24 Heures du Mans 2020

A lot of Ferrari 488 GTE’s ! Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

No Fords, No BMW’s

AM, Porsche, Corvette and Ferrari it is.
Something happening in GTE class racing....

in future GT3 the leading GT class?

 

GT3 should be. I think hypercar (if it survives) should replace GTE as the factory pro playground. GT3 should be for pro/am. Big issue is that GT3 is an SRO formula so good luck getting FIA/ACO to play nice with the SRO.

 

The WEC rules for GTE are aimed at factory teams.
The SRO GT3 rules are aimed at private teams.
Manufacturers can sell hundreds of GT3 cars since that category is used in many different series, all over the world.
GTE cars are only made in limited numbers since restricted to WEC only, so more expensive.

 

Have there ever been more Ferrari’s entered at Le Mans?

 

Hope they beat the pants off Porsche and Corvette!

 

'Was curious myself. Just the three years I looked (as I had an idea '61, '62 or '63) there were 16 in '62 and '63.
'Didn't look any further.

 

I would not bet on there even being a race this year.Ramping up in Italy now,this is just the start .

 

Yeah; and France banning events over 5000 attendees. (like the li'l buggers count heads before they attack.....)

 

Keep in mind that GTE cars run in IMSA as GTLM. The GTE cars also run in WEC and ELMS in pro-am categories as well, so customer cars. I know the Ferrari 488 and I believe the Aston Martin can be converted between GT3 and GTE specs.

 

I believe there are major differences between GTE and GT3.
The aero, the engine location, the braking system, the suspension pick-up points are not common for both categories.
A few years ago, an American competitor (Krohn, I believe) trashed his Ferrari GTE during practice at le Mans, and immediatly sought a replacement.
He managed to buy in France a GT3, and tried to build a GTE out of it.
After 3 days of efforts by all his crew, and lots of help from outsiders, , he managed to have the car ready.
He said at the time that the 2 cars were completely different animals.
For example some of the spare panels he had for his GTE wouldn't fit on the GT3 shell without some adjustment.
Other differences concerned the fuel tank, the braking system (no ABS allowed in GTE), and a few other items.
I may be wrong, but I think the engine can be lowered in GTE, and slightly moved in the chassis too.

On a Porsche 911, the engine is at the rear on a GT3, but central on a GTE. I can't see more different than that !!!

 

I believe only Ferrari and Aston Martin have the conversion kits to go from GT3 to GTE and back. Porsche, as you point out, has a radically different design for the GTE and GT3 cars. Here is an older article from DSC talking about the process for the Aston.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2018/10/25/converting-the-gt3-aston-martin-vantage-to-gte-spa-and-back.html

 

that info on Krohn’s 458GTE is incorrect. If you are talking on his LM efford in 2013

 

Elaborate, if you will.

 

The replacement
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https://www.lemans.org/en/news/rebuilding-the-krohn-racing-ferrari-458/11372

 

Thanks. 'Haven't been following as closely as years ago.

 

Let's see if the race even happens this year.

 

Hopefully, eh?

 

I'm not very confident... Barcelona ELMS i highly doubt, Round two in Monza will for sure not happen.

 

Pierre Fillon head of the ACO Le Mans organizing club is meeting with the Sarthe Prefet (equivalent to governor) today to discuss the elephant in the room and the perspective of the race in June. I am sure there will be a statement thereafter.

the LM 24 is actually the event in all of Europe with the biggest crowd (up to 263000 in recent years) with many coming from Germany, the Uk, Benelux but hardly any Italians at all, Le Mans is forgotten not appreciate there partly because not only did Ferrari last win it in 1965 but no Italian make has tried to win overall since Lancia in the 80's hence very little media coverage. They might end up running the race with no public, that is not something I have read just: my 2 cents supposition. Anyway June is a long time ahead.

 

That would be very hard. LM is all about the public there, the atmoshpere etc. not talking about the financial loss for ACO and the region there. 250K + Tickets is a number.... And if you want to ban the public from the event, I guess you need to isolate Le Mans by the Army... and also just the drivers, teammembers etc is already much above 1K people. if LM gets cancelled, we will also not see the F1 GP of Monaco...

Lets see, everything escalated here within 10 days, so still a very long time to go. Fingers crossed, even I'm not very confident.

 

To some....perhaps many. Finally, probably most these days.
I understand to so many (sorrowfully, "too" so...) it's just a show, a happening, a place to "be", see, and be seen, as you said. That's okay.

To others of us, however, it's still true to it's roots.....an exhibition of what cars and teams can endure the grind of twenty four hours at speed; hopefully completing the competition on top of the heap.
'Wouldn't/won't change a thing without spectators at the circuit. TV, comp, and RLM would/will work fine.

 

In its long history, Le Mans 24 hours were cancelled once in 1936 because of strikes
It was also postponed to a later date in September in 1968 because of social unrest in France
So, there are precedents when the race was not run, or moved in the calendar for major reason
If mid-June is too near the coronavirus outbreak, there is hope that the epidemy would have be contained by September.
A postponed race is far better than a cancelled once.

 

Here is the news as of the 5th of March (no word yet on what transpired in the meeting of yesterday between Pierre Fillon President of the ACO Le Mans 24hour organizing club and the local Prefet -equivalent to Governor-): rescheduling the races LM24, Le Mans Classic, bike 24hrs, Bike GP is possible, they are ready to do so if needed, but they would be really reluctant to cancel: this is the news article in Ouest France the major regional paper of the region which includes Le Mans:

https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/24-heures-du-mans/24-heures-du-mans-coronavirus-l-aco-se-tient-pret-reporter-ses-evenements-6766383

It is possible there might be more news today. The one I am concerned with which I never miss is Le Mans Classic scheduled for early July which only takes place every two years, that is a fantastic event far better and greater than any other vintage meeting on the full 13,6km 24 hours circuit.