View Full Version : Jaguar planning Le Mans return with LMP1 car?
Ecnelis
07-15-2011, 05:44 AM
Jaguar planning Le Mans return with LMP1 car - Le Mans news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93066)
Jaguar is beginning to plan for its first bid for outright honours at the Le Mans 24 Hours since 1991, this week's AUTOSPORT magazine reveals.
The British manufacturer's Indian owner, Ratan Tata, and bosses at Jaguar parent company Tata Motors are known to be evaluating a return to the prototype ranks with an all-new LMP1 car.
AUTOSPORT understands that a decision has already been made in principle to mount an attack on the race in the future, although it is unclear what timeframe Jaguar and Tata are working to.
A Jaguar spokesperson said: "We are monitoring developments in motorsport around the world."
Jaguar has seven Le Mans victories to its name, its most recent success coming in 1990 with the XJR-12.
For more on this story, please see this week's issue of AUTOSPORT magazine.
RacingManiac
07-15-2011, 05:56 AM
I hope this is a Jaguar effort not a Tata effort.....unless Tata's racing engineer has much different mentality than their FSAE guys....
Dino Scuderia
07-15-2011, 06:17 AM
They want to compete with Porsche. lol
Kitdy
07-15-2011, 06:26 AM
So we could have Audi, Peugeot, Porsche, Jaguar, and Toyota all at Le Mans at the same time.
Wow.
Ferrer
07-15-2011, 08:33 AM
They want to compete with Porsche. lol
Indeed.
Who wants a Porsche...
So we could have Audi, Peugeot, Porsche, Jaguar, and Toyota all at Le Mans at the same time.
:eek: This could get interesting.
henk4
07-15-2011, 12:23 PM
they may have learned from their GT2 efforts, and certainly from the Prodrive attempts. That means: A small budget is a recipe for a big disaster.
faksta
07-17-2011, 12:51 AM
So we could have Audi, Peugeot, Porsche, Jaguar, and Toyota all at Le Mans at the same time.
Wow.
I don't think Audi and Porsche will race at the same time, unless there will be a bunch of private R18.
pimento
07-17-2011, 01:34 AM
I don't think Audi and Porsche will race at the same time, unless there will be a bunch of private R18.
You reckon? I think there's room for both, given they'll be doing it rather differently to each other. Potentially some tech sharing could happen in the background too.
henk4
07-17-2011, 01:54 AM
I don't think Audi and Porsche will race at the same time, unless there will be a bunch of private R18.
Porsche with the petrol hybrid and Audi with the diesel hybrid? who knows...
pimento
07-17-2011, 01:58 AM
Porsche with the petrol hybrid and Audi with the diesel hybrid? who knows...
I'm hoping Porsche will fly the flag for purely petrol.. assuming the regulations are even enough for them to be competative anyway. Hopefully having them there with a reasonable budget will help the powers that be work it out. Toyota can do the petrol hybrid thing anyway.
faksta
07-17-2011, 02:16 AM
You reckon? I think there's room for both, given they'll be doing it rather differently to each other. Potentially some tech sharing could happen in the background too.
I just suppose. There's little reason for a concern to have two teams in the same class. It happened with Bentley, I know, but that was more of a promo action with almost-the-same car and same drivers. If Porsche's attempt will be the same thing it will be upsetting, but something tells me it won't - Porsche is the make that doesn't just get into something just because. On the other hand, Audi...Audi...Audi...Audi... may start to seem like Vettel...Vettel...Vettel...Vettel... VW just has a chance to continue winning, just under the different name. Audi may concentrate on DTM / GrandAm / SuperGT future series at the same time, as they have never thought their endurance program was more important than DTM. They've lost to Peugeot in 2009 because of this.
faksta
07-17-2011, 02:19 AM
Porsche with the petrol hybrid and Audi with the diesel hybrid? who knows...
Possible of course, why not. I would even like this a lot - the more competitors the better. I just can't remember many similar cases.
By the way, Kitdy, don't forget Aston, even though they're not catching up these days, I believe Richards is quite able to find a way through.
What will happen to Wirth's projects, by the way? Will the promised coupe be sold to someone else instead of Honda or is it history now?
Ferrer
07-17-2011, 03:35 AM
I'm hoping Porsche will fly the flag for purely petrol.. assuming the regulations are even enough for them to be competative anyway. Hopefully having them there with a reasonable budget will help the powers that be work it out. Toyota can do the petrol hybrid thing anyway.
Having made the first hybrid GT car, and clearly embracing hybrid technology for rad cars? I doubt it...
I just suppose. There's little reason for a concern to have two teams in the same class. It happened with Bentley, I know, but that was more of a promo action with almost-the-same car and same drivers. If Porsche's attempt will be the same thing it will be upsetting, but something tells me it won't - Porsche is the make that doesn't just get into something just because. On the other hand, Audi...Audi...Audi...Audi... may start to seem like Vettel...Vettel...Vettel...Vettel... VW just has a chance to continue winning, just under the different name. Audi may concentrate on DTM / GrandAm / SuperGT future series at the same time, as they have never thought their endurance program was more important than DTM. They've lost to Peugeot in 2009 because of this.
Peugeot and Citroëm both fielded works teams at top level in rallying and there wasn't a problem, at least apparently.
faksta
07-17-2011, 03:41 AM
Peugeot and Citroëm both fielded works teams at top level in rallying and there wasn't a problem, at least apparently.
Indeed. This didn't come to my mind.
RacingManiac
07-17-2011, 07:48 AM
Peugeot and Citroëm both fielded works teams at top level in rallying and there wasn't a problem, at least apparently.
Certainly doesn't happen anymore....
Ferrer
07-17-2011, 08:22 AM
Certainly doesn't happen anymore....
And arguably Citroën's raise happened at the same time as Peugeot's decline, but nevertheless it has happened in the past, and not a la Audi-Bentley way.
NSXType-R
07-17-2011, 06:49 PM
Yes, I would assume Porsche would go gasoline hybrid.
Thing is, it seems odd to have two factory teams going for the same goal.
I know it's been done before, but it seems slightly counterproductive and redundant.
f6fhellcat13
07-17-2011, 07:36 PM
...but it seems slightly counterproductive and redundant.
Exactly like VAG's vehicles! So it's a perfect fit.
faksta
07-18-2011, 08:46 AM
Still VAG had a clear division for its brands' racing activities. Audi for LM and DTM, Lamborghini for GT (well, in fact that was Reiter), Seat for TC, Skoda for rally, VW for off-road racing, later Porsche came in with GT cars alongside Lamborghini... Now VW is aimed at rally probably instead of Skoda (or just in a different league), Porsche at LM and F1, Seat seems to be out of racing at all. Seems just like a rotation for me. And I will not wonder if we see Scania at Dakar soon...