05RollaXRS

So it is not in the SP8 class then??

gengar

I didn't know it was the GT car that they use and not the Challenge. The GT uses CF so it'll have significant weight savings even over the Challenge and of course the production car. If it's GT2-based though, it'll come with restrictors. I know the ones we've seen in ALMS make well under 500hp.

TF109B

Yeah- it is in SP8 class, but thats because of the engine size. seeing as how the 458's engine is 4.5 liters- like the LFA's 4.8 liters. That's what's been told to me as to why it's running in SP8 class. I'm not sure there's much difference between the GTE car and the one running the Ring. 8:20 lap times are damn fast. It's definitely running lower weight than the LFA. The rules are hard to follow, but it's too fast to be the challenge car. I'd say it's safe to assume it's close to the GTE version.

gengar

Just a reminder that Gazoo will be running both their LFA entries, No. 111 and 119, in VLN5 tomorrow. They will be joined in SP8 by the Vantage V12 Zagato factory entries, including the one evo's Dickie Meaden drives.

MR_F1

is the 458 gonna run?

TF109B

LFA finished 5TH OVERALL!! First in SP8 class, what a result! Best lap was 8:34.416 on lap 7. They qualified 9th.

jpvarghese

iTrader: (1)

Does anyone know what cars it races against in that class?

gengar

SP is the category between production vehicles and "Cup" vehicles; think clubsport vehicles without any crazy modifications and a lot of regulations (minimum weight, airflow, fuel tank size, aerodynamics, etc.) to make sure teams stay "in check". Classes SP1-SP8 are classified by literage, with SP8 being the class for 4000-6250cc naturally-aspirated engines. SP8 is the highest literage class for "standard" SP cars, as SP9/10 aren't classified by literage - SP9 is FIA GT3 and SP10 is SRO GT4, which have much less restrictions compared to the other SP classes.

Other than the LFA, the most common entries in SP8 over the last few years have been those from Aston Martin's factory team. They have run the V8 Vantage, V12 Vantage, DBS, and even a Rapide (they also run GT4 Vantages in SP10), and maybe some others. Corvette has run C6 entries in SP8 although I'm guessing the engines would have to be downsized or face some other restrictions. I do recall a privateer team running a 370Z, although I'm not sure if they have competed this year. Then there is the Farnbacher/Hankook team running the 458 more recently, that also used to run the F430 in the past. In past years when Gazoo ran the IS-F, that was also in SP8; their experience there may have contributed significantly to the massive improvements in the production 2011 IS-F. They haven't run the IS-F this year, as I think they are focusing their efforts more on their CT entry.

07grIS350

For the race on June 11, there were only 4 cars in SP8 and 1 in SP8T:
2 LFAs
2 Aston Martin V 12 Zagatos
1 Nissan GT-R

The highest place AM was 15th overall. The GT-R was 108th.

See the complete list here http://www.vln.de/ergebnisse/2011-06-11r.html

05RollaXRS

I still don't get it. The 458 Italia are competing in the SP8 class, but I never got it straight where does it stand relative to the LFA??

I mean, if LFA won the SP8 class then where does the 458 Italia stand??

07grIS350

I think the 458 does not run every VLN race like the LFA.

gengar

Gazoo isn't a full-time commercial team or even a factory team (more like a factory test team) so they don't run every VLN either. Farnbacher/Hankook are definitely full-time and have years of endurance experience so do a lot of events, but they also run the LeMans/ILMC, so there are a lot of times when they can't or don't run VLN. In this case, the VLN conflicted with the LeMans 24h.

The Farnbacher/Hankook 458 ran faster fastest laps and IIRC pitted less than the Gazoo LFA did in VLN4, so discounting any of the many other endurance racing variables, it has a timing advantage over the Gazoo LFA. Of course, the 458 has also gained a reputation for being notoriously unreliable due to mechanical problems on ILMC so far. This was also evident at the Le Mans 24 today - for anyone who didn't watch it, only 2 of 6 458 entries actually finished the race, and even of those two, one finished several dozen laps back due to an extensive pit for mechanical and the other was suffering from clutch and electrical problems. A lot of the issues on ILMC probably have to do with the 458 being a pretty new vehicle that mechanics/engineers aren't quite used to yet, but we'll see how the 458 does at longer endurance races like the Nürburgring 24.

TF109B

The final BOP was released for the 24hr race, unfortunately i can't d/l pdf files.
http://adac.24h-rennen.de/uploads/me...11-3_Final.pdf

05RollaXRS

Wow!

This year LFA will have some stiff competition in the SP8 class. The Corvette C6-R and Ferrari 458 Italia are in the SP8 class as well. The C6-R was there last year as well and LFA beat it, but now 458 Italia is going to make it tougher.

p.s. Why is Ferrari 458 Italia lighter than the LFA?? (1300 KG vs 1450 KG)

TF109B

The Ferrari is the GTE(2) car, the LFA isn't. Yeah they try to 'balance' the performance, but the LFA is closer to stock.