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, ...
Since the European and Japanese Group C and American IMSA prototypes developed so much more downforce than F1 cars I would think that they could at least put down laptimes that were close. It seems that even the fastest race lap in F1 is several seconds quicker than the fastest World Sportscar Championship qualifying lap, even on the circuits where top speed and downforce matter the most. Maybe I'm just missing something but I'm really confused as to why even the later Group C racers with the new regulations that weighed very little and had the most downforce can't get close to Formula 1 laptimes.
Comparing Group C to what era of F1? The latter Group C cars probably generated similar downforce to the current spec of F1 but with better efficiency because of the closed cockpits and wheels. Then you have power, power delivery/driveability (no drive-by-wire and throttle maps), and plenty of good ol' fashioned turbo lag. They weighed more than F1 - especially considering driver weight wasn't included. 5 speed manual gearboxes rather than seamless shift 7/8 speed. No other driver aids like programmable differentials. Then there's the fact endurance cars used to have to be coaxed around an event - these days LMPH is more of a sprint than F1.
#aerogandalf "There is one big friend. It is downforce. And once you have this it’s a big mate and it’s helping a lot." Robert Kubica
Late era GroupC/GTP cars were faster than CART at the tracks they both ran, but I'd wager they lacked the drivability of F1 cars due to the turbo tech back then. Weight is also a big factor when you're at the point end like these series are, considering modern LMP1 also make/made more downforce than F1 cars but are still slower around Silverstone or Spa.
The XJR-14 was as a fast as an F1 car - it would have qualified for the British GP in 91, and not at the back but near the front.
But then the XJR-14 was an F1 car with covered wheels so it was no surprise. Taking 150kg out of the car's minimum weight was the key, of course. Before then, Group C cars had been too heavy to be able to set F1 lap times, even with the downforce they had. The XJR-14 was still heavier than F1 cars of the day but would have been able to keep up.
If you are more fortunate than others, build a larger table not a taller fence.
The XJR-14 was as a fast as an F1 car - it would have qualified for the British GP in 91, and not at the back but near the front.
But then the XJR-14 was an F1 car with covered wheels so it was no surprise. Taking 150kg out of the car's minimum weight was the key, of course. Before then, Group C cars had been too heavy to be able to set F1 lap times, even with the downforce they had. The XJR-14 was still heavier than F1 cars of the day but would have been able to keep up.
Are you sure about that? On Wikipedia it says that the XJR-14 did a 1:27.478 around Silverstone which would've put it 29th on the F1 starting grid. That's certainly very quick but it's far from the F1 cars.
