Conference terri::cars_uk

>    During the race 2 cars had problems 

The report I read said that the McLarens suffered wheel problems - like had them
fall off at various times!  Wonder if they hired some ex-Williams pit crew....

Dave

    One car, the pole winner of Raphanel, lost one front wheel when exiting
    the pit lane and lost the 2nd front wheel when restarting. It appeared
    that the front discs mounting caused the problem. This will be modified. 
    
    The other car had engine cooling problems, if my source of info is
    right.
    
    The 3rd car won the race.
    
    Now, a bit of caution. After the incidents with the 3 McLarens the 
    Porsche was leading the race by a reasonable margin. Then, the race 
    was yellow flagged and the pace car went out for a few laps. The pace 
    car messed up everything so that when the race was restarted the Porsche 
    advantage had vanished and they could not do anything to prevent the 
    remaining McLaren (no 3 on the grid) from taking the lead and winning
    by a handful of seconds.
    
    Gordon Murray was present to watch his babies. No doubt that the minor
    problems will be solved for week-end's race (Paul Ricard). 
    
    With 2 long straights, Paul Ricard should see a complete domination by
    the McLarens.

    
    Patrick,
    
    Am I right in believing that the Porsche's lead at the time the pace
    car came out was under a lap? If so, then surely this was just a case
    of the pace car bunching up the field as so often happens. It was
    certainly hard luck on the Porsche (a GT2 car running on GT1 because of
    wider rear wheels than permitted in GT2, I believe), but pace cars
    always have this effect and are part of sports car racing (or have been
    for as long as I can remember :^).
    
    Mark

    Mark, I don't know the details. The report I have says that the Porsche
    whatever team manager was very angry with the race director but could
    not do anything to correct the situation. I understand that the Porsche
    was leading by just over 1 lap. In total confusion the pace car allowed
    several competitors to pass ...
    
    Watch this week-end's race at Paul Ricard. There will be 4 McL this
    time + 2 Callaway-Corvettes and the usual horde of Porsches. I think 
    the Jags will be at the next race.

    Another win for the McLaren GTR team. Ray Bellm and Maurizio Sala have
    won the Paul Ricard race, ahead of ... the same Porsche driven by the
    succesful combo of Jean-Pierre Jarier, Bob Wollek and Le Mans winner
    Christophe Bouchut.  

    
    Eurosport are showing this race on Speedworld tonight. 20:00 CET, I
    believe (an hour earlier in the UK).
    
    Some news on the Marcos line up for Le Mans.
    
    The cars will be based on last year's LM500, but will feature NASCAR
    style 6.7 (I think) litre Chevrolet engines (Ouch!!!!). Driver line up
    is said to be : Hodgetts/Wallace/Lammers & Marsh (Chris)/Leslie/Migault.
    
    Le Mans is rumoured to have 80 entries (for presumably 55 (max)
    starters), so no-one is guaranteed an entry, but hopefully Marcos' 
    competitiveness in Britain last year wil guarantee the team a chance 
    to qualify. The cars will run in the BRDC championship and the British 
    round of the Karcher series prior to Le Mans. Hodgetts and Marsh will
    drive the cars again in the British series.
    
    All the drivers (except Chris Marsh) have lots of Le Mans experience 
    (in fact I think they've all won outright, or their class at some
    time), so the team are obviously not intending to just make up the
    numbers. Computacenter will remain the main sponsor, but the cars
    carried Intel Overdrive sponsorship last year, and it's hard to imagine
    that Computacenter ALONE could afford such a driver line-up.
        
    Mark
                                                                 

    
    Monza Result :-
    
    1st McLaren GT	- Bscher/Nielsen
    2nd Porsche 911     - Wollek/Bouchet/Jarier  16 seconds down
    3rd Ferrari F40	- Oloffson/della Noce     1 lap down
    4th Porsche 911     - Konrad/Ploeg            3 laps down
    5th Porsche biturbo - Keegan/Kaufmann/Ferrero 3 laps down 
    
    Gulf McLarens expired amidst another spate of falling off wheels.
    Richard Piper's Jaguar XJ220 made a very low key debut (qualified 24th
    and expired after 3 laps with gearbox problems).  Corvettes once again
    ran well and two Ferrari F40s showed well in GT1 (the 3rd place car
    took pole and led for a long while until a lengthy pit stop, ahead of 
    healthy McLarens) and they are expecting improvements in the form of a 6 
    speed sequential gearbox and 3.5 litre (up from 3.0) engine.
    
    Perhaps the most notable combination at Monza, however, was the
    Freisinger Porsches, which appeared in Martini colours. They looked
    remarkably like the 935s of the late 70s. Fair stirred the blood it did
    :^)
    
    Another good race, with an excellent entry and more to come, it seems.
    
    Mark
    

    Agree on the Martini colours.... nice to see again!
    
    Wasn't a bad race, although it was dissappointing to see the Jag go out
    so soon.
    
    Is there a reason why they can't race that road-legal race-made Jag (what 
    was it called?! The KJR15 or something?). I presume some regulation
    puts it out of the running??? Engine size?
    
    Cheers,
    Dan$wondering

    
    Umm. I can't think of any _obvious_ reason why the XJR 15 wouldn't be
    race legal, but all the reports I read of it suggested it wasn't as
    good a car as the XJ220 (although it looked a lot better, in my books.
    The XJ220 is _just_ too big).

    Remember, though, that this is a private XJ220, in its first race with 
    little development. Interestingly, when the car ran in the Italian GT 
    series, it was at least a match for the F40s. I'd expect it to get
    quicker and the Chamberlain semi-works cars will be the real thrust of
    Jaguar's GT challenge.
    
    Mark

    
    Any news on when/if the Lambo's will be running ?
    
    Graham

    
    Teletext reported about a week(?) ago that the FIA have upgraded this 
    championship to full world championship status. Points have been
    retrospectively awarded for the earlier races this season.
    
    Richard.

    re. XJR-15
    
    	They were probably all smashed up after the first few races. Anyone
    ever *seen* an XJR-15? They were road-legal possible...... (I haven't
    bothered searching through the "Seen in Passing" note though....)
    
    Cheers,
    Dan (would like to enter an XJR15 into the race :-] )

    > <<< Note 2384.13 by FORTY2::HOWELL "Just get to the point..." >>>
    
    > Anyone ever *seen* an XJR-15? 
    
    I saw them in a support race to the British Grand Prix in 91 and again
    at a support race at the Belgian Grand Prix the following month. You'd
    be right about them all being smashed up. At Spa, one driver got it
    completely wrong at the bus stop and ended up with two wheels over the
    armco barrier.
    
    POL

    By the way they seem to handle, maybe they wouldn't best be suited to
    the championship then.... :-)
    
    Does the XJ220 still use the V6 derivative of the good old Metro 6R4
    engine?
    
    Cheers,
    Dan

    
    I saw an XJR15 for sale at Motorfair one year, after the race series.
    
    The figure of �500,000 + Taxes sticks in the mind!
    
    I'm not sure of the XJ220/6R4 connection, but the XJ220 uses the V6
    turbo engine used in the XJR-10 (was it?) in detuned form.
    
    Re Lamborghini : I've not seen a full Le Mans entry list, but I've
    _NEVER_ seen a Lamborghini racing - it may happen, but...
    
    The Bugatti seems to have disappeared from the scene too. Sadly, as it
    was extremely rapid at Le Mans last year and the new model promised to
    be even more competitive. Anyone know if they, or the Vipers, will be
    back at Le Mans in 1995?
    
    Mark

    Well, what I meant was, does the XJ220 in the BPR racing use the same
    engine as the road version (I don't know the regs so excuse me if I'm
    being ignorant).
    
    I know the road version uses a development of the V6 in the 6R4.
    
    Cheers,
    Dan

    
    re .last couple.
    
    Tom Walkinshaw denied that the XJR turbo engine owed anything to the
    6R4, although TWR or JaguarSport do own the rights to the 6R4 engine.
    The XJR is a twin turbo V6 and the 6R4 is a normally aspirated V6
    so IMO it's unlikely they were exactly the same.  
    
    Richard.

    
    Yep, I think the reason for the link was that at about the time TWR
    released the V6 Turbo Jag Group C engine they also bought the rights to
    the 6R4 engine. As the last note says, TWR always denied they were the
    same engine, but the turbo issue is a bit of a red herring as numerous
    6R4s have run with twin turbo engines in rallycross, so it's quite
    feasible to turbo the 6R4 engine without major reworking.
    
    Mark
    
    

    
    re:  XJR numbering
    
    The first twin turbo XJR was indeed the XJR-10 3 litre V6 IMSA car. 
    The WSPC 3.5 litre twin turbo V6 car that raced in Europe during the 
    same year was the XJR-11. Both were introduced during the 1989 season. 
    
    Richard.

    
    Well, there've been two races since Monza.
    
    Jarama and Nurburgring. Both, especially the latter, have been Mclaren
    walkovers. Although the Ferrari F40 has shown sufficient speed to
    challenge the McLarens, they (there are now 4, I think) have yet to
    show the reliability to challenge over the length of a race.
    
    Luca Montazemmelo (Or however you spell the Ferrari boss' name) has
    ordered development of the F40 to beat the McLarens. The car now has a
    bigger engine, an adjustable rear wing and is soon to have a sequential
    gearbox.
    
    The Porsche 911 which has been such a thorn in the side of the Mclarens
    so far, finally got it's GT1 engine at the 'Ring and promptly posted
    its first retirement of the season with a broken driveshaft -
    Hopefully, this'll soon be rectified. 
    
    Next race is Donnington, next monday. Expect a Marcos 1-2 :^)
    
    Mark

    
    Can someone post the latest K�rcher GT calendar? The one in the earlier
    note isn't (I think) up to date any more.
    
    Cheers 
    
    Mark
    
    PS I'm especially interested in knowing when the Spa round is.

    
    No interest here is there?
    
    Oh well, the good news (for all sportscar fans) is that the Ferrari F40
    finally beat the McLaren F1 GTR in a straight fight at the weekend in 
    Anderstorp, Sweden.
    
    The Fert� PILOT F40 (which doesn't get much works support) won, despite
    an early incident which saw it, and the Oloffson F40, in the gravel. 
    
    I've nothing against the F1, but having someone beating them is just
    the boost the BPR series needed to prevent it becoming a one make
    series.
    
    Well done Ferrari.
    
    Mark 
        

    
    Re .22 (calendar request from Mark) 
    
    Does anyone know the dates of any of the forthcoming rounds?
    
    Thanks,
    Richard.

    .23�    Oh well, the good news (for all sportscar fans) is that the Ferrari F40
    .23�    finally beat the McLaren F1 GTR in a straight fight at the weekend in 
    .23�    Anderstorp, Sweden.
    
    What's good is that the Ferrari started on pole and eventually won the
    race. I'll check for fastest lap.
    
    The blue F40 driven by Michel Fert� is one of the original F40LM's that
    were built by Michelotto (sp?) for the US races. The car had been sold
    to a Ferrari collector. Only recently did this person decide to engage
    into the BPR championship. When the team looked for spares ... they had
    to wait for the factory and Michelotto to build new ones.

    
    Re a couple back :
    
    Richard,
    
    My list of events (from the MN calendar at the beginning of the year)
    shows a race at Anderstorp this weekend. Since this was two weeks ago,
    there may be a race somewhere else this weekend.
    
    After that there's a race at Silverstone on the 17th September and a 
    race at Nogaro (France) in October. There are also races at Suzuka, 
    Shah Alam (Malayasia?) and Zhuhai (China) in the coming months.
    
    The trouble is that the calendar has changed since my source was
    produced and there may now be extra races scattered throughout the
    coming months.
    
    Mark

    Here's what I've found in the mags
    
    - 27 Aug	Suzuka		Japan
    - 17 Sep	Silverstone	UK
    - 24 Sep	Sendul		Indonesia
    - 08 Oct	Nogaro		France
    - 15 Oct	Shah Alam	Malaysia
    - 12 Nov	Zhuhai		China	

    
    Thanks for the info Patrick and Mark. Certainly is an international
    championship!!
    
    Is Nogaro, the place between Pau and Agen the same Nogaro where the
    race is held?
    
    Richard.

    .28�    Is Nogaro, the place between Pau and Agen the same Nogaro where the
    .28�    race is held?
    
    Yes, that's it.

>    - 27 Aug	Suzuka		Japan
>    - 17 Sep	Silverstone	UK
>    - 24 Sep	Sendul		Indonesia
>    - 08 Oct	Nogaro		France
>    - 15 Oct	Shah Alam	Malaysia

Someone must own stock in an air freight company...:-)

Dave

    
    Re .30
    
    :^) 
    
    (Actually the idea is that the wealthy teams (and their international 
    sponsors) can get some exposure in the far east, while the lesser teams 
    (or those with no interest in that part of the world) still get some races 
    in (expect to see a number of the British GT series runners (Marcos, TVR, 
    Harrier, Ascari, etc) at Silverstone.
    
    Mark 

    The BPR GT championship is a fantastic success. There are more teams
    interested in competing and the public is interested. Next step is to
    get some better TV coverage. 
    
    Among the leading teams: McLaren, Ferrari, Porsche, Venturi, Callaway
    always represent 30 cars.

    
    Does anyone know how much tickets to the Silverstone (Empire Trophy)
    event is in September? I fancy a run up there.
    
    Ian.

    
    Ian, contact someone who's going to the GP this w/e, there's usually a
    discount on big meeting later in the season for people who attended the
    GP.
    
    Graham

>>>    No interest here is there?

Plenty of interest from me Mark, but I've only just found this note...

I went to the Monthl�ry round in June. Many teams did not bother to attend, 
mainly due to the fact that the Monthl�ry circuit includes a stretch of 
banking that was built in the 1920s and is in a sorry state of repair...

Still, it was a wonderful weekend and the sight and sound of one Mclaren and 
four Ferrari F40s screaming round that banking was enough to bring a 
nostalgic old buffer like me close to tears...

BTW, the Ferrari Club Italia cars dominated the whole weekend only for the 
leading car to retire with about 15 minutes remaining. The race was won by a 
white Porsche 911 (yippee!).

Edward.

Suzuka.

1. Sekiya-Bellm-Sala (Mclaren)
2. Nielsen-Buscher (Mclaren)
3. Olofsson-Della Noce-Mancini (Ferrari)
4. Wollek-Jarier (Porsche)
5. LoadsaJaps (Honda)
6. Ayles-Monti-Ota (Ferrari)

80 000 spectators.

Edward.

re.36:

>6. Ayles-Monti-Ota (Ferrari)

Is that Gary Ayles? (Ex-F3 and BTCC)

Cheers,
Dave.

    
    Yes.

    Did anyone go to Silverstone?
    
    1.	Grouillard-Wallace	Mclaren F1
    2.	Fert�-Th�venin		Ferrari F40 (started from the back)
    3.	Olofsson- Della Noce	Ferrari F40
    4.	Zanardi-Portman		Lotus Esprit (?)
    5.	Nielsen-Bscher		Mclaren F1 (won the championship)
    6.	Some Porsche 911 or other
    
    Edward.