Ferrari SCARED to face Audi in Le Mans Prototype racing.

I am more than convinced that the reason Ferrari are frighten to entire Le Mans and race against Audi is because they know they would lose. How? RELIABILITY! Ferrari know they would be logging more hours in the garage than on the track with the Audi's.

Audi has thrown the gauntlet down and have made their mark in Le Mans over the past 10 years.

Ferrari would not last hour 1 if they were to ever dare challenge Audi at Le Mans.

Ferrari do Audi a favor and leave the real racing to the big boys.


***** ONE VERY PISSED OFF FAN *****

 

In all due respect, I really can not agree with your reasoning.

Ferrari has focused on F1, as that is and will always be Ferrari's legacy of the last 25-30 years. It takes a lot of money to race F1, and it takes a lot of money to develop a LeMans winning car. Its not the same today as in the 1950s and 1960s when a factory like Ferrari or Mercedes could run both F1 and a LeMans series. It has nothing to do with fear, it has all to do with priorities.

Now with this new FIA/ACO series, there just might be incentive in 2-3 years for Ferrari to spend the money on sports car racing as this will be a multi race series, but for now, it just would not make sense.

Another factor, it is called diesel.

Sure it would be fun to see Ferrari back at LeMans, Sebring, etc, but it does not bother me that it will likely not happen. At this point, they have their hands full just trying to make a decent showing in F1.

 

You can't win Le Mans without a Diesel.

 

Endurance racing is better left to private Ferrari based teams. Go P 4/5 C!!!!

 

The first 10 secs of this Audi video belittle F1 like its mere child's play.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wugOoyrxd2c[/ame]

You CAN win Le Mans without a Diesel.

 

Indeed. F1 is what Ferrari is all about, and their #1 priority by far.

I see absolutely nothing for Ferrari to gain by entering P1 at Le Mans, so I'd forget about it. Besides, they're doing great in the GTE class.

 

Wonderful commercial by Audi, thanks for posting.

 

I do, I see them racing for the Crown Jewel.

Monaco they can keep it.......I want Le Mans back in Ferrari hands!

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gES3l97-jVg&feature=relmfu[/ame]

 

This thread is what, 40 years late?

 

The thread title led me to believe there was going to be some leaked document or something. But no, simply one mans opinion.

My opinion; Complete and utter BS

Crown jewel?..... We beg to differ - *The* crown jewel IMNSHO is the WDC. [The WCC is nice, but outside of hard core fans, very few could name 'em.]

Ferrari are, rightly IMO, totally committed to the biggest (annual audience figures) sporting series on the planet.

Try 50-60 years and you'll be getting closer

Cheers,
Ian

 

"Been there, done that...."

 

So why not Indianapolis? That's the largest attended one day sporting event in the world.

I am not knocking LeMans, it is my favorite attended race event. It is just not practical for any manufacturer today to try to contest two such time consuming and money sucking series.

I would suggest that the Crown Jewel as you call it for a factory like Ferrari is first and foremost the WCC, with one of their drivers getting the WDC as a bonus. Fans may not remember the WCC, but factories do by putting that fact on their street cars.

Ian, by stating 25-30 years, I was referring to the period that Ferrari only did F1. In the 1950s, 1960s, they raced LeMans. Porsche, Matra, and Renault pretty much took over in the 1970s. My math was off, so it would be more like 40 years that Ferrari focused only on F1.

 

I would love to see Ferrari race and win at Indy, I love Indy just as much as Le Mans, but that is properly never going to happen.

 

It's a totally different market segment man. All Ferrari sells is exotics that owners drive 3K miles per year at the most in average. And it's already committed to F1 since decades ago, something Audi is not, for exactly the same reasons. And Audi makes an exotic. Ferrari has no mass-production cars and no diesel offerings. Makes absolutely no financial sense, especially in this economy.

 

True and as Luca has said Ferrari will never make a Diesel that is that.

The Audi is a very serious piece of Kit.

As for GTE congrats to Corvette.

We'll do our best at The 24 of Nurburgring but totally no support from Ferrari including a refusal to even sell us spare parts hasn't made that easy.

 

What was that video about? Reminded me of Ferrari F1 the last two seasons. Big start, and just faded after a short time.

 

Sorry Ian didn't mean for it to come off so strong, I'm just tired of the fact that every year Le Mans comes and goes and still no Ferrari at the top.

To me that would be the cherry on my sundae.

 

Audi, along with family VW and Porsche have recently considered F1 and IRL. They came to the same conclusion in the opposite direction, it did not make financial sense.

I think Ferrari would have made a great move if they had helped a privateer team such as Scuderia Glickenhaus.

 

+1 My bad

However, my angle was that they've *always* been in F1 - Le Mans kinda comes & goes.

Even Porsche aren't playing in P1 these days! [I think it's down to the diesels, but could be wrong?]

Cheers,
Ian
PS - IME, diesels *suck* - A "whoosh" as it goes by just doesn't cut it for me

 

My response was probably a little strrong too. "Group hug"

I understand where you're coming from, but it just doesn't make sense for 'em to do it IMO.

I don't think that makes 'em "scared" however.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Now that *really* sucks!

While I don't think there should be a "factory" entry they're turning their backs on the "privateer" - They have a long history of providing such support.

Mind me asking their reason for refusing to sell the parts?

D-a-y-u-m! Good luck at the 'Ring.

Cheers,
Ian

 

With the resources and budget of any top F1 team I think you could put the almighty Audi sports team in humiliating retreat.

But for a small car maker like Ferrari it would not be easy to find funding for such effort, as there is not FOM money nor big sponsors in Le Mans.

Sad, but as Luca Montezemolo realized 40 years ago, business is business.

 

LOL - your title is quite comedic following what happened to the Audi team - two cars out in MASSIVE shunts b/c of 2 Ferraris - thought for a second that you were one of these conspiracy theorists that had uncovered a plot to destroy Audi's dominance...

 

Hey Jim, First off thanks for the interview you had with my cousin Gilberto. It is indeed a small world. When I heard that he had interviewed you I was shocked to say the least. http://narrowlanes.net/2011/05/24/interview-james-glickenhaus/

Second, If Ferrari won't support you I'd be more than happy to next year. I'd be perfect for fetching you your coffee

LOL!