November/December
2009
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All news content copyright Michael J. Fuller, unless
otherwise noted |
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| 12.20.09
>>Race Car Engineering
has reveled that Oreca's 01 replacement LMP, the Oreca 02, will use
Peugeot Sport badged engines. This announcement follows on the
heels of the news that Oreca will run a customer Peugeot 908 LMP next
season. Naturally the 02 will be designed with 2011
regulations in mind and according to Oreca's Hughes de Chaunac, "Our
technical team's already hard at work and is
collaborating closely with Peugeot Sport, all of which
is helping us to design our future LM P1 prototype in
the best possible circumstances." RCE also adds that the design of Peugeot's 908 replacement is at an advanced stage. | 
| 12.8.09
>>We'll
delve into a detailed look at the 2010 regulations at some point soon,
in the mean time the ACO has published a list of chassis that have been
granted a waiver for 2010 regarding their rear fender design:
The following cars have received waivers for 2010:
LMP1 Audi R10: The complete car (chassis, bodywork, engine, restrictor, ballast, etc.)
remains
in the 2009 configuration provided: the team who manages the car
is not a factory team, the drivers have never competed with the
official team Audi. If necessary, the ACO can adjust the
performance of the car after the first race of Le Mans Series.
LMP1 Pescarolo: Waiver for rear fenders.
LMP1 Oreca: Waiver for rear fenders.
LMP1 Lola: Waiver for rear fenders.
LMP1 Lola Coupe: Waiver for rear fenders.
LMP2 Porsche: Waiver for rear fenders.
LMP2 Pescarolo: Waiver for rear fenders.
LMP2 Lola: Waiver for rear fenders.
LMP2 Lola Coupe: Waiver for rear fenders.
LMP2 ARX-01c: Waiver for rear fenders.
Notably
missing from the list; the Audi R15 and the Peugeot 908. The
initial presumption is that both Audi and Peugeot will simply redesign
the rear fenders on their cars in order to get a leg up and a better
understanding of the 2011 regulations and therefore didn't apply for a
waiver.
Admittedly I can't quite understand the attention paid
by the ACO to the Audi R10. Surely Audi wasn't threatening to run
that car next year? Based on today's Audi press release in which
they announced they would participate in the inaugural Le Mans
International Cup with the Audi R15 would certainly signal Audi's
intent and with which chassis. Additionally, it further signals
Audi's intent to race the R15 compliant to the new 2010 regulations given their omission from the waiver list.
The
Le Mans International Cup is the ACO's attempt to revitalize the World
Championship by tying races held in different series to an overall
points championship. Consisting of 3 events on three continents,
the inaugural race will be held at the September, 13, 2010 Silvestone
round of the Le Mans Endurance Series. The second race will be
held in conjunction with the Petit Le Mans on October
2nd with the last event of the International Cup coinciding with the
Asian Le Mans Series' November event (track yet to be determined).
To be eligible for overall points competitors must compete in all
three rounds in addition to participating in at least 5 additional (we think
five additional and not 5 total, but hell we're guessing as the ACO's
press release isn't clear on that point) events under a Le Mans series
banner. | 12.7.09
>>Without much fan fare the ACO has released the 2010 LMP1/2 regulations. Thoughts later. Well, one thought for now...about time. |
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11.24.09, updated
>>Highcroft
Racing announced today that they would be returning to LMP with
Acura. Reading the fine print and we notice that indeed, Acura,
but with the venerable LMP2, not the new LMP1. Highcroft has set
aside the ARX-02a LMP1 for a further development of the ARX-01 LMP2;
the ARX-01c. Highcroft came to the conclusion upon the
knowledge that for next season the American Le Mans Series is combining
the LMP1 and LMP2 classes. And while equivalency regulations
have yet to be discussed publicly, we have it on good authority that
Duncan Dayton has a good idea in what direction they will be heading,
hence Highcroft's decision. And while some might see this as an
indictment of the ARX-02a, and perhaps it is to an extent, Highcroft's
choice has certainly more to do with the package that will be
competitive within the ALMS' equivalency regulations. Duncan
Dayton indicated as much saying, "Everyone saw the performance of the ARX-01b at this year's
ALMS race at Laguna Seca, and we think this car will be a very wise weapon of
choice for 2010." With
the 2009 regulations featuring only a mildly tweaked LMP2 class,
certainly a more elaborately performance adjusted LMP2 would seem to be the car to go
with. Furthermore, additional Acura/Highcroft motivation to go the LMP2 route can be gleamed from the comment that, "The
2009 ALMS LMP1 championship winning squad will be charged
with evaluation of the new ARX-01c platform and the testing of a new
HPD engine
under consideration for the 2011 season." Recall that for 2011
and beyond, LMP1 engine regulations will change drastically such that
the largest engine allowed will be a 3.4 liter V8, precisely what the
Acura LMP2 engine uses now.
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11.16.09
>>Tom Kjos has posted intriguing reading over at the Last Turn club regarding ALMS/IMSA costs and revenues. Have a read.
>>A
slow news month. We understand the draft ACO regulations have
been in manufacturers' hands for at least a month and that the ACO
received their feedback weeks ago. Alas, the official regulations
have gone AWOL. We understand that at least one major
manufacturer has been unable to approach their board about 2011; no
rules, there's nothing to discuss. This would seem to put that
effort in jeopardy for 2011 if not 2010 as well. Given the
economic crisis it seems very odd that the ACO is dragging their
feet. But then the ACO has never realized the season actually
starts in March, not June. |
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