Le Mans Le Mans and the WEC

[Galahad]

On Eurosport? No idea, I'm listening to Radiolemans.

Edit: sounds like Carlton Kirby is one.

 

[Galahad]

Extraordinary - Romain Dumas hits the tyres at the first chicane, gets out, tears off the loose frontal bodywork with his gloved hands and is now touring back to the pits with the front right suspension completely broken!

 

[gethinceri]

On the live LeMans TV, there's a French chap and he had an English guy on with him.

 

[FB]

That's a result, tennis finished so Le Mans in HD

 

[gethinceri]

On the Mighty Eurosport!

 

[FB]

Indeed so, although we now have 30 minutes of football chat

 

[Galahad]

Woah! HUGE accident for Davidson! Hit by a Ferrari, flipped completely over lengthways through the air, landed on its wheels and very hard into the tyre barrier at Mulsanne Corner. The Ferrari ended on it's roof. Both drivers appear to be ok. Long Safety Car period in prospect to repair the Armco.

 

[FB]

Just caught the replay on Le Mans TV - that was nasty.

 

[Galahad]

Horrendous piece of driving from Perazzini, if his car didn't break.

 

[gethinceri]

Awful, and to see an LMP1 flip really puts your heart in your mouth. Bet Ant shat himself.

 

[Fenderman]

Classic problem with ground effect cars. at that speed the side on nudge lifted the car allowing air entering under the front to "detach" the ground effect from the car making it go airborne.

Coincidentally, that is what worries me about the design of the Delta Wing car as it could have an accident like that all by itself just by taking a kerb too hard or clouting an object on the track - especially as we now know that the weight distribution has been designed to have as much of the weight rearward over the back wheels.

Oh, well, back to the race.

 

[tooncheese]

Repairs done in 25 minutes.

 

[Galahad]

And straight away on the restart Nakajima's Toyota hits the DeltaWing and puts it into the wall. Kazuki has pitted for right rear repairs.

 

[Lewywo4]

Looks like that's it for Toyota....damn shame!

 

[Galahad]

Still early days yet. Alap can easily be gained or lost in the remaining 17 hours.

 

[Galahad]

Ah, the Toyota is back into the garage for more repairs. Could be a big swing towards Audi - as long as their hybrids prove to be reliable. Still close between Ferrari and Corvette in GTE though.

 

[Jos the Boss]

How's Brundle doing?

 

[Galahad]

The Brundle car was going steady and slowly creeping up the order, but an alternator belt went and they lost three laps to repairs, so they're probably out of contention. Alex Brundle's stint was particularly impressive

 

[Jos the Boss]

Oh thats not good, never know the other guys may have problems and the Brundles win!

 

[Galahad]

They're 15th in class and 25th overall, so I'm not going to build your hopes up!