I've read a couple of sources where one of the Toyota bosses was quoted as saying the car had a turbo boost pressure issue. Per Motorsport.com... While Toyota issued a statement on Tuesday saying it had yet to find out the precise cause for the failure, the teams general manager Hisatake Murata revealed that Nakajimas car had a boost pressure problem. The #5 car had a failure in the boost pressure control system, he confirmed. I dont know if its [because of the] turbo or not, but the data shows no boost pressure control. There was no sign of anomalies in the data before the problem, or at least not just before it. Murata added that the bitter experience would make Toyota better prepared for next season, the Japanese marque having vowed to return to La Sarthe to avenge its defeat. We went through so much during this years 24 hours, said Murata. It would have been a great story to tell only if wed had a happy ending. Most of the problems were ones we had never experienced before. Next year, we will be better prepared, getting rid of problems before we arrive at Le Mans. Nakajima describes Toyota?s painful final moments of Le Mans BHW
Well Toyota has been trying to win it since the 1980's. I guess it took Porsche 19 years of trying to win overall, so sooner or later Toyota should win also(although they gave up on F1 without a win). Ferrari did win on first try and Alfa on third try.
I would say that's grossly exagerated. For almost 2 decades, Porsche only entered cars in the small classes, with absolutely no ambition or any chance to win overall. Only in 1969, with the arrival of the 917, was Porsche considered an overall contender
Since Napolis isn't here to say it I will: as thrilling and important as the Le Mans 24 is, it's nowhere near the test of man and machine that the N24 is.
It will be mid engined, correct. True that. Nurburgring is really a tough track which requires skills, concentration and luck.
Update to post 254 “Car No. 5 suffered a technical defect on a connector on the air line between the turbo charger and the intercooler, causing a loss of turbo charger control, a Toyota team spokesperson said. “The team attempted to modify the control settings to restore power and this was eventually achieved, allowing the car to complete the final lap. However, it was achieved too late to complete that lap within the required six minutes.”
No that is a fact...And they did hope for overall wins starting in the late 1950's. They even won at Sebring in 1960 against those bigger engines because they used lighter cars and were in the top 5 at Lemans 9 times before 1970. How big to you think the engine Ferrari won with was in 1949??
So a boost leak takes out the Toyota on the very last lap to win the race, actually ends up DNF. That's enough to make grown men cry.
I would say that until the 908 Long Tail in 1968, Porsche didn't have a top contender for overall victory at Le Mans. Until then, it was mainly competing in the 2L class, where it was dominating.
Five Things To Worry About From The 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours ? dailysportscar.com So a controversial victory for Ford and that will be history as well
A very interesting article (not only the FORD bit), showing some lights on the ACO's method of management. To me, it's a great pity when the FIA decided to nominate the ACO as the organisers of the World Endurance Championship, on the ground that they held the showcase event: the 24 hours of Le Mans. Now that France has completely lost its footprint in F1 (no national team, no French GP, hardly any driver), its interest has turned to endurance. Le Mans has for decades be the main endurance event on the calendar and the ACO grew in stature in its shadow. So, for the last decade+, they are officially in charge of it; making the rules, drawing the calendar, and administrating it. So, I am not surprised of the blatant bias shown against some participants, and the favourism enjoyed by others.
other than the suspension, dampers, brakes, springs, diffuser, splitter, front/rear fenders, wing, diffuser, braking system, engine management system, front/rear bulkheads, floor, gearbox... with all due respect, the "distance" between any of the GTE spec cars and their road-going relatives is pretty extreme, and the parts in "common" are those stipulated by the rules Having said that, the Ford is clearly a design that seems like it started as a race platform and was reversed into a street model.
Same (mfg and location) dampers, same floor, same bulkheads, the racecar has smaller & heavier brakes, and no active aero. The Ford's GTE entry is probably the closest to the street car of any GTE car. I think that's pretty cool.
How many street cars HAVE been built? Maybe other manufacturers should do same; develop race car and sell street cars after you raced Sebring Le Mans etc. "Grand Touring cars are part of the tradition of endurance racing. To be homologated, a GTE (E for Endurance) must be based around a production road car of which 100 examples have been built (25 for a "small manufacturer, 300 for a carbon chassis). The "race" version must retain the shape of the road-going model from which it is derived. The engine must retain its original location, orientation, and its original position. However, it may be re-positioned for cars of which a minimum number of 2500 examples are produced in a consecutive 12-month period"
Ah, I neglected the "active aero". Despite the controversies (real, or perceived) Ford decided to go after this, and they got it. I think it's awesome, I'm sure you had fun BTW.
Exactly. At this rate, the GTE class will degenerate into a prototype category with the genuine GT unable to compete on equal footing, and the sport will lose out.
Seriously.... its become a joke. There are no rules. There is only what manufacturers promise they will do -- someday.
IIRC, ALL mfgs had to approve of allowing the Ford into competition for 2016 before it's first production model hits the showroom later this year. As a Motorsport fan, I think homologation specials are some of the best cars ever built (BMW M3, Porsche 959, F40, etc...). Wasnt the F40 designed to compete against the 959 and wasn't it raced years after the last street car was built? Id like to think Motorsports and competition drives better street cars and if the Ford forces Ferrari, McLaren, Chevy, Porsche, & Aston to make a better, faster, more prototype-like production cars, I think that just makes the consumer win. I've also neglected a lot of other cool things that have not been mentioned or released about the car yet. Yes it was an absolutely amazing experience.
The F40 was raced years after the last car was built. They existed, unlike the GT. (An aside...I don't have a recollection of the F40 being designed to race) The GT doesn't hit the showroom. They had to be applied for, and the deadline for application is over. Alas, no cars yet on the street. Has anyone tried to edit their app?
