WEC 6 hours of Silverstone

this_is_gav said:
The conditions are also ideal in early April, far colder than F1. It was the same last year - the conditions were 'happy hour' standard.
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I was under the impression that whilst cold air is good for the engine, the cold track surface means outright grip is reduced.

It's all a bit pointless comparing the two anyway - LMP1 tyres are made by Michelin to a completely different specification - they last at least 24 laps of Silverstone (when fuel goes in), but the teams often double-stint the tyres, taking only fuel. You'd assume therefore that they're a harder compound than the soft compound tyres F1 brings to Silverstone that Hamilton would have set his lap on.

As for the power units, the Porsche and Toyota running in the 8MJ class means that the engine itself is limited to around 500 bhp, which is well short of the F1 engine, but the electrical system delivers upwards of 400 bhp - though as both engine and electrics are open development, the deployment can differ leading to a higher peak power output (Toyota of previous years rumoured at around 1000 bhp, and this year potentially even higher).

Speaking of Toyota, from their best laps it would appear they're in the ball park of Audi and Porsche - all three posted 1:40 best laps during the race, but the Toyota can't currently maintain that pace it seems. Still, it's better to have a fast, but potentially unreliable car, then a slow, reliable car, as it's easier to make something reliable than make something fast. I was going to draw a contrast with McLaren Honda, but then I remembered they're slow and unreliable...

Was a great race however, Webber's pass on Lotterer during the first stint was cheered by the crowd - great opportunistic move. Shame it was binned by Hartley later, but the pace in LMP1 means you have to push as hard as possible past the slower classes as you'll be doing so many passes you can't get held up or you'll lose places. Hence we see a lot of very close action, but occasionally accidents like this. Glad both drivers are ok.
 
Anyone know what actually happened to the no.8 Audi? It conked out on the full course yellow, sat out on the track for quite some time, lots of smoke inside the car on the in-car camera, fire system deployed (I think), then it looked like someone in an Audi race suit was trying to jump start it. All that time there was no attempt to even push it off the track which was most strange.
 
Marvin said:
I was under the impression that whilst cold air is good for the engine, the cold track surface means outright grip is reduced.
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So long as the tyres reach their operating temperature then it's fine, and of course brakes aren't an issue as you just blank off some of the cooling ducts.

Cold air is good for the aero too (in these more powerful cars - much less so in slower cars as the denser air means the extra drag starts to outweigh the extra downforce).

But yes, I agree it's pointless comparing, I was just adding in another factor.
 
Just looked through my photos from the event - turns out LMP1 cars are hard to photograph on straights...

A selection of my best:

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Album link if anyone's interested - if ordered by the original filename they're in entrant number (of the car(s) pictured) order.
 
Marvin said:
Speaking of Toyota, from their best laps it would appear they're in the ball park of Audi and Porsche - all three posted 1:40 best laps during the race, but the Toyota can't currently maintain that pace it seems. Still, it's better to have a fast, but potentially unreliable car, then a slow, reliable car, as it's easier to make something reliable than make something fast. I was going to draw a contrast with McLaren Honda, but then I remembered they're slow and unreliable...
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Technically Hartley set the quickest time of the weekend in free practice 2, with a time of 1:39.655. That sort of let the cat out the bag some what. :D
 
I'm still not sure what to make of the Toyota. It seems the Audi and Porsche are close once again, particularly on race pace, but unlike last year the Toyota appears to be there or there abouts on one lap, but nowhere in race terms.
 
Marvin said:
I'm still not sure what to make of the Toyota. It seems the Audi and Porsche are close once again, particularly on race pace, but unlike last year the Toyota appears to be there or there abouts on one lap, but nowhere in race terms.
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That's true, from what I have been reading though they seem to be all geared towards LeMans.
 
Let's hope so - much better to have a three horse race.

Whilst many have been decrying the forthcoming regulation change in LMP2, I'm looking forward to it as it should increase take up of the also revamped LMP1 Privateer class, with Manor and Strakka both on the record as either interested or developing specifically for it. Then we'll have a great line up in every class.
 
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