May 17, 2009 4:39:57 AM
They have fiddled with the rules to such an extreme, that the 997 RSR is now actually about 16Km/h slower than the 997 Cup S on top speed.
The RSR is still slightly quicker around the track , due to higher down force.
Also - New ADAC bulletin: The Audi R8s have to add 20kg of ballast but their rev-limit has been raised from 7500rpm to 8500.
May 19, 2009 8:06:18 AM
May 23, 2009 5:56:30 PM
May 23, 2009 6:43:25 PM
May 23, 2009 6:46:05 PM
May 23, 2009 10:55:43 PM
May 23, 2009 11:08:35 PM
Super Darius:
i saw DSF till 17,30 and Mathey was at first place..
what's happened?
The AUDIs can stay out one lap more per stint - Porsche has been castrated by the new regulations (sounds familiar from ALMS )
May 24, 2009 7:26:39 AM
May 24, 2009 10:49:51 AM
Porsche back in 1st...
IS this on sky at all. Sick of the interupted online video footage and bored of the commentry from Radio Le Mans.
May 24, 2009 2:25:11 PM
Big congrats to Olaf Manthey - they did it again
His first reaction revealed a little bit of the stress: "greetings to Ingolstadt - one can't buy success"
7 Porsches in the top 10
Very fast 24 hr race: 3,900 km for the number 1
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public roads: Porsche 987 S Seal/Cocoa, toll road : Porsche 997 GT3 Arctic/Black
May 24, 2009 2:30:50 PM
Congratulations to Olaf Manthey and Porsche.
Some thoughts from the weekend:
May 24, 2009 2:45:40 PM
Spyderidol:
Congratulations to Olaf Manthey and Porsche.
Some thoughts from the weekend:
- Audi will return to ALMS very soon. This just shows the importance that Audi gives to sportscar racing (and in the US). It also shows how they consider their motorsport program as an integral part of their marketing in the US.(an all over the world
- Both Lexus (Toyota) and Audi's chief guys (Bez for Audi) were actually racing in the 24 Nuburgring.
- Porsche's CEO (CEO of possibly the make with the greatest reputation in sportscar racing) was most probably checking whether the Maris Piper, the King Edward or the Saxon potato was growing to his satisfaction. - Porsche will pay for this in the fullness of time.
- Audi has sponsored the 24 H Nuburgring to the extent that they managed to get the regulations changed to such an extent that their GT3 type cars could be at the same competative level of the Porsche RSR's - GT2 type cars.
WW is definitely not a "car guy" and deep down he may even consider motorsport as money down the drain, but on the other hand Audi are a richer company with bigger possibilities and budgets. Porsche have had their hands full with new model development since the early 90s that necessitated billions in outlay.
I expect WW to be replaced very soon because he has sunk Porsche into this huge debt and eventually he will have to pay for this error of judgement.
BTW, what was the time gap between Manthey and the Audi at P2?
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It's not where you're going, it's how you get there that counts
May 24, 2009 2:50:33 PM
May 24, 2009 2:57:27 PM
May 24, 2009 3:15:45 PM
May 24, 2009 4:02:19 PM
May 24, 2009 6:25:38 PM
Preliminary results:
1 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
2 Abt Audi R8 LMS
3 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S
4 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup
5 Audi R8 LMS
6 Porsche 997
7 Porsche 911 GT3
8 Porsche 997 Cup S
9 Porsche 997 RSR
10 BMW Z4-M Coupe
11 Nissan Z 33
12 Audi R8 LMS
13 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup
14 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup
15 VW Scirocco
May 24, 2009 7:50:30 PM
May 25, 2009 9:18:45 AM
Spyderidol:Congratulations to Olaf Manthey and Porsche.
Some thoughts from the weekend:
- Audi will return to ALMS very soon. This just shows the importance that Audi gives to sportscar racing (and in the US). It also shows how they consider their motorsport program as an integral part of their marketing in the US.(an all over the world
- Both Lexus (Toyota) and Audi's chief guys (Bez for Audi) were actually racing in the 24 Nuburgring.
- Porsche's CEO (CEO of possibly the make with the greatest reputation in sportscar racing) was most probably checking whether the Maris Piper, the King Edward or the Saxon potato was growing to his satisfaction. - Porsche will pay for this in the fullness of time.
- Audi has sponsored the 24 H Nuburgring to the extent that they managed to get the regulations changed to such an extent that their GT3 type cars could be at the same competative level of the Porsche RSR's - GT2 type cars.
Just some thoughts:
1. Audi intends to sell the R8 LMS as a customer race car, similiar to BMW´s Z4 M or M3 GT4. It would have been a great thing for them if they´d won the first 24h race
2. Bez was racing for Aston Martin and finished 21st overall (1st in class)
3. This might only be the superficial image, a lot of Porsche customer teams were backed up with support and works drivers. Mamerow Racing for example was re-entered and backed up with Bergmeister and M. Franchitti. I am very certain that Porsche took this race very, very serious, if only to dominate the Audi
4. Audi planned to enter the R8 a year ago already. Evening out the differences between SP7, 8 and 9 clearly helped and it would be naive to believe their intention to participated propelled that intention. It is only a shame to lower an expensive GT2-class vehicle to the lower GT3-class performance
All in all, it made for a very exciting race. Manthey´s RSR drove the exact same time as in qualifying during Sunday´s morning stint.
fritz:
Reminds me of an old Porsche poster giving top ten finishers of a race, may even have been the 24h at Nürburgring. The 7th finisher was a BMW. All the others were Porsches.
The caption read: "Nobody's perfect".
It was Le Mans 1983.
Probably for the USA market, if you notice the PORSCHE+AUDI at the bottom.
Ironically Porsche helped Audi make a name back then. I'm sure Piech was involved in this co-operation too.
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It's not where you're going, it's how you get there that counts
May 25, 2009 11:16:19 AM
Ferdie:
Spyderidol:Congratulations to Olaf Manthey and Porsche.
Some thoughts from the weekend:
Just some thoughts:
1. Audi intends to sell the R8 LMS as a customer race car, similiar to BMW´s Z4 M or M3 GT4. It would have been a great thing for them if they´d won the first 24h race
...just like Porsche sells the Cup, CupS and RSR to it's customers.
2. Bez was racing for Aston Martin and finished 21st overall (1st in class)
The point was that he was racing, not ploughing some field or checking the share index.
3. This might only be the superficial image, a lot of Porsche customer teams were backed up with support and works drivers. Mamerow Racing for example was re-entered and backed up with Bergmeister and M. Franchitti. I am very certain that Porsche took this race very, very serious, if only to dominate the Audi
Putting some factory drivers in customer cars does not signify taking a motorsport seriously. That is not to say that they didn't take this particualr race seriously. The point is that Porsche's motorsport effort lately does not even begin to compare with that of Audi.
4. Audi planned to enter the R8 a year ago already. Evening out the differences between SP7, 8 and 9 clearly helped and it would be naive to believe their intention to participated propelled that intention. It is only a shame to lower an expensive GT2-class vehicle to the lower GT3-class performance
It would be naive to think that rules and regulations don't get changed for political and economic reasons.
All in all, it made for a very exciting race. Manthey´s RSR drove the exact same time as in qualifying during Sunday´s morning stint.
May 25, 2009 1:51:23 PM
May 25, 2009 4:05:48 PM