Audi to end their WEC programme....off to.....Formula E
Discussion
eastlmark said:
Ironic new (first time I have seen it anyway) Audi advert just aired on Sky sports... a bunch of road cars all making their way to Le Mans with a "homeward bound" soundtrack.
I saw this last night, i dont think the marketing department have been paying attention the last few weeks. 16 years on and they finally mention Le Mans in a tv advert, 2 events before they leave the series…That's much more like it! However, to maximise the performance, I would not use a production car base, but build something super-light with a "jelly mould" shell that just looks like the production car. No big arches, no wings, no air dams or side skirts.
Gentlemen (and Ladies): Set your acceleration to "ridiculous"!
Gentlemen (and Ladies): Set your acceleration to "ridiculous"!
JohnoVR6 said:
There are alternative all-electric championships that already exist/ are under development for people to moan about;
Electric GT:
e-Touring:
Electric GT:
e-Touring:
Warby80 said:
eastlmark said:
Ironic new (first time I have seen it anyway) Audi advert just aired on Sky sports... a bunch of road cars all making their way to Le Mans with a "homeward bound" soundtrack.
I saw this last night, i dont think the marketing department have been paying attention the last few weeks. 16 years on and they finally mention Le Mans in a tv advert, 2 events before they leave the series…
moment in wondering if anyone bothered to tell the marketing dept that they were pulling the plug, or the marketing dept are just comically inept.....??aeropilot said:
Warby80 said:
eastlmark said:
Ironic new (first time I have seen it anyway) Audi advert just aired on Sky sports... a bunch of road cars all making their way to Le Mans with a "homeward bound" soundtrack.
I saw this last night, i dont think the marketing department have been paying attention the last few weeks. 16 years on and they finally mention Le Mans in a tv advert, 2 events before they leave the series… moment in wondering if anyone bothered to tell the marketing dept that they were pulling the plug, or the marketing dept are just comically inept.....??FredericRobinson said:
Reports from the WEC race at the weekend that Joest are looking at running the R18s minus the hybrid system and with petrol engines in P1 privateer.
Seems a bit unlikely though, whether Audi would let them, and who'd fund it?
The Audi Race team have been desperate to run petrols for a few years now. Seems a bit unlikely though, whether Audi would let them, and who'd fund it?
I managed to get some time with Ulrich Baretzky a couple of years ago and he was already predicting a return to petrol power.
He also said the team were desperatly trying to persuade the Audi board to let them race both a petrol and hydrogen powered Le Mans entries for 2016. Apparently the hydrogen engine was built, tested and ready to race!
He felt Audi had built it's reputation on innovation and shaking things up in motorsport and the time was right to do it again.
But the company had become fat and lazy and the focus was still on shifting A4 tdi's so Marketing won the day and the diesels stayed.
Bet they regret it now.
FredericRobinson said:
Reports from the WEC race at the weekend that Joest are looking at running the R18s minus the hybrid system and with petrol engines in P1 privateer.
Seems a bit unlikely though, whether Audi would let them, and who'd fund it?
I'd love that to be true but it seems unlikely to me. I doubt that it would be as straight forward as sticking in a petrol engine and going racing as the whole car was designed around not only a Diesel engine but the hybrid and Quattro systems as wellSeems a bit unlikely though, whether Audi would let them, and who'd fund it?
24lemons said:
I'd love that to be true but it seems unlikely to me. I doubt that it would be as straight forward as sticking in a petrol engine and going racing as the whole car was designed around not only a Diesel engine but the hybrid and Quattro systems as well
I'm not so sure. Audi pioneered the modular built race car. It might not be as impossible as it sounds. Would love to see it too.
Maldini35 said:
I'm not so sure. Audi pioneered the modular built race car. It might not be as impossible as it sounds.
Would love to see it too.
True but the quick change rear end was soon outlawed and I'm not sure that the latest R18 is 'simple' enough to allow a radically different engine and drive train to be dropped in. I'd love to be proved wrong and see Audi's on track in the hands of privateers though!Would love to see it too.
Porsche's message to Audi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4cJCiYvgeo
This is the 1/8th wind tunnel model of the 2017 car. Apparently the numbers were telling them it was the most efficient car they'd ever made and they think they would have had Porsche and Toyota covered and won WEC LMP1 and Le Mans.
Shame that unless the deal with Joest comes off then this car will never see the light of day.
Shame that unless the deal with Joest comes off then this car will never see the light of day.
sirtyro said:
This is the 1/8th wind tunnel model of the 2017 car. Apparently the numbers were telling them it was the most efficient car they'd ever made and they think they would have had Porsche and Toyota covered and won WEC LMP1 and Le Mans.
I'd be careful with invoking that kind of speculation about the relative performance of a forthcoming car - we all still remember Nissan telling us how efficient their car was and how they would take the fight to everyone...Though admittedly Audi Sport have a lot more credibility than the ill fated Nissan programme, they won't have access to the numbers from Porsche and Toyota so even if well informed it is still ultimately speculation. I will add though that if such statements increase the chances of Joest being able to find enough budget from somewhere to independently campaign the cars next year : I am certainly for it regardless.
FredericRobinson said:
Presumably there's an aero advantage to the slab-fronted headlights that Porsche came with and Audi have copied? To someone who doesn't understand such things they just look wrong.
The 2014 Toyota had the slab fronted lights, so more a general reaction to the regulations than Audi copying Porsche. They've all favoured the slab fronted route for specific body kits. There are some very interesting bits on that modle though, would have been interesting to see how it was developed.FredericRobinson said:
Presumably there's an aero advantage to the slab-fronted headlights that Porsche came with and Audi have copied? To someone who doesn't understand such things they just look wrong.
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