Lola Aston Martin to take part at Shelsley Walsh
Lola Aston Martin to take part at Shelsley Walsh
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Discussion

struttob

Original Poster:

345 posts

178 months

Friday 16th August 2013
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The Lola Aston Martin DBR1-2 that competed at Le Mans in 2009 and came 4th in class will make its debut at the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb Aston Martin Centenary event on the 17th and 18th August.

No affiliation with Shelsley other than a regular hillclimb spectator at what must be one of the most accessable forms of motor sport on the planet, a full day out at the oldest motor sport venue in continuous use in the world.

Check it out http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/default.asp

Bob

moribund

4,407 posts

243 months

Friday 16th August 2013
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That will be awesome - wish I was nearer!

Red Firecracker

5,346 posts

256 months

Saturday 17th August 2013
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The AMR-ONE will be there as well. Not sure they'll risk running it, might not make it all the way...

rsole

643 posts

216 months

Saturday 17th August 2013
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Going tomorrow - whoop!

TaRD

778 posts

216 months

Saturday 17th August 2013
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I'll be there tomorrow too.

struttob

Original Poster:

345 posts

178 months

Monday 19th August 2013
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And a good day was had by all - well I had a good day anyway! - fewer fancy Aston Martins but just as good a days racing next Sunday at Gurston Down.

Bob

Vocal Minority

8,582 posts

181 months

Wednesday 21st August 2013
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Decent day weren't it? Midland Automobile Club did a great job assembling the cars.

Tom Onslow Cole did his best to get the arse out on the hydrogen rapide, though probably would have been better served by just going fast.

Lola was quite a sight, though as it was only slightly narrower than the track it only got the V12 properly wound up a couple of times. Sounded great though!

LoudV8

933 posts

292 months

Wednesday 21st August 2013
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Red Firecracker said:
The AMR-ONE will be there as well. Not sure they'll risk running it, might not make it all the way...
Are you sure - wasn't it the basis of that stupid Deltawing ?

Maybe it's AMR1, a much more successful racer.

Vocal Minority

8,582 posts

181 months

Wednesday 21st August 2013
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The AMR-One was there as a static display (they did make more than one tub).

And also, I think you may be the only person who still thinks the deltawing is stupid

designndrive62

801 posts

186 months

Wednesday 21st August 2013
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LoudV8 said:
Are you sure - wasn't it the basis of that stupid Deltawing ?

Maybe it's AMR1, a much more successful racer.
You mean the deltawing that is the most innovative race car designed in years, especially in its original indycar format where it would have been a real game changer

phatgixer

4,988 posts

278 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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Any video?

chevronb37

6,472 posts

215 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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designndrive62 said:
LoudV8 said:
Are you sure - wasn't it the basis of that stupid Deltawing ?

Maybe it's AMR1, a much more successful racer.
You mean the deltawing that is the most innovative race car designed in years, especially in its original indycar format where it would have been a real game changer
Quite. I rather like the Deltawing concept and Legge / Meyrick have got it working well in ALMS this season.

I believe AMR made six AMR-ONE tubs. Pescarolo got a couple and ditto Deltawing. The new Deltawing has a bespoke tub - as well as new engine, etc.

Red Firecracker

5,346 posts

256 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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Yep. The one that appeared at Shelsley is the only remaining complete AMR-ONE and is being rebuilt to working order.

It was an interesting business model as they were all sold prior to build for life after factory team racing as a way to fund the project. Jota Sport were expecting to race two of them I believe. A plucky design that was just never really going to work, I think, a lack of money and time being vicious bed fellows.

As for Deltawing, that will always be a divisive car, but I'd hate to experience a generation where thinking such as that is pushed down the back of the sofa instead of making it to reality due to aesthetics and perceived performance from talking heads with no in depth knowledge of the design. Then again, I like the diesels, so shoot me biggrin



Edited by Red Firecracker on Thursday 22 August 08:10

chevronb37

6,472 posts

215 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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I know one of the chaps slated to race the AMR-ONE at Le Mans. He was very confident of its aero abilities, which I believe related to the front diffuser which was doing something very clever.

Interestingly Dr Ulrich Bagetzy from Audi claimed long before it raced that a straight-six was completely unsuitable and would never work. Evidently those clever Germans know their stuff...

The business model was interesting and I believe that Roald Goethe had bought at least one of the tubs, hence his brief involvement with Pescarolo - I understand they used his tub(s). I felt very sad for the team that it didn't work out as Prodrive had done so much to raise Aston Martin's profile through their GT1 and subsequent prototype campaigns. You can't over-estimate their achievements in taking the GT1 win from Chevrolet at Le Mans. That DBR9 was a hell of a race car and always a privilege to witness. Sadly LMP1 is ringfenced for the big boys now and shall probably remain so for a generation.

I also wholly approve of the Deltawing. It looks wacky but we have 20 LMPs which all look broadly similar these days. Why not have something which looks different and tries to offer an alternative vision of the future. I'm really very excited about what the new Nissan ZEOD-EV will achieve and that it preludes a full LMP1 programme for Nissan. I share your enthusiasm for the diesels too - I adore howling multi-cylinder N/A sports prototypes but the sheer spectacle of an R18 in full flight, virtually silent, is captivating in its own way as well. And the noise of the R18s on start-up is crazy and awesome in equal measure.

Red Firecracker

5,346 posts

256 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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There are some very interesting interviews with Baretsky regarding the diesels and noise in general as well as his views on the in line 6. Very much a mad professor type person at the cutting edge, although he does admit he would like another crack at a Le Mans winning petrol engine.

The AMR-One just needed a lot more time and money, in my view. It sort of pre-dated the Audi's with the air through rather than round principal, but I can't see the engine being kept if they had been able to develop more, it just has to many foibles. The Goethe tub did reportedly form the basis of the Pescarolo 03 (hence Stuart Hall getting the drive), although two tubs were 'purchased' by Pescarolo, but I wonder where it is now? The Rofgo Collection does have an AMR-One in it, but is it the same one returned to original spec? I'm guessing all six created tubs still exist.

The TS-030 is quite a thing when it leaves the pits, very sci-fi.


djwebb1234

2 posts

157 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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struttob said:
The Lola Aston Martin DBR1-2 that competed at Le Mans in 2009 and came 4th in class will make its debut at the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb Aston Martin Centenary event on the 17th and 18th August.

Check it out http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/default.asp

Bob
Dear All,

A little clip of the Astons on their parade lap at Shelsley that I took including the Lola Aston Martin...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiV-5xBZOSI

All the best

David

Curlyapplehead

82 posts

189 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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I have been rebuilding the AMR-One that was at Shelsley Walsh. There were in the end only 4 tubs built I believe, Chassis 1, was car 007 at LeMans, thats the car we have. Car 009 which I presume is chassis number 2, is the Roald Goethe car, which went off to form the Pescarolo car and has since been converted back but is not complete, missing an engine etc. The third chassis became the Deltawing and I believe the 4th tub which also went to them wasn't really a proper race tub but more of a show car tub.

Cheers

James

Red Firecracker

5,346 posts

256 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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What are the plans for the car once running, James (if you can say)? Similar to the Lola chassis or something a bit more competitive?

Curlyapplehead

82 posts

189 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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Completely up to the owner, but it will rebuilt to running state and then up to him what he decides to do. He has a nice collection of cars himself so imagine it will be part of that, but may well do more smile

Amazing the amount of money that was spent originally, such a shame it was a failure as some bits on it are really nicely designed.

99hjhm

436 posts

215 months

Thursday 22nd August 2013
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Still using the straight 6 engine? Did they ever find a way of curing the TF vibration they say it never had.