Jaguar to Return to Le Mans?

[Kitdy]

It appears as though Ratan Tata, boss of Tata Motors and therefore Jaguar, has expressed interest in a meeting at the end of July for Jaguar to return to Le Mans. This is all very preliminary - there is no timetable as of yet.

More info at Autoblog and Endurance-Info.

[henk4]

may be he could buy out Lavaggi for a starter....

[Zytek_Fan]

Originally Posted by henk4

may be he could buy out Lavaggi for a starter....

Buyout someone worth buying out.
Pescarolo for example.

[Wouter Melissen]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

Buyout someone worth buying out.
Pescarolo for example.

Yeah it would make sense for a British manufacturer to call in the help of a French legend or Italian gentleman driver.

[Ferrer]

I hope that if they do eventually return it's not with a diesel.

[Matra et Alpine]

The French would storm the Bastille and guillotine everyone all over again if Pescarolo left French ownership

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

I hope that if they do eventually return it's not with a diesel.

then they would not be really planning for a win...

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by henk4

then they would not be really planning for a win...

Maybe they'd be aiming for a class win or something.

Or maybe in the future diesel's unfair advantage will be erased.

[The_Canuck]

I honestly hate racing regulations...

It's no fun when they have anything to do with who wins.

[Wouter Melissen]

Originally Posted by The_Canuck

I honestly hate racing regulations...

It's no fun when they have anything to do with who wins.

Care to elaborate?

[electrao]

well with current regulations only diesels stand a chance to overall win.
sad but true, audi and later peugeot just bought themselves a "private" class for the overall win.

[Wouter Melissen]

Originally Posted by electrao

well with current regulations only diesels stand a chance to overall win.
sad but true, audi and later peugeot just bought themselves a "private" class for the overall win.

Have you ever seen an ALMS race? There the 'private' LMP2!!! cars can beat the R10s.

[RacingManiac]

Regularly too....I believe as Audi themselves have said, if a manufacturer brings the same caliber of competition as Audi with the petrol car, they can run on the level footing. Maybe not back in 2006 when they have the same tank size, but certainly now....

Acura and Porsche played it smart since in ALMS on the smaller track, they can run the Audi on pace and beat them on mileage with a LMP2 car. Le Mans or any kind of big European circuit their power disadvantage is bigger(mind you Porsche still managed at Road America and Sebring, both are power circuit)....

[Wouter Melissen]

Originally Posted by RacingManiac

Regularly too....I believe as Audi themselves have said, if a manufacturer brings the same caliber of competition as Audi with the petrol car, they can run on the level footing. Maybe not back in 2006 when they have the same tank size, but certainly now....

Acura and Porsche played it smart since in ALMS on the smaller track, they can run the Audi on pace and beat them on mileage with a LMP2 car. Le Mans or any kind of big European circuit their power disadvantage is bigger(mind you Porsche still managed at Road America and Sebring, both are power circuit)....

I guess people have already forgotten about the Audi R8, which was much more dominant than the R10 has ever been.

[RacingManiac]

Which I think was why Audi never let R8 to turn into a Hybrid LMP(not gas-electric, but LMP1/900 class transition hybrid). I think deep down they are not sure back in 2006 the car is actually faster than R8. Especially considering that car basically ceased real development in 2003....R8 afterall I think was a more optimized and balanced car, not a chassis made for a monster V12 diesel like R10 is....on top of the fact that R8 is basically indestructable....no engine failure ever, vs at the time the largely unknown V12 diesel....

And if I recalled correctly, they can do 15 laps on one tank(90L) at Le Mans with the FSI turbo V8, while running laps in 3:35s back then, with the tires now and car developed to current reg with an equivelent type of engine, you should have a diesel beater there....