2008 Ferrari LMP2 Bio-Diesel

There has been a lot of talk about Ferrari returning to Le Mans racing with a Bio-Diesel powered LMP2 race car. Apparently because it is a Bio-Diesel its fuel type is classified as Bio fuel and not diesel. Diesels are baned in LMP2, so because of the fuel classification that it has, it will be able to compete legally without any rule alterations. The chassis is going to be made by Pilbeam, a company that has been building LMP chassis for a few years. Unfortunately for Ferrari Pilbeam has so far been uncompetitive, and they have only raced in Europe, which means they have not come to the gladiator fight that is happening in ALMS LMP2. The reason that ALMS LMP2 is critical to Ferrari's plans is because that is where the Porsches are right now, and they have stated that the reason that they want to come back to prototype racing is so they can challenge the Porsches. There is supposed to be a privateer team running Porsches in Europe next year, so if they decide to go there they will still have to face the Porsches. The engine for the race car is supposed to come from an Alfa Romero production based diesel. This engine is supposed to make about 400 horsepower, but without the smaller restricters that they are going to have at Lime Rock the Porsches are making 480 horsepower, with the smaller restricters I estimate that they will have about 450 horsepower. 50 horsepower is a huge difference in modern racing, and the only way that it can be made up for is with the better fuel economy that the Bio-diesel will have. Unfortunately Bio-diesel is not as efficient as normal diesel, and if we look at the results of the 2007 24 hours of Le Mans we can see that having more economy and power don't win you the race. In the photo of the car that was provided it seemed that Schumacher himself was driving the car, but many people say that it was altered. Even with Schumacher was one of the drivers, the difference is too great to make up. If this car does get the support and the backing it needs for running in LMP2 for next year, I think that it will probably just embarrass the Ferrari name that is so well respected in motorsports.