Please discuss here all your remarks and pose your questions about all racing series, except Formula One. Both technical and other questions about GP2, Touring cars, IRL, LMS, ...
I'm wondering if anyone can shed any light on the domination of the Audi R8's in the LMP series over the last few years. I'm not big on this field of motorsport but i know a little. Is the success of the R8 due to the simple fact that other manufacturers simply don't bother with the sport anymore and that there is no serious competition? Or is the Audi R8 unbeatable due to its technical merits? I remember other famous cars such as the Mazda 787B, Toyota GT1 from a few years back. Porsche seems to have stayed loyal to the sport until recently but i'm not aware of their current participation.
Indeed the R8 has been in development for a very long time. Don't overlook the fact that Audi is the only factory team in LMP competition, and has a massive development budget compared to its rivals. You see others come and go to challenge the R8, but none have stuck with it due to the cost.
Reason for success:
a) They have a clear goal with the program and willing to spend the money to do it(ie, Cadillac/GM didn't)
b) It is an excellent car. Modular design and easy to fix in a jam.
c) Solid mechanical package, no niggling problem(and if ever there was, refer to b) )
d) Capable team running it, ie, Joest Racing
The car really became public in 1999 with the R8R(open top car) at Sebring. Audi sorta divided their effort to make a Roadster and Coupe to see which program will flourish, with roadster as the focus as it is supported directly by Audi Sport and Joest. While the Coupe(R8C) is in the hands of rtn. Audi made the decision to develop the R8R into the new car, and renamed it R8 and continued on there. While rtn's R8C didn't completely get the cut, instead they developed it throught out 2000 with a testmole in the background and got VAG back into it and made the Bentley EXP Speed 8 GTP car out of it...which eventually morphed into the 2003 winning Speed 8(although thats very much a clean sheet design)....
