[dakarwu]

This years 24 hours was so boring. No challenge in lmp1... BOP was ridiculous. Removing strategy with gas/stints limits was dumb. ACO needs to change the rules/cost so we can see some McLaren/Peugeot battles in the future.

[pseto]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Perhaps as part of the sharing program with Toyota, the Toyo engineers will show them who's ass to kiss to get the BOP 'properly' weighted. Not saying there was a fix in or anything, I guess those Toyotas were just somehow that much better than e/t else in their group.

And was it just me that was a little PO'd that the AM national news didn't even MENTION Le Mans? I get to hear 3 times about how windy a golf tournament was, and not a word about one of the oldest, and perhaps the most significant auto races of them all. Perhaps Toyota should have spread the payola (I mean development budget) around a little, instead of sending it all to France....

WEC/IMSA gets very little publicity in the US; Nascar, Indy, and F1 seem to get more. But hey, at least Velocity carried the entire race.

As far as your Toyota comments, I'm assuming you're referring to the Z4/Supra collaboration? If so, that's a totally diff project. The Toyotas that won LeMans are hybrid prototypes and BMW doesn't even compete in those classes, just GTE Pro (sportscars). And Toyota only won b/c Porsche/Audi dropped out 2 years ago

[pseto]

Originally Posted by JasonCSU

I thought the full 24 hours of coverage this year was excellent, assuming one has Velocity to view it. I think it was a couple of years ago when the coverage abruptly stopped at the last two hours of the race to change to that damn golf tournament. Thankfully, that wasn't the case this year, though I was also surprised I didn't see any mention of the race in national news.

The competition in GTE Pro was pretty fierce and entertaining to watch. The BMWs were pretty competitive initially, an hopefully they will be able to iron out their endurance issues for future races.

Coverage was decent but the production wasn't that good. There were several times where the analysis was cutoff midstream to cover a non-exciting part of the race or to replay a clip which could have waited until after the analysis.

[N & M]

Originally Posted by Mantii

Some people still don't understand the concept of Homologation it appears. This is the ONLY way cars from different manufacturers and design philosophies can compete with one another on a relatively equal footing.

The M8 was created with Endurance Racing in mind and built backwords. Meaning it was designed for racing and then scaled back to a road going production version. The GTE car was already running laps and testing for almost two years, and we just had the unveiling of the 8 series car, with the M8 presumably following soon. Generally, you always have a road going car first and then is built and homologated for a specific series. This time, they started with the race car first.

I've watched the race on TV and BMW was competitive the first 5 or so hours. The commentators were really surprised how quick the cars were and were competing right up front until misfortune struck. If the suspension trouble didn't set them back several laps, the news could have read quite a bit differently, but that's racing, nothing is guaranteed.

I like the looks, it's fast, albeit doesn't quite sound as good as it looks. The RSR is the best sounding racer in the field hands down.

Let's see how they bounce back in WEC and in IMSA.

Someone who understands racing in this category versus someone who doesn’t. The important KPI is pace and the cars have it.

The reliability of components will come with more track time. If this was an hour race then the results could very much have been different.

I for one I am looking forward to seeing the car progress throughout the season and most importantly getting behind the wheel of the M8 when it is released.

[Kilo_SSK]

It's true that the race this year was nothing less than disappointing, everyone drove mechanically, there were no notable achievements by brave and talented drivers...

Well, I guess every year can't be great. I hope that next time, we'll what BMW is capable of, that they'll bring a real race car and not an unfinished model!

[Scout10]

i thought the coverage was (in u.s. nationally) terrible, non existant !
did they sell the u.s. rights to only a one channel venue ?

[BayE30]

i wasnt mad, but i have Velocity...

[yco]

i heard weirdness with the cars engine note from almost everyone.. but which it doesnt mean there is something wrong with it..

[titan7]

Not sure why they aren’t running M4s in GTE, they ran the E92 M3s with good success in ALMS, never understood the M6 and M8, too damn big. The DTM M4s seem like monsters, yeah, I know different classes and really different cars.

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by noxredna

I am also not sure that M8 is exactly the most suitable package to build a race car around - would M8/8-series buyer appreciate that their car goes racing? Would the typical Bentley Continental GT buyer care that that their cars go racing? Or Mercedes S-Coupe owner? Same question i've always had why they used M6 in the GT3 class - to me, that was a disaster. They never sold enough M6 GT3s to break even, and they performed "relatively" bad among other GT sports cars.

Originally Posted by BASELINE

BMW needs to stop bringing knives to a gun fight. They try to prove some point by trying to compete with the bloated ass pigs (M6 and M8). Build something purposeful and homologate. It's how you started in the in the first place! Instead you're building heavy, Big, and numb street cars you're trying to polish into a race car... didn't work that well for the M6 (the excuse was always "needs more development") now you're running a bigger car. What's next? 7 series race car? 🙄

You two need to do some more research on the M8GTE. Go back and read post #11 if you need some clarification. This car is NOT the same as the regular 8 series, they built the 8 off the race car, not the race car off the 8.

[Scout10]

Originally Posted by SFCM3

i wasnt mad, but i have Velocity...

went and checked the Velocity site . . . . interesting !
But also saw reviews
45 people give it 5 stars
58 people gave it 1 star . . . . . . interesting ?

how do you rate it for races ? . . . . non oval

[noxredna]

Buddy, I own race cars and I drive in the R8 GT4 cup series and Blancpain GT.

I know that it is not anywhere close to the street car but a M8 GTE or GT3 class requires at lease 30-40% parts sharing, including engine block, basic aero dynamics, coefficient of drag, etc.

So if you start your design with a big touring car, it will never be as competitive - but regardless - even if it was competitive - it beckons the question whether a 8-series owner or buyer would appreciate racing pedigree of the car? I highly doubt so.

Originally Posted by IllSic_Design

You two need to do some more research on the M8GTE. Go back and read post #11 if you need some clarification. This car is NOT the same as the regular 8 series, they built the 8 off the race car, not the race car off the 8.

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by noxredna

Buddy, I own race cars and I drive in the R8 GT4 cup series and Blancpain GT.

I know that it is not anywhere close to the street car but a M8 GTE or GT3 class requires at lease 30-40% parts sharing, including engine block, basic aero dynamics, coefficient of drag, etc.

So if you start your design with a big touring car, it will never be as competitive - but regardless - even if it was competitive - it beckons the question whether a 8-series owner or buyer would appreciate racing pedigree of the car? I highly doubt so.

They never said they were making a sports car out of the 8, everyone knew it was going to be a luxury GT, so why even complain about it being big. Yes they should have used the M4 but it is what it is.

[Mantii]

Originally Posted by noxredna

Buddy, I own race cars and I drive in the R8 GT4 cup series and Blancpain GT.

I know that it is not anywhere close to the street car but a M8 GTE or GT3 class requires at lease 30-40% parts sharing, including engine block, basic aero dynamics, coefficient of drag, etc.

So if you start your design with a big touring car, it will never be as competitive - but regardless - even if it was competitive - it beckons the question whether a 8-series owner or buyer would appreciate racing pedigree of the car? I highly doubt so.

A big touring car is generally never a good start to create a good racing car. With your experience, you should also know that GT4, GT3, etc and the different Series all have BoP to account for the fact that some cars are inherently going to be quicker than others and to bring them back to a level playing field. In that sense, you could potentially field whatever car your heart desired as long as it met the regulations and technical requirements. We are not drag racing stock cars out on the street for bragging rights.

Look at IMSA last year. The Corvette was pretty much the slowest car in the GTLM field due to BoP etc almost all season but still won the championship. The M6 GTLM is nowhere near the car the Corvette is, but was quicker for most of the season, again, due to BoP adjustments.

The M4 already runs in GT4 form all over the world and is the perfect playground for it. Not sure what else BMW could use to run in the upper echelons of racing besides the M6 and the M8, unless they decide to build a completely different car, and I highly doubt the bean counters will allow that to happen.

[Cyanfall]

Well, not really unsuspected. BMW nowadays in racing is kinda a joke.

[Cyanfall]

Originally Posted by noxredna

BMW M unfortunately doesn't do any real Motorsports anymore. They are very weak in GTE/GT3 class, they exited WTCC (Touring Cars) they don't participate in Formula racing nor LMP programs.

I think the only respectable customer racing they support is the M4 GT4 (new car, so far performing well).

I am also not sure that M8 is exactly the most suitable package to build a race car around - would M8/8-series buyer appreciate that their car goes racing? Would the typical Bentley Continental GT buyer care that that their cars go racing? Or Mercedes S-Coupe owner? Same question i've always had why they used M6 in the GT3 class - to me, that was a disaster. They never sold enough M6 GT3s to break even, and they performed "relatively" bad among other GT sports cars.

Sad to say - as a multiple BMW M car owner, M now no longer stands for Motorsports - but Marketing...

Bently continental is actually doing well in racing.

[b92]

Originally Posted by F80NJM3

I was fortunate enough to be at Le Mans 18', the Car is too big (see pics for reference ) and it was the worst sounding car there. So quiet, someone asked me if E stands for Electric? No joke.

Hahaha this gave me a great chuckle, well done