.... more than a weight penalty. - some awd (odd) thinkin

[PDQSHIP@aol.com]

Audi says.... 
      "The decision by the FIA not to lay down the basic weight for
                  four-wheel drive cars for the 1997 season until December,
and to ban
                  four-wheel drive in the Super Touring class from 1998
onwards, leaves
                  us with no option but to wait for the FIA weight ruling
before reviewing
                  our commitment to motorsport," read a statement.

Hmmmm....  Seems to be that audi is choosing to fight a little on this action
by the FIA....  I would propose that maybe the elimination of the "in car"
adj of the front rear torque bias might be the first concession by audi....
 It is not an absolute necessity, and it has the potential for making the
advantage just that much better than it is now, esp if one takes it to the
computer to make auto torque compensation track specific (ala ABS/INDY cars
tried) and certainly after this season they have enough data to start that
program....  

To inflict an unknown weight penalty this late in the year, makes for some
interesting discussions roundel the table...  BMW and AUDI have no chance to
evaluate any weight penalty for protest until the season starts, which BMW
might think to be their advantage, cuz chances are FIA will put a higher than
normal penalty on audi to start.....  That's assuming no rain venues tho, I
would guess....  Audi on the other hand has to consider whether the weight
penalty will offset the greatly untested FWD A4 that was to only be plan B in
the grand scheme of racing...  My educated guess would be that audi will
submit both cars for the season, and watch the developments....  I also
believe that, tho the A4FWD has a great front suspension, in 300+hp form the
advantage will go back to the "crude but effective" BMW M3 setup....  Given
the FWD, RWD, AWD argument the priorities as most see them are 1) AWD, 2)RWD
and 3)FWD...  Does the "newly" engineered A4 front suspension geometry change
the argument here....  Me thinks not...

No doubt that audi has shown, nee proven, that awd in race cars is just plain
superior....  To penalize them for this is as short sighted....  The audi AWD
has been around in the "current" form for some 15years, plenty of time for
the other manufacturers to develop, more, commit to the AWD concept.  And
given Audis propensity to be willing to share that technology under license
or manufacture, makes this rule seem even more absurd.... 

What happened in the 80's Rally venue?  Audi proved AWD superior there.  And
others: Lancia, Renault, Ford, Mazda, Toyota etc. developed (and some quickly
I might add) AWD systems that equalized the field within 2 years.....  At
that time FIA and SCCA enjoyed the "POR" rulings AWD technology brought to
the table.  What has changed?   

Specifically, what has changed in road racing.  Audi dominated the tarmac in
Road racing with the Trans Am and Grand Touring venues in the late 80's, esp
here in the US.....  That was 8 years ago now, and we're back again...  Does
the FIA ruling here mean AWD has to run ala GM, in a  series
dominated/sponsored by it's own marque?  A truly superior and proven
technology such as AWD in racing should be treated the same as some of the
others, look at the torsen for instance....  A proven technology for the
track, you didn't have one, you did the next year, and that's at the IT level
now....  Lola chassis in Indy no good this year, go get the Penske.....  Why
is AWD any different.  If it is that vastly superior, put it on your race
car.  With the investment that Audi and BMW have put toward the various
Touring Car Championships, AWD is not a great expense.  BMW got a bad taste
cuz they "added" it in the late 80's, but it was an afterthought, a RWD trans
with a front drive system added, it had problems.  That is a design and
commitment problem, not a concept problem.  Commit to it, make it work, and
it will even audis "unfair advantage" .  The gap closed quickly in the
ProRally field, nothing is different here.....  And imagine, buyers of these
machines might even realize the benefits of the technology....   And audi has
shown, in the showroom, that the q is a 1500.oo upgrade option, hardly a bank
breaker....  

This author strongly (like you couldn't tell) that FIA is making a mistake by
letting the "disadvantaged" get the ruling over audi...  AWD is a technology,
not a magic, mystic  or rule exception (read mercedes/Penske)...  Make the
manufacturers equalize the field, whether by improving RWD technology (and it
can be improved) or get on the bandwagon.  Making audis run around with a bag
full o' rocks is just silly, and you can't fairly do it, cuz you'd need to
add rocks based on rain days/non rain days....  BMW and the others should
stop bitchin'....  Audi, well maybe stop the wheelies in the rain...  FIA,
make racing what it's supposed to be, cutting edge technology...  Audi with
15 years of cutting edge technology? Same argument as N*car with carbs, when
90% the world was with Fuel Injection....

My .02 @ peso exhange

Scott