Le Mans 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours

[RevMaxPower]

Ha! Surely you jest Matthew...

 

[Galahad]

This month's Motor Sport magazine has an excellent Le Mans preview (odd timing...perhaps they've something big planned for next month) which I'd recommend to everyone (obviously easier for UK-based members...!).

In it they interview Audi's engine chief Ulrich Baretzky, who is forthright on the subject of Aston Martin's prototype contender, describing their choice of powerplant as "incomprehensible" and going on: "They made an open car with the wrong engine. A straight-six engine with a turbo - sorry, but this is one of the worst combinations I have ever seen."

 

[RevMaxPower]

Heh-heh......

 

[Galahad]

Such a shame it won't race in that livery, isn't it?

 

[RevMaxPower]

Such a shame it won't race in that livery, isn't it?

Don't tell me it's going to be painted like a 1940 Messerschmidt Me 109!!!! (or a Ferrari, even.) You obviously know more than me (not difficult ) - please enlighten, Sir G...

 

[Galahad]

At the test day they were painted as follows:

http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24h/update/Test-day-opens-at-0900_3443.html

 

[RevMaxPower]

Oh .......

 

[siffert_fan]

Those damnable "shark fins" on the Audi and Aston make them look like bread vans from the side. However, they DO provide acres of space for adverts!

 

[RevMaxPower]

You old cynic!

 

[Matthew Little]

Ha! Surely you jest Matthew...

No, I honestly think if Peugeot hadn't run their 908's into the ground last year, they would've beaten the boys from Ingolstadt........

Then again, Axle......I would love to see about 15 or so Daytona Prototypes' blasting down the Mulsanne Straight at full song.........

 

[Matthew Little]

Found a few more LeMans videos on the Youtube to whet the appetite, now that LeMans is only about a month or so down the road............

Speaking of the 1991 edition......here were the class winners at La Sarthe that year:
---C2 Class: #55 MazdaSpeed Mazda 787B(Johnny Herbert, Bertrand Gachot, Volker Weidler)
---C1 Class: #41 Euro Racing/Team Fedco Spice SE90C/Ford-Cosworth DFZ(Kiyoshi Misaki, Hisashi Yokoshima, Naoki Nagasaka)

 

[Matthew Little]

Speed Channel: LeMans 24--Highcroft Withdraws, Ends Partnership With HPD

According to the above article, 2-time ALMS champions Highcroft Racing have withdrawn from the 24 Hours of LeMans & have ended their partnership with Honda Performance Development; Kronos Racing will enter the LeMans 24 grid as an alternate LMP entry.

 

[Galahad]

Bloody shame.

That's the only competitive petrol runner gone, then.

 

[RevMaxPower]

So let's torque about the diesels then Galahad.

 

[Matthew Little]

Speed Channel: ACO Makes Pre-LeMans 24 Preformance Adjustments

Officials with the ACO released their list of technical adjustments this week; here are the highlights..........
~~~LMP1: Gas-powered prototypes were given a fuel-flow restrictor increase; in addition, most received air intake restrictor increases as well. In addition, teams can choose whether they wish to either, (a)use the larger air intake restrictor or (b)be allowed to take 10kg of ballast off the cars(however, teams that go this route must decide one or the other; they cannot use both AND they cannot switch options during the remainder of either the ILMC or LeMans Series seasons
~~~LMP1: Diesel-powered entries were given smaller fuel-flow restrictors; however, Team ORECA Matmut received a 15kg weight break for their 2010-spec Peugeot 908 HDi prototypes
~~~LMP2: All LMP2 entrants were given fuel-flow restrictor increases; in addition, any LMP2 teams utilizing Judd & HPD engines received a larger air intake restrictor
~~~GTE: (1)all GTE entrants received a 50kg weight break, (2)the Lotus Evora GTE received a 1.4mm air intake restrictor increase, (3)the Aston Martin Vantage can run with a 10mm smaller gurney, and (4)the Ford GT will be allowed to run with a 1.3mm air intake restrictor increase

 

[siffert_fan]

Le Mans is always worth going to, if for no other reason than to watch Kristensen in action! How he never went into Formula 1 escapes me. His control in the wet is incredible!

 

[Brent]

Anyone know where I can watch the race this year? Online or tv channel?

 

[Brogan]

Where are you based?

If in the UK, it's usually broadcast on Eurosport on TV and also on their site.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/motorsport/le-mans/

 

[Matthew Little]

Speed Channel's probably going to have its' usual 18+ hours of LeMans coverage(they'll start around 8:30am Saturday morning, run straight through Saturday except for a few hours mid/late-afternoon and then run straight through to the end Sunday morning)...........better start firing up the coffee machines for the 24.

 

[RevMaxPower]

Not long to wait now for the absolute PINNACLE of Motorsport to get under way...