Race of the weekend 22/23.03

There it is again, the image review and analysis of the race of the weekend. It was pretty quiet for long enough.

The focus of my attention focused on the 12H of Sebring, which saw me completely and did not disappoint. After the first race of the ALMS can be angry now that neither Audi nor Peugeot take the entire series. That would be a crazy battle has become. This increases the tension in already rond Le Mans. I think, because you can set this year on an epic duel, as both manufacturers seem to lie in something equal to. However, both showed their weaknesses in Sebring.

The Audi was able to win in the end, was quite a surprise. After all, the car had been no test miles on the hump, the aerodynamics is in no way comparable to that of the R10 and at the tests, it had also rained most of the time. Has kept the car on the washboard road in Florida, was already the first sensation. But that both R15 were permanently at the top and have kept particularly two new ten-cylinder diesel was already a very strong performance.

In contrast to this year comes with a Peugeot 908, which one has "only" revised. He is a little leaner, but especially when the engine has probably put it on. The consumption of diesel is now about as, where is also Audi, which is a big step forward. However, had a 908 race, a major technical problem, which was somewhat surprising. What are the pros, where the disadvantages of the two competitors?

The Peugeot is still faster on the straights than the Audi. And this clearly. Supposedly it will not just at the end of the long back straight have been up to 20 km / h. The on-board images showed that the R15 had no chance in the immediate wake, come on over Peugeot. For the long straights at Le Mans, this means that the Peugeot, Audi will move away from here. However, there appears to be even more susceptible to the 908 and the concept with a closed cockpit (the ACO really wanted to introduce from 2010, which is why Peugeot has constructed a wagon) creates particular problems with the driver, and when changing the temperature in the cockpit. The race may not be in more than 32 degrees, which has often led to problems.

The Audi is slower because of its high frontal area than the Peugeot, but the time he gets back in the curves and especially under braking. The R15 has a lot more downforce and makes you look old in the 908 narrow and medium speed corners. But - the aerodynamic deficiencies due to the high front and the open cockpit can be done only with a higher engine output offset, which pushes up consumption. This could Achillisferse the Audi Le Mans to be seen.

To summarize: the Peugeot in Le Mans (Audi not enormously so then performance will) get out on the three long straights, but the R15 is likely under braking for the chicanes, and above all in the last third of the curved path ahead. At Sebring the Peugeot drove the fastest lap in total, to see the much longer distance in Le Mans car at the moment I have both the same height.

How close the two teams are to each other, were seen in the first eight hours of the race. Two cars stuck together usually, was partially down, as if you have a sprint race ahead. If this goes down to business at Le Mans .... wow.

Unfortunately, nowhere to be seen, the new Acura. Although she had held the pole. But that had experience with a qualification engine, and it came out that both Audi and Peugeot on at all times were fast. The first came when you were in the race. The Acura brand also had many small problems in the race and at the end of any chance at the podium.

In GT2 it was boring, unfortunately. Since both Porsche stuck at the very beginning in terms of problems, which could make Ferrari the race alone. Exciting it was to end, as one of the Porsche ran aground on the third-placed Panoz, but the two collided (racing accident), and the matter was due for the Porsche. The two new BMW were well in the first hours, but both fell to technical problems very quickly. Were in the LMP2 after the loss of only two Porsche Mazda Acura and two at the start, but up to an Acura were all (!) From. The GT1 went to the Corvette that was traveling alone again.

28 cars are started, the Sebring, just below the four LMP1, the rest of the season will not go any more. Since Acura is fighting only against himself. If one assumes that only do teams have come to Sebring, but the rest of the race will not go, it looks bleak for the ALMS. Start with fields less than 20 vehicles threaten.

WTCC - Puebla
Amazing was going on in Mexico. Goods in the free practice sessions, the seat back all the front, it looked different in the qualification. BMW finished the first two starting positions, was the lead but after the first turn off again. I had already thought of that date, that would now go back to the old game going on, but the BMW stopped with everything they had against it. And it developed two very exciting races. Especially the second run it was serious stuff. As the pace was a bit harder, as Jörg Müller was felt to be shot by lying in second place Tarquini. The received after the race for even a 30 second penalty. But the second race for reconciling the two lame things in Curitiba and can germinate at least the hope, that this year but could be very exciting. However, coming to Marrakech in May, a series with incredibly long straights, where the front seats should be.
Still a chance the two Chevys. In the second race Larini started from pole, but in the end he only came in 10th place He lost about a second per lap, which is a world in the WTCC. The car seems to still be missing at all, top speed and downforce.

NASCAR - Bristol
That was one of the weakest races I've ever seen in Bristol. Calling it a complete failure would be, maybe a little exaggerated, but it was very close. The beat Kyle Busch on the Shorttracks was difficult, but now is not the surprise, as the rest had no chance. Danny Hamlin was perhaps the same speed, but the poorer restarts, which messed up his chances of victory. Behind it lay the Hendrick cars, apart from Junior, but could only keep the top middle of the race. Junior at Bristol was a special case during his colleagues always went to the courts three to five, the junior had twice the Lucky Dog get in the race and was never seen. Montoya was that even before he says it all.

In the U.S., even louder criticism of his crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. is expressed. And that is perhaps not entirely uncorrected. Darrell Waltrip, rather one who defends Earnhardt Jr. always said that, interestingly, during the race that he could not understand why Eury does not even what makes the crew of Martin, if not already running. The get the vote of Gordon and Johnson and Martin will be on what is better, then taken. It was nice to see in Bristol. In contrast Junior always tinkering around with a separate vote and either you remove a piece, or you make too much. The voices get louder, they say that isolate Eury and Junior in the Hendrick team too much. Since the moment he was not in the Chase, the pressure on him is also increasing. Now Earnhardt is also not a great fan of Shorttracks. You will have to wait and see how it will look like on the 1.5 miles ovals.

Ford went on the weekend in total. What has surprised me was the Edwards Shorttracks never go bad. But at any Ford pilots went on the weekend just anything. The team's results speak volumes: Edwards was his 15th Space nor the fastest Ford, then came the unfortunate Kvapil on course to 18, whose team is disbanded for lack of sponsors well. Labonte was 22, Menard 25th, 27th Ragan, Kenseth 33rd, 37th McMurray only When Greg Biffle took leave even the motor. Disastrous is a paraphrase, which makes it only partially.

That's on the other side of the championship but certainly exciting. Obviously, Toyota has the high-speed routes is a problem, where Ford is well again. On the Shorttracks it's the other way around, while Hendrick well everywhere, but not tip. After all, Chevy has not won a race this year. In two races, I'm so excited over the coming weeks: Texas and Phoenix.

And what else?
Preview coming on the weekend: Formula One in Australia with disgusting Aufstehzeiten, NASCAR Martinsville. V8 Supercars are also going to Melborne.

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There it is again, the image review and analysis of the race of the weekend. It was pretty quiet for long enough. The focus of my attention focused on the 12H of Sebring, the saw is completely ...