2008 Sebring 12 Hours

[Kitdy]

Have you seen the times of the Creation at Paul Ricard? That is a car based on a design dating back 2002 when the cars were built to quite different rules. Nevertheless it was around 2 seconds slower than the Audi, which for more than half can be down to it being a new package and the other half to the fact that it is a privateer team. A factory developed petrol LMP1 should be 2 seconds faster. The Audi R8 was also this much faster than any of the competition.

Maybe, maybe not. I'm no expert but I think it would be hard for them to win with the current rules - they clearly think it is.

[RacingManiac]

This was the point I was trying to make in post#47

The ACO likes to see laptimes of the fastest LMP2s to be about 1.5% slower than the fastest LMP1 cars. (This is stated in their regulations which can be found on the ACO page). With the diesel cars running away from the petrol cars, this 1.5% in relation to the LMP1 petrol cars means in reality that they can come much closer than ACO originally envisaged.

But there is nothing wrong with what Porsche is doing though, because they built a car to the rule of the P2 class, and in reality in the hands of non-Penske team, can indeed match a regular P1 car over a race distance. Its hardly news that each constructor's product is not the same, its just that IMO with a more optimized complete package like an Acura or a Porsche, that they are just simply better product....

Again this is ACO shooting themselves in the foot, like they have done so many times in the past...

[Kitdy]

I actually sorta think that the diesel/petrol allowance in LMP1 is kinda silly. I highly doubt that a perfect balance between diesel or petrol can ever be achieved and so one will always make more sense for teams that have the money to spend on the more expensive system.

I would just keep it to gasoline.

[RacingManiac]

The only reason why Diesel costs more now is because its new, and not nearly as much development have been paid to the technology to racing it. In the long run with the big picture in mind this should become more common place...

The diesel/petrol equivilency formula now is only really lacking IMO in the power department, with what diesels are allowed to make given the current restriction they can easily outrun a petrol car, with about the same distance per tank(81 L vs 90 L), if the petrol engine are back to where they were in ~2002's LMP900 rule, they should be able to match diesel's performance, Audi back then with the R8 are quoting to be able to do as much as 14-15 laps per tank around Le Mans, with cars capable of running sub 3:30 lap.....which is pretty much what R10 can do in 2006.....LMP2 curiously at the given formula now can better diesel's range, with a small trade-off in speed, where as petrol LMP1 at the moment are across the board inferior to a diesel LMP1....

BTW, neither Porsche or Acura's engine are direct injection no? If they are then it can further tip the balance in those cars' favor...

[Kitdy]

BTW, neither Porsche or Acura's engine are direct injection no? That can further tip the balance in those cars' favor...

"Those cars" being the diesels yeah?

Why aren't they direct injection?

[RacingManiac]

those as in the factory LMP2s.....

[Kitdy]

those as in the factory LMP2s.....

Wouldn't direct injection be beneficial?

[RacingManiac]

quite, which is why I am wondering why they are not running it....AFAIK only Mazda's engine is direct injection equipped...