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Porsche are pulling out of LeMans and going to Forumla E.
ash_hammond - 28/7/17 at 09:48 AM

Sad... but probably on the cards.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/40750249

nick205 - 28/7/17 at 10:44 AM

As you say "probably on the cards".

I suspect others may well go the same way too.

Will Le Mans not have to change itself to stay with newer technology?

I'd like to think Le Mans would "keep ahead", but the I fear they'll get dragged along.

ash_hammond - 28/7/17 at 10:57 AM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205
As you say "probably on the cards".

I suspect others may well go the same way too.

Will Le Mans not have to change itself to stay with newer technology?

I'd like to think Le Mans would "keep ahead", but the I fear they'll get dragged along.


LeMans was already embracing new technology. Not to mention garage 99 when the delta wing car ran. The Porsche, Audi and Toyota LMP 1 cars are all hybrid. The LMP 2 classes are normal petrol engines. The main issue is Toyota has no competitors now. So the LMP1 class my die.

Fatgadget - 29/7/17 at 10:43 AM

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/25/britain-to-ban-sale-of-all-diesel-and-petrol-cars-and-vans-from-2040

Go figure.

britishtrident - 29/7/17 at 12:29 PM

Le Mans has mean't nothing for decades anyway.

Fatgadget - 29/7/17 at 05:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Le Mans has mean't nothing for decades anyway.


You are joking right!...Give over mate. Le Mans is a motorsport institution. Just like Indianapolis.Monaco GP. and sadly the lamented East African Safari rally

gremlin1234 - 29/7/17 at 07:28 PM

I'll be impressed when an electric car can win Le-Mans, as I remember it, no car has managed more than a single circuit at race speed on just electric power.

ash_hammond - 2/8/17 at 09:57 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Fatgadget
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/25/britain-to-ban-sale-of-all-diesel-and-petrol-cars-and-vans-from-2040

Go figure.


I suppose governments are known for announcing decisions and sticking to by said decision. U-turns are unheard of.

Neville Jones - 2/8/17 at 11:21 AM

The costs are what's killing motorsport, even for top end pro factory teams.

LMP1's are 4wd electric hybrids, and none of that comes cheap. For any class to grow or even sustain existence, then the hybrid technology has no place in everyday motorsport, and certainly not club level. Well, unless you're racing production electric cars, and even they are expensive.

Some will say hybrids are the future, and they certainly are with everyday cars, but in racing, who can afford it? Now the factory teams are saying 'no more'. People are suggesting that the hybrid stuff be taken off F1's.

Where is it all going?

Cheers,
Nev.

David Jenkins - 2/8/17 at 02:08 PM

I think a lot of it is to do with the company's future manufacturing profile - if the future product lines are going to be electric (as many manufacturers are saying) then continuing with petrol, diesel and even some hybrids won't match their future product lines. If current racing investment isn't going to help future sales then I can see why they want to pull out.