Updated Entry List - LMS Spa

Bruno Famin's comment on the ballast weight is interesting.
A recent press release -

"Peugeot has chosen the ultra-fast circuit of Spa-Francorchamps – where the best lap posted by the N°7 908 in 2008 represented an average speed of almost 210kph – to fine-tune its preparations for its prime objective of the 2009 season, the Le Mans 24 Hours.


Team Peugeot Total's 2009 programme is focused on the French endurance classic. Following the recent 12 Hours of Sebring, where all the teams agree that once around the clock is equivalent to 24 hours anywhere else, it has chosen to enter two cars for the 1000km de Spa. The exact line-up has been selected as a function of the drivers' respective experience in distance terms at the wheel of the 908 HDi FAP. "Spa stands out above all as our last chance for a dress rehearsal in race conditions prior to Le Mans," stresses Peugeot Sport Director Olivier Quesnel. "It will give the mechanics an opportunity to carry out pit-stops following the introduction of new regulations. It will also enable us to work on our race strategy, while the drivers will be able to familiarise themselves with racing in traffic and with the 908. The latter notably concerns Simon Pagenaud who recently joined us as reserve driver and who will be driving the Pescarolo Sport-run Peugeot 908 HDi FAP at Le Mans. Spa will also give us a chance to validate our latest technical specification. As a consequence, the end result is not our priority. If we need to call a car in to change or check something, as we did at Sebring, then we won't hesitate."

N°7 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP

Christian Klien (AUT) / Nicolas Minassian (FRA) / Simon Pagenaud (FRA)

N°9 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP

David Brabham (AUS) / Marc Gené (ESP) / Alexander Wurz (AUT)

The two Peugeots will feature a blue and chrome livery, but with different colours for the wing and mirrors. The N°7 car will have white mirrors, with Peugeot written in black on a white wing. The N°9 car will have black mirrors, with Peugeot written in white on a black wing.

Both cars will be built to the new specification dictated by the ACO regulations, i.e. including 30kg of ballast. Spa-Francorchamps will consequently be our first chance to measure the influence of this new rule which is intended to level out the performance difference between the diesel and petrol prototypes. The latter proved faster in the opening race of the season at Barcelona.

"In addition to capping performance, the addition of 30kg of ballast has a big influence on the resistance of mechanical components, especially suspension and brake parts," says Peugeot Sport's Technical Director Bruno Famin. "To ensure the safety and reliability of our cars, we have had to rush through an additional validation phase in our schedule, and this was a big constraint at this point in our build-up to Le Mans. We estimate that the new fuel-filler restrictor and the 30kg of ballast represent a loss of about two seconds per lap at Le Mans. That's enormous!"

 

Not even one american driver.

 

Hey cool, Jaime teaming up with the Modena guys!

 

They're doing it but aren't happy!

After the regulation adjustments to the LMP1 category, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Motorsport has released the following statement.


“Audi developed a completely new sports prototype in accordance with the final regulations published by the ACO at the end of 2008. In today's extremely difficult economical climate it is not a good signal to release regulations and then to change them just before the event, this change effectively ruins the majority of the development work carried out already. For us, stable and clearly defined regulations over the long-term are the necessary foundation for a lasting cooperation.

The timing of these regulation changes is completely unacceptable. The car is effectively fully developed two months before the event and has completed the first endurance tests - and this is with the weight stipulated by the original regulations. For Audi to take no risks at Le Mans certain tests and endurance tests with the additional 30 kg weight must now be implemented at an extremely late date, which is associated with great risk and additional costs.

Furthermore, we consider the regulation changes to be completely unnecessary. Sebring was by no means a representative race, and at Barcelona it was clearly apparent just how competitive the new cars with gasoline engines are this year.

Because the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the two core projects of the Audi motorsport program we must accept the decision taken by the ACO, but we do however not approve.”

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While Le Mans is obvious I'm not as clear what they see as their second core project.

Should be a good race this weekend. Hindie is broadcasting all sessions and I think I'm good for a stream of the race itself.