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AWD isn't a problem. e.g. the GT1 Nissan certainly isn't AWD.

Well, Nissan spent a year or two developing the GTR for the "new" GT1 regulations, so all their resources went to that (apart from their Super GT stuff obviously). Once the GTR started racing properly they began working with Zytek on the LMP2 engine which runs currently. Since then they've gone on to develop the GT3 GTR - so it's not like they're sitting idle.

However, the one thing Nissan has been very clear about is the bang for their buck they've gotten at Le Mans. Even only being an engine supplier, the response to them running at Le Mans in LMP2 has been worth far more than running in GT1. From that perspective Le Mans is worth quite a lot to them. However, the GTE rulebook is very complex and with so many manufacturers already in GTE, it would be quite expensive to develop a car that would actually have to be done from scratch (no GT1 or GT3 base, at least not to be competitive). Of course, LMP1 would be quite expensive as well - but continuing as a supplier in LMP2 while throwing a bit of money at people like Greaves to run big-name drivers like Brundle still gives them a massive amount of exposure. Of course, further interest in LMP2 from Nissan could well lead to a properly developed LMP1 effort - though they also seem to like the idea of acting as an engine supplier.

From an overall cost perspective though, it would be likely that Nissan would profit more from going up against the Japanese manufacturers currently in LMP1 rather than running GTE if they have to make a choice for Le Mans. The customer/pseudo-factory efforts in GT3 in GT World, Blaincpain Endurance, and the other GT3 endurance races around the world should be enough to bring in exposure for the GTR while their prototype escapades bring in exposure from the Le Mans crowd.

Actually he's a Nissan works driver in Super GT, at least since 2006 or earlier. If this rumor is true, then Honda are pretty serious about it. Maybe their effort will be something more than an HPD re-badging, given the fact they're trying to snatch from both Audi and Nissan one of the best drivers in LMP1 (and current Le Mans champion).

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"IT'S CHAOS! ABSOLUTE CHAOS!"

I got that completely wrong... Just wasn't paying attention I guess. Honda actually approached Andre Lotterer, not Treluyer. Jeez...

Good analysis, Brendan

Well...who is in turn a Toyota works driver (for Tom's) both in Formula Nippon (reigning champion) and Super GT, so the same thing still applies.
Maybe you meant Duval?

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"IT'S CHAOS! ABSOLUTE CHAOS!"

No, I was completely wrong about who drove for who in Super GT, but it definitely was Lotterer who Honda approached.

One of the other things that's come up is that Strakka apparently also want to run an LMP2 car alongside their LMP1 effort - perhaps they could keep Leventis in LMP2 with another driver or two and let Honda stack the LMP1 car with a full host of factory drivers? Danny Watts would have to be one though, he's far too talented and far too quick not to be in that seat.

Clarifying article (in French) about possible Honda commitments on EI: http://www.endurance-info.com/version2/ ... -8898.html

Let's see: chassis will be called HPD but all engines badged as Honda.

The only works backed car appears to be Strakka in WEC (LMP1)

Other entries could be:

2 LMP2s for two different teams in WEC (second Strakka car? RML?)
1 LMP1 in ALMS (Muscle Milk?)
1 or 2 LMP2 for Level 5 (EI says "ALMS/LM most likely". What about WEC?)
1 possible Lola-Honda LMP2 in ALMS (new team?)

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"IT'S CHAOS! ABSOLUTE CHAOS!"

^ But:

"Here is the situation as it was communicated to us yesterday by Honda Performance Development. The only official commitment to date is:"

Translation: http://translate.google.com/translate?s ... -8898.html

Optimism

The LMP1 ALMS will almost certainly be Muscle Milk/Cytosport.

The WEC LMP2 teams are a bit more interesting... One would likely be Strakka, who we've already mentioned would like to run an LMP2 car alongside their LMP1 effort. It would allow Leventis to do what he wants in terms of driving while not having to weigh down the LMP1 squad, leaving Watts, Kane, and...? Honda factory driver? One of the Muscle Milk drivers - Klaus Graf maybe?

The other LMP2 team, well, who knows? Wirth can no longer produce the ARX-01g on account of Oreca no longer producing the Courage LC70 chassis. RML have said for some time they'd be unlikely to step up to LMP1, but they've also said they were unlikely to go to the WEC... Although there's no potential for LMS teams on that list - so who knows?

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pr ... 71211.aspx

Bahrain & Fuji moved...

Little change to the sporting regs: now LMP1 teams can enter 3rd cars for 24LM without the stupid (I mean the whole rule was stupid) naming trickery.

And they're eligible for points, even though only the top 2 finishers will score. Which makes sense...

Wonder if that'll encourage Toyota to look at adding a car or two.

Also, Black Swan are at Sebring today with OAK-Pescarolo testing an LMP1 car... Rumour had had it that OAK wanted to place an LMP2 car in the ALMS with a customer, but the LMP1 bit is news to me!

Good thing for this calendar modification. Now, no more clashes with PLM, but for many WEC teams, that would be difficult if they're want to make the race, between Interlagos and Fuji.

Also for the name, and i hope Toyota will come a second car for Le Mans. Coming with only one car for La Mans for a manufacter is too risky, even for a "test" year.


Brendan: i also see that in Jeroen Twitter's... wanted to see some of yours LMP1 to run in ALMS, Monsieur Nicolet?

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Motorsport Lover since 1988
First TBK member to post it with a wiimote

It caught me off guard a little bit - I think pretty much everyone was expecting it to be an LMP2 effort! There had been a press release a few weeks ago noting that OAK was hoping to place a couple of LMP2 cars around the world with customers - but nothing about LMP1.

Just out of curiosity: how many present day customer LMPs (except for Lolas) are based on old chassis projects? And to which extent?

Basically they're all re-workings of old Courage chassis (C60 for Pescarolo, LC75 for Acura/HPD) or the stillborn, age old Reynard project (Ginetta/Zytek). Oreca chassis are based on their former LMP1 car, which in turn came from a Courage LC70, or am I wrong?

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"IT'S CHAOS! ABSOLUTE CHAOS!"

I think the Pescarolo chassis was for a time based off the C60, but at some point has become its own tub, if I'm not mistaken. The Acura/HPD only applied to the ARX-01 series, whereas the ARX-03a/b are going to be a brand-new Wirth chassis. The Zytek came from the old Reynard project when it was still younger, but I'm not sure if the Zytek 07/09(S) are based off the same chassis. Oreca used to run a modified LC70 (in 2008), but for Spa 2009 put together their Oreca 01, their own chassis (I believe...). The Oreca 03 is based off that Oreca 01 LMP1 tub.

http://www.lizardms.com/news/releases/2011/dec-09.html

Flying Lizards next season: Bergmeister and Long in the 45; Neiman and Holzer in the 44.

VIR in an LMP would be a tad ridiculous. It's extremely tight for Grand-Am.