From Autosport: The eligibility of the Sebring 12 Hours-winning Audi R15 TDI has been questioned by the German manufacturer's rivals, this week's AUTOSPORT magazine reveals. Peugeot, Aston Martin Racing and ORECA are among the teams seeking a rules clarification on key elements of the radical R15. They have questioned the way Audi has used the bodywork for aerodynamic effect. The key area of the R15 under discussion is the front aero package and, in particular, a flap above the front splitter. Audi's rivals claim this constitutes as aerodynamic element and is therefore contrary to the regulations. The LMP1 regulations state that "with the exception of the rear wing... no bodywork or underbody element having a wing profile is permitted". Audi's rival believe that the splitter element contravenes this regulation. Aston Martin Racing team principal George Howard-Chappell said: "It looks like it acts exactly like a flap on a wing, with the splitter arrangement acting as the main plane." Openings on the engine cover and some of the ducting at the side of the car have also been called in question. "The question is what constitutes an aerodynamic opening and what constitutes a radiator duct?" said Howard-Chappell. Peugeot is pushing for changes to the R15, despite the car passing scrutineering at Sebring. "We do not have the same interpretation of the rules as Audi," said Peugeot Sport team manager Serge Saulnier. "I do not think this issue is closed." A clarification of the rule is imminent, according to Remy Brouard, the new director-general of Le Mans organiser the Automobile Club de l'Ouest. "We are speaking with everyone, Audi, Peugeot and Acura, to try to clarify these points," he said. "It is the same with any rulebook." Asked if the ACO could force Audi to modify the R15, Brouard replied: "I cannot answer that question." It is understood that Audi has rejected overtures from the ACO to make revisions. It has argued that the car was homologated ahead of Sebring and therefore is clear to race in that form.
And radical it is. I was never on the right side of the sun when I was close to the sidepods. The grey area in front of the motor intakes is not the bottom of the car. That's the ground. These guys inovate and the others whine. Give them some cheese. Image Unavailable, Please Login
seems the new way to winning races: If another team outsmarts you, just go the the the officials and file complaints. In F1 with Brawn, now with sportcars with Audi. I only could wish that the one thing that decides who won was the checkered flag....
Wow, it's looking like an open-wheel car that happens to have some panels around the front (as opposed to a full-framed chassis around the drive train). Certainly not what I pictured inside the car when I looked at the pics of the front!
Well that's interesting. If the rules snippet captures enough of the context, then AM's complaint would seem to be sour grapes. "acts like", even "acts exactly like ... a wing" is not even close to being a violation of "having a wing profile". "acts like" and "having/being" are utterly different.
Same thought here about the R15 - a tab bit on the ugly side in photos but absolutely striking in person. The concern seem to be about the front of the car - here's an excerpt from another person's thoughts on the matter...... It is commonly believed that Audi is (ab)using this symmetrical non-wing exception. At most this is a violation of the spirit of the rules, but not the letter of the rules. And this one . . .This is the way I see it as well. And "Spirit of the regulations" translates to "Damn, we didn't think of that." and more comments ... I thought it was pretty clear that the splitter portion in question had a 'symmetrical wing' profile (which is not really a wing at all) and thus was legal. and this comment too "Horse manure, they should stand firm! Art 3.6.1 states what is not classed as a wing, and did so before the car was built. The other teams are ticked because they did not think of it first. And Henri is really ticked because they made him take off the sidepod chimney/wing!! Here's a link to Mike's thoughts on the matter: http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsmarch09.html To me it sounds perhaps Peugeot is afraid of losing to Audi again (to be noted, Peugeot is NOT doing any further work on their car but concentrating on the new regs at which time Audi will have perfected the R15). Since the R15 is already homologated, by the ACO, why now consider it illegal? Carol
All this complaining by the other teams seems a bit late in the day since the R15 passed muster at Sebring, presumably with plenty of ACO officials on hand. Hey, if you are vague in designing a rule then don't act so surprised and indignant if a designer decides to use the gray area created by the rule to their advantage! Gary
Too bad these genius innovations (and guys) weren't around when they re-bodied the Formula 5000 cars to try to revive the Can Am series..... back in the day. LOL
After looking at the Acura and the Peugeot it's looks like they are all running similar devices in the front. Peugeot is whining because they got beat yet again. The funny thing is the problem isn't with their car, it seems to be with their management. They never seem to react to anything. They just seem to run their pre-planned strategy regardless of how the race unfolds. At Sebring, for example, why wasn't Bourdais in the car at race's end insead of Montagny? He was the fastest guy they had on the team.
Innovation has never been accepted in racing. Consider in the USA Smokey Yunick, probably the first to introduce flat bottom race cars in the USA. He also figured out how his cars could legally fit the templates, and build them 4/5 ths the size of the real cars. Set track records. Cars banned when one interesting Chevelle overturned during practica at Charlotte, and the world gasped when they could see the bottom was flat. And the body was smooth as a baby's bottom. Jim Hall From Texas introduced the wing to racing, then showed up with a car that had fans that would suck up the ground, so the car would go around corners like a slot car. Within the rules, yet car banned after I believe Jackie Stewart set all sorts of track records. Both of these guys go back to the 1960's and 1970's. Ken Tyrrell got away with the six wheeler because they were not beating anyone. So when the other teams ask themselves why they did not think of something, they protest.
I am not going to put any money on that prediction. They haven't been able to win with a faster car, they sure aren't with a slower one.
I will put money down (seriously lol) They are by no means slow. They put on an insane fight last year and at Petit as well. Audi is scared.
Will Bourdais drive for them at LM? It is between the Turkish and British GP, so it is feasible...or is that even allowed under his contract? He looked pretty good (with the exception of a spin,) at Sebring.
The Peugeot Sport line-up features 9 drivers, with the team’s confidence going to the drivers who have made such a satisfactory contribution to the first two years of its current endurance programme: * Sébastien Bourdais (France), 30. * David Brabham (Australia), 43. * Marc Gené (Spain), 35. * Christian Klien (Austria), 26. * Pedro Lamy (Portugal), 37. * Nicolas Minassian (France), 36. * Franck Montagny (France), 31. * Stéphane Sarrazin (France), 33. * Alexander Wurz (Austria), 35. Pescarolo Sport has announced the three drivers who will share its Peugeot 908 HDi for the 2009 running of the Le Mans 24 Hours this summer. The team, which will run become the first privateer team to run the diesel-powered closed Coupe, will put two of its regular drivers – Jean-Christophe Boullion and Benoit Treluyer – in the car where they will be joined by Frenchman Simon Pagenaud.
EXCELLENT POST! Thank you for the information....should be a solid lineup in a competitive car. EDITED TO ADD: If the air conditioner decides to work LOL!
That photo shows a lot of bthings I never saw before. Thanks! Any idea what the thing with a small wing on top that is sticking up behind the mirror and to the inside of the raised cooling duct is?
