Le Mans Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2011

[Galahad]

Halfway through the session and the Drapeau Rouge has come out (perhaps a marshal has spilt mayonnaise in a braking zone?) - Audi currently 1-2-3 with Peugeot - Zut Alors! - over 2 seconds adrift!

 

[RevMaxPower]

Excellent News Galahad. I must be psychic!

 

[Galahad]

Jaime Melo has taken the GT pole in his AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia. Rob Bell was second quickest in the similar JMW Motorsport car, with Melo's team-mate Fisichella third. The first non-Ferrari in fourth was the Felbermayr Porsche of Marc Lieb, with the BMW M3s of Augusto Farfus fifth and Andy Priaulx seventh.

The prototypes are qualifying now...

 

[Galahad]

Drama in the prototype qualifying session, as a red flag stopped proceedings before the three works Peugeots had set representative times.

As such, it's a 1-2-3 for the Audi R18, with Timo Bernhard fastest on a 2:01.5, from Andre Lotterer (2:01.7) and Tom Kristensen (2:02.1). Nicolas Lapierre is fourth in the 2010-spec ORECA Peugeot with a time of 2:05.4. The best petrol runner was Nicolas Prost's Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota in fifth, with a time of 2:06.7. The three works Peugeot 908s will line up provisionally in 13th, 18th and 50th places.

Danny Watts was fastest of the LMP2 runners in the Strakka Racing HPD. RML withdrew their LMP2 car from the meeting this morning after a crash at Stavelot in yesterday's second practice session in which driver Mike Newton was hospitalised. Luckily he wasn't injured and was released last night, however the car was beyond repair.

 

[Brogan]

Oh dear, that's a disaster for the Peugeot team.

You should never underestimate the importance of getting at least one decent lap in, just in case.

 

[Galahad]

Oh dear, that's a disaster for the Peugeot team.

You should never underestimate the importance of getting at least one decent lap in, just in case.

True, although when the session is only 20 minutes it's problematic - go out at the start and the track is likely to be packed with LMP2s and FLMs and you'll struggle for a clear lap. It's a six hour race so tout est possible, as they say.

 

[Fenderman]

I hear the Peugeots have taken to performing the Mercedes Flip. Any news on whether they've figured out the problem?

Reasonable sunshine outside today but for some reason I can't drag myself away from the Spa 1000km. On now on Eurosport 2 ... and Eurosport 1 later. They're covering the entire 6hr race today! Yippee. Peugeot's doing well ... no flights ... ... yet.

 

[Fenderman]

Talking to myself now. Peugeot update. Hour and a half to go - Car 9 just visited the gravel trap from P2. Oh well, there goes a 1,2,3.

Edited with another update - 1 Hour to go - 3rd place Audi has to pit for damage repair - Peugeot 1,2,3, on again!

Final edit. All over. Nice result for ex-F1 drviers Alex Wurz, Marc Gene and Anthony Davidson!

 

[RevMaxPower]

Audi pardners....!

 

[Galahad]

Sadly I was otherwise engaged yesterday.

How did the Pugs get ahead of Audi? Audi problems or just plain faster?

 

[Fenderman]

Hi Folk's, nearly forgot I posted on this thread! In answer to your question, Galahad, Audi possibly had more problems but I think it was the driving really. Peugeot No. 7 with Ant, Marc and Alex was really the more consistent with great stints - particularly by Alex - and I didn't notice any excursions. Audi on the other hand seemed to suffer in traffic and some driver errors that cost them time. They threw away a possible 2nd but, no, a great performance by the Pugs ... except the one that threw away 3rd!!!.

 

[Galahad]

From 2012 there will be an FIA World Endurance Championship, incorporating Le Mans!

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2011/Pages/wmsc-030611.aspx

Stephane Ratel has also got his way, and modified GT2 and 3 cars will be allowed into the GT1 World Championship. He should be able to get a full grid together now.

 

[Matthew Little]

From 2012 there will be an FIA World Endurance Championship, incorporating Le Mans!

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2011/Pages/wmsc-030611.aspx

Stephane Ratel has also got his way, and modified GT2 and 3 cars will be allowed into the GT1 World Championship. He should be able to get a full grid together now.

Reading this, two thoughts come to mind...............
(1)this is good news; chances are both Sebring and Petit Le Mans will be a part of the schedule(now if only Daytona were on it as well.......)
(2)this, plus watching this year's LeMans 24, made me actually ask myself several times, "Why the hell am I still a Grand-Am supporter?"

 

[Galahad]

What this also means, is an uneasy truce between the ACO and FIA. So now we're going to get an Endurance Commissioner, Endurance Technical Working Group and Bureau and all that jazz.

Don't rule out the diesels being equalised down to the level of the AMR-One...

 

[Galahad]

As part of Mercedes' attempts to showcase their new customer SLS AMG GT3 car, one Mika Hakkinen will be driving in the ILMC round at Zhuhai in China next month.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95610

Not sure whether I like the car or not. It's certainly aggressive. Shades of the old Vipers, perhaps?

 

[Brogan]

I have to say I really like that, it reminds me of the old gull-wing Mercs.

 

[Fenderman]

Should get to see some coverage on Bloomberg and/or Eurosport with a bit of luck. On board stuff should be available on-line with Peugeot and Audi TV "channels". Yummy.

 

[Fenderman]

The last Le Mans Series race of the season gets underway at Zuhai at 4.00am Central European Time tomorrow (Sunday 12th November 2011).

Watch it live on:
Audi TV: http://tv.audi.com/portal/#/01
Peugot Sport TV access via: http://www.peugeot-sport.com/en/endurance/home.html
Live commentary: links can be found on: http://www.lemanslive.com/en

 

[gethinceri]

October?

 

[Fenderman]

slip of the wrist. Corrected. Thanks, Geth'