Challenging Porsche is no mean feat. They did get lots of data and got schooled by Porsche. Eventually they'll likely win. They'll never win if they don't try so I respect them for that.
For whatever reason, and I've never really understood it, the ACO has always backed away from creating a Supercar-like formula (a-la FIA GT of the mid to late 90s). Perhaps JG could shed some light on this? One of the most resounding wins in Le Mans history was in 1995 when McLaren won there with an F1 with Letho, Dalmas and Masanori. And, even on the success (but not longevity) of the FIA GT series, the ACO has been reluctant to bring about this type of classification again. Going back to when Risi Competizione wanted to bring a Maserati MC12 into the ALMS, it practically became a war between the ALMS and ACO to allow the car in. The ACO was so opposed to this that, in the compromise, it was agreed that the MC12 would be so heavily laden with ballast and air restrictors that it could never win and (even if it did) would not score championship points. Poor Atherton had to criss cross the Atlantic several times before they eventually hammered out the agreement and it got so bad at one point that the ACO's licensing agreement with the Panoz Group/ALMS was very nearly severed over the whole thing. Why the ACO is so reluctant to go this route is curious. And, when the GT1 category was in peril, I was able to ask those in charge at the time why they would not embrace a Supercar formula to replace GT1 and all they would say at the time was, "It's just not going to happen" (SIC). Perhaps the ACO sees this Supercar formula as more the domain of the SRO (which it kind of really is) and they've just put their foot down that their way is the only way. For sure though, Le Mans cannot see such a lack of P1 entries there next year. They'd better come up with something right quick to address the situation. BHW
I'll be honest with you. The LMP1 cars are just UGLY. I don't care if they are fast --they are UGLY Image Unavailable, Please Login
To me personally they look ugly from the headlight pods. The rest looks fine to me. I wish they would adopt the headlight pods of the following renditions. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
But, their speed is a function of their design. And, as these cars are now virtual rockets, they're beautiful. I always find it amazing to see how fast they corner from the onboard cameras. They just change direction so well now that it boggles the mind. Must be fun as hell to drive them. BHW
True that (incl LMP1) Like F1. Paint them all white and ask someone of she/he recognizes the make and type Bring back GT1! (Max price for a car 1-1,3m incl a spare package of body, gearbox and engine)
They may be prototypes of rockets, because they aren't prototypes of cars, that's for sure. Maybe they should adopt another name than Le Mans Prototype, and call them Formula Le Mans ? The meaning of the word PROTOTYPE has been lost in translation, I think.
Yep, instead we have LMP1. At least some people can buy supercars and drive them on the road, but who wants to buy a LMP1 ?
To be honest, that Jaguar is how I think future F1s should be, but not Le mans cars. Here we go again ...
To be honest, you cannot blame them for that. Other manufacturers do the same. The money is on SUVs, these days. It's what the public wants, and they can't make enough of them. Most manufacturers slowly give sporty models because of short production runs, making them less profitable to manufacture.
2017 wasn't a vintage Le Mans race in my book. With only 5 cars at the start, the LMP1 contingent almost completely collapsed of exhaustion during the race; Porsche was very lucky to catch up the leading LMP2 after its initial gremlins that cost 1 hour in the garage. Not a very good advert for hybrid technology here; the ACO should take notice - they probably won't. Well done Porsche anyway. I cannot get exited by LMP2. There is surely action on the track, but most of the cars are ORECA; it's almost a one-make series. Another cock up from the ACO. LMGT-Pro The best category to watch during the 24 hours. I really though Corvette had it in the bag. Aston won after some forceful, some would say controversial, driving from Johnny Adams. I was pleased that FORD got beaten, that should wipe the smile of the arrogant Chip Ganassi. A bit disappointed that Porsche didn't do better. Ferrari couldn't deliver on its promises. The elimination of the Risi car spell disaster for Ferrari. LMP-Am That's a category I don't understand, and I don't like. I don't see the point of having 2 classes in GT. That's confusing, and serves no purpose, IMO. Professional and amateur drivers can perfectly mix in the same race, and without differentiation. Another half-baked idea from the ACO.
They look this way due to the amount of development Porsche, Toyota (and formerly Audi) are putting into CFD and wind tunnel testing. They're obviously learning something from it as the qualifying times this year were smashed. And, had it not been for all the cautions, virtual safety cars and attrition, the distance record would have fallen as well. While perhaps not aesthetically pleasing, they're going for lap times and race wins, not concours awards. BHW
They don't appear to have learnt the main trick for Le Mans from Porsche though, and that is make a SIMPLE car. Back in the 935 days the car only had a 4 speed gearbox ... for example. I watched the No. 7 Toyota, on TV, putter to a permanent halt and it is criminal that they do not have a means to get the car back to the pits. Yes I know the clutch failed (apparently) but I do hope when they design their 2018 car they ensure that the car can ALWAYS do a slow lap and get back to the pits so it can be fixed. Heck put a separate battery and electric motor in the car driving one front wheel just for this purpose or something! Pete
+1. Love watching the Porsche 919 onboard camera. The 919 moves like it was in a video game. It's the Porsche, other than my own, that I'd most love to drive...T
GT Pro was great but LMP1 just seems to expensive and maybe LMP2 cars with manufactures being allowed to run atleast their own engines is the best idea. Some have already said as much on this thread. Let them run their own style of bodywork like IMSA did with the Cadillacs and Mazda's. The ACO look like fools right now with only the 1 LMP1 car in the top 6. LMP1 cars look fine from the side but as many have said they are really silly ugly from the front.
No, they look that way because the rules don't impose realistic parameters in terms of cockpit size, minimum height, habitability, door size, access and egress, ventilation, seat width, etc... The ACO has driven the prototype category to be loosely like F1, when they should be road car PROTOTYPEs. That's why LMP look so strange; there is no relevance to street sports cars at all.
I fear for the WEC in the hands of the ACO. They steer it in completely wrong direction, since they were given the mandate to administer the championship by the FIA. You have to understand that the ACO is at loggerhead with Stephan Ratel first, who stole some of their thunder and followers when he kicked off his series after endurance racing almost collapsed in the 90s. The ACO has been behind some decisions that completely unbalanced the WEC over the years. The technical break given to diesel engines was one of them, giving an unfair advantage to Audi for several years, and discouraging many sports cars participants. The most vociferous just being not invited anymore! The adoption of hybrid rules announced a period of costly cars, only affordable by few factory teams and eliminating the private efforts. To compensate, the ACO created LMP2, handing a monopoly to 2 French manufacturers they like as sole suppliers (and Dallara) with a mandatory engine. In other terms, a specs series. In other words, no other chassis manufacturer, and no other engine than the Gibson-built Nissan engine can race at Le Mans. The ACO's refusal to share regulations with the Blancpain series they fear much is another example of their misguided policy. 100s of cars from at least 12 different manufacturers can run in GT3 in many different series; they are affordable, quick and the manufacturers make money building them in quantity. Ask Michelotto for Ferrari, Callaway for Corvette, Porsche, Reiter for Lamborghini, etc... they produce series of GT3 and make a living doing it. GTE are cars that can only race in WEC, ELMS, Only 5 manufacturers make them, only factory teams or assisted teams can afford them. A GTE is more than double the cost of a GT3. Many constructors won't build them to sell to private teams, because they can't make money on them. On some tracks, GT3 can run faster than GTE, but the ACO only wants it its way, and shun the GT3. Everybody loses, the teams, the manufacturers, the drivers, endurance in general... That's the way the ACO runs its endurance kingdom.
Today we love to see Le Mans cars from the 60's and 70's Does anyone in their right mind think anyone will care about the Toyota LMP1 car 40 years from now?
Well...people care about the 787B, XJR-9, Nissan GTP-ZX, so my guess is the Toyota will have some juice in the future. I'm not a huge fan of the LMP1 cars, but I don't hate them either. As a class, it's what I am most excited to see. Never been a fan of the "junior prototype" formulae like LMP2, get rid of it.
I am always excited to see the top class go at it, but that enthusiasm is then tamped down by the lack of participants. Mark
