explain why Audi didn't do any on track testing, as Aston Martin had rented Spa for testing just a few weeks ago.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

And an other question as far as the date, it seemed like a track day, as there were a mix of racing and road cars on the track (I think I saw a Radical and an Audi TT in the video near pit exit).

There was a track day on yesterday. See http://www.spa-francorchamps.be/en/t...s-testdays.php

Originally Posted by chernaudi

If it was a track day following the race, that may explain why Audi didn't do any on track testing, as Aston Martin had rented Spa for testing just a few weeks ago.

As I mentioned earlier I don't think that you can rent the track for private testing.

The whole Aston Martin testing in Spa story was bogus.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

The whole Aston Martin testing in Spa story was bogus.

and if you leave out the words "testing in Spa" you are not lying either

[chernaudi]

Aston Martin bogus? If they had a reasonably good car, maybe not, but the AMR-One is amounting to almost a tragic joke, but that's not really relevant to the R18.

As for their test program, Audi mentioned that they had at least 2 major test this month following Spa. I know that Paul Ricard will likely be one of them (to simulate LM, after all), but other than a handful of similar tracks that we know of (Monza, Aragon), where else could Audi test, or will Paul Ricard be the only egg in that basket?

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

As for their test program, Audi mentioned that they had at least 2 major test this month following Spa.

Where was this mentioned?

In the interview with Ullrich during their Sebring test, he said they would do a 30 hour simulation at Paul Ricard in May.

[chernaudi]

One of Audi's post LM test releases, where one of their technical guys said that they had at least two major tests planned.

The 30 hour test at Paul Ricard has to be one of them, though I don't think that based on Spa, that a 30 hour endurance test is not the sole main thing that Audi need to look at--the have to look at making the R18 reliable and consistantly fast in all conditions. Unless they bring junk and debris and soil down the track (like Bernie would allow that!), I don't think that'll help unless they have new stuff to try out for LM.

However, in the Audi R15 LM trailer from Audi TV last year, they rented an old airport runway for testing. Could Audi have plans to do the same by taking a runway and putting dust and debris on it to simulate a dirty track for one of their other test?

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

However, in the Audi R15 LM trailer from Audi TV last year, they rented an old airport runway for testing. Could Audi have plans to do the same by taking a runway and putting dust and debris on it to simulate a dirty track for one of their other test?

Nobody except Audi Sport can answer that question.

The original R15 suffered from dust/sand pickup clogging the intercoolers/radiators. No such issues have been reported for the R18.

The issues in Spa was the tyres were picking up "markles" (pieces of rubber). I doubt that you can simulate that on an airport runway.

[gwyllion]

Gerlach Delissen toke two pictures of the rear bodywork being replaced on #3 car:
http://www.racing-pictures.com/iv/co.../IMG_46632.jpg
http://www.racing-pictures.com/iv/co.../IMG_46647.jpg

[gwyllion]

A new PR article from Audi: Audi R18 TDI with efficient aerodynamics

"I think that we found a good compromise by attempting to view the fin as an active element,” says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich who is proud of the new Audi R18 TDI prototype’s aerodynamic efficiency. "Aerodynamics has always been one of Audi’s core skills. It speaks for itself that in spite of significantly reduced engine power we reach almost the same top speed and levels of downforce like last year with the R15 TDI.”

[gwyllion]

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsmay11.html has a new picture of the R18's rear suspension/gearbox.

Also note that because the whole rear wing section can be replaced, the exhaust is split in two (right behind the particulate filter).

[henk4]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsmay11.html has a new picture of the R18's rear suspension/gearbox.

Also note that because the whole rear wing section can be replaced, the exhaust is split in two (right behind the particulate filter).

yes, I have detailed shots from above of the wing section, including part of the exhaust. It is funny that Audi goes over the moon to fit as many exhaust pipes on their road car as possible, and for the car that really matters, they limit themselves to only one exhaust. Maybe the fanboys won't notice.

[chernaudi]

Off topic: Like the other German or Japanese makers don't do the same (the Lexus IS-F's exhaust pipes don't even serve a functional purpose--they're just for decoration!). And don't get me started on the large can type exhaust that small engined Japanese and European cars are subjected to by their owners. If people think that 4 cylinder engines (which were proposed to be used in Indy Car at one point--which I don't get, a flat crank V8 being basically two inline fours mated together) sound like crap, they should hear some of these "custom" rides.

On topic: But then again, the R18 has only one turbo, which is mounted within the engine's V. So why run multiple pipes when one big one can do the job just as well? Also, pipe size may be partly dictated by the particle filter, which I believe is the big drum shaped item on the exhaust over the engine.

Also interesting that Audi has mounted the upper wishbones to a carbon structure (possibly aluminum reinforced?) that seems to be shielded from the main casing. Unusual, but front suspension has been mounted to carbon tubs for nearly 30 years now on F1 cars and for over 25 years on prototypes.

[chernaudi]

In addition, could this arrangment give credence to the possibility that the gearbox casing is a "quick change" item that can be quickly detached from the bellhousing with out having to remove the suspension?

That was one of the things that Audi was reported as doing to make the R18 easier to work on than the R15.

[chernaudi]

I'm posting this as a separate post because I can't edit my previous one to include this, but here's a diagram of the Audi R18's dashboard/steering wheel controls:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jX07hPZp5s...he%2BWheel.jpg

Interestingly, it's claimed that the R18 used a winshield washer/cleaner of some type along with celophane tearoffs.

And we now know the functions of the upper paddles on the wheel: one's the pit road speed limiter and one controls the highbeam lights/flasher. That could explain Dindo's problem at Spa--went to change gear but hit the speed limiter!

[gwyllion]

Another video of the R18: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH6Gc7aewBw

The same footage from the Paul Ricard test, but this time will some interviews.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Another video of the R18: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH6Gc7aewBw

This is a compilation of various longer videos:

• Interview with Marco Bonanomi
• Interview with Timo Bernhard
• Interview with Romain Dumas
• Interview with Mike Rockenfeller
• Interview with Rinaldo "Dindo" Capello
• Interview with Tom Kristensen
• Interview with Allan McNish
• Interview with Ulrich Baretzky (Head of Engine Technology)
• Interview with Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich
• Labelling and preparations at Audi factory
• On track at Paul Ricard Le Castellet

You should really see the interview with Baretzky. At the end he talks about the beauty of the new engine

[CTD]

Originally Posted by henk4

Maybe the fanboys won't notice.

Soon we will see lots of 80's and A4's with ugly cut triangular exhaust pipe sticking out of the bank end

[Mike_Wooshy]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

This is a compilation of various longer videos:

• Interview with Marco Bonanomi
• Interview with Timo Bernhard
• Interview with Romain Dumas
• Interview with Mike Rockenfeller
• Interview with Rinaldo "Dindo" Capello
• Interview with Tom Kristensen
• Interview with Allan McNish
• Interview with Ulrich Baretzky (Head of Engine Technology)
• Interview with Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich
• Labelling and preparations at Audi factory
• On track at Paul Ricard Le Castellet

You should really see the interview with Baretzky. At the end he talks about the beauty of the new engine

You Allan McNish link goes to Dindos
here is Allans.

[chernaudi]

Audi have been testing at Monza very recently, as in the past few days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHAlYCTIiQ