2008 Le Mans Thread

[Spazatao]

But why would Audi retire the R10? They're still competitive...

 

[torqueless]

i was reading some talk about GM retiring the corvettes for next year seeing as how there isnt any competition in ALMS for them.

 

[AlexmanDK]

I read an interview with Tom K. somewhere and he said that the R10 was running its lasts season(s) due to the fact that (i think it was) the Peugeots had better laptimes due to the closed cockpits than the audi could achieve with open cockpits. So Audi would have to close it as well.

Makes perfect sense to me

 

[anti-net]

i was reading some talk about GM retiring the corvettes for next year seeing as how there isnt any competition in ALMS for them.

I suspect they will still build and support customer car's though, they have quite a few in FIA GT, FIA GT3 and LMS

But it makes sense, ALMS is a bit of a mess, the GT class is just a parade and so is the LMP1 class and the LMP2 cars are winning out-right - its all wrong!!

 

[airmenair]

Am I right in assuming that Peugeot might have one if they hadn't had that tire problem at the end of the race? I figure if they didn't have to pit they would have passed Audi in the pit and taken then lead, or were they even on the same lap?

 

[Eye-Q]

Yes, they were in the same lap (both did 381 laps), but the Peugeot would have had to gain about 10 seconds per lap in the last half hour to overtake the Audi.

 

[Hazardous]

Am I right in assuming that Peugeot might have one if they hadn't had that tire problem at the end of the race? I figure if they didn't have to pit they would have passed Audi in the pit and taken then lead, or were they even on the same lap?

They needed to stop for about half a tank of fuel anyway so the tyre didn't make that much of a difference., just as much as he lost while limping around the track. Anyway, Minassian had good pace at that point but it still wasn't fast enough, and the fact the rain came down harder in the last 20 minutes or so would have slowed his progress down anyway.

 

[airmenair]

Yes, they were in the same lap (both did 381 laps), but the Peugeot would have had to gain about 10 seconds per lap in the last half hour to overtake the Audi.

When the lead Audi (I believe it was the lead) was in the pit, the 2nd place (I believe it was the 2nd place) Peugeot was coming into the pit, and I believe it arrived before the Audi was able to leave. So, I think it is fair to assume that the Peugeot would have passed the Audi and taken the lead with only a little bit of time remaining...or have I gone completely bonkers?

They needed to stop for about half a tank of fuel anyway so the tyre didn't make that much of a difference., just as much as he lost while limping around the track. Anyway, Minassian had good pace at that point but it still wasn't fast enough, and the fact the rain came down harder in the last 20 minutes or so would have slowed his progress down anyway.

But hadn't they stopped on the previous lap? That is what I remember anyway, if that is so it doesn't seem like good strategy to pit 2 laps in a row. I thought they had put fuel in when they switched to the rain tires. The Audis were quicker in the rain, yes, but Peugeot had gone and put rain tires on while Audi didn't, I figure that might even out the advantage Audi had.

 

[Hazardous]

When the lead Audi (I believe it was the lead) was in the pit, the 2nd place (I believe it was the 2nd place) Peugeot was coming into the pit, and I believe it arrived before the Audi was able to leave. So, I think it is fair to assume that the Peugeot would have passed the Audi and taken the lead with only a little bit of time remaining...or have I gone completely bonkers?



But hadn't they stopped on the previous lap? That is what I remember anyway, if that is so it doesn't seem like good strategy to pit 2 laps in a row. I thought they had put fuel in when they switched to the rain tires. The Audis were quicker in the rain, yes, but Peugeot had gone and put rain tires on while Audi didn't, I figure that might even out the advantage Audi had.

Well, they stopped at the same time around the 23 hour mark when it started to rain. I don't remember when their previous stops where but I'm fairly sure they weren't within the last half hour so both were running out of fuel. I can't see any other reason why the Peugeot came to pits then if they weren't, as thye didn't change tyres. The Audi propably could have stopped a lap or two later but it was obvious they'd need two stops so I'm guessing they wanted to get the car to intermediates and thus pitted early. Both could do about 40 minutes with a tankfull (Audi one more lap than the Peugeot) so neither could make it to the finish at that point.

So in the end the only effect the tyre failure had was costing Peugeot the time it took to limp back to pits and caused them to make their final pit stop earlier.

 

[torqueless]

I suspect they will still build and support customer car's though, they have quite a few in FIA GT, FIA GT3 and LMS

But it makes sense, ALMS is a bit of a mess, the GT class is just a parade and so is the LMP1 class and the LMP2 cars are winning out-right - its all wrong!!

ALMS is as popular as ever. each race sets a new record crowd for each year, and high dollar sponsers are investing in it.

the GT2 class is amazing with the fight between the porsche's and ferrari's...and with BMW entering their new M3 this year @ petit lemans...well, i'm VERY excited.

the GT1 class is just pathetic. aston only races @ sebring to train for lemans and maserati had a car in a few races. but other than that. it's corvette racing always "winning"

as for the LMP cars, i dont think it's wrong.

the Acura LMP2 cars are giving the penske spyders a run for their money almost every race and the mazda/lola cars are quick as well.

i think it's a testament to penske/DHL spyders...i was at petit lemans last year and i saw how fast those porsches are (the winning audi finished only a few seconds in front of the spyder) the audi's have a bit more top end. but on the smaller more technical courses the porsche's are just as quick.

i'd like to see porsche shoot for LMP1 to throw their hat in the ring with the pugs and audi.

 

[anti-net]

ALMS is as popular as ever. each race sets a new record crowd for each year, and high dollar sponsers are investing in it.

the GT2 class is amazing with the fight between the porsche's and ferrari's...and with BMW entering their new M3 this year @ petit lemans...well, i'm VERY excited.

the GT1 class is just pathetic. aston only races @ sebring to train for lemans and maserati had a car in a few races. but other than that. it's corvette racing always "winning"

as for the LMP cars, i dont think it's wrong.

the Acura LMP2 cars are giving the penske spyders a run for their money almost every race and the mazda/lola cars are quick as well.

i think it's a testament to penske/DHL spyders...i was at petit lemans last year and i saw how fast those porsches are (the winning audi finished only a few seconds in front of the spyder) the audi's have a bit more top end. but on the smaller more technical courses the porsche's are just as quick.

i'd like to see porsche shoot for LMP1 to throw their hat in the ring with the pugs and audi.

The racing is just fine in ALMS, my concern is that the ALMS trying to merge LMP1 & LMP2 will mean cars will have to make modifications if they race in the US and then want to come to Le Mans. The ACO could just use the American rules but that would increase the costs. But I can see why there doing it, there is sometimes only the Audi's in the LMP1 class where as in Europe we've got a nice collection of LMP1, LMP2 and a few GT1s

There is a lack of GT cars at the moment though, its just Astons, Saleens and 'Vettes all of which are quite old now. and in GT is mainly just Ferrari and Porsche, hopefully we'll start seeing the Vantage and maybe the GT2 Vette. I also hope to see the Spykers getting quicker with there new engine.

 

[Average Guy]

16. juni 2008 about 21 pm i got the le mans master himself autograf we all know and love him Tom Kristensen! i cant belive it! I was standing rigt up next to (betwene to big guards) for a very long time and i got his autograf damn i was shaking!

dunno if any of you from denmark was there too in Tivoli Friheden (nice day!)

 

[torqueless]

The racing is just fine in ALMS, my concern is that the ALMS trying to merge LMP1 & LMP2 will mean cars will have to make modifications if they race in the US and then want to come to Le Mans. The ACO could just use the American rules but that would increase the costs. But I can see why there doing it, there is sometimes only the Audi's in the LMP1 class where as in Europe we've got a nice collection of LMP1, LMP2 and a few GT1s

There is a lack of GT cars at the moment though, its just Astons, Saleens and 'Vettes all of which are quite old now. and in GT is mainly just Ferrari and Porsche, hopefully we'll start seeing the Vantage and maybe the GT2 Vette. I also hope to see the Spykers getting quicker with there new engine.

new bmw m3 GTR to compete in GT2 though.

gotta be excited about that.

pics

and there is the ford GT race car that the robertson team races...though it's not really competitive...

GT1 does have the Lambo and Maserati and Saleen...but they dont bring them over here.

i hope though, that as sports car racing gets more and more popular. more factory backed teams will bring something to the table.

 

[anti-net]

and there is the ford GT race car that the robertson team races...though it's not really competitive...

GT1 does have the Lambo and Maserati and Saleen...but they dont bring them over here.

i hope though, that as sports car racing gets more and more popular. more factory backed teams will bring something to the table.

The Mazzer cannot run at Le Mans because it doesn't meet the ACO rules, they run in the FIA GT but only by one team now which is Vitaphone, which is a pity.

The problem with the GT cars now is that there just old, the Saleen was built in 2001 (in Britain may I add!). But if you look at the supercar market it has been a bit flat until recently, so hopefully a new crop of GT cars will show up soon, I hope they'll be a Ferrari GT1 car, properly based on the 599.

 

[Karoug]

Don't forget this one:

 

[torqueless]

The Mazzer cannot run at Le Mans because it doesn't meet the ACO rules, they run in the FIA GT but only by one team now which is Vitaphone, which is a pity.

The problem with the GT cars now is that there just old, the Saleen was built in 2001 (in Britain may I add!). But if you look at the supercar market it has been a bit flat until recently, so hopefully a new crop of GT cars will show up soon, I hope they'll be a Ferrari GT1 car, properly based on the 599.

haha,

if you'll remember, the prodrive 550 Maranello downright owned the corvette's in the 2003 24 hours, they beat them by 10 laps!

but yeah, a ferrari backed GT1 car would be awesome.

 

[torqueless]

and, i dont know if you were watching the eurosport coverage of lemans.

but the announcers were gushing over the van merksteijn spyder.

"they have a bit of history in america of beating the lmp1 cars, and just wait til the penske RS spyders get an invite...we cant wait for that. many think that the only reason they arent here...is because they've been asked not to turn up just in case they spoil the party of the lmp1's"

 

[Average Guy]

Don't forget this one:

 

[cdbob]

I can't wait until that comes and races, it should be properly quick

 

[salguod]

So Audi would have to close it as well.

From what I know and have heard, Audi were going to have to change its car to a closed cockpit anyway due to the ACO bringing in new rules that the cars need to resemble, near enough what people can buy for use on the road, but if anything, the Audi in open top form looks more like something that people can buy compared to the Peugeot in closed top form which is just plain ugly. One of the many ploys the French have used in order to tip the balance in their favour in terms of motorsport.

Yes, they were in the same lap (both did 381 laps), but the Peugeot would have had to gain about 10 seconds per lap in the last half hour to overtake the Audi.

The Peugeot would have actually been a lap down, but I'm guessing that the Peugeot bosses wanted the driver to pass the Audi towards the end of the last lap, where everyone was slowing down and were starting to fall behind the Audi as not to do an extra lap, so they were classified as being on the same lap to give the French something to be happy about.