Sprint - Team LNT

[soapbox]

I just got round to reading my sprint (which I thought was very good this month btw) and I see that LNT are dropping TVR.

I'm sure I just missed all the chat on this, but can someone tell me why. Is it reliability? I remember reading something about the noise from the side exhausts, but it cant just be that can it??

Does that mean there is now only 1 racing T400 now? The Penninsular one?

[Graham]

Reading between the lines i think its lack of any factory support or commitment to build road cars.

Without road cars being built I dont think the cars will be eligable in gt for long and they may get more and more restricted.


Also when your up against the factory porkers and donkies you need the manufacurer behind you developing the product..

G

Pity Though...

[HarryW]

Graham said:

Reading between the lines i think its lack of any factory support or commitment to build road cars. Without road cars being built I dont think the cars will be eligable in gt for long and they may get more and more restricted. Also when your up against the factory porkers and donkies you need the manufacurer behind you developing the product.. G Pity Though...

Second that, sad really for lovers of the marque .

Not so sure I'll even bother with LeMans next year, based on this apparent apathy by the factory alone .

Harry

[GCerbera]

HarryW said:

Second that, sad really for lovers of the marque . Not so sure I'll even bother with LeMans next year, based on this apparent apathy by the factory alone . Harry

Why not go to Le Mans backing LNT, the Panoz will be stunning in their hands and we all know how awesome the Panoz V8 sounds!

[HarryW]

GCerbera said:

HarryW said: Second that, sad really for lovers of the marque . Not so sure I'll even bother with LeMans next year, based on this apparent apathy by the factory alone . Harry Why not go to Le Mans backing LNT, the Panoz will be stunning in their hands and we all know how awesome the Panoz V8 sounds!

I probably will, however it saddens me to see the demise of TVR in GT's after so much promise in LNT's hands .

Harry

[Hansgerd]

It's sad but true. I don't see a TVR (on the grid !) at LM next year if the company doesn't change their attitude towards motosport.

The Panoz seems to be a fairly crude car when delivered from the factory, much less sophisticated than the 400R. I didn't have the opportunity to take a look at the Esperantes at LM but the one running in the Dutch Supercar Challenge seems to be quite a simple car (at least this one has a problem with a foggy windscreen when the conditions are wet, even the heated windscreen doesn't help at times).

I think Racesport Salisbury get rid of their TVR in favour for an Esperante, too.

[ccharlie6]

i believe that the one running in the DSC is not a fully fledged Panoz GTLM but one of the racers made for the one make series, was this the car that was at the dubai GT festival last year which doesnt have any headlights and had "problems" when the race ran into the night!!!

[Hansgerd]

Yes, that's the one, driven by Mirco Schultis (mostly) and Bert Moritz.

[GCerbera]

We were very fortunate to have one of LNT's new Panoz race cars at C.R.E.A.M - it was so new, some of the team had not yet seen it!

Trust me, it looks awesome and is very sophisticated!
In their first testing, it ran as quickly as the TVR did when the TVR was using qualifying tyres, so LOTS of potential!

It is very sad to see TVR 'leaving' top flight motorsport, but sadly, once again, it's TVR's own fault.

It's not the first time it has happened, but at this rate, it could be the last...

For now I'll have to cherish the memory of the T400R screaming round and kicking sound back off the trees
at Elvington a few weeks ago and thankfully there is plenty of LNT footage on the C.R.E.A.M DVD

I'm backing LNT again in 2006 and this time, I think they will be looking back at the opposition!

[soapbox]

It seems a bit foolish to me. Good race pedigree = good publicity = more sales.

I know the cars had not been very reliable, but the 1-2 at Spa was international news. You can't buy that positive publicity (especially when motorsport fans are generally the type of people who would consider owning TVR).

[Graham]

In some ways with the lack of factory support and the likley hood that the t400's wouldnt continue to be competitive, perhaps it is better they bow out whilst we all remember this years 1 2 result and both cars finishing at LM the year before...

G

[profstoff]

Graham said:

In some ways with the lack of factory support and the likley hood that the t400's wouldnt continue to be competitive, perhaps it is better they bow out whilst we all remember this years 1 2 result and both cars finishing at LM the year before... G

It's the lack of factory support that is the sad thing and I think it's the biggest reason for LNT going to Panoz. I also think it's very short-sighted of TVR. They trade on a racing heritage yet give that heritage no commitment. I do not think the world outside of the enthusiasts will see TVR as a top-flight sports car manufacturer without some sort of racing programme. Imagine if Ferrari or Porsche pulled out.
I seem to remember when NS took over and closed the Tuscan programme that we were promised something new and exciting...

[richb]

Indeed it seems as though we have seen the hay-days of TVR on the race track, which is a shame. Especially as people could always point to the Tuscan race cars and say they have 'race-proven' AJP V8 engines, or go to Le Mans and wave the flag. We've seen 10 years + of Tuscan racing and 3 cars finishing at Le mans for the first time ever but it seems TVR are no longer interested. Pity...