2008 Le Mans Thread

Thanks for the updates, Hazardous :)

Phew, at least someone is reading them :)

Good way to keep myself occupied.

Since I'm writing this, update on hour 6. Three quarters of the way still to go!
Another lead change as Franck Montagny in the #9 Peugeot just took the lead of the race from Jacques Villeneuve. Montagny has been setting blinding pace over the last hour, winning over a minute over Villeneuve. #2 Audi is a minute behind the two Peugeots partially due to a driver change, they are able to constantly do sligltly longer stints between pit stops and their drivers are also doing quad stints. Everything still to play for. The other Audis are a lap down but battling between themselves for fourth place.

No changes in petrol league, still Oreca Malmut from Pescarolo and Dome. No changes in LMP2 either, Porsches of Essex and van Merkstejn still lead with a minute between them and the Speedy Racing Lola two laps behind. GT1 is still tight as ever, the Aston leading with the Corvettes half a minute behind and within few seconds of each other. Risi Ferrari still leads GT2 by 45 seconds over the Falbemayr Porsche.
 
Its good to see this year that Peugeot got a more even start this time within Le Mans. I would personally like to see them win just to shake Audi up. Thanks for the updates, I am totally pissed at speed right now for their coverage of a some sometime race over the best race of the year, oh well.
 
Hour 7...
No big dramas now. The #9 and #7 Peugeots, now with Klien and Gene at the wheel are running in close formation at the lead. Kristensen in #2 is about a minute behind, and #3 and #1 are still disputing for 4th place. The Oreca Malmut is holding 6th place overall and best placed petrol car, while #8 is now up on seventh which is remarkable considering the six lap disadvantage they gave to others. Alex Wurz made the quote of the race so far, 'We'll drive it like we stole it'.

In LMP2 von Merkstejn car took the lead as the Team Essex Porsche suffered a puncture, luckily not too far from the pit entry. In GT1 the lead has also changed, with the Corvette taking the lead from the leading Aston, and also the #007 taking the third place from the second factory Vette. In GT2 no big changes.

STOP PRESS!! At the time of writing this Christian Klien spins the leading Peugeot into the gravel trap! It'll take a while to get that one out. e: It's back on track, lost about a lap there.

I'll get me coffee and settle for the night :)
 
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Hour eight, third of the way in the race...
After Klien's off Marc Gene is now leading the race in the #7 Peugeot. #2 Audi is holding 2nd place almost two minutes behind while the #9 car is now on third place with Zonta now in the wheel. The diesels are now again holding the top six places and Oreca Malmut still leads the petrol club from Dome and lead Pescarolo.

Von Merkstejn still leads LMP2 with Team Essex car two and a half minutes behind and Speedy Racing Lola two laps back. In GT1 it's #63 Corvette leading from the two Astons with #009 ahead of #007. #64 still holds fourth. In GT2 Risi keeps the lead from Team Felbelmayr Porsche but the AF Corse Ferrari that was holding third place spun out about 20 minutes ago and is now way back. Third place is now held by Virgo Motorsport Ferrari.

Need more coffee I think...
 
I'm saving my beers for later (earlier?). Mind you, I did have a few early on, but at these hours I'll stick with coffee. Gonna watch the whole 24 hours, Pharoahe?

Ninth hour
No major dramas in the top, #7 Peugeot still leads #2 Audi. The major drama of LMP1 was a disastrous engine problem for the Dome, which also forced #8 Peugeot to pits for windscreen cleanup. The Dome is back in the garage and whether it can continue remains to be seen. Shame, it was a great debut run so far for the gorgeous car.

No dramas in LMP2, Van Merkstejn still leads from Essex and Speedy Racing. Also no changes in GT1, #63 Corvette holds the lead from #009 and #007 Astons. In GT2 there was drama, though, as the 2nd placed Team Felbermayr Porsche hit trouble and was forced to pits where it still is. That was the last Porsche in contention for the win, and now Ferraris hold places 1-5 with Risi Competizione entry leading the Virgo Motorsports, BMS Scuderia Italia, Farnbacher and JMB Racing entries.
 
No I'm not going to watch to whole race, had a late on yesterday because of the Euro2008 (I'm from Holland)

We have some contributors present in Le Mans that will report and photograph the event. So I won't miss a thing ;)

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That is one awesome safety car! (Audi R8)

Courage off
 
Hour 10, nearing halfway mark
This hour was cut down by Marcel F?ssler crashing the #6 Oreca Malmut Courage and bringing out the safety car. The lead pack remained in their positions although the gap between the leading Peugeot and #2 Audi went up to two minutes as McNish was stuck behind the second safety car. The crash of #6 and the engine problems for the Dome (which is still in the garage) have promoted Pescarolo to the lead of petrol league, the second Oreca Malmut car to second and the second Pescarolo to third.

No dramas in other categories, and apart from GT1 the gaps have now incraesed.
 
11th hour
No big dramas in the lead, #7 Peugeot is still extending their lead over #2 Audi and #9 Peugeot is playing catchup. In the meantime, #3 Audi had a minor moment in Mulsanne corner and #8 Peugeot spent some more time back in the garage with more gearbox trouble.

Meanwhile in GT1 the #009 Aston has taken the lead back from the #63 Corvette during a pit stop. #007 still holds third in class. No changes in LMP2 or GT2, though.

Things have settled down for the night, it seems.

This is the first Le Mans I've watched all (well, up to the 11th hours so fair) of it, and I'm loving it!

It's great isn't it :)
 
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This is the first Le Mans I've watched all (well, up to the 11th hours so fair) of it, and I'm loving it!
 
Hour 12, half way mark, only 12 hours to go...
Well, it has been an interesting first half of the race.

In LMP1 the #7 Peugeot still leads with Jacques Villeneuve at the wheel. Jacques has a serious chance to become the second man ever to win Le Mans, Indy 500 and Monaco GP. At the moment the gap to second-placed #2 Audi is over a lap. #9 Peugeot still holds third, and the other two Audis still hold formation on fourth and fifth. The best placed Pescarolo holds sixth and leads petrol runners ahead of the remaining Oreca Malmut car, while the troubled #8 Peugeot is on 8th place overall.

LMP2 has been dominated by the two Porsches, with Van Merkstejn leading the way ahead of the Team Essex car. The best of the rest is the Saulnier Racing with their P2 spec Pescarolo has now taken over third place.

In GT1 is by far and away the closest class so for the time being. The #009 Aston holds the lead and #63 Corvette is half a minute behind with #007 Aston further minute and a half back.

GT2 looks reasonably settled with Ferraris still holding positions 1-5. Risi Competizione is leading the way, two laps ahead of the Virgo Motorsport entry which has suffered from power steering trouble, BMS Scuderia Italia, JMB Racing and Farnbacher Racing entries. Felbermayr Porsche is on sixth but 12 laps behind the lead.

In other news, after making it to the race despite the huge accident on wednesday the Lola-Mazda suffered a mechanical failure and is out of the running at least for the time being, while the Dome is back on track.
 
Bernie Ecclestone needs to take over Le Mans, I cannot believe there are NO channels in Australia showing this race.

It'll never happen, Bernie or no Bernie - there isn't anywhere near enough people here interested in the race. Our best hope may be for perhaps SBS to show an hourly highlights package during their ad-breaks.

Hazardous - Thanks for the updates! :thumbsup:
 
This is the first Le Mans I've watched all (well, up to the 11th hours so fair) of it, and I'm loving it!

I wish I could do that, fucking Speed and their NASCAR coverage.
 
Hazardous, +1 for the thank you's! You kept me in it at the beginning.

Speed is now showing Le Mans coverage, so I'll be staying up as late as I can parked in front of the TV. My alarm is set for 1hr before the finish. All of my friends and family think I'm crazy, I've turned off my phone and I've planned my entire weekend around this race. The ribbing is worth it - I love this race!!!

I wish I could do that, fucking Speed and their NASCAR coverage.

I know. I was expecting to see Le Mans at 1:00 PM when I got back from an exam. I rushed to the TV only to hear a discussion on The Car of Tomorrow. Ugh. To the internets!
 
Happily Eurosport is showing almost entire 24 hours live (minus some short sports newsflashes) for the first time during the time I've had the channel. For once no need to fiddle with the streams. Fantastic.

Thanks for the kind words and rep, by the way. I'm intending to do the hourly updates for the rest of the race as well :)
 
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