2008 Le Mans 24 Hours preselections

[The_Canuck]

Originally Posted by Turbo.Jenkens

RS Spyders finished 2nd and 3rd (over all) at Petit LeMans, I'd say they are more reliable than the majority of P2 cars.

Maybe they learned from their mistakes at Sebring, where they lost to the new team.

[Zytek_Fan]

Also, Oreca will lease their entry to any interested party, since they're done with the Saleens.

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Kitdy

Why are Penske not going?

If Penske doesn't go, it is still possible that we will see Dyson's Porsches and Andretti Green's Acuras at Le Mans? What is the selection criteria for teams that do not automatically qualify?

There have been rumblings that Dyson would return to Le Mans if they felt they had a car they could win with. I think they could use Penske's autobids since Penske isn't going, but the cars would still technically be entered as Penske entries.

Acura has stated that it won't be at Le Mans next year as they don't think their cars are good enough to compete there yet. They are planning an LMP1 effort for 2009 though.

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

The MC12 was designed to meet the FIA's supercar GT1 regulations, which the ACO doesn't like, because it being too wide. Like I said, hopefully Stephane Ratel can be the usual convincing guy he is and allow MC12s to be entered. It'd really add more to a quality GT1 field

It's more than just the MC12 being too wide that the ACO doesn't agree with. The ACO's sporting regulations say that a GT race car is to be a race car based upon a road going car. The MC12 happened the other way around, it was a designed as a race car, and then the designated number of road cars were made just to homologate it for the FIA GT. That's now how things work with the ACO. That has a lot more to it than the width. They could easily narrow the car to a compliant width if they wanted to, but that's just not their only obstacle.

The Le Mans invite goes to Vitaphone, the team, not the car, so if they want to race, they'll have to lease something else for Le Mans.

[Zytek_Fan]

What I would suggest the ACO do is let Vitaphone and Scuderia Playteam bring their cars to the Test Days and see how it stacks up against the competition.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

What I would suggest the ACO do is let Vitaphone and Scuderia Playteam bring their cars to the Test Days and see how it stacks up against the competition.

Why would they do that? They can get enough legal entries. The procedure you are proposing is a potential can of worms....

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by henk4

Why would they do that? They can get enough legal entries. The procedure you are proposing is a potential can of worms....

Hell, they're turning down probably 20-30 legal entries, why would they let Vitaphone run an illegal one...

[Zytek_Fan]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

Hell, they're turning down probably 20-30 legal entries, why would they let Vitaphone run an illegal one...

GT1 is starved that's why.

But I do see your point.

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

GT1 is starved that's why.

But I do see your point.

GT1 does just fine at Le Mans, it's in the ALMS and LMS that they need entries badly.

[Wouter Melissen]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

GT1 is starved that's why.

But I do see your point.

GT1 is no longer a priority, the current cars will be over and done with after 2008 or maybe 2009.

[Zytek_Fan]

Originally Posted by Wouter Melissen

GT1 is no longer a priority, the current cars will be over and done with after 2008 or maybe 2009.

Hmm, good point. Hopefully the 2010 regulations can be finalized and actually make sense, and not slow down the cars...

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

Hmm, good point. Hopefully the 2010 regulations can be finalized and actually make sense, and not slow down the cars...

...and not adopt the FIA's stupid new regulations for GT cars...

[Kitdy]

I have a few questions. First off, I was reading Wouter's C.6R article (which as usual is excellent) and saw that Corvette (aka Pratt and Whitney) may be adding a car to LMP1 to challenge for overall victory. What is the timeline on this?

Also, as I read earlier and mentioned on UCP, Corvette is going to GT2 in the ALMS but what is the timescale for this and will there be Corvettes in GT2 in the LMS and FIA GT?

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Kitdy

I have a few questions. First off, I was reading Wouter's C.6R article (which as usual is excellent) and saw that Corvette (aka Pratt and Whitney) may be adding a car to LMP1 to challenge for overall victory. What is the timeline on this?

Also, as I read earlier and mentioned on UCP, Corvette is going to GT2 in the ALMS but what is the timescale for this and will there be Corvettes in GT2 in the LMS and FIA GT?

Well the LMP1 Corvette program is just a rumor for now, it may not happen at all, but if it does, it will be in 2010 or 2011 when the new coupe LMP1 regulations take effect.

The Corvettes in GT2 will make their debut at the Sebring winter test in January, and make their race debut at the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring. Keep in mind though, this is NOT a GM/Pratt & Miller project, the cars are being designed/built by Riley Technologies and run by LG Motorsports. Both are very capable outfits, but neither are at the level of Pratt & Miller. Still, Riley has built some great race cars over the years and I suspect this new C6 will be no different. There has already been a C6 in GT2 over in the LMS for a year now, run by Markland Racing (I'm not sure who the constructor is though). It's not been very competitive though and I dunno how well it will do in the future. The Markland program is definitely nowhere near the level that this new Riley/Giglotti one will be though.

I'm not sure if Riley will sell cars to teams in the LMS as I'm not sure he'd be able to provide the necessary support to teams in Europe, but he's said more customer cars in the States for the ALMS are a definite possibility.

[Kitdy]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

The Corvettes in GT2 will make their debut at the Sebring winter test in January, and make their race debut at the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring. Keep in mind though, this is NOT a GM/Pratt & Miller project, the cars are being designed/built by Riley Technologies and run by LG Motorsports. Both are very capable outfits, but neither are at the level of Pratt & Miller. Still, Riley has built some great race cars over the years and I suspect this new C6 will be no different. There has already been a C6 in GT2 over in the LMS for a year now, run by Markland Racing (I'm not sure who the constructor is though). It's not been very competitive though and I dunno how well it will do in the future. The Markland program is definitely nowhere near the level that this new Riley/Giglotti one will be though.

Ok, so does that mean Pratt and Whitney will still run a GT1 car next year, and if so, who will it be against? What are the differences between the GT1 and GT2 Corvettes?