manufacturing start of the R18 tube

Today I started with the manufacturing of the AUDI R18TDI. The monocoque is for sure a bit different compared to a F1, because it’s a doubbleseater and closed. The lower part is indeed very similar to a F1 monocoque. But that’s not really astonishing, a LMP1 is only a cased formula car.
To the monocoque itself. The LMP1 is with 900mm certainly much bigger than the F1 with 640mm. The entering height is with 500mm (LMP1) to 625mm (F1) a bit lower. The lenght of the rear cockpit blukhead to the front is 1560mm (R18) compared to 1800mm (F1). The top height is 1030mm (LMP1) against 950mm (F1). In generally you could say, that there are much more regulations in F1 than in endurance racing. The LMP1/LMP2 text has 52 pages in english and french, so you can say 26 pages in english compared to the 74(!) of the F1 regs. That’s for sure much more easy for me, because I’ve not to look after so many things like in F1. The most important chapter for me, Bodyword & Dimensions has 4,5 pages in LMP1 and 10 in F1.

But now to the manufacturing. The shape of the lower part is finished. You can see the keel like in F1. For sure also the LMP1 cars have a high nose. However there the high nose is more there for supporting the front diffuser than leading air to the underbody and the rear diffuser. At the rear you can see the fuel tank housing. A LMP1 (Diesel) has only a regulated fuel capacity of 65 litres compared to a F1 car with about 170 to 180l.

The general shape of the monocoque is quite similar to a F1.