2012 Entry list

[nickliv]

The additional pit which was introduced last year is for a car in the new tech category and yes, the Delta Wing is it this year.  It's not you - it's the weird layout of the entry list.

Not the only thing that's a weird layout. I'm not going anywhere indy until it's done a few hot laps.

[geoffd]

Quite right about stability GF, its all about roll stiffness, or the Reliant Robin effect as we know it.  Without any width at the front, it will pick up the inside rear wheel and either have no traction or put itself into the barrier.  I wouldn't want to drive the damn thing.  Frankly its a death trap

I can't see what is special/new about this.  Even Morgan gave up with this 70 years ago

Didn't Morgan have a single wheel at the back though?

[Barry]

Quite right about stability GF, its all about roll stiffness, or the Reliant Robin effect as we know it.  Without any width at the front, it will pick up the inside rear wheel and either have no traction or put itself into the barrier.  I wouldn't want to drive the damn thing.  Frankly its a death trap

I can't see what is special/new about this.  Even Morgan gave up with this 70 years ago

Didn't Morgan have a single wheel at the back though?

Yes, and that layout can work very well.
I just can't see the DW surviving qualifying, let alone the race.

[Shortcut]

Agreed.  It is a shame that there are no McLarens or BMW's, and the DeltaWing is surely just a publicity stunt to drum up sponsor support.  What odds to see them wheeling out a customer car come the test day?

[SL]

 BMW's were a doubtful entry a few years ago, suddenly everyone misses them. why?

McLarens, well why not, should have had an entry.

Astons - well got a few entry's  so nice to see ££ counts after last year but make up for previous years

Lotus LMP2 - Nice to see, hope to say the same after 6 hrs...

Henri. well same as above, IF he can take a fight to Audi great....

Toyota. looks good maybe a surprise, maybe a 3rd overall

Delta wing.. bound to make a BIG impression, probably well impressed into to the barriers at the end of muslanne on the 1st lap...

[geoffd]

 BMW's were a doubtful entry a few years ago, suddenly everyone misses them. why?

McLarens, well why not, should have had an entry.

Astons - well got a few entry's  so nice to see ££ counts after last year but make up for previous years

Lotus LMP2 - Nice to see, hope to say the same after 6 hrs...

Henri. well same as above, IF he can take a fight to Audi great....

Toyota. looks good maybe a surprise, maybe a 3rd overall

Delta wing.. bound to make a BIG impression, probably well impressed into to the barriers at the end of muslanne on the 1st lap...

McLaren don't have a suitable car so why do people expect them to get an entry? There is only a GT3 version of the MP4-12C.

I won't miss the BMW's as in my eyes they are Touring cars and not GT cars!

Astons were pretty successfull in GT1, so let's hope they can do the Vantage GTE justice and take the fight to the usual GTE players.

Lotus LMP2 - Well it is a Lola and Kolles are running it,  and it does sound like it's going to be a Judd engine, unless Lotus can get an engine of their own sorted out, highly unlikely that.  So I would expect them to be able to go the distance.

Henri will be like the rest of the petrol runners,  fighting over the scraps left by Audi, and I include Toyota in that this year, maybe next year it will be different for them.

I reserve judgement on the DW untill I see it actually running, like most I'm not convinced it'll work but then not many of us ever thought a diesel would win LM!

The big question is, will Audi let the 4 cars fight amongst each other, up to a point, or will the grid positions define the result?  OR will they favour one of the two hybrids to get that first hybrid win, providing one of them is still running at the finish?

We aren't going to get a repeat of last years race, but let's hope for a few battles here and there in the various classes!

[Lazy B'stard]

Quite right about stability GF, its all about roll stiffness, or the Reliant Robin effect as we know it.  Without any width at the front, it will pick up the inside rear wheel and either have no traction or put itself into the barrier.  I wouldn't want to drive the damn thing.  Frankly its a death trap

I can't see what is special/new about this.  Even Morgan gave up with this 70 years ago

As a car, and taking roll stiffness into consideration, I don't think there is an issue. I'm sure that the designers have spent countless hours making calculations before settling on the design. Race cars are no longer built in a shed with bits of string and chalk marks on the floor.

However...... I don't think that they have taken into consideration the fact that Le Sarthe is a road based circuit with heavy commercial traffic 360 days a year. There are some pretty deep tramlines on the Mulsanne created by les camions. Anyone who has driven a 3 wheeled car on such roads will tell you its not fun at 50 mph never mind 200mph.

[Grand_Fromage]

With the 'centre' position of the front, the tyres are going to be permanently off  the 'racing line' and  more often on the painted centre line of the public road sections.

I agree that the designers must have taken lateral stability into account, but I wonder just how accurate computer models can be when there is no historic data for that design to use as a basis.

On the subject of Bimmers, I'm glad to see the back of 'em. However fast they make them, they still look completely out of place. 

Quite right about stability GF, its all about roll stiffness, or the Reliant Robin effect as we know it.  Without any width at the front, it will pick up the inside rear wheel and either have no traction or put itself into the barrier.  I wouldn't want to drive the damn thing.  Frankly its a death trap

I can't see what is special/new about this.  Even Morgan gave up with this 70 years ago

As a car, and taking roll stiffness into consideration, I don't think there is an issue. I'm sure that the designers have spent countless hours making calculations before settling on the design. Race cars are no longer built in a shed with bits of string and chalk marks on the floor.

However...... I don't think that they have taken into consideration the fact that Le Sarthe is a road based circuit with heavy commercial traffic 360 days a year. There are some pretty deep tramlines on the Mulsanne created by les camions. Anyone who has driven a 3 wheeled car on such roads will tell you its not fun at 50 mph never mind 200mph.

[Barry]

There is only a GT3 version of the MP4-12C.

IIRC
Seem to remember an interview on the TV recently (How to build a super car?).
McLaren said they wanted to concentrate on getting the GT3 car winning, and a complete customer package, then they would think about moving into other categories.

[Rhino]

Have you seen the size of the deltawing front tyres!

http://www.americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=news%7C16471

[Lazy B'stard]

I'm pretty sad that there won't be BMWs there this year. They sounded great and were really quick. The GT class has been brilliant over the last few years and BMW certainly contributed to the hike in competition.
As for them being touring cars. Well OK, I see your point, in the modern era we havn't had anything like that at Le Mans, but when you look back to the 1970s, the 320 Turbos and 3.0 CSLs were always there and looked at home.
 In an age where all the prototypes are starting to look the same, the visual diversity of the GT class should be welcomed. I feel the BMWs added interest to the class. There is also an aspirational bonus- how many of us can afford a Corvette, 456, Aston or Porsche? The Beemers are more affordable and within reach of the average LM attendee. That can only be a good thing even it just stops anyone else buying a TVR!

As a car maker, I'm no BMW fan, but as a fan of Le Mans I'll miss them.

Si  

[Grand_Fromage]

I take your point about visual diversity, but Le Mans has evolved during the last 30 years and what looked 'at home' then doesn't now (at least to my eye).

I'd like the ACO regs on GT cars to include a clause that bans any chassis that has a 4-door variant. That would eliminate cars that would look more at home on the school run or shopping at Tesco.
 

I'm pretty sad that there won't be BMWs there this year. They sounded great and were really quick. The GT class has been brilliant over the last few years and BMW certainly contributed to the hike in competition.
As for them being touring cars. Well OK, I see your point, in the modern era we havn't had anything like that at Le Mans, but when you look back to the 1970s, the 320 Turbos and 3.0 CSLs were always there and looked at home.
 In an age where all the prototypes are starting to look the same, the visual diversity of the GT class should be welcomed. I feel the BMWs added interest to the class. There is also an aspirational bonus- how many of us can afford a Corvette, 456, Aston or Porsche? The Beemers are more affordable and within reach of the average LM attendee. That can only be a good thing even it just stops anyone else buying a TVR!

As a car maker, I'm no BMW fan, but as a fan of Le Mans I'll miss them.

Si 

[termietermite]

I'd like the ACO regs on GT cars to include a clause that bans any chassis that has a 4-door variant. That would eliminate cars that would look more at home on the school run or shopping at Tesco.
 

With you there.  I won't miss the Beemers, they look well out of place to my mind and should compete in Touring Car races since that is what they patently are.

[Grand_Fromage]

I wouldn't mind seeing one of these though..

http://player.vimeo.com/video/36223941


 

With you there.  I won't miss the Beemers, they look well out of place to my mind and should compete in Touring Car races since that is what they patently are.

[termietermite]

  At least it looks like a sports car.  I have no probs with the Ms and would love to own one but they are still go-faster shopping trolleys, albeit amongst the best there are.