53 replies to this topic

[Mika Mika]

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/72280

Awesome news cant wait to see it... Audi Has totally Dominated LeMans now for years. IMO they were quite lucky this year - as the 908 was very very competitive. I'm not surprised that they are going to build a new car glad it's an open top.

[d246]

After seeing the draw-back brought about by having a windscreen at LM this year I can see why it is favourable. Will be interesting to see how the car looks.

[Mika Mika]

Yea I love the look of the R10 but its an old design now I wander if we'll see some F1 aero influence (2008 rules) on the R15 TDi?

[pingu666]

blimey . i was hoping for a more competative sportscar field

[Knowlesy]

Yes, this is both exciting and upsetting at the same time!

[Mika Mika]

Originally posted by Knowlesy
Yes, this is both exciting and upsetting at the same time!

It's pretty amazing how Audi has been dominant for so long. I mean longer than Ferrari has been Dominant in F1...
In Fairness Audi has had less competition - until recently...

[patgaw]

I think, if not rain, that domination could be stopped in 2008 race.

[Mika Mika]

Originally posted by patgaw
I think, if not rain, that domination could be stopped in 2008 race.

I think the 2008 race may well be the work driver behind the R15 TDi

[Ali_G]

Originally posted by Mika Mika
http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/72280

Awesome news cant wait to see it... Audi Has totally Dominated LeMans now for years. IMO they were quite lucky this year - as the 908 was very very competitive. I'm not surprised that they are going to build a new car glad it's an open top.

A great pity IMO that it will be open top.

To me F1 is open cockpit while sportscars is closed. Closed cockpit sportscars look much better IMo.

Something like this would have been nice: http://www.fourtitud...010_r15_tdi.jpg


Quite an odd decision too. While the ACO now will allow open top LMP1 cars in 2010, isn't it still their intention to ban them for either 2011 or 2012. Surely Audi aren't developing a brand new car for just two years ?

[Mika Mika]

The Speed 8 was nice, I dont really like the 908 though....

[Ali_G]

Originally posted by Mika Mika
The Speed 8 was nice, I dont really like the 908 though....

Yeah, that nose thing they have going on isn't great.

Of late there hasn't been many closed cockpit Sportscars of note.

Toyota GT-One
Porsche GT1


The Mercedes CLR-GTR wasn't too good looking and as we know, hadn't got great aero either.

[Option1]

And some of us believe that open cockpit sports cars look better. Gee, I wonder if there is room for both? Shirley not and there must only be closed cockpits in this day and age where free thinking and variation is an abomination against the laws of nature.

Neil

[pingu666]

i prefer closed top, but im happy either way

wonder if the current r10s will be sold to privateers?

[Nonesuch]

Originally posted by pingu666
i prefer closed top, but im happy either way

wonder if the current r10s will be sold to privateers?

It was reported on various websites that Peter van Merksteijn wanted to purchase an Audi R10 for the 2009 Le Mans 24h, but also that Audi made it clear this was currently impossible.

[muramasa]

why there are open and closed cockpit for sportscar now? what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? i remember that when i was small, there were only closed cockpit sportscar.

[Mika Mika]

Originally posted by muramasa
why there are open and closed cockpit for sportscar now? what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? i remember that when i was small, there were only closed cockpit sportscar.

I know visibility in the closed tops is not so good. There will be the Aero different but im not sure if the Open tops have more or less drag...

Both look good to me depending on the car. I hope the R15 TDi looks as good as the R10 TDi does...

[Mika Mika]

Does anyone know the budget of the Audi Le Mans Team and or Peugeot Teams - In Comparison to an F1 team?

[Ali_G]

Closed cockpit cars have better aero. I think this is offset with less power as they are forced to run airconditioning in the cars.

[Dino Scuderia]

will wee see an open top version of this ? http://jalopnik.com/...=thumb1280x1280

[Option1]

Personally, I thought the R8 was much better looking than the R10. Those cone-head appendages on the R10 did nothing for its beauty.

http://www.seriouswh...ng-1280x960.htm

Neil

[wewantourdarbyback]

I was excited by this news as well, Audi won it this year because they are able to build a car that runs in the rain (normally quite handy) but Peugeot categorically failed to do that and Audi had themselves another win. Last year proved that they needed a new car as the field was starting to catch the R10. This will most likely be an interim measure to keep them competitive till the new rule changes come in. Can't wait to see it

[jk]

Great that Audi is fighting back at Peugeout instead of leaving on the top
The 908 was a much better car than the R10. It was much quicker, about 3 seconds a lap in clear conditions. And quite reliable, the #7 car only had a small overheating problem for the entire 24 hours. Only because of better drivers (especially Villeneuve was costly to the #7 Pug) and much better pitwork did the Audi manage to win in a close one. But given how much Peugout improved in 2008, there was just noway the R10 would competetive next year. Very good news that Audi has a new car, so we hopefully will have another legendary race next year. I kind of feared 2008 would be a Concorde year for Le Mans, thankfully it looks like both Audi and Peugout are there to stay in the near future.

I wonder what Audi will do about hybrid technology. Peugout has a hybrid 908 running and Toyota are being rumoured. The hybrids will be allow to run next year, outside of the classification, so ACO can get an evaluation on them. If Peugout are the only hybrid, i fear it will sandbag so bad it will get a huge advantage for 2010, when it will be allowed to win the race. Hopefully we will see other hybrids so there will be some competitions amongst the hybrids which will reduce sandbagging.

[Ali_G]

The way I read it, the rules themselves are very favourable towards a closed cockpit LMP and there's the point that Audi going for an open cockpit car might be an inheritently bad choice.

The ACO has given favourable rules to open top LMP cars since the mid 90's so its nice to see it swing the other way again.

[johnap]

Originally posted by Ali_G Quite an odd decision too. While the ACO now will allow open top LMP1 cars in 2010, isn't it still their intention to ban them for either 2011 or 2012. Surely Audi aren't developing a brand new car for just two years ?

The plan was for P1 to be closed from 2010 but thats now been abandoned, they aren't going to be changing the cars themselves much beyond the narrow rear wing for next year. Come 2011, all they will have to do will be to put a different engine in the back (a 3.7l twinturbo diesel or a 2l turbo [max 6 cylinders] or a 3.4l V8).

The way I read it, the rules themselves are very favourable towards a closed cockpit LMP and there's the point that Audi going for an open cockpit car might be an inheritently bad choice.

It was the open car that won Audi the race this year, it saved them time in the pitstops due to quicker driver changes and not needing to clean a front window. In addition the car being open it was cooler for the driver allowing them to run more stints for longer.

[Al.]

A few years ago, as well as turbo restrictor differences, you could run a wider tyre on an open top car.

[MrAerodynamicist]

Originally posted by jk
(especially Villeneuve was costly to the #7 Pug)

Was he?

[jk]

Originally posted by MrAerodynamicist

Was he?

Yes he was. The first time he was in the car, he got out again after something like 7 laps. Because Peugout was slow on their driver changes, such a short stint is not good. Then in the rain, he lost 2 minutes to Kristensen when the Audi got ahead. And in his final stint sunday morning, he was not able to gain much ground. Only when Gene got in the car did the gap start to come down significantly, but it was too late.

I am not saying Villeneuve is crap, but he most certainly was the weakest driver on that car. And that car in turn was weaker than the other Peugouts. I have no doubt that if Kristensen/McNish/Capello had a Peugout that would only be delayed about 3 minutes, they would have destroyd any Audi.

[dabbo]

Originally posted by MrAerodynamicist

Was he?

Yes he was, absolutely abysmal. In my opinion, single handedly cost Peugeot the win.

[Ali_G]

Originally posted by Option1
Personally, I thought the R8 was much better looking than the R10. Those cone-head appendages on the R10 did nothing for its beauty.

http://www.seriouswh...ng-1280x960.htm

Neil

While I far prefer the closed cockpit LMP's to open cockpit, both the R8 and the BMW V12 LMR were beautiful cars.

The BMW in particular look very well. Very clean. The low slung rear wing set it off very nicely.

[Al.]

Originally posted by dabbo
Yes he was, absolutely abysmal. In my opinion, single handedly cost Peugeot the win.

I think it wasn’t quite as simple as that.
There was a very good article in the post race journal here that analysed the 6 cars and their performance over the race.

In a nutshell it was suggested that If you had to pick the top 3 drivers from each of the 9 that Audi and Peugeot brought, Audi’s 3 were all in the car that won and Peugeot had 1 in each car. Also it was accepted that JV was the slowest of the 3 in the lead Peugeot for much of the time but that during the crucial hours in the heaviest rain he was the quickest of the 3 Peugeots circulating,

To lay Peugeots defeat purely at JV door, I think deflects the fact that Peugeot could have put Nicolas Minassian, Stephane Sarrazin and Franck Montagny in 1 car if they wanted. It could have won, it could also have been 1 of the 2 Peugeots that had a fair share of technical problems during the race. They could have also struggled during the rain.

Also to blame defeat on JV I think does huge disservice to McNish Cappello Kristenssen and Audi.

[lustigson]

I thought closed-cockpit cars would be mandatory come 2009?

[Henri Greuter]

Originally posted by lustigson
I thought closed-cockpit cars would be mandatory come 2009?

Yes but they backtracked on that decision after all.


Henri

[Henri Greuter]

Originally posted by Ali_G


While I far prefer the closed cockpit LMP's to open cockpit, both the R8 and the BMW V12 LMR were beautiful cars.

The BMW in particular look very well. Very clean. The low slung rear wing set it off very nicely.

And given the manner of head protection the BMW and Audi R8 offered: Absolutely confirm the rules that sportscars are bzasicly twoseaters and should be able to accomodate a passenger and offer him a safe ride if necessary ;)

I never liked open cars compared with coupés but when BMW and Audi introduced those asymmetric single rollhoops they became F1's with coachwork and out of center seats. Yargh....
Now had the current open toppers also the old style bars over the full width of the cockpit...

Henri

[Ben]

Originally posted by Ali_G
Closed cockpit cars have better aero. I think this is offset with less power as they are forced to run airconditioning in the cars.

Are you sure about that.

If it were the case surely Audi would have said the R15 will be a coupe? The new rear wing regs is for a shorter chord and a narrower overall width (1600mm) meaning that the Coupe actually may be blocking the wing more.

Acura's new LMP1 is open and the Porsche RS spyder spanked the Lola coupe in LMP2 this season.

The coupe's having better aero is a myth IMO

Ben

[Ben]

Originally posted by Ali_G
The way I read it, the rules themselves are very favourable towards a closed cockpit LMP and there's the point that Audi going for an open cockpit car might be an inheritently bad choice.

The ACO has given favourable rules to open top LMP cars since the mid 90's so its nice to see it swing the other way again.

Like I said the rules as they are don't favour a coupe...

Ben

[Ali_G]

Originally posted by Ben


Are you sure about that.

If it were the case surely Audi would have said the R15 will be a coupe? The new rear wing regs is for a shorter chord and a narrower overall width (1600mm) meaning that the Coupe actually may be blocking the wing more.

Acura's new LMP1 is open and the Porsche RS spyder spanked the Lola coupe in LMP2 this season.

The coupe's having better aero is a myth IMO

Ben

I'm sure I remember reading that the Coupes had better aero. I was guessing it had to do with the fact that the air flow over the driver cockpit would be so much smoother than with an open cockpit.

As you say though, there is less obstruction to airflow with the open tops.

[pingu666]

lemans is low downforce, other races are mostly high to mid downforce

coupe might give you a better car, but less user friendly

[Mika Mika]

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/82173

New R15 Plus....

Looks AWESOME!!!!!!

[Scotracer]

Ugly car gets uglier!

[wewantourdarbyback]

It could just be the black livery but I think I'm in love.

[dank]

Any larger pictures of the revised R15?

[Sammyosammy]

Any larger pictures of the revised R15?

Bigger than these?

http://www.fourtitud...icle_3374.shtml

[dank]

Bigger than these?

http://www.fourtitud...icle_3374.shtml

Or this perhaps? Thanks.

[Sammyosammy]

Or this perhaps? Thanks.

If they can build that thing...how difficult it would be to join....You know..?

[Meanstreak]

http://www.ultimatec...i-R15-plus.html

[ferruccio]

Audi has to build a completely new machine for 2011.

I hope the money and effort they've put into this R15 plus will pay off this year. They cannot use it next year. Tough spot to be in.

[monza2001]

Anyone knows how was the car in Sebring´s test???.

[V8 Fireworks]

I hope the money and effort they've put into this R15 plus will pay off this year. They cannot use it next year. Tough spot to be in.

Awww shucks... but that ran that R8 for years. It sucks... but the new rules will be stable for X years, transition rules are tough on the bank balance, but not like Audi can't afford it.

[depailler on tyrrell p34]

I'm the vicepresident of the official dindo capello fan club (I'm writing fom Italy)
if you want to find news or photos about dindo and audi when you can sometimes check here:
www.twitter.com/dindocapellofc
www.twitpic.com/dindocapellofc

let me know what do yuou think..
ciao!

[depailler on tyrrell p34]

audi r15+ in action today in monza..from youtube