GT2 in LeMans

[billy]

I reckon Porsches days are now numbered in GT2. Panorama had a pretty sad summary of the current state of affairs in this months issue. They reckon the 911 is finished in GT racing. The F430 has mid-engine and V8 power and the 997 just can't keep up. Pano was suggesting a flat 8 cayman as the natural replacement for the 997 in GT racing but politics at the company may hold up it rather than common sense. I reckon Porsche might just choose not to race rather than lose knowing the way they seem to work these days.

Anyway, be interesting to see what actually happens.

[JimLill]

http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/live/pages/chronos_gb.html

[billy]

The Audis are pretty amazing in terms of repair times. Turbo in 14 minutes, I forgot how long the gear box took but if they could make road cars with similar labor times...

[JimLill]

the GT2 winner.........
http://www.teamlnt.com/Images/Media/Pics%202005/Pics/IMG_0414.jpg

[Lobo6]

Tip of the hat to Panoz. But if you are to trying to bait me Jim it isn't working. Tip of the hat to the Volvo Station Wagon Team also.:)

ps. The Speed TV coverage sucked. At 2 am EST they switched to LeMan Radio till 5 or 6 am. Guess what the coverage was not radio, had better camera positions, better commentators...then I feel asleep :( again

[TailWagger]

Great article on the Panoz in GRM a month or so ago... very tempting track car as it is available from the factory ready to run for about the price of a Cayman S. Not sure how much modification was done to win LeMans, but it does seem to represent a very good value for those with a desire for a track only car. Probably far cheaper to keep running too.

[JimLill]

The Panoz GTS $80K racer is completely different from the LeMans car. Even still, it is a good bargain and cheap to keep running. Some people will claim it is a bit truckish with its live rear axle, but the lure of cheap repairs make it attractive. Yes, I have looked carefully at them. I rode in this one at WGI with a pro driving it.

http://www.r-series.org/wg05may/slides/DSC_0159.JPG

[billy]

What was that like? Usually pro drivers are awesome, John still talks about Gary Curtis (won the 2001 Speed GT challenge series so yep, he can drive just fine) driving him in his 348 around BIR. Noone believes the speeds he did with John.

[JimLill]

What was that like?

Oh it was a thrill, but not quite at race speeds...

[billy]

Doesn't matter, normal with a pro is still frigging scary. I think I'll do a donnybrook day this year but to get Gary to drive me around with the logger and video installed.

[kbrew8991]

about time Panoz won something :)

[Lobo6]

about time Panoz won something :)
Actually Panoz also won GT2 at Sebring. :(

[Magnus]

Shortly after 15:30, the leader in GT2, No.83 Seikel Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, stopped on course at marshal post 83, which is just after the Mulsanne corner. The team reported that the car had lost third gear over the last few hours, and the transmission did not sound good. This could be the end for the Porsche as marshals pushed the car to a safe location. With a five-lap lead over the No.81 Team LNT Panoz Esperante it will take over 22 minutes for the No.81 to overtake the No.83.



For the team of the No.83 Seikel Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, the race continued after the car stopped on the back of the circuit. Somehow, the car restarted and tried limping back to the pits, only to come to a halt on the track once more. Four mechanics were then dispatched from the paddock on two scooters with tools and parts; per Le Mans regulations, however, they cannot touch the car. The driver must fix the car himself with the tools kept in the car, or it will be disqualified. No.83 was able to return to the race, but had been passed by the No.81 Team LNT

Without the failure, we'd seen a Porsche RSR on the top off the podium. I don't think the 911 is to count as retired yet. If the rules of restrictors changes, we might even see RSR Turbos in the GT2 future. I kind of think the rules as a bit obsolete in this one..

[billy]

Yep
I don't know what the hp from the F430s is but you gotta figure it's more than the cup cars.

[Toycar 1]

About 490...

[billy]

490 for the cup cars? Whats the Ferrari at then given it's 500 stock :eek:

[Toycar 1]

No, the 490 is for the Ferrari 430 - Cup Cars are about 470-480. But then you have to add the weight difference.

[billy]

No way, really? So their engine is less powerful that stock? Must be relatively cheap to run an F430 then given it's basically unstressed when compared with the 911 engine which is probably maxed out.

[Toycar 1]

Ferrari 430 has "only" 490 hp stock, not 500.

[Magnus]

It's nice on the paper, on the other hand:
http://videos.streetfire.net/category/Exotics/0/66E6AD9B-7F5D-47E7-B98E-DCE7A83DC438.htm

Makes me thing all the german horses pull organized, while quarter of the italian ones have a cappucino break..

[billy]

Not much in it if anything at all. Cool vid, shame it's in Japanese.

Wicked track though, banking to the nth degree.