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ACO adjusts rules for '08 race season
Even though 3 different makes made the podium of this year's Le Mans race for just the second time in thirty years, diesels have owned the course of late. To increase parity, the race's sanctioning body, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), has slightly modified the rules to aid gas-engined entrants -- like the 3rd placed Pescarolo Judd. For 2008, the air restrictors in gas-engined cars will be 3% larger. Three percent isn't likely to entirely rock the standings, but it should help make the racing more lively. The other change announced is that all LM P1 cars will be allowed a lower minimum weight of 900 kg, down from 925 kg.
[Source: Motorsport.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BLS 8:58AM (10/03/2007)
I love ALMS but I really don't care if a Pescarolo Judd is able to beat an Audi. It is much more interesting to see the Penske Porches beating Audi. Or if Porche, Acura, or Mazda would move up to LMP1 rather than duke it out in LMP2 (the class that is supposed to be for the privateers not the manufacturers).
Also, Mazda I want 4 rotors.
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Bert 9:02AM (10/03/2007)
What they really need to come up with is an equivalence of energy, e.g. 1 gal of petrol = .5 gal of oil (or whatever the true ratio is).
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why not the LS2/LS7? 11:36AM (10/03/2007)
A liter of Diesel has 18% more energy than a liter of gas.
A gas car in LMP1 at Le Mans gets a 90 liter tank.
Up until this year a Diesel car in LMP1 got a 100 liter tank. Thus the Diesel car had 31% more energy in its tank!
Starting this year a Diesel car in LMP1 gets a 81 liter tank.
Thus the Diesel car has 6.2% more energy in its tank.
Diesels cars have significant advantages at Le Man, even with these changes. Le Mans did this in the past because there were no teams putting much effort into Diesel development (the Caterpillar team from 5 years ago was probably the biggest) and ACO wanted to encourage alternative fuels.
Audi looked at the regs, lobbied for additional changes (they had the minimum weight on an LMP1 raised from 900kg to 925kg) and went out and made a car that used all the regulations to their maximum advantage (as any smart equilization racing team does).
This however has made it impossible for any team without a Diesel engine to compete in LMP1, which has pushed many highly funded teams into LMP2.
Tjodleiv 9:11AM (10/03/2007)
Only an idiot would not care fore the privat teams. Audi, Peugout... are only in it for the marketing, and could pull out at a mouments notice if the rules are not leaning too theires advantage.
Hope there are not too many spelling errors.
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BLS 9:22AM (10/03/2007)
Well I guess I am an idiot then. But when it comes to prototypes it seems like Audi, Peugout, etc have more to gain from racing research than do private teams who rely on Chassis builders and Engine builder then have to put their engineering on top of that. They could just be in GT2 and consentrate on racing instead of building Frankenstein cars then testing them then actually being competetive.
I prefer GT anyway.
Tjodleiv 9:41AM (10/03/2007)
Racing = marketing
Racing do not mean research, if you think so you must be on of those who belive everything you read. In that case kindly have your head examend by a proffessionale.
Computers = death of racing ( no skidding, wheelspinn)
Live with my spelling errors.
BLS 10:33AM (10/03/2007)
Well I guess by your definition of Racing = Marketing then what are Pescarolo, Creation, Judd, et al. Trying to sell. They have sponsors but this isn't a slab sided NASCAR billboard that we are talking about.
I think I am pretty level headed when it comes to racing. But the resources of major manufacturers makes for some pretty amazing cars. I realize that Audi has some serious consessions to make their diesels competetive but you can't argue that they are impressive cars.
tjodleiv 3:12PM (10/03/2007)
Privateers race because they can and want too and they can get advertising on the side of the cars too pay for it. No advertising no racing today ore at lot less technic in the cars witch is just like it should be. Most of the technic you see in the cars come from the airplane manufactures the car manufactures then present it like they invented it and the majorities of the people seem to belive it.
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