2012 24 Hours of Le Mans

[James Johnson]

Do I understand this correctly? Special zones have been created along the track to limit Toyota's hybrid technology?

Nope to allow Audi and Toyota to use their Hybrid systems.

 

[Mapu]

Similar to F1 KERS zones then, I guess. I am not sure if this is going to help the petrol cars. But I do see another reason behind this decision and hope Toyota can still make use of their advantage.

 

[James Johnson]

Q2 has started!

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42 108]

Do I understand this correctly? Special zones have been created along the track to limit Toyota's hybrid technology?

No, they have created special zones to limit both manufacturers hybrid technology. The sole difference is Audi is only allowed to use it above 120kph in these areas.
Which makes me ask: Why can't Toyota build a fwd electro thing and therefore don't have to limit Audi with the better technique?

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42 108]

Within the zones the Toyota can use it anywhere as it uses the rear wheels for the Hybrid power train. The Audi can as well but due to the Hybrid power train using the front wheels its limited to use only above 120kph; as you can imagine trying to put extra power through the front wheels that are turning will just cause the tires to spin which in turn will cause more understeer.

I think it will balance the car more equally in slower corners. Therefore they took a big advantage off the E-Tron "Quattro" (no Quattro for me then).
Remind old WRC, old DTM 1990s, old Super Touring Audi A4 Quattros etc!

 

[Mapu]

Actually, the better technology has Toyota, if I am correct, because the Toyota LMP1 can use its hybrid "drive train" (engl. correct?) at any time, while the Audi's hybrid is limited to certain circumstances. The problem Audi has is, that their hybrid "drive train" is connected to the front wheels and can cause understeer.

Well I am no tech freak, but that's the info I got from the broadcasts snippets.

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42 108]

The info I have is the Audi is not allowed to use it! They wouldn't ever have any trouble with a full 4wd from zero to 120.

I think the ACO made a political decision. When Audi announced their car, Toyota had not claimed the start. So the winner was set. And that was nothing anyone wanted.

 

[zehnder.eric]

^^^Correct^^^

Granted these designated braking areas that they can harness energy from braking is essentially all braking zones so I don't understand the need for the rules.

I like the makers of the Delta Wing's philosophy (not the car) in that rules should allow a wide variety of cars' shapes, sizes, and design philosophies. Make a class that is entirely limited by amount of fuel and (other than safety concerns) nothing else.

If either Toyota or Audi lose the race not because the car isn't quick enough but because they're hampered by special zones and hybrid rules it's gonna be a bad race.

 

[James Johnson]

The last Qualification session is about to begin!

 

[James Johnson]

The Toyotas are starting to wake up in the last few minutes!

3rd and 5th for the Toyota's and only 1 second off the pole for the #8 & 1.7 seconds for the #7 so it looks like its gonna be interesting!

 

[Eric Parker]

I was able to watch the last qualifying before i had to go to work. Good stuff, looking forward to the race. If Audi has problem at some point the Toyotas might just have a chance. Huzzah for a real race.

 

[Yoeri Gijsen]

Go Go Toyota! It'd be really cool if Audi didn't win for once, though they do make the greatest efforts.

 

[Xosé Estrada]

Well Peugeot won in 2009 with Gene, so is not that Audi always win

 

[Yoeri Gijsen]

Well Peugeot won in 2009 with Gene, so is not that Audi always win

True, but if you look at the races ever since the start of the century it was mostly Audi. Only Bentley (which was really and Audi) and Peugeot won it once each. The rest was all Audi.

Then again, if the race is utterly awesome I don't really care who wins in the end,

 

[Yoeri Gijsen]

I like the makers of the Delta Wing's philosophy (not the car) in that rules should allow a wide variety of cars' shapes, sizes, and design philosophies. Make a class that is entirely limited by amount of fuel and (other than safety concerns) nothing else.

I like this philosophy. "You get X amount of fuel for the race. Good luck designing an engine and a car!" Back to the eighties I say!

 

[James Johnson]

I like this philosophy. "You get X amount of fuel for the race. Good luck designing an engine and a car!" Back to the eighties I say!

Well you can't give the same amount to a diesel and then a petrol as that would be unfair.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

But you can say that Team Y and X will have a maximum amount of equal energy to use during the race. It will motivate car manufacturers to start a competition to use the most economic engine that can still perform.

Can be costly but very good for the sport and the car industry. Hopefully all the major brands are interested to embrace such a concept in the years to come

 

[James Johnson]

Now this is how it will run tomorrow on Eurosport.

7.00GMT/8.00BST/9.00CET - Warm Up
8.00GMT/9.00BST/10.00CET - Legends Race
12.45GMT/1.45BST/2.45CET - Race Start and the whole 24 hours. (Before this is 24 minutes of LeMans Show which starts at 12.15GMT/1.15BST/2.15CET)

 

[Mapu]

I like this philosophy. "You get X amount of fuel for the race. Good luck designing an engine and a car!" Back to the eighties I say!

Yep, these designs should run in their own class. That would put a nice change into the LMS, ALMS etc.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

Love the Legends Race...