LeMans 24 hours 2011

[Ray]

Now Audi Sport car number #1 in a bad smash. Carbon copy to before with a Ferrari 458 Italia #71 entry. Hope Mike Rockenfeller is all fine and well.

This time it was at the second kink on the run down to Indionapolis from Mulsanne Corner.

Are the technichal regulations to blame now in Le Mans, they took arround 150 brake off the top end of the cars last year, but now are the teams now running the cars so skinny on downforce to make the time on the straights that they dont have the aero to overtake safely???

I've written the ALMS management about something similar. There are 3 classes of cars with the exact same top speed and acceleration. They are treading dangerous waters killing the ability for the P1 cars to have the power to maintain speeds without sacrificing downforce all in the bullshit scheme to appear 'green'. It's a stupid campaign and I dare say this is the result of having the stupid mentality that racecars should have reduced power just to appease some bullshit campaign that is unnecessary. There is more gasoline consumed in the US in a 24 hour period than a whole season of any racing series worldwide.

[ESPImperium]

Now Audi Sport car number #1 in a bad smash. Carbon copy to before with a Ferrari 458 Italia #71 entry. Hope Mike Rockenfeller is all fine and well.

This time it was at the second kink on the run down to Indionapolis from Mulsanne Corner.

Are the technichal regulations to blame now in Le Mans, they took arround 150 brake off the top end of the cars last year, but now are the teams now running the cars so skinny on downforce to make the time on the straights that they dont have the aero to overtake safely???

I've written the ALMS management about something similar. There are 3 classes of cars with the exact same top speed and acceleration. They are treading dangerous waters killing the ability for the P1 cars to have the power to maintain speeds without sacrificing downforce all in the bullshit scheme to appear 'green'. It's a stupid campaign and I dare say this is the result of having the stupid mentality that racecars should have reduced power just to appease some bullshit campaign that is unnecessary. There is more gasoline consumed in the US in a 24 hour period than a whole season of any racing series worldwide.

More or less aggree. Not to mention the ammount of fuel that is consumed in the Logistics of world wide motorsport.

I think they need to get the downforce to about the same as it was 2 years ago and put about 50 or 60 brake on the engines. But whilst doing it, reduce the fuel of the diesels by arround 3L and give the petrol cars another 5L to make them come into the battle.

The bullsht crusade at the top of motorsport with the green credentials, but heres this gimmic for it to come in should take a look good in the eyse of the broader media and on looking population.

Just not sure what can be done to make the sport "green" whilst allowing better performance. However Safety should be at the centre of anything in motorsport.

[Jersey Tom]

Listening to these fellas talking on Eurosport... is the speed differential an issue? To a degree if it's truly insane. Not sure it's truly that bad between prototypes and GT in Le Mans.

I think the issue in both these big crashes was just driver awareness.. knowing where the faster car was, how close, and how close they were approaching.

Would be interesting to hear the real opinions of the drivers.

[Ray]

I think it is a driver awareness issue. Might be directly related to the aero requirements due to smaller engines and less power. The Audis are overtaking quickly but I wonder if the 458s have visibility issue for them as well, they been hit twice after all. First one wasn't solely down to the Ferrari not seeing the Audi but the second crash may have been completely down to it. I really don't like that they are so tight on the wings on the P1s either, they shouldn't have to sacrifice stability to gain speed and I think the reduction in power for some stupid green campaign. Efficiency should be a goal, but not at this possible cost.

[Ray]

I HATE SpeedTV. They are not showing coverage of Le Mans so they can go on some stupid diatribe about some dumbass NASCAR drivers mental state. I really wish I could meet the person in charge of their programming and rearrange his teeth, AFTER I kicked his ass so bad he'd be on life support. This is horrible.

[Jersey Tom]

And there are many more people who, if Le Mans were on, would say... what is this crap?

Speed is an American channel. NASCAR is premiere American racing. Not surprising that they wouldn't have ALL 24 hours of Le Mans coverage. Perfectly reasonable to me.

[jddh1]

I HATE SpeedTV. They are not showing coverage of Le Mans so they can go on some stupid diatribe about some dumbass NASCAR drivers mental state. I really wish I could meet the person in charge of their programming and rearrange his teeth, AFTER I kicked his ass so bad he'd be on life support. This is horrible.

I disagree. They have to cater to a lot of fans with different preferences. I think they do a reasonable job. And don't forget, full uninterrupted coverage on their website so why complain.

[donskar]

And there are many more people who, if Le Mans were on, would say... what is this crap?

Speed is an American channel. NASCAR is premiere American racing. Not surprising that they wouldn't have ALL 24 hours of Le Mans coverage. Perfectly reasonable to me.

Perhaps sad. But definitely true.

[Jersey Tom]

Don't think there's anything sad, bad, or wrong about it. Just is what it is.

[Ciro Pabón]

See the race. Be the race. Close your eyes and enjoy the race. Ommmmm....

Inner peace...

Actually, it's useless to try to understand why different categories don't have different days for their races. It's like why the sky is blue: nobody really knows.

It's a thing they do at Le Mans, just say thanks karts weren't invented when this race started or they would also be racing. The speed differential would be less in this case, I think.

There are several feeds to the race, in case one of them irritates you. The one given at other thread, http://tv.audi.com/#/01 is mesmerizing.

Inner peace...

[Saribro]

I think it is a driver awareness issue. Might be directly related to the aero requirements due to smaller engines and less power. The Audis are overtaking quickly but I wonder if the 458s have visibility issue for them as well, they been hit twice after all. First one wasn't solely down to the Ferrari not seeing the Audi but the second crash may have been completely down to it.

I've seen some head-on footage of that second accident. If those Audi lights are as blinding from inside a car as from that camera angle, there was no way for the Ferrari to have any idea how close the Audi was. May have been 4 meters, or 400.
10+% of the cars on track are 458s, so it might not be a specific car issue, just law of averages. It were after all 2 Audis aswell :).
That said, I do believe that some focus on rear visibility (for all cars) should be on the ACO agenda. Multi-class racing is a constant traffic business; driver awareness should be a priority.

[wesley123]

The Rebellion Lola just crashed out, another safety car. Peugeot is on the lead although Audi is on the abckhand with only one car. Is going to be a one hell of a fight these 9 hours that are still left.

[Mr Alcatraz]

"The Ant" passes for position on track. That lad still has some chops! =D>

And is repassed

Some pretty great drivers!

A who's who of guys that almost made it in F1

[Belatti]

I HATE SpeedTV. They are not showing coverage of Le Mans so they can go on some stupid diatribe about some dumbass NASCAR drivers mental state. I really wish I could meet the person in charge of their programming and rearrange his teeth, AFTER I kicked his ass so bad he'd be on life support. This is horrible.

the meaning of the phrase "coverage of Le Mans" is not known here in my country

I could barely watch bits of Indy 500 so do the math...

I wish I could watch all these racing in my full of free time childhood

and thanks the all for the live feeds

[Princey]

Alexander Wurz just put the Peugeot no.7 car into the wall.. still going but lost lots of time.. shame for Anthony Davidson.. he had a great drive in the night.