Congo

This thread will cover new LMP cars, engines, tires, brakes, etc. for 2008.

Le Mans Prototypes race in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series (in Europe), the Japanese Le Mans Challenge, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (76th edition in 2008).

http://www.americanlemans.com/home/index.aspx

http://www.lmes.net/2007/uk/index.asp

http://www.lmchallenge.jp/

http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/index_gb.html

Judd (Engine Developments Ltd.) plans to build an all-new LMP2 engine. It will be a 3.4 liter V-8 (max displacement for P2). The code name is "DB." Within the rules, the 5.5 liter Judd V-10 is competitive in P1, but the P2 V-8 hasn't been as competitive over the past two seasons for the P2 class.

http://www.engdev.com/

http://motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=268968

Congo

A perfect match: Oreca buys Courage Competition LMP manufacturer

Oreca, one of the top teams in racing, has bought Courage Competition.

http://motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=269327

http://www.oreca.fr/index.aspx?Rubrique=0&News=165

http://www.courage-competition.com/

- There will be a presentation of the teams plans in Paris at the end of October

- The team will be named Courage-Oreca from the moment the first car is finished

- The car will be build at the Technoparc in Le Mans

- Customer cars will be build (as like today)

Interview:

http://translate.google.com/translat...e.php?sid=4170

Oreca's Chairman is Hughes de Chaunac (in middle) while Yves Courage (on right) founded Courage Competition in 1981 and first raced in 1982.

http://www.endurance-info.com/2007_L...ca_Courage.jpg

More details on Courage-ORECA

The article translates "Automobile Club de l'Ouest" as "Car Club of the West."

ACO: http://www.lemans.org/aco/pages/conn...naitre_gb.html

http://translate.google.com/translat...e.php?sid=4197

(Oreca won't race in French GT next year)

http://translate.google.com/translat...e.php?sid=4198

Alexander Frei might not race with Courage-Oreca next year.

http://www.alexanderfrei.ch/

Cost LMP2

RTN will build the tub and bodywork for Embassy Racing's new WF01 LMP2 car. It has been designed by Peter Elleray and will have a Ricardo gearbox and a Zytek ZG348 3.4 litre engine.

http://www.embassyracing.com/LMS/Plans+for+2008.htm

http://www.endurance-info.com/2007_L...ssy_Engine.jpg

Pictures of the WF01, named after the Team Principal Jonathan France's son William.

“We’ve worked with Porsche in the past and their supply of spare parts and other services are indeed superb,” [Team Principal Jonathan] France commented. “However, we can build our own car for the price of two Porsche RS Spyder chassis. Building and running our own car says a lot more about Embassy Racing than just running a Porsche.”

http://www.the-paddock.net/content/view/242064/49/

Congo

Lola's new LMP2 coupe: B08/80

http://www.lola-group.com/keycast/m2...Y&brandid=1610

http://www.endurance-info.com/2008_L...0_Coupe_02.jpg

http://www.endurance-info.com/2008_L...0_Coupe_01.jpg

Californian's Creation Judd to be rebuilt

Autocon Motorsports will have their Creation CA06/H fitted with a new tub. They will also conduct more testing. The team might have new drivers for 2008.

http://www.autoconmotorsports.com/ne....php?NewsID=51

Autocon has a standard Judd GV5 S1 V-10.

http://sportscaranalytics.com/?p=231

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/juddgv510.html

Link says Autocon might not have their LMP1 car rebuilt this winter

http://sportscaranalytics.com/?p=279

DrJupeman

I do like the coupe prototypes better.

Congo

Dome is a Japanese-based racecar constructor.

The new Dome S102, a closed-cockpit LMP1 car, has been revealed as an artist rendition. The final car will look different after wind tunnel tests and CFD.

http://www.dome.co.jp/e/

Jan Lammers, winner of the 1987 1,000 km of Monza and the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, has raced LMP cars from Dome for the past several years in the Le Mans Series and the FIA Sportscar Championship (series no longer running).

http://www.janlammers.com

http://www.lemans-series.com/2007/uk/index.asp

http://wsrp.ic.cz/fiascc.html

A.Wayne

Interesting to see that Judd is still producing engines and is involved at the big end of the sport, while his other contemporary Brain Hart is no longer around , I used to be a big fan of Brian Hart , Harts little outfit was an inspiration with what he could produce with nothing more than a pittance for a budget .........

Brian hart with his F1 engine 1996

Abby Normal

Seems there is a lot of controversy surrounding possible rule changes for the LMP classes in 2008. According to Panorama their is talk of adding 50 kilograms of weight to the LMP2 cars in a move to keep them from surpassing the LMP1 division. Reportedly Porsche has stated it will discontinue their ALMS Spyder program if IMSA follows through with the "rumor". Should that happen it's been suggested Acura may follow suit.

Congo

Unique Judd V-10 for Creation Autosportif

Engine Developments Limited (Judd) will work with AIM Industries (a Japanese "multi-functional business" with a strong engineering focus) to develop a new 90 degree V-10. The current GV5.5 S2 V-10 is a 72 degree V-10. It is a three year deal.

link to AIM Industries

http://translate.google.com/translat...im-info.co.jp/

http://www.creationsport.co.uk/news/...pr_2006_46.htm

The car in the above link is the KWMotorsport LMP1 Coupe. The project likely needs the right funding to race.

http://www.kwmotorsport.com/

http://www.endurance-info.com/2006_L...oupe_final.jpg

The team will use a Ricardo gearbox.

http://www.ricardo.com/

The engine will have a lower center of gravity and better installation solutions than the GV5.5 S2 motor. The engine will be continued to be developed.

from the latest Race Engine Technology Magazine

http://highpowermedia.com/

LMP1 90 degree AIM V10……. the AIM mob sound very comitted, they employ about 500 people, and are a big Japanese automotive engineering consultancy firm doing a lot of work for Toyota, the first engine will be a tad compromised due to lack of time, they are staying with 5.5 Litres and using as much of the base engine as possible due to a restricted time scale…….in 2008, a further revised block will be produced to gain 6 litres in capacity, so I'm guessing this will be available for the 2009 season, my educated guess is this will make the engine rev lower, reduce friction therefore improve fuel economy by about 2%, and produce more power (10bhp?) ……..and more torque (10%?)…..the AIM engine will be exclusive to creation in 2008, the project will run for 3 years, something special planned for 2010……perhaps direct injection or diesel……design work is being done by Hiroyuki Kaneda, who works for "Enginus" who are an engine off-shoot of AIM.

Spyderidol

The ACO has already introduced the 50Kg weight "penalty"for the LMP2 for next year.IMSA has said that it will also increase the weight by 50Kg's for the LMP2's but over the next two years.
I suspect that it has been negotiated with Porsche and Acura, as that will give them enough time to learn what the 2010 LMP rules will be, and decide (and build) a LMP1 for the future.

Congo

Christian Fittipaldi joins AGR

http://www.americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=3839

http://www.fittipaldionline.com/

Honda plan LMP1 for 2009

http://www.gordonkirby.com/categorie..._is_no101.html

http://www.gordonkirby.com/categorie..._is_no102.html

Congo

Lowe's Fernandez Racing to leave Lola for Courage-based chassis

They will continue with Michelin tires.

The Acura ARX-01b chassis is the latest version of the ARX-01a which was developed by Honda Performance Development (HPD) through a technical partnership with Wirth Research in England [and Courage in France].

Adrián Fernández and Luis Diaz will continue with the # 15.

http://americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=3836

http://www.fernandezracing.net/english/

http://www.courage-competition.com/accueil1.php

http://www.wirthresearch.com/

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsapril07.html



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Oreca's engine department in Magny Cours has thirty-six employees, including six engineers, being solely dedicated to the electronic part, and eighteen technicians.

http://translate.google.com/translat...e.php?sid=4481

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New website for Arena International Motorsport

http://www.arenamotorsport.com/

The Zytek 07S (LMP1) driven in 2007 by Hayanari Shimoda, Stefan Johansson, Darren Manning, Tom Chilton, and Tom's sixteen-year-old brother Max Chilton.

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/3225/Zytek-07S.html

http://www.arenamotorsport.com/

http://www.tomchilton.com/

http://www.hayanari.jp/

http://www.maxchilton.com/

http://www.darrenmanning.com/

http://www.americanlemans.com/driver...ver.aspx?ID=85

Congo

Pescarolo working with Rollcentre on aero

Translated version of http://www.endurance-info.com/article.php?sid=4505

Michelin tire testing

http://translate.google.com/translat...e.php?sid=4503

http://translate.google.com/translat...e.php?sid=4501

http://translate.google.com/translat...e.php?sid=4505

http://www.michelinsport.com/sport/h...me.jsp?lang=EN

Congo

Romain Dumas at Michelin tire testing

http://translate.google.com/translat...e.php?sid=4502

Spyderidol

It seems that Dyson will only have one RS Spyder for 2008

Spyderidol

There are conflicting reports on this.
I sincerely hope that they maintain a two car operation.