That is my only point. Take all rules off the table, the car will be significantly quicker and certainly quicker than the fastest bike today. We can debate all you want, in 3-4 years time I suspect you'll see that exactly happen. You are talking fractions for bikes to get quicker, cars have a long way to go yet.
Mark Higgins TT Runs
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That is my only point. Take all rules off the table, the car will be significantly quicker and certainly quicker than the fastest bike today. We can debate all you want, in 3-4 years time I suspect you'll see that exactly happen. You are talking fractions for bikes to get quicker, cars have a long way to go yet.
Soldato
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Absolutely agree, it's not alien to cars in the slightest, but i think, if i'm to understand what you saying, is that you'd need a custom 4WD F1/Rallycar hybrid, to be able to beat the bikes.. a bespoke vehicle.
But the car used by Mark, is pretty much that, it's a true bonkers car, it's not just some "cheap" rally car brought in and simply adding more power, improving aero while making it lighter isn't all it takes, Christ look at what happened to the Elise owner in here.
it's possible yes, but i think you underestimate what the bikes are capable of.
That's kinda my point also, I agree with no rules the car would real in the bikes.
However there is no form of motor sport without rules and regs, and I think the only way a car would lap faster than the bikes at the TT atm is to have no rules or spending restriction for the car.
He is often getting upto about the max speed you'd want to be doing pretty quickly and not that many bits holding at 173mph I don't think he is losing out that much in the fast bits.
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I am well away of what bikes are capable of, they are astonishingly quick, but they don't have the benefits of 4 wheels. I am also aware of Higgins car, I have and do race cars don't forget so appreciate the differences. I am not simply using Google for my assumptions, I am using experience and knowledge of what could be done. Braking, traction and slow/mid speed bends are where the car will have significant advantaged, fix the power to weight challenges and you have something that would top out at bike speeds, accelerate to 150 slower, but over probably faster and could carry more speed in more places and lose it quicker.
Fascinating to see what they come up with next, but a saloon car is never the place you start to make something quick on tarmac, you start with less weight, more power, more aero, more grip and then sort the damming and suspension to deal with the surfaces. You don't need WRC level damping, they have MUCH harder work surfaces to deal with, you need something that deals with undulations because get that bit wrong and your in the air and they pick you up in bags, lots of bags.
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Tops bikes were 205mph this year, so that is 30mph for maybe what, 40 seconds? He is not accelerating that quickly relatively as I said, supercar quick maybe, but not even Rallycross quick but then they have no top speed so it's a gearing compromise.
I am not for a minute suggesting it's easy, but he pitched up this time and killed his previous times and just watching the video I can see how in that car there is more time to be had with less weight, more power and more top speed. Think that't for next year, I think 131 would be a good level for next time.
Soldato
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Agreed with a lot of what you said housey, didn't think you were using google either bud 
sorry if i came across wrong.
I've got experience with both forms racing, even a Rallycross car isn't going to accelerating like these bikes will though.
Going to be really interesting though, looking forward to it
sorry if i came across wrong.I've got experience with both forms racing, even a Rallycross car isn't going to accelerating like these bikes will though.
Going to be really interesting though, looking forward to it
Agreed with a lot of what you said housey, didn't think you were using google either bud
I've got experience with both forms racing, even a Rallycross car isn't going to accelerating like these bikes will though.
Going to be really interesting though, looking forward to it
No problem buddy, all good here!
The concern for car manufacturers will be risk. If some of them are nervous of the Ring, I think the TT course is a big step too far, which is a shame. Be ace to see this become a thing between 2 or 3 manufactures.
Risk and what they are advertising. You cant even advertise cars going fast on the TV here apparently (bloody EU), imagine what fast road racing competition will be suggesting to the public. At least the ring they can claim is a closed race circuit.
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Yeah i know it has 600, i was implying it needed more like the 900+ (at sea level) that Loeb's Pikes Peak car has. would be very interesting to see what that could do around the TT with appropriate gearing and some form of DRS.
Soldato
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It had DRS bud.
Soldato
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Yeah i know, just saying with the amount of downforce on the pikes peak car it'd need to have it as well.
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Ah right rgr that.
Caporegime
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Saw this at the FOS over the weekend. Looked like a serious bit of kit. Shame we didn't see it in the shootout.
Obviously there is some time to make up - Mark mentions it on both his recent videos on the run - but IMO there is less margin in terms of human ability to make up than there is in terms of the technical ability of the car - some places where he was maxing the abilities of the car you wouldn't want to be trying to go much faster anyhow with a car versus a bike.
I think the best car for this would be a converted hill climb single seater from the European series, GP2 or F1 power levels and different gearing. This are set up much softer for running on public roads and would carry speeds and get to those speeds a saloon car just couldn't. Perhaps someone like andy priaulx would be a good pilot as he started on the hills and is from the Isle of Mann.