Aston Martin in F1

[Y100]

All we need to know and more right here:

http://www.astonmartin.com/en/racing/news/2015/09/...

[Jon39]

Y100 said:

... Porsche especially have improved their lap times, most recently at Shanghai ...

Well, that is a coincidence.

I seem to have heard something recently, think it might have concerned the parent company of Porsche. Special software with magic powers. Apparently it has been suggested, and VAG are in a flap so it might be true, that the software can make an engine do just what is needed for the occasion.

[Y100]

Jon39 said:

Well, that is a coincidence.

I seem to have heard something recently, think it might have concerned the parent company of Porsche. Special software with magic powers. Apparently it has been suggested, and VAG are in a flap so it might be true, that the software can make an engine do just what is needed for the occasion.

Nobody enjoys being beaten,,,but for the Germans it is VERBOTEN,,!

[Y100]

Mercifully we (AMR) managed podiums in both Pro and Am classes yesterday in the final event of the 2015 WEC series the 6hrs in Bahrain. Here I copy from the AMR site:

First in the GTE Am class.

The #98 V8 Vantage GTE Am, piloted by Paul Dalla Lana (CA), Pedro Lamy (PT) and Mathias Lauda (A), started the race from pole. Thanks to a faultless and consistent race, Lauda brought the car to the chequered flag in first, securing the team’s 3rd place finish in the driver’s championship and a 23rd win overall in FIA WEC for Aston Martin Racing; more than any other manufacturer.

Third in the GTE Pro class.

The #97 V8 Vantage GTE of Darren Turner (GB) and Jonny Adam (GB) closed the season with third in the GTE Pro class, after single stinting throughout the six hours. The pair were closely followed by the #95 Young Driver AMR entry in fourth.

I did read that AMR had been allowed to open slightly a 'restrictor' prior to this event. This obviously helped balance things out but no-one could catch the Porsche 92 car of Patrick PILET, Frédéric MAKOWIECKI, taking the podium in GTE Pro.

[Jon39]

That sounds encouraging for AMR, Bob.
It would be a great shame if their competitive performances gradually slipped away.

At Le Mans this year, Paul Dalla Lana was at the wheel when his car suddenly veered of the road at the final chicane. I wondered if it was a stuck throttle, or steering failure. Was any explanation ever given for that strange crash?

Next year I think Ford will be in the same class(es) as Aston Martin. Their new GT certainly looks the business. Shows that it is possible to successfully redesign an iconic design (DB9 and Vantage successors come to mind).

Edited by Jon39 on Sunday 22 November 18:46

[Y100]

Jon39 said:

That sounds encouraging for AMR, Bob.
It would be a great shame if their competitive performances gradually slipped away.

At Le Mans this year, Paul Dalla Lana was at the wheel when his car suddenly veered of the road at the final chicane. I wondered if it was a stuck throttle, or steering failure. Was any explanation ever given for that strange crash?

Next year I think Ford will be in the same class(es) as Aston Martin. Their new GT certainly looks the business. Shows that it is possible to successfully redesign an iconic design (DB9 and Vantage comes to mind).

If Andy Palmer is as keen on racing as he appears to be, I'm sure he'll be working hard to facilitate the enhanced performance we need for 2016. We know its all about resources, resources, recources in all forms of motorsport. I kinda get the feeling the gloves will be coming off in the 2016 WEC series. Porsche taking home the silverware big time this year, this just cannot be allowed to continue, just not playing the game you know!

Ford are indeed with us next season, the more the merrier. Aston Martin Racing will confirm its plans for the 2016 season early next year.

Edited by Y100 on Sunday 22 November 18:59

[Jon39]

Y100 said:

If Andy Palmer is as keen on racing as he appears to be ...

About a year ago, a friend parked next to a fellow competitor (Andy Palmer) in the paddock at the Anglesey race circuit. They raced each other, towards the back of the field and enjoyed their day. My friend had no idea of APs day job at the time. I told him later. Perhaps Dr. Palmer was doing an amateur club race, as part of obtaining a full race licence.

[Uncle Gueber]

Nice to see some chat on here about AMRacing, I didn't think folks around these parts were particularly interested in the team's efforts.

The cars were more competitive at the weekend due to a change in the balance of performance. They were served with a reduction in BoP at Le Mans, hence them being about 2sec/ lap off the pace since. Not sure how much they got back, clearly not enough to get back on terms with the 911s or 458s as they were at Spa.
Personally I think Prodrive have done a pretty good job with the car. I would think any race team would prefer to start with a mid engined chassis as the basis for building a competitive platform for the series, so a decent effort all things considered.

Darren Turner signed a contract extension recently I believe (possibly 3yrs) and Jonny Adam appears to have been brought in as long term replacement for Mucke, so hopefully AMR are still committed to GT and endurance racing. Think it was mentioned during commentary that they are looking to field 3 cars in GT Pro for 2016.

Motors TV has reasonable coverage of most rounds and you can take a 1 month subscription to Eurosport just for Le Mans. Alternatively subscribe through the WEC website and you can watch qualifying and avoid all the annoying adverts.

Paul Dalla Lana's off at Le Mans was supposedly purely down to driver error. A real shame for him and the team as they were well ahead of their nearest challengers in class and would likely have went on to win the GT Am title this year.

[W1111AM]

Went to ProDrive on Saturday with AMOC 13
Lots of lovely relevant carbon fibre and machines there to feed this link. Then home after to watch Bahrain with my new found friend MotorTV on Freeview, thanks boys

[url]
New GT4 2016 Spec: V12 bonnet + new gearbox ratios
|http://thumbsnap.com/amh8uM3r[/url]
[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/WZ8gtylL[/url]
Nice V8 engine
[url]

[W1111AM]

Some more pics

[Y100]

Uncle Gueber said:

Nice to see some chat on here about AMRacing, I didn't think folks around these parts were particularly interested in the team's efforts.

The cars were more competitive at the weekend due to a change in the balance of performance. They were served with a reduction in BoP at Le Mans, hence them being about 2sec/ lap off the pace since. Not sure how much they got back, clearly not enough to get back on terms with the 911s or 458s as they were at Spa.
Personally I think Prodrive have done a pretty good job with the car. I would think any race team would prefer to start with a mid engined chassis as the basis for building a competitive platform for the series, so a decent effort all things considered.

Darren Turner signed a contract extension recently I believe (possibly 3yrs) and Jonny Adam appears to have been brought in as long term replacement for Mucke, so hopefully AMR are still committed to GT and endurance racing. Think it was mentioned during commentary that they are looking to field 3 cars in GT Pro for 2016.

Motors TV has reasonable coverage of most rounds and you can take a 1 month subscription to Eurosport just for Le Mans. Alternatively subscribe through the WEC website and you can watch qualifying and avoid all the annoying adverts.

Paul Dalla Lana's off at Le Mans was supposedly purely down to driver error. A real shame for him and the team as they were well ahead of their nearest challengers in class and would likely have went on to win the GT Am title this year.

There does seem to have been an overreaction in the BoP restriction applied to AMR Pro cars post Le Mans. Effectively ruined their chances of competing for the podium for the next 4 races. Even with the slight relaxation allowed at Bahrain, as you point out, they really struggled and to be honest, their third place finish was probably down to the lost wheel pit stop of the #71 AF Corse.

Hopefully we will see the 3 Pro cars #95-97-99 and the 2 Am cars 96 & 98 competing next season. No matter how gut wrenching those 4 mid season race results were this year, my passion for the marque ensured I was going to be in there rooting for them all the way.

PS: That 3 minute stop-go for the #99 car at the begining of the race was just rediculous,,,a fine (as it was for a similar infringement by another team) could have been imposed, that would have been harsh enough but to effectively ruin their race in that way was an appauling decision IMHumbleO.

Edited by Y100 on Wednesday 25th November 12:50

Edited by Y100 on Wednesday 25th November 12:51