2008 24 Hours of Le Mans Entry List

[KFA-R]

Correct, The "2" classes (LMP2 and GT2) are intended for privateers. In principle, an LMP2 car should also only have one pro driver, accompanied by one or two "gentleman" drivers. In ALMS Porsche and Acura have made a mockery of this "spirit"...

ok... sounds like a good way of getting started into the enduro race world really if the whole thing was played in the true spirit in which it is intended.

did i hear correctly, Porsche only built the spyder for the LMP2 class because the new rules for LMP1 "lean towards" the diesel powered vehicles? (i do say that very loosly, i dont want to start an argument)

so Porsche and Acura are doing something very similar to F1, like a costomer car thing, its their full spec car just under a different name.

[henk4]

What about the GT2 Spykers?

the organisers gave them a break......

[Wouter Melissen]

What about the GT2 Spykers?

They are run by a different company. Of course they are related, but strictly speaking it is not a Works team.

[henk4]

did i hear correctly, Porsche only built the spyder for the LMP2 class because the new rules for LMP1 "lean towards" the diesel powered vehicles? (i do say that very loosly, i dont want to start an argument)

Porsche's supremo Wiedeking hates diesel engines....and now he is an awkward position as Porsche controls VAG/Audi and hence HIS diesel powered cars win....

[KFA-R]

Porsche's supremo Wiedeking hates diesel engines....and now he is an awkward position as Porsche controls VAG/Audi and hence HIS diesel powered cars win....

whoops! i'm sure if they continue to win they will stay powered by the oil burner! hehe

will we ever see a full on assult at LMP1 by Porsche with these current rules? the spyder could very well be the testing ground for the larger car... i say this because they have been quiet for a long time, that is very unusal for them.

[Wouter Melissen]

whoops! i'm sure if they continue to win they will stay powered by the oil burner! hehe

will we ever see a full on assult at LMP1 by Porsche with these current rules? the spyder could very well be the testing ground for the larger car... i say this because they have been quiet for a long time, that is very unusal for them.

It is expected that both Porsche and Acura will launch a LMP1 campaign in the next few years. There are two important decisions expected from the ACO for the future. Firstly the ACO is talking to the teams about the lap times in the race. They want cars not to lap faster than 3:30 and last year the diesels dipped well below that and with Peugeot having sorted the problems, the times could be even quicker. So the ACO is already talking to the teams / manufacturers about measures to slow the cars down for 2009. Whether this will involve both diesel and petrol engines, I do not know.

A bigger issue is the prospected new LMP1 regulations for 2010. The ACO has made clear that they want prototypes that look more like production cars than the current cars. The information has been sketchy (literally) and include nothing more than a sketch of a car that looks like a DP, which was not received very. Nothing is certain right now and that is a stumbling block for manufacturers to develop brand new cars, which might be obsolete from 2010 onwards.

It is believed that Audi, Peugeot, Porsche and Acura will be joined by Aston Martin, Corvette and Toyota at the turn of the decade. It looks set to become a very interesting period for endurance racing, which might get the FIA worried again like Group C did some 20 years ago.

[Kitdy]

It is believed that Audi, Peugeot, Porsche and Acura will be joined by Aston Martin, Corvette and Toyota at the turn of the decade. It looks set to become a very interesting period for endurance racing, which might get the FIA worried again like Group C did some 20 years ago.

It could get really interesting with all those manufacturers - it's what I like to see.

Why would the FIA get worried?

[KFA-R]

It is expected that both Porsche and Acura will launch a LMP1 campaign in the next few years. There are two important decisions expected from the ACO for the future. Firstly the ACO is talking to the teams about the lap times in the race. They want cars not to lap faster than 3:30 and last year the diesels dipped well below that and with Peugeot having sorted the problems, the times could be even quicker. So the ACO is already talking to the teams / manufacturers about measures to slow the cars down for 2009. Whether this will involve both diesel and petrol engines, I do not know.

A bigger issue is the prospected new LMP1 regulations for 2010. The ACO has made clear that they want prototypes that look more like production cars than the current cars. The information has been sketchy (literally) and include nothing more than a sketch of a car that looks like a DP, which was not received very. Nothing is certain right now and that is a stumbling block for manufacturers to develop brand new cars, which might be obsolete from 2010 onwards.

It is believed that Audi, Peugeot, Porsche and Acura will be joined by Aston Martin, Corvette and Toyota at the turn of the decade. It looks set to become a very interesting period for endurance racing, which might get the FIA worried again like Group C did some 20 years ago.

yes, i can see a repeat of the group C situation myself.

personally it would be nice to see the prototype cars look more like a road going vehicle, its been done before, the Merc (i wont mention the fact it flipped several times ) looked very much like the road going car and was able to keep up with the likes of the BMW and the Toyota that it was racing against, not to mention it was clearly beeting the audi R8R. however as soon as the R8 was born, it has (as we can all clearly see) changed it forever. i would like to see a change back to more road going cars for the LMP1 class but the catch would be (as you have already mentioned) development would basically stop! i am seeing this in F1 and i dont want it to happen in LM racing. however, another catch is, they sisnt stop the development in Group C, that leads me back to the first point. its all a big circle!

Toyota? you saying that gives me the impression you think their F1 days are limited. i dont think we can rule them out of F1 just yet, give them this year, if they fail again then we can start talking about them pulling out more seriously.

for the deisel engines in this class, the organisers wanted to see a competitive car, they got it in the first year and now have 2... might this rule change you speek of mean the end of the deisel advantage?

[Ferrer]

It could get really interesting with all those manufacturers - it's what I like to see.

Why would the FIA get worried?

Becuase it might be more popular than F1. And FIA doesn't want that.

It has happened several times in the past. So far they ruined the ETCC in 1987, the BPR in the late 90's or the WRC in the early 00's.

[Kitdy]

Does anyone know of any betting odds for Le Mans 2008 or any other year? Is there any online betting source that has the odds for winning the race? I Googled it and failed.

[Kitdy]

It is believed that Audi, Peugeot, Porsche and Acura will be joined by Aston Martin, Corvette and Toyota at the turn of the decade. It looks set to become a very interesting period for endurance racing, which might get the FIA worried again like Group C did some 20 years ago.

I heard that the Corvette LMP Evo plan died a matter of days ago, haven't heard anything about AM's plan, but Acura, Renault, Peugeot, Audi, and BMW are all supposedly working on LMP Evo programs according to some dude online.

Whether it's true or not remains to be seen.

[Zytek_Fan]

I heard that the Corvette LMP Evo plan died a matter of days ago, haven't heard anything about AM's plan, but Acura, Renault, Peugeot, Audi, and BMW are all supposedly working on LMP Evo programs according to some dude online.

Whether it's true or not remains to be seen.

Corvette LMP program is an "okay" away from initiated.

[Kitdy]

Corvette LMP program is an "okay" away from initiated.

I heard it was scrapped. I actually heard LMP Evo was scrapped but then may yet be alive or some crap like that, and the reason GM killed the Corvette LMP was because it was no longer relevant to the roadcar in that they decided to go to a front-engined format for the C7 and the Corvette LMP would be midengined.

I would question what relevance racing a Corvette at all has to the image of selling Corvettes - one, The ALMS and Le Mans is not that popular with the main market of Corvette - America, and two, people that are Corvette fans are I would say generally well established and don't need to see a car racing to gain popularity. In F1, I see the same problem with racing other than in new markets - I read Ferrari sold tons more cars in China after the years following the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix.

I truly don't understand why Toyota races, but I enjoy that they do.

[Kitdy]

Got a question that doesn't deserve another thread, who has been the sanctioning body of Le Mans in the past? I know that the CSI was in charge in the past, was it then FISA and then the ACO? What are the dates for transfer of power?

[togos452]

Corvette engineers did "discover" dry-sump engine lubrication with the aluminum Z06.