Thanks. I would add that the Valkyrie is sleek and a visual work of art. The Mclaren isn't pretty but if it offers near F1 levels of performance then I am alright with that.
I think that the "F1 level of performance" quote is really abused these days.
At a quick glance (a true analysis shall be much more complex than this, obviously, but we lack more data), the Solus GT has the specs to compete with a 2020 DPi prototype in terms of performance, in fact let's compare it to the 2020 Acura DPi race car:
- Downforce: 1400 kg at 240 km/h for the Solus, 1360 kg at 240 km/h for the DPi race car
- Weight: claimed 915 kg dry for the Solus, 930 kg (probably with driver) for the DPi
- Power: 840 PS for the Solus, 600 PS for the DPi prototype
Both cars run LMP-grade slick tyres and are fitted with carbon brakes.
Now, let's take the COTA circuit as a reference for our comparison.
In 2020, the IMSA qualifying session was topped by Rick Taylor on the Acura DPi with a time of 1:48.915.
Now, the gentleman drivers who are going to buy the Solus GT are, on average, lucky to have 1/15 of the skillset of a DPi pro-driver. Still, we can imagine that a pro like Taylor, on a Solus GT at COTA, could probably lay down lap times in the high 1:40 range, probably even slightly faster than the (regulated) DPi considering the relevant advantage in power that the McLaren has.
These for sure are fast lap times and there is no doubt that the Solus GT can be as fast as a sport-prototype race car.
Just to give some context, at COTA GT3 race cars run on average around 2:05 in terms of lap times, while a road legal Porsche GT3 RS is around the 2:20 mark.
Well, now let's go back to our "F1 fast" claim.
F1 speed (in terms of lap times) changed a lot during the years because of the FIA regulations, however we can say that, during the last 15 years, the 2014 F1 cars have been on average the slowest around a track because they are the generation with the lowest levels of downforce and mechanical grip.
If we look at the 2014 F1 COTA qualifying session, the slowest F1 machine was the Lotus, which averaged with Grosjean a lap time of 1:39.679.
So, the slowest F1 machine of the last 10 years at COTA is still almost
10 seconds per lap faster than the fastest 2020 DPi prototype...
Now, if we bring serious F1 cars into the conversation, we can look at the 2019 F1 COTA GP qualifying session, in which Bottas took pole-position on the Mercedes W10 with a lap time of 1:32.029, which is almost
8 seconds per lap faster than the slowest 2014 F1 qualifying time and thus almost
18 seconds per lap faster than the fastest 2020 DPi race car.
And 2020 F1 cars would have been even faster (to this day, in qualifying trim the Mercedes W11 is the fastest F1 car ever, as regulations slowed down the cars in 2021 and even more for the current 2022 season) if they had the chance to run the 2020 COTA F1 GP.
So, the claim for the Solus GT to be on "F1 level of performance" is pure marketing BS not backed up by any technical fact and even the slowest 2014 F1 car would run circles around it on a race track.
The Valkyrie AMR Pro
which has double the downforce of the Solus GT, 160 PS more and basically almost the same weight, given its datasheet it should destroy (at least on paper) the Solus GT on a track.
In fact, the downforce of the AMR Pro should actually be on the level of F1 cars and its technical specifications should make it as fast if not faster than top LMP1 machines, still even the AMR Pro can't lay down the lap times of a current F1 car because it weighs something like 350-400 kg more, kerb and with driver on board.
However, I can see the AMR Pro matching (or being quite close to) the lap times of mid-low grid 2014 F1 cars, given that it has more downforce and more power.
