'09 ACO Rules

[NismoZ]

Does the ALMS have to follow these? (At LeMans, sure, but here?)...Only production engines in LMP2, (increase the gap from p1?) slow all classes (for safety, ie. a 3:30 pole lap at LeMans) close the gap between Diesel and gas, and between coupes and open cockpit, 1 engine for 2 races,...and how does the new Peugeot hybrid get regulated? They get to race for points by '10. (Where are the Japanese? I thought THEY were the ones pushing hybrid over Diesel. Bio turbo-Diesel hybrid seems to be a "best of both" answer?:D Changes are supposed to save money I guess, I hope it doesn't make things TOO generic.

[miatanut]

Linky anywhere so we don't have to go hunting?

[NismoZ]

Top Content, Speed TV, Auto Racing News...Long list in news at www.Motorsport.com (LeMans and ALMS)

[miatanut]

Top Content, Speed TV, Auto Racing News...Long list in news at www.Motorsport.com (LeMans and ALMS)

Thank you!
http://www.Motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=307481&FS=ALMS-LEMANS

I wish they wouldn't regulate boost pressure on the diesels. Just restrictor diameter. If somebody wants to run a dinky high-boost engine and have more weight available for ballast, they should be able to. That's technology development which could trickle down to production cars.

[pchall]

In 2011, current P2 engines will effectively become the new P1 powerplants, and GT2-based production engines will then be mandatory in P2. These measures are aimed at slowing down the prototypes. Around 150 hp will be lost with the new P1 engine configuration in 2011. Coupled with a new wing configuration (to be introduced next year), the ACO's new lap time target around Le Mans will be in the 3:42 range, once all of these changes fall into place.


Hmmm... I wonder how much influence these upcoming regs had on Honda deciding to run P1 and go to LeMans now instead of waiting?

[NismoZ]

Everything. My guess is they knew before WE did!:D

[extramundane]

I can summarize these changes as follows:

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/2022/monkeysplash2ed8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[pchall]

Bangles' football? It's all Mike Brown's fault!


I can summarize these changes as follows:

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/2022/monkeysplash2ed8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[FCYTravis]

P1s down 150 horsepower? GT2 production engines in P2s? :eek:

Seriously, this is one more catalyst for Don Panoz to tell the ACO where it can stick its bizarre French rulesmakers. If they're not careful, DPs are going to be quicker than P2s when 2011 rolls around, and heads will explode.

A sanctioning body whose entire raison d'etre is one race, will never have the best interests in mind of everyone else.

Here's my favorite part:

Only one air gun will be allowed to be used during stops.

And I thought five-lug wheels on tube-frame GT cars was a contrived way of slowing down pitwork. :shakehead

[NismoZ]

That's exactly why I asked!:D Kinda feel that way myself. BUT, would mfgrs. begin to flock to the USA to win in Atlanta instead of...:( Not likely.

[NismoZ]

And doesn't this effectively do away with the P-1/P-2 competition and create a single "P" category that so many of us suggested all along? What are we whining about!?:D (PS-I don't want to be Air Gun Guy!)

[extramundane]

And doesn't this effectively do away with the P-1/P-2 competition and create a single "P" category that so many of us suggested all along?

Not at all.


All P2 engines will also receive a 10 percent air restrictor reduction, as organizers aim to make a larger differential between the two prototype categories.

[miatanut]

P1s down 150 horsepower? GT2 production engines in P2s? :eek:

Seriously, this is one more catalyst for Don Panoz to tell the ACO where it can stick its bizarre French rulesmakers. If they're not careful, DPs are going to be quicker than P2s when 2011 rolls around, and heads will explode.

A sanctioning body whose entire raison d'etre is one race, will never have the best interests in mind of everyone else.

Here's my favorite part:

Only one air gun will be allowed to be used during stops.

And I thought five-lug wheels on tube-frame GT cars was a contrived way of slowing down pitwork. :shakehead

John Bishop went his own way and eventually pulled ACO along. I thought ACO's fuel conservation formula was a good concept, but most fans prefer outright speed to that crafty strategy stuff. Then they complain when there's no passing because all the cars are optimized to the same rules and going flat-out all the time. :rofl: ALMS would need to change it's name (Hmmm, maybe IMSA would be a good name!) if it was going to make major deviations. I think even though the ACO's focus is on their one race, they've done a pretty good job at rules packages over the years. Things only got screwed-up when FIA tried to control everything.

As for one air gun, the open wheel world uses four, and ACO has used two for a while. F1 allows a whole army of people over the wall. I don't think there is an inherrently "right" way to do a pitstop. I like the concept of making tire changes take longer to encourage harder tires, meaning fewer marbles.

[NismoZ]

Not at all? I said "effectively" because P-2 would be production based, (PP-2...production prototype?) the differential greater and the confusion about where the top level of competition would be might be done away with. I love twin turbo V-10 Diesels. I love that new Peugeot too, hybrids also but I'm not interested in 2 or 4 car races. I love those RS Spyders and the Acuras as well, but if they win a bunch of overalls why are they "2s"? Now, if all the Audis, Peugeots, Acuras, RSs and maybe a few Lexii and Mazdas are thrown in THEN we have a race!:thumbup:Let 'em run customer cars in P-2. Will they line up with the FIA in the GT categories? I'd like to see that also just to end more confusion. Heck I even love the Corvettes, but...c'mon! Racing against Astons, Porsches, Ferraris, Panoz and ?? is way preferrable to listening to all that crap about how hard it is to beat the other Corvette! Tone down GT-1 as well if it opens up competition. I'm still wondering if Corvette really has the guts to race everyone else. I hope so. GT-2? I just hope there aren't TOO many of them that get in the way and screw things up. Maybe a quota system that won't allow their #s to exceed 1/4 of the field?:D