JasonAndreas

The July issue of Racecar Engineering goes into detail of why (i.e. R&D: eMotion, next-918, etc.) Porsche is so gung-ho on the 919.

hf1

So if Toyota pulls out, then Porsche will continue to 'race' in LMP1 all by its lonely self and enjoy all these benefits in marketing and R&D?

EDIT: Is Porsche even competing with Toyota in the car market?

Archimedes

So how are all of the other manufacturers doing it without racing prototypes?

And if you're getting little to no brand/marketing benefit from it, there is no sense in spending money participating in these race series'. They could do the exact same testing and development privately for a **** ton less money. LMP racing is nothing more than a really expensive approach to development, one that Porsche can afford because they've convinced customers that a leather fuse box cover is a must have.

signes

Fake marshal, I thought they were joking. Unbelievable...

https://streamable.com/kvdca

Guest89

Porsche more likely to pull out than Toyota; Akio made public statements all but assuring their presence next year.

If Porsche pull out and Toyota were to compete against no other OEM in LMP1 next year and "win" that would be absolutely farcical.

Waxer

Bingo!

So if LMP is all about providing the rich with the next improved 918, (yawn), it has no interest to me. Next.

Ford didn't need an LMP to kick a$$. Bull chit. Neither did Aston. Hmm come to think of it... Neither did Ferrari.

PAG finished first in a two man race. Hip hip hooray. Hat trick! Give me a break. Sheesh.

All GT3 owners and future buyers are getting their panties in a wad over keeping the flat 6 NA and 6 sp mt and thats all they want we don't need all the "wonderful" stuff they are supposedly learning in LMP. The GT3 will be relegated to a non competitive fun to drive sports car.

In the meantime my cars so called racing representative the RSR nad R hasn't done so well and they may not even homologate the mid engine 911 in the near future if ever. Seems like PAG needs to start geting their heads out of their a$$ in WEC.

Ford made another kick a$$ FGT in less than 2 years and it won first year out without an "LMP" program. Fords sell for a fraction of any Porsche. PAG saw the Ford GT coming for at least two years. Did nothing except enjoy their fat profit margins and rest on their laurels.

I hope PAG is reading this. They're not impressing me. How about you?

hf1

The point was that it's already farcical as it is, whether there is a Toyota to compete against or not.

Guest89

LMP is all about pushing boundaries and developing technology on the absolute cutting edge.

As a result, Porsche will probably be able - in a few short years - to sell you a car that looks like a 911, costs like a (high end) 911, and will outperform a 918 comprehensively.

Ford is not a performance car company. At all. They didn't build the GT themselves; outsourced to Multimatic. As for the road cars, they have had numerous issues with fit and finish among those few delivered thus far, per a gentleman who is due his GT next year - saw him at another friend's wedding over the weekend. He may pass on the car as a result.

Aston Martin has almost always operated on a shoestring budget; they are only remotely competitive due to BOP. I believe they are 65 kg BELOW the class's minimum weight threshold. Other cars are ABOVE the minimum weight threshold. Clearly, the ACO wants Aston Martin at Le Mans!

Ferrari has Formula One.

As for homologation of the mid-engined RSR, it is already homologated to the current GTE rulebook WITHOUT waivers. Period. There is NO requirement to build a road car.

I'm sorry, I disagree. The last few years of Hybrid LMP1 racing have provided outstanding competition and entertainment both during Le Mans and the remainder of the schedule. I find it more captivating than Formula One or IMSA or ... anything else.

Toyota is a formidable and worthy competitor. Their efforts were felled by:

# 7 - Clutch failure after bizarre pitlane incident
# 8 - Hybrid issue and lengthy repairs (but they finished)
# 9 - Contact with LMP2 car, puncture, fire

Be in no doubt that they had the faster car (as they did last year) and could have won were circumstances different. Both teams dedicate extraordinary financial and human resources to Le Mans and the championship.

rosenbergendo

Will the ACO have a BOP for a 992 Hybrid. I think Porsche prefer this route than going turbo from speaking with people in motorsport.

Guest89

There was some chatter from the commentators during the race indicating that hybrid GTE is still a ways off due to budgets, weight, complexity, etc.

I'm a bit surprised it's not required for 2020.

tcsracing1

I dont think other manufactures are doing it. At least not to the level of Porsche.
Just look at porsches performance hybrid line up for 2017.
Who else brings high performance hybrid tried and tested technology to the street?

LeMans is a tonne of brand/marketing for Porsche. Especially with the win no matter how few entrants. People in general will remember a winner. That is all that matters as far as the marketing is concerned.

It would be harder to replicate quality R&D outside a racing environment.
It has been this way since the 1960's for performance cars worldwide. Without racing we would not be where we are today.

Porsche racing cars for R&D has worked out for them thus far considering their profit margins and brand loyalty. But I agree they really take it up a notch on upselling things like stupid leather stitched consoles at outrageous prices.

Lets look at how F1 has benefited ferrari. Worked well

Porsche decided not to enter F1 but still focus on motorsport as part of business model. It has also worked out for them. Most profitable car company in the world. Largest one make racing series in the world.

tcsracing1

I think LMP1 is also technology war/race. Top manufactures want to be #1.
The day porsche is the only LMP1 car is the day that everybody else falls behind in R&D and marketing it. Porsche wins without even racing.

T10Chris

I read that yesterday and I wonder if the clutch would have lasted the duration of the race if it failed after a couple consecutive start/stops. I saw the clip and there is one official right beside the car, then this alleged fake official (which I do agree does look a bit sketchy) comes out and tells him to go and the nearest official to the car sees this happening and does not react. It's a weird situation and may have contributed to issues, but blaming it on a driver from another team seems more like sour grapes to me.

tcsracing1

I wouldnt exactly call bingo yet...

LMP1 and the 918 project are test of things to come for Porsche. It not just for the rich with the next 918... These technologies will become more developed, affordable and trickle down into their street car lineup.
The new 992 is making room for hybrid technolgy tried and tested from the 919 program....

Ford, Ferrari and Aston Martin indeed did not need LMP1 R&D to kick *** in GTE.
However, Ford, Ferrari and Aston Martin are not commited to performance hybrid or performance electric technology for their street cars that of Porsche which is probably why they could not be bothered with LMP1. Porsche is mainly using the enginnering of LMP1 for their street cars which is important to them.

A two man race might seem a bit lame, but then again the knowledge learned by the failure of every party involved this year no matter the lack of participants will be used to again progress the development of faster and more reliable cars in the future.

It has been mixed results for the DFI R and mid engine RSR since they came on the world sceene.
This is why I still cannot understand why they havent made the bump up to turbos like everybody else? Perhaps they feel the hybrid is the "final solution" lol.
Can you imagine where the R and RSR would be if they had turbos since last year....

Guest89

I think it's fair to say:

"Freak" / black swan event

The "fake" official is simply another driver in a drivers suit that happens to be orange (has on a helmet with HANS anchors)

The other driver was being playful and didn't intend what happened

Toyota themselves never insinuated this was an excuse, just an explanation