Only 5 days to the best race in the world! First qualifying is the 14th at 1900 - have to "watch" it on the computer. I think the F1 folks need to learn from the AOC group: Following the various meetings and the eye-witness reports from the drivers at the Le Mans 24-Hours test day on Sunday 4th June, the ‘South’ pit exit will be used for the race. For the test day on 4th July the ‘North’ exit was used in compliance with the choice made by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) when it came to homologating the circuit. The “A.S.A. A.C.O. 24 Heures du Mans” presided by Jean-Claude Plassart took appropriate action and contacted the different sporting Federations immediately to meet the drivers’ demands. The decision to use the ‘South’ exit was then officially agreed and validated. “Safety is an absolute priority shared by everybody and we hope that the solution we’ve found will allow the drivers to leave the pits in the safest possible conditions,” said Daniel Poissenot, the ACO assistant general manager and Le Mans 24-Hours Clerk of the Course. He added that he was very pleased by the constructive quality of the discussions with both the drivers and the Sporting Authorities. This exit will be used from the start of the first session of qualifying practice on Wednesday 14th September at 19h00. Carol Scuderia Ecosse #1 GT2 Test Day 4:04.252
We just posted a preview with a fully illustrated entry list, some predictions and a 150 shot slideshow of the test day. I'll be at the race and you can expect an indepth report a day or two after the race illustrated with hundreds of exclusive and high resolution images. For now here is the preview: http://www.***************.com/frame.php?file=feature_item.php&fid=10
Gonna be a great race this year. Carol Biela expects fierce battle for pole Frank Biela believes his Audi team will be part of an exciting battle for pole position in qualifying for this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours. The three-time race winner believes that despite teams historically using the Wednesday and Thursday night qualifying sessions for race preparation, nearly all cars will attempt quick qualifying runs to gain a psychological advantage going into the race itself. Pescarolo Sport driver Franck Montagny set a blisteringly quick time around the Le Sarthe circuit in last week's official free practice session, beating the fastest time set by Dindo Capello in the new diesel-powered Audi R10 TDI by nearly two seconds. However, Biela is confident in the pace of the new R10 will allow his team to challenge for pole. "In practice we were all surprised how good our car was." "During testing there are always some little things that we have to sort out but we expected more trouble in terms of finding a good balance. What we found was that the setup and balance was very good. "It handles how we want to have it. We were just concentrating on the programme, sorting tyres out and trying to get long runs in and that was it. "That definitely gives me confidence going into this week. There is no doubt that the car was very good from the beginning. Having been there last weekend everyone is being even more confident. It was very positive and everyone else seems to be well-prepared. "The priority this week is definitely finding a race setup and making sure all the three drivers feel confident with the car over a longer distance. "But of course with the pace we have I'm very sure we will try to look as good as possible in qualifying. "Everybody knows that pole position is not necessarily a race win but if you are there it is a nice thing. It would be good. "We will definitely bolt on a set of tyres at the end of qualifying and go for that quick lap. I'm pretty sure that is going to happen, unless we run into some problems and we have to sort some other things out. That's what everybody does." "We will use the first few hours to make sure that everything is working well and in the end we will go faster to try and get a good qualifying lap." Le Mans 24 hours qualifying is run over two days. Each day has two, two-hour sessions. The first runs in daylight from 7 to 9pm local time, with a night-time session held from 10pm until midnight.
thanks for the info! I'm planning on watching it on speed channel. they didnt mention if they're having flag to flag coverage this year or not though. But at least I'll be able to catch the start and finish. Anyone know what website will have covereage on this also? thanks, D
I'm gonna use the excuse my parents always used with me: Because it is. Period. i enjoy seeing the different classes battle it out and 24 hrs of racing can't be beat!!
Because . . . the demands on the car, the demands on the drivers, the 74 year history of the event, the atmosphere of the event, the classic cars of the past, the fact you have multiple car types competing on the same course at the same time, the passing, the famous turns, etc . . . . Looks like we might need to take our rain ponchos with us. First qualifying dominated by Allan and the R10 in wet conditions -> 4:19.863 - the lap times were considerably off due to the weather. Intersport qualified 2nd fastest in LMP2 - GO LIZ!!! Second qualifying session should be underway now. Carol
If you really must know why it is the best, as hokie as it sounds you can listen and watch the ten minutes leading up to the start of the Steve McQueen movie. The announcer says it all. Whether you like it or not no other movie has conveyed the passion for racing of this movie. Yes some of it is really boring. That's why they make FF on DVD's.
Glad that Speed is providing the great coverage. Found a really neat tool. Sitting in the room at the Sheraton at Charles de Gaulle airport (just got her not long ago) playing on internet on tv via wireless Philips keyboard. Going down the esclator two levels to see about catching the TGV train to LeMans. Hoping to meet up with Tina and Carsten from Denmark over the weekend. They're big on FChat too. Beautiful day here hope its similar south of here. Carol
Thanks for the information, Carol. I can't get motorsports tv, my cable supplier hasn't it. I must watch on the computer. I hope not to see a diesel engine winning the race...it would be horrible for motor racing. Nuno.
What a perfectly silly attitude to take. What's wrong with progress? That's like being in the 1950s and hoping "those little rear engined cooper lawnmowers don't win F1 races... It would be horrible for motorsport." If the R10 can go farther on a tank of fuel, with stump-pulling torque availiable out of the slow corners, then why shouldn't they race? The cars are almost silent (important in the future as lots of tracks are being subject to noise regulations now - just look at Monza), they don't produce any smoke, and technologically the R10 is at least as clever as any F1 car on the grid.
We spent part of this late afternoon in the pits - the only engine running was one of the Pescarolo; the Audi guys were practicing changing tires; most everyone else had all the body parts set out in front of the car which was back in the garage on lifts with guys doing various things. It's really fantastic to get right there with the cars and the mechanics. A very large crowd there today. Unfortunately we had to catch a TGV train back to the airport at 20:03 so we missed the driver parade which emcompassed a large portion of the city center. Already saying next year for the 75th running we need to stay in the city center on Friday night. Lots of outdoor eating places. Audi had a really neat publication for everone at their main base of operations - Audi Express. The Qualifying results showed the two Audi in P1 and P2 followed by the Pescarolo in P3 & P4. In LMP2 first was RML followed by my "team" Intersport. GREAT NEWS for Ferrari fans - Scuderia Ecosse is second in GT2 behind IMSA Matmut Porsche. Flying Lizards were4th and White Lightning was 5th. IN GT1 it was the two Astons then the Vette of Gavin/Beretta/Magnussen. We're headed to LeMans on an 8:40 am TGV train so no reports until we check back here into the Sheraton on Sunday night. There's so much to do and so much to see at the track. We got fantastic seats in the Michelin stands next to the ACO stand and we're just past the start/finish line. I think I'm really hooked on this tv internet with the funky wireless keyboarad! Carol
Here we go again... There is another thread on de diesel audi's at Le Mans. My point still stands: If the rules have to be bent SO far as they were done by the ACO and Audi to make a diesel competitive... then diesel is NOT progress but a step DOWN...
Here is a recap of what I wrote earlier in the other "Audi Diesel le Mans" thread. >>> Quickly browsing through the ACO regulations for the 24 Heures du Mans for 2006 shows the following: Supercharged Gasoline engines with more than 2 valves per cylinder: Max displacements: 4000 cc Maximum supercharging pressure: 1500 mbar Air restrictors: 45.3 / 32.4 Fixed internal turbo geometry Supercharged diesel engines: Max displacement: 5500 cc Maximum supercharging pressure: 2940 mbar Air restrictors: 55.9 / 39.9 Variable internal turbo geometry allowed To me (and I'm a simple guy) that means that a Diesel engine needs roughly 40% more displacement, 4 times as much over-boost, 20% larger restrictors and technically more advanced turbos than a gasoline engine to be competive... <<< Progress? WHAT progress? Let's face it... The event was "bought" by Audi... They are a HUGE sponsor for the event, have their car on the poster, the program, billboards on the track, LARGE amounts of TV air time and not to forget Shell who chimed in with a couple of $$$ to promote their V-Power Diesel fuel etc... BTW... rumour has it that Audi was losing time refuelling because of the "foaming" of the diesel fuel so Shell quickly altered the chemical composition of the fuel to make Audi quicker during fuel stops. Hurrah for the "one-non-biased-fuel-supplier-for-the-whole-event" concept! I overheard one of the Audi executives say "We wanted to show that when you're in the maket for a Diesel, Audi is the make to look at". I fear that that is what it is all about... NOT an epic 24-hour battle anymore...
You need not forget that Audi killed all comers with the "old gas" motors and that this car is most certainly a step forward, not backward, anyway you look @ it. I am not a big fan of blaming the team for taking advantage of the rule set as it is written. They were the first, most certainly not the last, to run this formula successfully. No blame here, just praise.
You need not forget that Audi could ONLY do that because the 2006 rules were amended to allow diesels 40% more of this, 4 times as much of that, 20% more of such etc to do that. These were changes in the regulations that were added SPECIFICALLY for 2006 which just HAPPENED to be the year that Audi wanted to prove their diesel power (AND sponsored the event with several millions of $$$$$$$$)... what a STRANGE coincidence... When it turned out that the Audi diesels were slightly overweight.... the A/C rule was hastely added... another STRANGE coincidence... I would applaud the diesel effort IF they would have won with a car and engine which operates with the same displacement, same air restrictors, etc as the other cars. Bending the rules to allow non-competitive technology to win an event blows. Period. How about this: Batavus, famous Dutch bicycle manufacturer, has decided to heavily sponsor the 2007 Le Mans 24 Hours and enter 2 bicycles. Dirk Batavus, CEO of Batavus Bicycles, is confident that the recent changes in rules and regulations will give the Batavus team and it's innovative concept of entering the Le Mans 24 Hours with a human-powered vehicle ample opportunity to win the event. "Since bicycles, under the recently added rules, only have to cover 2 entire laps of the famous La Sarthe track while non-human-powered vehicles have to battle for the entire 24 hours, 2007 will see the first win of a truely zero-emissions vehicle. We have invested heavily in this technology to make it better than any internal combustion technology and the Le Mans 24 Hours are the perfect place to demonstrate that we are on the right track. The only problem we foresee are the 22 hours that our crew will have to wait for the other teams to complete their race so that we can start with the podium ceremony." Sounds utterly rediculous, doesn't it? Well, more or less the same thing was done for diesels...
