Ferrari and Maserati get trounced !!!

If I am correct in asuming the car you are reffering to, the "super" Enzo at Fiorano was ensuring that this is not such a long season!

 

This years LeMans will be a good one. The big question is how will the Vett boys do. They didn't win at Sebring 24hr because of a mechanical failure. The Astons really had to work to keep pace with them.

As for the MC12, what a joke. I was never really a big fan of the Enzo. Mainly because of the ugly styling. Then they reclothed is as a Maser, and put it on the track. Now the MC12/Enzo is getting spanked. That just drives my fealings of the Enzo even lower.

 

This sort of racing is close to cr@p.

Basically a manufacturer decides that they need some positive press ... they chuck mega bucks at a silowet (sp?) car and it wins a couple of races, and they pull out.

There are only about 5 decent drivers involved and thus drivers like David Brabham are always involved in these new little plays by the current manufacturer.

I'm amazed that Audi is still involved ... they already have created the magazine ads, etc.

IMO to be able to enter one of these races you should have to sign a contract with a massive exit clause for atleast 2 full racing seasons. This would improve the quality of the racing massively ... as you might as well do it well as you are forced to stick around.

Obviously with Maserati being sold ... their racing program is going down the toilet as the funds probably have been pulled. Pity I guess ...

Pete

 

C6R > All.

 

..hmm Schumi retires this year and starts racing an Enzo GT in 06 ?

 

I'm with Pete. This has become rule racing. You go too fast you get ruled /smaller wing/ added weight /restrictor plated out.

Total BS. Who cares?

 

Hi Jon,

Were you at the FOW event at the Jefferson Circuit a couple of weeks ago?

Someone I know was at Silvestone and said the 3rd place car was 12 seconds back. I have no results so I don't know if the #2 car, an Aston was way back as well. That doesn't sound great, but trounced?

Bob Staaterman

 

How do these manufactuerers do this? Are they following the rules? Didn't the caddillac do that last year and they slowed tha car down with lead? Is aston in for the long haul or the publicity? It seems to me the non-pro racer that there are certain things known to work in racing. You do these up to the limit of the rules then all the car should be fairly close. What other bailing wire and chewing gum things get done that make cars so fast that they can lap the field and some cars twice assuming similar legal HP, weight, aerodynamics etc..

 

So have you driven the track yet?

I'm a bit confused about the FIA GT, the Aston's and Maserati's here and those that ran in Sebring ALMS.

Are we talking about exactly the same cars? Is there still a ballast being carried by Maserati? I had heard that there was to be a different version of the MC12 to conform to the rules so that points could be earned in ALMS. This all seems wierd, confusing and pointless from a racing standpoint if you're not going to earn points.

Clearly at Sebring Maserati was slow even if you ignore the long pit time for a linkage problem. They just didn't cut it.
Was that the ballast, car, the drivers or what? That's why I'm wondering about whether they carried a ballast at Silverstone.

Bob S.

 

But isn't that NASCAR? Oh, wait isn't that the JGTC (now SUPERGT)? Hmmm... two of the largest and fastest growing motorsport series in the world. Yea your right, this type of racing has no place on this earth. I'm sure you guy's have a much better solution. We won't go into GRANDAM, NASCAR's red headed step-child.

FWIW Race Car Engineering had a great article on the new Aston a few months ago and why Prodrive switched. The similarities to the 550 are many but the differences are also huge. Some of the glaring ones were the fact that the Aston's engine could sit lower and further back than the Ferrari's. Also from the firewall forward the entire structure can be unbolted and removed for easier maintenance. As a former race mechanic I can tell you this is huge. In short the Aston is a much, much better race car than the Ferrari. Don't think it's beating the Ferrari's and Maser because of the rules. It looks like a fantastic car with the best team in sports car racing guiding it's development. Race Car Engineering will have another article on it next issue. I'd say you need to check it out before you sound uninformed.

Oh, and if you want to see the future they finally have the follow up to the "Zero-shift" article: http://www.racecar-engineering.com/images/features/Zeroshift_14_N2.pdf which will make every Ferrari F1 and Lambo E-gear gearbox obsolete.

 

I agree re: 550 but the MC 12 if un ballasted and un restrictor plated would leave it far behind.

 

Ignorant, as the MC is already forced to run a variable ballast (which increases as the officials see fit to keep their performance 'in line' with the rest.

Agree.

Sadly true.

 

If I recall correctly, F1 is not allowed to use gearboxes that change too quickly, with what 'too quickly' is left to the discretion of the FIA.

 

It seems the rules are vague when it comes to these endurance regulating bodies. At Sebring the AM's were neck and neck with the C6R's. The MC12 seemed slow in comparison and the lone 550......well it's dated. The Maranello is now [nearly] a 10-year old design. And I don't recall the 550 being initially built for a racing program, unlike the AM or C6R. So IMHO it's time has passed.
Can anybody give me an specific explanation on why the MC12 does not meet the regs of the ALMS?

 

Isn't the point that ProDrive trounces whoever their competition is, in whatever car they drive?

A few years ago it was the old ProDrive 550 that was trouncing everyone. Now it's the ProDrive Aston's.


Bravo ProDrive. They've figured out what no one else has. Good publicity for Aston, and it's owner Ford. Hopefully some of that will find its way back into the coffers.


Forza,


Cavallini

 

Dave Richards obviously has it all together!

Carol

 

...and a lot more time on his hands this year.

What were Honda thinking? From WC runner up to Minardi zero points level.

 

Last year was the closest BAR Honda will ever get to a World Championship! That is what happens when you sell your race seats to poster boys for engine suppliers!