TBK-Light.com

Mercedes doesn't have other activities outside DTM (except F1, but Mercedes drivers never get a shot there). Audi still has Le Mans (6 seats +3 at le mans). And still a shitload of GT3 and Nurnburgring activities.

Di Resta

Never got a shot. Got a drive off of his own back by using Anthony Hamilton as a manager. If it wasn't for his persistence then he'd have joined Paffet and Green in the McLaren/Mercedes reject camp, as drivers they didn't want anyone else to have, but didn't want to use more than Lewis and co. In the time that Green, Paffet and di Resta were waiting in DTM McLaren used Montoya, de la Rosa, Wurz, Kovalainen, Alonso and Hamilton.

Mercedes/McLaren used DTM as a dumping ground. Audi use it as a development ground. Could argue it isn't always a good indicator, but it's better than Mercedes approach.

Mercedes also has a whole bunch of SLS running around. Whilst there are no factory teams, it doesn't mean factory drivers can't be used in them, like Porsche did for a long time without a factory GT team.

I'm just amazed by Audi's lack of trust in Bonanomi. He did a great job at LM in 2012 alongside Jarvis and Rocky, not to mention lots of testing in the R18, and then was just left to drop off the radar.

In other news, Lotus is going to enter LMP1 with an evolution of last year's car (named T129) and an AER V6 turbo engine.

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"IT'S CHAOS! ABSOLUTE CHAOS!"

DW 2.0 will have 1.5L 3 cylinder engine creating 400 bhp:

http://www.racer.com/nissan-reveals-rev ... le/331112/

A single lap of each stint (a fuel “stint” lasts approximately one hour) will be electric powered, then the new Nissan DIG-T R 1.5 liter three-cylinder turbo engine will take over.

What's the incentive to produce such a car I wonder?

Getting huge PR while avoiding actual competition.

The delta wing shape confuses me. The original concept was made into an AAR Indycar for the 1981 season, so it wasn't "the future" as it was advertised even in 2012. And this bit is especially cringe worthy:



13 km of electric power is not really news worthy. I thought it was meant to be an actual electric car? When they have such a small internal-combustion engine that seems to be so effective, what's the point of have the electric motor in it then? It seems like it only adds weight then.

While I love innovation in racing, I just don't see the point of this car (or ever when it comes to the Delta Wing and it's offspring).

Nissan plz, cut the spending on this BS and shove it into an actual LMP1 project, where real performance innovation happens.

That was never promised, altough they have been deliberately vague about this. And of course used the BS marketing "zero emission on demand" term from the beginning.


For PRs.


I'm afraid they're going to be successful in lobbying and shoving this concept to the regulations. Not necessarily the shape of the car, but the powertrain idea, even before a single race has been raced under the 2014 regs:

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Searc ... nd-Toyota/
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112085

I'm so sick of their way of doing this that after every press release I'm getting nearer to the point where I'm going to start wishing they'd just GTFO.

No. Racing is about doing one's best in extracting performance out of yourself. He is not talking about racing. He is talking about capitalism.

I don't give a shit about anything but "400 hp 280ft/lbs 80lb 1.6L 3 cyl turbo." That is ridiculously awesome no matter what. The motherfucker is straight holding a 400 hp engine in his fucking hands, literally, and all y'all wanna bitch about what it's going into? I hope it kicks fucking ass andthat tech goes straight to a road car, knowing Nissan they'll put it everything they make and it'll be cheap as shit second hand.

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Photoshop http://f.cl.ly/items/0o2M2n3227091v1b1a ... nt-001.jpg

Yep. Too bad the rest of the product is bullshit.

Well, fuck.

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Its the same basic principle as with a diesel locomotive: the actual drive always comes from the electric motor. The combustion engine only powers a generator that charges the battery.
That's also the reason why they use a small battery that only lasts for one lap. It does not have to be bigger, since it is constantly being recharged.

The combustion engine is not directly linked to the wheels, as it would be with a "normal" car. That means that RPMs don't have to match the cars actual speed, but the engine can run steadily at the same revolution speed for the whole lap, exactly at that speed where it is most efficient. In theory this could make this concept more efficient then directly powering the wheels by the petrol engine.


For electric road cars this "range extender" technology is very interesting. I don't know if it gives any actual advantage for racing cars, but i have no problem if a manufacturer uses racing as a platform to further develop it.
I do however have a problem with a manufacturer that only uses the media attention for their stupid PR stunts, without actually taking part in the competition. After all their advertising they did around LM the past couple of years it's time they actually build a proper LMP1. I hope that happens next year, even if it is with a "ZEOD" drivetrain.

TS040

http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/hybri ... g-in-2014/
https://www.facebook.com/ToyotaMotorspo ... 0838248202







Seems like they might be actually hiding something and not just being late.

Top one looks like the old TS020.

http://sportscar365.com/wec/sao-paulo-m ... confirmed/

Interlagos moved to season finale, partly due circumstances but won't complain about this vs. Bahrain...

But the long summer break is now even longer.

Audi unveil their driver lineups:

#1: Kristensen-Duval-Di Grassi
#2: Lotterer-Treluyer-Faessler
#3: Jarvis-Albuquerque-Bonanomi (Spa&Le Mans)

Marc Genè will be their reserve driver.

I'm very happy to see Bonanomi back

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"IT'S CHAOS! ABSOLUTE CHAOS!"