Dyson to race LMP2 Porsches in '07

[chop456]

Just out of curiosity, why should a LMP2 car not be capable of winning?  If a LMP2 constructor builds a better mousetrap, where is it written that there's a flaw with the regulations.  I watched the Porsche RS Spyder blow the doors off Audi, Dyson Lola, etc. at Mid-Ohio this year and everyone loved it.  There's a lot to be said for seeing a "underdog stick it to a team who is "supposed to win overall"  Anyone remember when a privateer Porsche 934 won the 12 Hours of Sebring? Beating the high dollar 935 and GTP teams.  Personally a think the notion that LMP2 is grid filler and should not be in with a shout of winning overall is ridiculous.
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Or when the TRG GT2 Porsche won the 24 Hours of Daytona, beating all the Grand Am "prototype" garbage scows.

[termietermite]

Like Christopher, I'm just repeating what seems to me to be the ACO philosophy for LMP2 (and GT2 for that matter) - not my own thoughts (which I shall keep to myself until March,  Fax! )

[Boorish Grobian]

Termie & Christopher, I wasn't taking a shot at you guys, it was at the ACO.  I understood you were just "the messenger".  I just find it puzzling that the ACO would think of trying to "regulate out" the Porsche.  Its one of the most exciting sports racers to come along in a good while, and it would be a shame if the fans at the Sarthe never get a chance to see and hear it simply because the ACO would see it as a threat to their perceived class hierarchy.
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[Christopher]

Termie & Christopher, I wasn't taking a shot at you guys, it was at the ACO. 
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Phew!

[termietermite]

I didn't really take it personally, honest!  John Macaluso, Ray Mallock and numerous other more traditional LMP2 entrants can no doubt say it better than I, but I still think that Porsche are trying to beat Audi without competing on the same playing field.  They should have built an LMP1 car and had done with it - what the hell did they expect?  If the ACO continues to move the goalposts in order to maintain the differential between the two classes then Porsche only have themselves to blame.  I know I'm going to start a barrage of abuse but where do these smaller teams go now?  Where's the incentive for people like that to build prototypes if there's a big money manufacturer throwing everything at each of the classes and leaving no room for them to manoevre and no chance of them ever getting even a class win any more?
Yes, of course I'd like to see an Audi/Porsche battle at LM (can't stand the idea that Audi will never have any competition); of course I'd like to see the Spyders in the flesh without having to go to the US; but I'd also like to continue to enjoy the real competition which has existed in LMP2 since I started going to the great race.  It's depressing to think that it'll be as much of a foregone conclusion in LMP2 as it is at the moment in LMP1.  My own wish would be that Porsche build an LMP1 car and stop p*ssing about with LMP2.  If that's what the ACO is attempting to achieve, then I'm right with them.

[Jay (Team Cannonball)]

I think the Porsche LMP2 car was built as a customer car. After the success of the 911 GT customer car which they have sold 100's of I think they were hoping they could do something similar in LMP2.
I still maintain we will see an LMP1 Porsche in 2008 run by Penske.

The Acura on the other hand has factory written all over it and by all accounts at the recent Sebring test they were pretty damn swift as well.

[termietermite]

Well from the recently reported stuff going on at Dome, it is obviously  perfectly possible to produce a car for both LMPs 1&2 using the same basic shell. So, Jay, I think what you say may well be true re Porsche (and maybe Honda too, you never know); I certainly hope so myself.

[Boorish Grobian]

I think Jay hit it on the screws pretty well.  The Porsche RS Spyder was commisioned by Porsche of North America from the very outset as a customer car.  Penske was chosen as the initial team for obvious reasons, they are one of the best in the world, and perfect for sorting a new car, before offering it to the rest of the teams who don't have the resources to do a lot of R&D work on a brand new machine.  I don't think it was originally built to be a Audi beater.  They just wanted a good, fast, reliable LMP2 car to offer to teams looking to move into the LMP ranks.  Just happened that it turned out to be quick enough to beat most LMP1 cars as well.
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[termietermite]

The first one has just been delivered.
http://www.americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=2783

[Boorish Grobian]

Good for Dyson to get at least one of them before Sebring testing begins, that way they can have a setup established when the second one arrives and they can go into the 12 Hours not having to rely on Penske's setting's, which they most certainly will start from, and then refine their own approach.  Of course the Porsche engineers are going to be at the testing so I would imagine they'll all be pooling their data and opinions.
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