| Author |
Message |
ross koller (Ross)
Junior Member
Username: Ross
Post Number: 130
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 12:03 pm: | |
ok, i guess i mis-heard the eurosport guys. must be for gts class. guess i was just too eager to hear good news from the ferrari effort ! |
Jon P. Kofod (95f355c)
Junior Member
Username: 95f355c
Post Number: 178
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 11:04 am: | |
Andre is correct about the record. The Porsche 956 long tail version was the previous record holder at 247 mph.
No car could even get close to that number today with the chicanes added. I actually did my math wrong and it seems the Dome car hit a maximum of 215.56 mph during the race and the 550 appears to have hit 203.43 mph if the Speedvision folks gave out the correct number.
I know for a fact that the fastest time the Dome achieved during testing was 214 mph but that they gained a mile or two over the last week by taking away some downforce.
Ross I am not doubting what you heard on Eurosport but I think they meant to say it had the highest top speed in GTS class. There is no way a GTS car with a production car shaped body and an extended rear wing could get anywhere near the LMP cars speed. I would venture to guess that the 550 barely topped 200 for most of the race with all the downforce the rear wing creates.
Also remember that the GTS cars use wider tires and have a much larger frontal area that greatly increases air resistance. |
Andre Vieira (Goggles_pisano)
New member
Username: Goggles_pisano
Post Number: 2
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 10:35 am: | |
The fastest top speed ever recorded at Le Mans was set in 1988 by Roger Dorchy in a WM Peugeot P88. In the speed trap set up on the Hunaudieres straight between Mulsanne and Indianapolis, he was recorded at 405 km/h (251 mph). |
ross koller (Ross)
Junior Member
Username: Ross
Post Number: 127
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 10:19 am: | |
i got that figure while watching the race on eurosport. they were saying that despite posting the highest speed on the straight, the 550 blew up at hour 12. then went on to say that the audis could reach 350+kph. so i extrapolated (and exxagerated slightly) to get my figure. have been looking for the exact figures on the autosport sites but haven't managed to find it yet. |
Martin (Miami348ts)
Intermediate Member
Username: Miami348ts
Post Number: 2271
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 8:22 am: | |
I believe Jon is right again. The 550 was the fastes of the GTS class but giving that the Audis did lap the 550 several times it could not have been faster. Sad to see them drop out after a stunning performance and complete dominance for the time they were in competition.
WAY TO GO ! |
Jon P. Kofod (95f355c)
Junior Member
Username: 95f355c
Post Number: 174
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 17, 2002 - 1:14 pm: | |
Ross,
I am not sure where you got this info but the fasted top speeds were recorded in the LM900 class and it wasn't even the Audis. The Dome Judd recorded the fastest top speed at well over 220. The 550 can't begin to do anywhere near 250. It can barely touch 210.
Regards,
Jon P. Kofod
1995 F355 Challenge #23
2000 SCCA Spec Racer Ford #6 |
Bill Sawyer (Wsawyer)
Member
Username: Wsawyer
Post Number: 282
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, June 17, 2002 - 9:57 am: | |
Still a marvelous job. Ferrari is slowly but surely getting back into sports car racing with the 550 and 360. I suspect that they'll move the Maserati brand over and just do F1 with Ferrari but, until then, bring em on. |
ross koller (Ross)
Junior Member
Username: Ross
Post Number: 120
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, June 17, 2002 - 9:52 am: | |
if anybody got a chance to see some of le mans this weekend, the prodrive group was running a nice 550, which eventually posted the highest top speed of all cars there including the audis ! don't exact figures but seems close to 250 mph !
unfortunately around hour 12 it had an oil leak at the porsche curves which resulted in a fire and he had to quit on the spot. better luck next year !
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