McLaren targets Le Mans return if LMP1 gets rules reset | FerrariChat

McLaren targets Le Mans return if LMP1 gets rules reset

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by william, Aug 31, 2017.

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  1. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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  2. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    Running engines provided by whom?

    BHW
     
  3. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I should think the engine on the McLaren P1 road car (which is hybrid) could easily be stretched to run in endurance in a prototype chassis. It's a 3.9 litre twin turbo V8 designed by Ricardo, and it develops close to 800hp in street form already, if I am correct.
     
  4. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Maybe mclaren should focus on winning in F1 first
     
  5. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Vegas baby
    Another example of Zak Brown wasting valuable McLaren resources to make Alonso happy.
     
  6. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    During Le Mans week this year, it was reported that envoys from McLaren and
    Lamborghini were present to take part in meetings and observe the competition.

    The best they could deduct at that time was McLaren and Lamborghini were eyeing
    entering GTE Pro/Am. But, after LeMans, there hasn't been anything reported until
    now.

    McLaren, it seems, is going in many different directions with all of their various
    racing programs. F-1 seems to be a train wreck, as they put blame on Honda (but,
    if they were a winner, Honda would be getting the credit) which make absolutely
    no sense seeing as how McLaren has a bespoke engine that they could produce at
    Woking.

    Not much of this makes any sense thus my original snarky response.

    Now, they're eyeing P1? Interesting, especially now that it's being reported that
    WEC is practically going off the rails now that Porsche has announced they're
    withdrawing and the series as a whole is under threat.

    We'll see what shakes out I guess.

    BHW
     
  7. vinuneuro

    vinuneuro F1 Rookie

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    what he said
     
  8. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
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    hmmmm....

     
  9. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    McLaren hybrid road car engine ( designed by Ricardo and manufactured by a subcontractor) would be completely unsuitable for F1.
    But it could be tuned for a LMP environment.
    But this is purely speculation on my part; McLaren could choose a different engine supplier, like some other LMP constructors do.

    The road car business is a different company than the F1 team, with it's own budget, etc...

    2 constructors have left LMP1, but the rules for that category will have to be rewritten to attract new ones, and private teams; this is what Zak Brown is exploring.

    For an expending road car company like McLaren, success in endurance et GT is more relevant than F1. After all, it's repeated success at Le Mans, Sebring and other circuits that put Ferrari on the map, and not it's sporadic wins in GP.
     
  10. Adrian Thompson

    Adrian Thompson Formula Junior

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    They are doing everything they can to do that. Most people accept that their Chassis is at least a top four contender, it's the Honda engine that's letting them down. What exactly are they not doing to find a new engine. Ferrari and Mercedes have both slammed the door in their face. Renault has done the same, but recent rumors seem to suggest that McLaren are trying to pry that particular door open again.

    Many successful teams/companies run multiple series. Penske, Gannasi etc. Mercedes run DTM and F1. VW/Audi group run in just about everything. I'm sure it would be an almost totally ground up effort, or adsorbing a current smaller team.

    If anything the Honda situation has taught them never to put all their eggs in one basket. WEC and or Indy car would provide them with an opportunity to win (or loose) elsewhere. Now they are a proven Supercar manufacturer, showing constant success is more important than when they were effectively just a race team.
     
  11. Adrian Thompson

    Adrian Thompson Formula Junior

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    Not just that, the engine started life as the engine for the Nissan GT1 program developed by Tom Walkinshaw 20 years ago. McLaren bought the rights to the engine and Ricardo developed it. If, make that IF, they were to use that engine it would be going full circle back to LeSarth
     
  12. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    Seems as though the McLaren business plan is missing the mark.

    BHW
     
  13. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    +1

    I absolutely agree with that.
     
  14. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Well, I didn't know about the Nissan origins of that engine. Thanks.
     
  15. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I cannot see why.
     
  16. ginge82

    ginge82 Formula 3

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    The WEC will certainly make an effort to reduce the costs of LMP1 but they will never be at the budget levels that Mclaren can afford it ever again.

    Given the costs involved in their Honda partnership being dissolved etc, they are dreaming at Woking if they think they could race competitively in both series. They can't even manage to do that in one.
     
  17. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    F1 and WEC are 2 completely different arenas, and it's a matter of attracting sufficient sponsorship.

    McLaren struggles with that in F1 at present because it's not seen as a winning team, but a foray in endurance would be a completely new venture which may bring different sponsors.

    We have to see how the ACO is going to redraw the LMP1 rules in future, since they are left with just one car manufacturer in that category. McLaren may fit in the new rules, or may opt not to join.

    Participation in LMGTE in the near future is a possibility, probably with a works-supported private team.
     
  18. 444sp

    444sp Formula Junior

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  19. 444sp

    444sp Formula Junior

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    Sportscar365 talk about of a concept of a “LMP2-plus” car with DPi-like bodywork and more powerful engines. McLaren may fit in this new rules.

    Mexico Thursday Notebook - Sportscar365
     
  20. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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  21. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Yep, they have to come up with a solution soon, or the future of WEC is in jeopardy.

    Right now, IMSA is more healthy than the WEC.
     
  22. joker57676

    joker57676 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    They need to dump LMP-whatever and go back to "prototype" sports cars based on something that can be bought at a dealer. Think of a top class populated by the wildest road-based cars available.



    Mark
     
  23. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    That would be the best solution, IMO.

    I look with nostalgia at the endurance rules back in the 60, with just 2 categories (protos and GTs) and several classes in each according to engine sizes.

    The prototypes were considered in the spirit of "GT prototypes" and had to satisfy minimum cockpit dimensions to be allowed to race. Most could be acquired by private teams or rich individuals apart from the works teams. In fact, Ford, Ferrari, Porsche and a few others made a lucrative business selling their prototypes. Later, even the Porsche 917, 956 and 962 could be sold to private teams.

    I find it incredible that the supercars (Bugatti Veyron, Porsche 918, Ferrari Enzo, Maserati MC12 and others) cannot compete in sports car racing; there is no category for them.
     
  24. 444sp

    444sp Formula Junior

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    Yes, would be fantastic a new GT1 in Le Mans.
    The Aston Martin Racing boss John Gaw feels that there’s a chance we will see GT and prototypes racing together going forward, Like the 1990s.
    “I’d love to see in the future LMP regulations in 2020 allow a GTP car to compete at the front using the hyper cars that are out there now. It wouldn’t be a massive shock to me. Aston, Ferrari, Mercedes, they all have hypercars."
    “Why couldn’t we go back to the days like 1998 and have GTP competing alongside LMP?”
    Said Gaw
    Gaw On AMR?s Future In the WEC & Its New Road Car Brand ? dailysportscar.com

    A Aston Martin Valkyrie GT1 would be Fantastic
    https://images.cdn.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/gallery_slide/public/images/car-reviews/first-drives/legacy/am-rb01-race_1.jpg?itok=kabDr8VY
     
  25. I know, more hate....

    Three questions:

    When did McLaren (the race team itself) ever race at le Mans to be returning?
    What's a "hybrid" engine? I know of hybrid driven cars (ICE and electric) but not of a single powerplant that is both.
    How can one "buy" a protoype at a dealer? The term itself dictates otherwise.
     

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