2015 FIA WEC/Le Mans

[Beemer B773ER]

Definitely looks like they got some inspiration from BMW's Z4 GT cars alternating colors.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Toyota's 2015 Challenger: TS040

http://www.toyotahybridracing.com/2015/03/

 

[Beemer B773ER]

The 2015 TS040 will remain in the 6MJ hybrid sub-class.

http://www.racer.com/latest-stories/item/114779-toyota-details-revised-wec-challenger

 

[Sunny]

Audi is going to 4MJ class from 2MJ last year. Apparently the electric motor makes 270HP (vs 238 last year).

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118127

And Nissan is supposed to be at 2MJ

Nissan is known to be planning to homologate its front-engined GT-R LM NISMO, which will miss the first two rounds of the WEC, in the 2MJ class.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118218

You have to love the variety in WEC -

Porsche - 8MJ + Gasoline Turbo V4
Toyota - 6MJ + Gasoline NA V8
Audi - 4MJ + Diesel Turbo V6
Nissan - 2MJ + Gasoline Turbo V6

 

[kingjr9000]

Audi is going to 4MJ class from 2MJ last year. Apparently the electric motor makes 270HP (vs 238 last year).

This is going to be an interesting year to see how the other three are doing with the updates, and how nissan is going to be doing with their new idea.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Some new shots from Joest Racing's facebook page:

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Very interesting photo this! None of these cars are identical.

Some of the differences I have spotted:

• Black car has a pointy noise, while the other two have a more blended front end
• White car has the cutout on the rear wheel arches
• White car has inlets at the start of the rear wheel arches
• Black car has larger inlet above cockpit
• Black car has a larger/squared-off design for the tip of the fin (where it meets the rear wing)
• Black has a different design for the side mirrors

Seems like the black car is last year's model, and the difference between the white and red cars could be high & low drag configurations.

 

[Monster]

Also, the white car has a narrower tapering nose that blends to the leading edge while the red car has a wider nose that also blends into the leading edge of the front end.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Also, the red car has some interesting design around the exhaust outlet area (possibly a design element that redirects the exhaust flow downward).

 

[kingjr9000]

Snippet of the 919 sound on track
http://iconosquare.com/p/916577546148459084_636149555#/detail/916577546148459084_636149555

 

[Bucketslash11]

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prologue by FIA WEC

 

[kingjr9000]

Porsche fastest in all sessions (5) in the Prologue held at Paul Ricard yesterday and today.

Smashed the circuit record by more than 3 seconds.

Lets not celebrate yet, as other are very quick too.

 

[kingjr9000]

From rennteam:

Toyota said the Porsche speed down the straight was in a "different league".

Porsche was quickest in sectors 1 and 2 and less quick in sector 3 ( twisty)

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Photos of the LMP Hybrids at the Prologue.

 

[Monster]

Really awesome set of photos. It is nice to see the teams are willing to co-operate and take group photos of the cars on the track. This will never happen in F1.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Shot!!

 

[Beemer B773ER]

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[Beemer B773ER]

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Motor racing-Endurance series calls time on 'Grid Girls'
Thu Apr 2, 2015 7:44pm BST

By Alan Baldwin

LONDON, April 2 (Reuters) - The world endurance championship, whose annual highlight is the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar classic, is getting rid of the 'grid girls'.

In a move that will be applauded by many, and is sure to dismay those accustomed to seeing scantily-clad beauties posing next to cars before a race, the FIA-backed series is adopting a more progressive stance.

"From Silverstone next week, you will see that for any race we will do -- no grid girls like in the past," WEC chief executive Gerard Neveu told Reuters after a presentation on Thursday for the opening Silverstone six-hour race.

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKL3N0WZ4J620150402?irpc=932

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Motor racing-Endurance series calls time on 'Grid Girls'

I don't know how I feel about this. I consider myself rather progressive, but I guess part of me is rather chauvinistic. We are entering a new dawn...

EDIT: I forgot to add: