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Official Motorsports Thread of 2012 (F1, MotoGP, WRC, Le Mans, Nascar, IRL, etc)

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Audi unveils hybrid R18 e-tron quattro LMP1:

Audi has revived the quattro name for its new hybrid Le Mans 24 Hours challenger.

The hybrid version of the German manufacturer's turbodiesel LMP1 coupe will be known as the R18 e-tron quattro. It takes the name because its hybrid systems recover kinetic energy and return it to the track through the front axle.

The R18 e-tron quattro follows in a line of successful Audi four-wheel-drive competition cars from the original Audi Quattro World Rally Championship winner of the early 1980s to its A4 quattro Super Tourer of the late 1990s.

The car was unveiled in Munich on Wednesday evening together with the conventional 2012-spec version, which has been christened the R18 ultra.

The R18 e-tron, which will also race in the new FIA World Endurance Championship, becomes a four-wheel-drive car within certain limits laid down in the Le Mans rulebook. The regulations allow 500kJ (approximately 70bhp) of stored energy to be transfered to the wheels between two braking 'events' at speeds above 120km/h (75mph).

The rules allow energy retrieval on only one axle. The advantages of choosing the front wheels include improved traction and greater efficiency during the recovery process.

Audi has chosen to use a flywheel or accumulator for energy storage rather than batteries or the super-capacitors favoured by rival Toyota.

The 2012 Audis will not race until the second round of the WEC at Spa in May. A revised version of last year's R18 TDI will be used in the Sebring 12 Hours series opener on March 17 when the German manufacturer enters three cars.

Audi will run its full four-car Le Mans line-up of two R18 e-tron quattros and two R18 ultras at Spa. It will run one of each at each WEC round after the 24 Hours.
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mclaren777 said:
I hope Toyota wipes the floor with Audi this year.

Also, I wasn't aware that GAF had so many NASCAR fans. I'm truly shocked.
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Keep in mind that the Daytona 500 is like a 'big deal', so attracts people that aren't regular followers.

Also, gotta laugh at Toyota beating Audi. What will be interesting is to see how close the E-tron is to the regular R18's. Keeping that flywheel system going for 24 hours is gonna be something else, too.
 
Does the e-tron use the same engine as the standard R18? If so the hybrid should be easily faster.

Edit:

Nevermind, it is.

... the R18 e-tron quattro which is absolutely identical with the exception of the hybrid system.
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Is McNish driving one of the hybrid R18s this year?

Edit: Looks like only at Spa and Le Mans:

Full Audi 2012 line-up

Sebring 12 Hours
#1 Marcel Fassle/Andre Lotterer/Benoit Treluyer Audi R18 TDI
#2 Dindo Capello/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish Audi R18 TDI
#3 Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Loïc Duval Audi R18 TDI

Spa 6 Hours and Le Mans 24 Hours
#1 Marcel Fassler/Andre Lotterer/Benoit Treluyer Audi R18 e-tron quattro
#2 Dindo Capello/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish Audi R18 e-tron quattro
#3 Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Loïc Duval Audi R18 ultra
#4 Marco Bonanomi/Oliver Jarvis/Mike Rockenfeller Audi R18 ultra

Remaining WEC rounds
#1 Andre Lotterer , Audi R18 e-tron quattro
#2 Allan McNish , Audi R18 ultra
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ANDY_098 said:
Does the e-tron use the same engine as the standard R18? If so the hybrid should be easily faster.
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Even if it does, it'll have extra weight from the KERS unit and the extra diff up front for the 4WD. They're gonna have to deal with the different braking behavior as it scavenges energy, which some F1 teams had a difficult time with initially.

And most importantly, its gonna have to hold up for 24 hours. Doesn't sound like a simple system, either, so if something goes wrong with it, they might be stuck in the pits for a long while or simply choose to run without it and having all that excess weight for no reason.

The weight issue will depend on how much ballast these cars need to acheive minimum weight. I have no clue about that.
 
Seanspeed said:
Even if it does, it'll have extra weight from the KERS unit and the extra diff up front for the 4WD. They're gonna have to deal with the different braking behavior as it scavenges energy, which some F1 teams had a difficult time with initially.

And most importantly, its gonna have to hold up for 24 hours. Doesn't sound like a simple system, either, so if something goes wrong with it, they might be stuck in the pits for a long while or simply choose to run without it and having all that excess weight for no reason.

The weight issue will depend on how much ballast these cars need to acheive minimum weight. I have no clue about that.
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Basically all it is is a spinning weight in a box which doubles up as a motor/generator. Porsche have run a similar system at the Nurburgring 24h in the past with no issue as far as I know.
 
Interesting... (talking about the Porsche flywheel KERS)

An ultracapacitor with equivalent oomph would be substantially heavier
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http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/alternative-fuel/hybrids/porsche-911-gt3r-hybrid-flywheel

I think Toyota are using an ultra capacitor system.

More from that article (comparing the hybrid Porshce to a standard racing Porsche)

At its Nurburgring debut, the hybrid didn't have the outright speed of the conventional 911s, but it spent more of its time on the track thanks to its ability to achieve 25 percent better fuel efficiency. The use of so much regenerative braking, thanks to the flywheel's ability to absorb power quickly, also reduced brake wear. The brake pads on the hybrid only had to be changed once in the 24-hour race, compared to 2-3 changes for the regular version. The hybrid's on-demand all-wheel-drive should also give it a handling advantage in wet conditions.
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I can see why Peugeot and Audi have been working on hybrids for years now.
 
mclaren777 said:
I hope Toyota wipes the floor with Audi this year.

Also, I wasn't aware that GAF had so many NASCAR fans. I'm truly shocked.
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Do I need to remind you what happened to Toyota last time it tried Le Mans?

You don't just start Le Mans and expect to win your first year, especially against a team who 9 out 10 times has wiped the floor with its competition. Audi will be running 4 R18's this year two hybrid two regular. Driver and team experience alone will destroy Toyota.
 
Barrichello starts new chapter in INDYCAR

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KV Racing Technology co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser announced during a news conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that Barrichello will drive the No. 8 BMC | Embrase – KV Racing Technology car.

Barrichello made 322 starts in an F1 career that spanned from 1993-2011. He was runner-up in the Formula One championship in 2002 and 2004, and earned 11 victories, 68 podiums, 106 top-five finishes and172 top-10 showings.

Now Barrichello, who initially test drove the next-generation IZOD IndyCar Series car powered by the 2.2-liter, twin turbocharged V-6 Chevrolet engine at Sebring International Raceway in late January at the invitation of countryman (and now teammate) Tony Kanaan, will embark on a new chapter in his racing career.

“I watch (the IZOD IndyCar Series) all the time, so I’m very happy,” Barrichello said. “IndyCar should not be seen as an alternative solution to Formula 1, but as a new challenge. The car has a dignity of its own, races take place on relatively short oval tracks (short oval and superspeedways) or on street circuits, there are less electronics than Formula One, the races are faster and the surrounding environment is more relaxed, the cars are all very similar and the number of modifications that the teams are permitted to make are limited, so it’s the driver that makes the difference.

“To be a winner in IndyCar you have to be a complete driver because you will have to compete under a whole range of conditions and in various configurations.

“This is a new experience, but I am very happy. With all my experience I will start as a rookie, but I think I will get better as the year progresses. My main thing is to be an addition to KV Racing Technology. They have been doing very well and Tony brought the team to a different level last year, so I hope with my contribution we can build on this and take the team to another level. I am extremely happy and have a big smile on my face."

KV Racing Technology also formally announced that Kanaan, the 2004 IZOD IndyCar Series champion, has signed a two-year deal. Kanaan, who joined the team days before the 2011 season opener, finished fifth in the series championship standings. He holds the IZOD IndyCar Series record for consecutive starts (148), which is ongoing.

“We are very excited to have both Rubens and Tony competing for our team in 2012,” Vasser said. “Rubens is going to be a great addition and last year Tony once again demonstrated his leadership abilities and his proven ability to compete for wins and the championship. The addition of Rubens and the return of Tony along with E.J. (Viso) gives KVRT a very strong driver lineup and one I am sure can compete for podium finishes and race wins. The sky’s the limit for this team.”

Kanaan, 37, and Barrichello are countrymen and longtime friends. It was at Kanaan’s invitation that Barrichello tested the next-generation IZOD IndyCar Series car at Sebring.

"I am very excited to be returning to KV Racing Technology not only with a two-year deal but also to have Rubens Barrichello as my teammate,” Kanaan said. “We have always dreamed about racing together but never imagined it would actually happen and certainly not in the near future or in IndyCars.

“I have a guy who has 19 years of experience in Formula One; one of the best drivers I’ve ever seen as a teammate that I can learn a lot and he can learn a lot from me racing on the ovals in the series. For the series it’s huge.

“We’re getting a guy who has the most grand prix races completed in history. For him, he is in a series where he can win races and not be just part of a field because the equipment is not capable of winning. So I am looking forward to the start of the season. I think it’s going to be a very exciting year.”

INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard agreed.

“It’s an exciting day for the IZOD IndyCar Series and a positive step to start 2012,” Bernard said. “We’ve said all along that one of the most important factors that will make the IZOD IndyCar Series successful is having the best drivers in the world, and there’s not a person in the world who knows racing that wouldn’t tell you that Rubens Barrichello is one of the greatest drivers of all time. I think it’s been interesting to hear the response of the other drivers. It’s been ‘This is great for us because it will show how good all of our drivers are.’

“That, to me, is important because the best in the IZOD IndyCar Series are saying ‘Bring him on. We want this guy.’ That will create great competition and expands our international platform. There will be millions of fans that will want to see what Barrichello can do. The other factor, which we saw last weekend at Infineon Raceway as he talked with fans attending the Chevy test, is that he’s such a great guy. That will resonate with our fans.”

Four-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti, who first crossed paths with Barrichello in 1987 in European karting competition, said Barrichello increases the depth of the field competing on the most diverse set of racetracks in motorsports.

“It’s only a positive. He ups the level of competition in the field yet again,” said Franchitti, who will join 25 other IZOD IndyCar Series drivers for an Open Test next week at Sebring International Raceway. “Besides the guys we know already who are tough to beat, he’d add another major name to have to fight against.”

The season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is March 25.
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That's great! I've long been a fan of Rubens and was sad to see him leave F1. Hopefully he can have a successful season with a few podiums and maybe a race win.
 
Seanspeed said:
Ah ok, yea, shouldn't be a big issue then. Thats quite a bit of ballast.
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It is. I was reading in Racecar Engineering last summer that the 850 kg base is one that Audi was pushing the ACO to adopt for all non-hybrid LMP1s. Even when that was turned down, they still had some weight flexibility in the R18's carbon-fiber gearbox housing, which Mulsanne's Corner noted was certainly developed given the eventual need to accommodate the extra weight of the hybrid system.

Given that the 2012 R18 ultra's chassis/tub is even lighter than last year's car, (which was already down to 72 kg), they should have even more flexibility integrating the hybrid's diff and KERS and any necessary ballast. (Edit: As it seems Andy_098 pointed out yesterday.)
 
Looking forward to Phoenix! Hope I can catch the entire race this time, Daytona's weather really screwed up my viewing time.

JPM Redemption time.



sorry ez, he was my favorite F1 driver before he left the series
 
Speaking of that ...

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Subway Fresh Fit 500k (yes, we sometimes use metric measurements when it's convenient for us)

From Phoenix International Raceway / Avondale, Arizona

TRACK INFO:

PhoenixInternationalRaceway_all.GIF


Track/Race Length: 1.0 mile oval, 312 laps, 312 miles/500km
Pit Road Speed: 45mph
Degree of Banking: Turns 1-2: 11 degrees; Turns 3-4: 9 degrees
Frontstretch: Length: 1,179 feet, Banking: 3 degrees
Backstretch: Length: 1,551 feet, Banking: 9 degrees
Pit Road Length: 1,140 feet
Grandstand seating: 55,000 [was 76,812]
Opened: 1964 (first NASCAR Sprint Cup event was 1988)

RACE INFO:

Race time: Sunday, March 4
Green flag time (est.): 3:14 p.m. EST/12:14 p.m. PST/8:14 p.m. GMT
Broadcast (U.S.): Fox

Practice sessions: Friday, March 2, 2:30 p.m.-4 p.m. EST (SPEED); 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. EST (SPEED)
Qualifying: Saturday, March 3, 2:30 p.m. EST (SPEED)
Last year's pole sitter: Carl Edwards, 137.279mph (track record)
Last year's winner: Jeff Gordon (full results) (Full race on YouTube)

This year's race grand marshal:

Ndamukong-Suh.jpg


SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH :D (Sorry, my NFL-GAF is showing)

SUPPORT RACES

Nationwide Series - Bashas Supermarkets 200 - Saturday, March 3, 4:45 p.m. EST (ESPN2)

(info via Jayski)
 
TylerD said:
It does in the US.

The sponsor less Holden looks really good in white.
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Awesome. And yeah the shape of the cars is pretty awesome, no livery makes it stand out.

Edit: God I hope Frosty has a good year this year. FPR really need to start getting good.
 
The Adelaide circuit is so good, especially in the rain like during race 2 last year. Senna chicane and dat turn 8....

drools
 
TylerD said:
The Adelaide circuit is so good, especially in the rain like during race 2 last year. Senna chicane and dat turn 8....

drools
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Yeah, I love it. I just hate the fact that I moved here the year AFTER the F1 went to Melbourne :(

Edit: The cars look massively fast through the Senna chicane this year too.

Edit2: Bloody 888 Racing again, those guys are too fucking good. Bastards!
 
Are the Nissans this year or next? I don't even know what car they're using :(

Edit: 2013. So what are the Kellys doing this year? Development?
 
Shaneus said:
Are the Nissans this year or next? I don't even know what car they're using :(
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Next year, when they are introducing the 'CAR OF THE FUTURE', which basically amound to a common chassis to reduce costs, so they don't have to take cars off the assembly line any more. I sort of wish they did have to, but I can see their argument about cost, apparently it will be half the price of a current car to get it race ready, or something like that.

Glad it will help Nissan come back, they said they are using a Skyline or GTR based car, but I don't know if they have decided yet. It will still be a 5.0 V8 and RWD like the rest of the cars, it is getting pretty close to a true spec series now. I miss the Group A's :(

Edit: Damn you and your edit. Research before posting you numpty!!! :)
 
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