WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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Saribro
Saribro
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Joined: 28 Jul 2006, 00:34

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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'Mulsanne Mike' has speculated an I-4, due to off-centre exhaust.
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsjuly13.html

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matt21
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Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 13:17

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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I´ve read this as well, but the position of an exhaust for me is no indication on the type of engine.
As you can see on the picture the fin is placed at the car center line, so they have to go for side shift for the exhaust.

For me from an installation point of view (dimensions, strength etc.) an I-4 makes no sense as long as you don´t have to go for a stock block engine or for marketing reasons.

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Holm86
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Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 03:37
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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matt21 wrote:I´ve read this as well, but the position of an exhaust for me is no indication on the type of engine.
As you can see on the picture the fin is placed at the car center line, so they have to go for side shift for the exhaust.

For me from an installation point of view (dimensions, strength etc.) an I-4 makes no sense as long as you don´t have to go for a stock block engine or for marketing reasons.
Any idea what bank angle?? 90° would be logical for a V4. But larger angle could also be useful with lower CoG.

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WhiteBlue
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Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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Saribro wrote:'Mulsanne Mike' has speculated an I-4, due to off-centre exhaust.
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsjuly13.html
I have said it before and I am still of the same opinion: Porsche are serious with their attack on LMP1 an will create the most fuel efficient petrol engine we have seen in racing for decades. And I'm totally convinced it will have no more than four cylinders. This single exhaust is just another hint in a long line of indicators that the VW/Porsche/Audi group is dedicated to a high tech I4 for their next break through design. It was meant to come in F1 but they have now shifted it to WEC and LMP1 because F1 is so backward it makes no sense to compete there.

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/TECHNICA ... -FINAL.pdf

An interesting compilation of the rules for 2014. Impressive array of high tech stuff that is forbidden in F1. Laser ignition, variable turbos, free rpm, free capacity, free engine config AWKERS and it goes on and on....

F1 looks increasingly pedestrian compared to the high tech LMP1 will unleash.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best .............................. organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)

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Holm86
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Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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These ACO 2014 LMP regulations are truly some of the most exciting regulations in motorsport. And miles better than the new F1 engine regulations I doo agree. I'm just a little disappointed about the prohibition of variable valve lift/timing. Why prohibit such off shelf technology when you are allowed to ignite the air/fuel mixture with lasers or plasma?

Cold Fussion
Cold Fussion
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Joined: 19 Dec 2010, 04:51

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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kooleracer wrote:I watched the race in COTA last night. These LMP1 cars look like rocket ships, its just incredible to watch. Also was really surprised to hear that the LMP1 cars on low downforce spec have even more downforce than F1 cars on high downforce spec, according to alex wurz. I really dissapointed in F1, the WEC has everything right. I cost less, the is actual racing going one, and they're doing actual R&D for roadcars. The tyres always gives performance. Was really nice race to watch. The COTA circuit is just brilliant. Maybe next year the LMP1 cars will be fastest race cars, with F1 switching to 1.6 V6 engines. LMP1 cars have TC, why FIA banned TC in F1. TC is used on a lot of road cars these days. Its just silly that the F1 cars don't have it anymore. I really loved to sound of the TC.
They're still 13 seconds a lap slower than F1 around COTA, probably be significantly more this year as the circuit was very dirty last year.

hairy_scotsman
hairy_scotsman
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Joined: 13 Nov 2010, 22:47

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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OK, I've added a couple of COTA ALMS/WEC galleries. Still more to come from Saturday!


Sunday during the WEC 6-hour:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 878&type=1


More Friday rain pics:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 878&type=3


Preview:

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Last edited by hairy_scotsman on 30 Sep 2013, 17:52, edited 1 time in total.
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hairy_scotsman
hairy_scotsman
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Joined: 13 Nov 2010, 22:47

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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Cold Fussion wrote:
kooleracer wrote:I watched the race in COTA last night. These LMP1 cars look like rocket ships, its just incredible to watch. Also was really surprised to hear that the LMP1 cars on low downforce spec have even more downforce than F1 cars on high downforce spec, according to alex wurz. I really dissapointed in F1, the WEC has everything right. I cost less, the is actual racing going one, and they're doing actual R&D for roadcars. The tyres always gives performance. Was really nice race to watch. The COTA circuit is just brilliant. Maybe next year the LMP1 cars will be fastest race cars, with F1 switching to 1.6 V6 engines. LMP1 cars have TC, why FIA banned TC in F1. TC is used on a lot of road cars these days. Its just silly that the F1 cars don't have it anymore. I really loved to sound of the TC.
They're still 13 seconds a lap slower than F1 around COTA, probably be significantly more this year as the circuit was very dirty last year.
Something like 12.5 seconds slower in Q, but the fastest racing lap was only ~8 seconds slower than F1's fastest racing lap. Having the same fueling rules & tires would likely move that difference in favor of F1 though.

The Audi's & Toyotas were especially impressive to watch in the esses. All the prototypes were impressive there, cutting through the GT traffic like butter & passing at seemingly impossible speeds in seemingly impossible spots. We'll never get to see F1 cars do that.
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Blanchimont
Blanchimont
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Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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And don't forget the differences in weight and engine power, these two parameters can explain a lot.

F1: ~645kg in Q, ~750hp (+80hp KERS)
LMP1: ~915kg in Q, 490hp (+2*109hp) Source
Dear FIA, if you read this, please pm me for a redesign of the Technical Regulations to avoid finger nose shapes for 2016! :-)

Huntresa
Huntresa
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Joined: 03 Dec 2011, 11:33

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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Blanchimont wrote:And don't forget the differences in weight and engine power, these two parameters can explain a lot.

F1: ~645kg in Q, ~750hp (+80hp KERS)
LMP1: ~915kg in Q, 490hp (+2*109hp) Source
When you write like that do you mean 750 + 80 ? Cause next year the KERS/ERS will be added so its upto 750 for the whole package and not ontop like now for F1 that is, if we are to compare further on for next year.

But since we dont know what BHP nexts years F1 engines produce i guess its stupid to write numbers.

Lycoming
Lycoming
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Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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since its only 80 hp KERS, I presume that's based on current regs, so it would be 750 + 80.

something to add though, if you want to compare power and specifically straight line speed, remember that even the open top LMP1 cars have a lot less drag than F1 cars. LMP1 cars use lightly cambered, relatively high aspect ratio rear wings and are allowed to fair over the tires (which are a major source of drag on open wheel cars). With a lot less power, LMP1 cars reach similar top speeds.

Blanchimont
Blanchimont
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Joined: 09 Nov 2012, 23:47

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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These numbers are for a 2012/13 spec F1 car and for a 2013 LMP1 Audi, nothing about 2014 here.

And for LMP1 top speed...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKIc1BcWDlM[/youtube]
Dear FIA, if you read this, please pm me for a redesign of the Technical Regulations to avoid finger nose shapes for 2016! :-)

Hobbs04
Hobbs04
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Joined: 07 Jun 2012, 19:18

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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Blanchimont wrote:These numbers are for a 2012/13 spec F1 car and for a 2013 LMP1 Audi, nothing about 2014 here.

And for LMP1 top speed...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKIc1BcWDlM
In that video the audi short cuts rettifilo.... Makes the shot going around curva grande amazing.

When I play f1 2011 on Xbox Ive blow that chicane at 330 kph into curva grande.

hairy_scotsman
hairy_scotsman
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Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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Confirming what we heard over the ALMS/WEC weekend, Autoweek just released an article on the state of sportscar racing in the U.S:

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013100 ... m_campaign
Several nights before the International Sports Car Weekend at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas—the American Le Mans Series on Saturday, Sept. 21, the FIA World Endurance Championship on Sunday, Sept. 22—FIA officials summoned COTA management to a hastily called meeting. The officials proceeded to slam them mercilessly, claiming this was one of the worst-promoted, worst-run races they've seen; that they expected this in China, but in America? Where their sophisticated Audis and Toyotas should be playing to a packed house in their only appearance here this year? Not acceptable, and we wondered if the WEC's three-year contract would see year two. This was days before the races even started.
Friday, rain trimmed the crowd, but on Saturday and Sunday, the weather was perfect. COTA claimed a three-day crowd of about 35,000, which seems optimistic. Near the end of Sunday's WEC race, it is simply not possible to claim there were more than 5,500 fans there. The ALMS, with its familiar Corvettes and Vipers and comparably loud cars, outdrew the WEC significantly. That's item No. 1 you should know about.
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zonk
zonk
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Joined: 17 Jun 2010, 00:56

Re: WEC (World Endurance Championship) 2013

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For anyone suffering withdraw from F1 analgesic last WEC race of 2013 6 Hours of Bahrain starts in 1h 15min

http://www.fiawec.com/

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xpg7wv ... -live_auto