Oct 2, 2009 8:07:54 AM
There are some rumors that Porsche will be back to prototype racing in 2011.
Audi will do 2010 (not all races) and Porsche will take over for the group in 2011 (Especially Le Mans)
Although this is good to hear, I'm not celebrating quite yet.
Lets wait and see.
Oct 2, 2009 11:03:31 AM
Spyderidol:
There are some rumors that Porsche will be back to prototype racing in 2011.
Audi will do 2010 (not all races) and Porsche will take over for the group in 2011 (Especially Le Mans)
Although this is good to hear, I'm not celebrating quite yet.
Lets wait and see.
wow...really hoping porsche will back seriously in Motorsport ;)
Oct 2, 2009 1:56:44 PM
Spyderidol:
There are some rumors that Porsche will be back to prototype racing in 2011.
Audi will do 2010 (not all races) and Porsche will take over for the group in 2011 (Especially Le Mans)
Although this is good to hear, I'm not celebrating quite yet.
Lets wait and see.
It would be great to see Timo & Romain back in LMP cars.
Oct 3, 2009 11:40:06 AM
Spyderidol:
There are some rumors that Porsche will be back to prototype racing in 2011.
Audi will do 2010 (not all races) and Porsche will take over for the group in 2011 (Especially Le Mans)
Although this is good to hear, I'm not celebrating quite yet.
Lets wait and see.
really good news!!
Oct 4, 2009 9:42:48 PM
Oct 5, 2009 8:16:19 AM
It will all depend on the positioning of the brand within the group.
Will Porsche continue to build trucks and saloons? If so, then I would say that the motorsport program will be doomed to being RSR based.
If , on the other hand, the future allows Porsche to focus on what it does best......
Anyway, yes you are correct ..for the time being. The motorsport program will be RSR based.
Also note: These are rumors.
Oct 5, 2009 9:41:59 AM
Spyderidol:
It will all depend on the positioning of the brand within the group.
Will Porsche continue to build trucks and saloons? If so, then I would say that the motorsport program will be doomed to being RSR based.
I don't think motorsport is directly related to the type of road cars produced. In F1 for example you get Ferrari together with Mercedes, Renault and Toyota, i.e. very differently positioned brands.
Rather, in the case of Porsche it has to do with the allocation of available resources (presently thin) and VW will first want PAG to stabilize financially within the Group. In the medium term I am very sure there will be many more exciting motorsport cars from Porsche. Even in disciplines not explored so far in recent years at least like rallying, raids etc.
In the meantime if Porsche can afford one type of race car, then the choice is the 911 program. This unique and universally recognisable product should very rightly be promoted through racing.
Oct 5, 2009 10:08:54 AM
The direct relationship between a motorsport program and the cars produced is tenable in some cases. You will find that Ferrari are in F1 for very different reasons than those of Renault or Toyota.. However, each will have a certain message they want to transmit to the world. A certain image.
Look at Audi and the diesel program. It's quite clear what the message was that they wanted to transmit. Peugeot message is also quite clear (i.e. we also have advanced diesel technology and we can take on the German car companies and beat them)
It will all depend on what message Porsche wants (or needs, and is allowed) to transmit in the future.
Oct 5, 2009 11:07:02 AM
Point off course being porsche already has an image of a sports car, and doeset neseserily need any more exposure in lmp1, It will bring them no new image, and they can only lose one, as they have been known all over the world as the dominators in sport car racing, witch if they don't repeat they could lose image
Oct 5, 2009 11:11:59 AM
Spyderidol:
It will all depend on what message Porsche wants (or needs, and is allowed) to transmit in the future.
Sure,and the bigger the range the more the potential messages to be transmitted. It will be great if the next Cayenne is introduced with a Dakar win, or the Panamera Coupe competes and wins against Aston Martin or Corvette in whatever GT classes exist at the time.
Of course winning LM outright carries great prestige and I am sure it will come more easily with the VW behind the effort. We have tried the independent way of WW and definitely there hasn't been any P1 prototype since 1998. However, we must recognize that the RS Spyder was a very good effort especially for the US. Let's wait a bit longer.....
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It's not where you're going, it's how you get there that counts
Oct 5, 2009 1:41:17 PM
arakis:
Point off course being porsche already has an image of a sports car, and doeset neseserily need any more exposure in lmp1, It will bring them no new image, and they can only lose one, as they have been known all over the world as the dominators in sport car racing, witch if they don't repeat they could lose image
The point arakis, is that Porsche hasn't had a serious overall winning LMP program at Le Mans for over a decade. If Porsche don't do something to renew that image, then they run a serious risk of being classified one day , into the group of the "Has been" (Maserati, Alfa, Bentley, etc.) All great motor racing names...of the past.
Why do you think your beloved Ferrari races F1 year after year?...even when they don't win.
There is always a risk of failure. I don't think any worse of your Ferrari's, even when they fail.
Oct 5, 2009 2:22:52 PM
Another point is that premium car ownership is very much wider than it was 20 or 30 years ago when only an elite of enthusiasts owned such cars.
I am sure there are many Ferrari owners nowadays that don't follow F1 and many Audi or even Porsche owners who have never heard of ALMS or think that Le Mans is a lake in Switzerland
Car marques are more and more becoming like other luxury brands like watches and handbags that are bought for the "must have " factor.
For us enthusiasts motorsport is very important but I am not so sure it has such a wide appeal. The rich woman who asks for a California or a Carrera cabrio doesn't care about Scuderia Ferrari or the 917 or the GT1.
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It's not where you're going, it's how you get there that counts
Oct 5, 2009 2:42:03 PM
I agree that for now, racing will be GT only. Let's stop and think about how many 911s are sold to the various racing series. Porsche can only use its past to promote its current cars for so long. How many GT3 versions are sold by the Motorsports division? A lot! The buyers of the GT2, GT3 and future halo car care about racing. If Porsche intends to offer these models in the future then they will need to race. Unless Volkswagen wants to sabotage themselves, it's in their best interests to allow Porsche their place.
Now whether Porsche will race beyond the GT category is another story. Volkswagen has positioned Audi as their sporting brand and the R15 still has life in it. I like to subscribe to the belief that the R15 will run next year and then Porsche will be put where they belong. Porsche has the heritage that they can use beyond Lamborghini, Bugatti etc. Bugatti has undeniable history, but it isn't the same. I could see Bugatti more in F-1. This will probably never happen but they are the halo brand.
Inside the VW woldn't it be about who will make more money, Audi by sellning cars on the Le mans P1 glory or Porsche, my guess is Audi! But that doesn't mean porsche won't get promoted in another series, Best posible scenario for porsche, and motorsport in general IMHO, Audi gets bumped to F1, and porsche to LMP1. Although if audi stay where they are, as it looks they will, porsche could go the IRL, ChampCar, it wouldnt have been their first time
Oct 6, 2009 11:06:38 PM
Oct 7, 2009 5:35:25 AM
Oct 7, 2009 2:51:44 PM
Oct 7, 2009 4:20:31 PM
arakis:
he is stating his opinon of what Porsche should do, it isnt even a rummor, we all know that porsche should do this, but the point is not they should do it, but rather ill they and does VW folow the same logic as me/him/you
Arakis - that particular part starts off like this: From other sources persistent Porker Proto stories.
Oct 9, 2009 8:45:24 AM
Oct 9, 2009 2:04:44 PM
Oct 9, 2009 2:08:30 PM
Spyderidol:
Other news: Aaccording to Hartmut Kristen, Porsche would be "delighted" if the Cytosport Team race the RS Spyder in the 2010 "new" LMP class in the ALMS.
I forgot to thank you for the news Spyderidol.
Now let's hope Porsche goes beyond verbal support.
Oct 9, 2009 2:22:09 PM
Oct 9, 2009 2:27:27 PM
Spyderidol:
I think that there are some "issues"with the DFI engine (related to fuel). I have also heard that there is "some" work being done on the Spyder. Lets see.
I had hoped these "issues" were history. I'm very curious to know of the work being done to the Spyder. Please let us know when you hear anything.
what about the fact VW is looking to F1 competion? more possibility for LMP1 or official motorsport program by Porsche?
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/09/volkswagen-group-reportedly-considering-entering-f1/