Le Mans - A place where you can see heroes weep

[Matt]

Imagine getting knocked out of the race with the first couple of hours. All that build up for nowt.

[Junkman]

Like ByKolles?

[Junkman]

The rule enforcement is a farce.

LMP2 car gets white/black flag for one taillight out, leading Toyopet is driving on without side marker lights.

Currently only a Toyota and a Porsche are in the leading lap, ca. 30s apart after over 8 hours of racing.

 

Aston still leading Pro, Corvettes rather unlucky this year.

Leading Am is the JWM Ferrari in position 35.

A bit disappointing is the Chip Ganassi/Ford GT effort.

[Junkman]

Well, if you want a reliable car, don't buy a Toyota.

 

Currently the World is in order, but an LMP2 winning is on the cards.

[Junkman]

This is almost too much drama.

A lot has gone wrong for Toyota in a very short time.

[Junkman]

#1 Porsche in trouble now.

[Junkman]

Corvette now ahead of Aston.

[Sloth in a bowl]

The race giveth, the race taketh away.

[Junkman]

After 84 races, I thought I've seen it all...

 

LMP2 now 1st, #2 Porsche 2nd (from 57th), 2 laps back, 3 hours to go...

[320touring]

After 84 races, I thought I've seen it all...

 

LMP2 now 1st, #2 Porsche 2nd (from 57th), 2 laps back, 3 hours to go...

Great ain't it!

 

Apparently takes about 1hr for lmp1 to catch a lap on lmp2 with no cautions/slowzonesor safety cars

[Junkman]

Porsche leads now!

 

56th to 1st in 19 hours!

 

Kinell!

[Junkman]

Shitting Nora, what a race.

[Christine]

Austin martin beats Chevrolet corvette !

[Junkman]

And Ford.

[59Impala]

That was a superb race, full of incident and drama. I have to admit for cheering on the Corvette but then I am a Chevy owner! I just realised that I haven't been to Le mans for 30 years, I really should make an effort to go there again.

[Junkman]

I wasn't there for only 29 years. Yep, we should go.

 

I cheered the Chevy on too, because it put on a superb fight.

For costing a mere fraction of an Aston, it gave them a bloody good run for their money.

[martybabes]

Corvette - v- Aston last lap! Far canal...

[Junkman]

Yeah, as if it was a 5 lap sprint race.

Total distance between the two cars after 23 hours and 50 minues: None.

The Corvettes were riddled with bad luck throughout the race, though.

[59Impala]

I just read that the Corvette had a strange brake problem that caught the driver out on that last lap which is why he locked up and went through the gravel. He said that apart from the slow puncture the other front tyre had a flat spot which made the car not go where he wanted it to. Shame really as I think he could have held on for the win. Funny that the Corvette still has a  pushrod V8 while the opposition has multiple cams, turbos etc yet can still beat them. And it makes the best noise!

[Sloth in a bowl]

I just read that the Corvette had a strange brake problem that caught the driver out on that last lap which is why he locked up and went through the gravel. He said that apart from the slow puncture the other front tyre had a flat spot which made the car not go where he wanted it to. Shame really as I think he could have held on for the win. Funny that the Corvette still has a  pushrod V8 while the opposition has multiple cams, turbos etc yet can still beat them. And it makes the best noise!

 

 

Just a word in defense of the others. GTE is a balance of performance formula, the ACO gives each team different rules to follow based around a basic common rules set, so that the cars are of equal speed. In reality if the teams were all following the same original rule book, the Ford GT would not be allowed to race as they have not built enough road cars and of the others the Ferrari 488 would vanish up the road to only be in competition with itself.

[panhard65]

I went but left before this thread was dug back up. It was a hot one which probably accounted for the amount of retirements. It was a cracking race though but the crowds were well down this year. I was surprised how few people were about after the first 2 hours, I expect it was the heat kept everyone away. I will soon start planning next years trip as they have announced the dates already. I didn't really bother with many pics as the camera I took was shite, there was some shocking driving from one of the LMP2 cars though he spun it at the start of the pit straight then went forwards and into the pit. How he didn't get black flagged I will never know. He didn't last much longer though as he messed up and took out on of the GT Porsche's

 

[John F]

"Come and have a go if you think you're though enough!"

 

/surrealist-aggressive

[Pete-M]

I didn't know any of you lot were there. I was in Beausejour for the week. In a shoddy Winnebago.

[richardthestag]

Beausejour also, we were responsible for this little beauty.

 

That is Colin our virgin posing

 

[panhard65]

I had 3 years at Beausejour which was enough for me. I am not a fan of walking and it is just too far away. The last 3 years we have been been next door to Houx and it was perfect this year a nice big pitch, but we did get there on the Sunday before so had our pick of the pitches.

[Junkman]

It was a cracking race though but the crowds were well down this year.

Radio Le Mans commented on this.

They said on the other hand the number of private jets and helicopers multiplied.

It didn't turn into a fully fledged discussion about the exploding social inequality,

but the hint was clearly there.

[richardthestag]

we take down cycles, equipped with lock and lights makes getting around easy, cycle through to the back of the pitlane, lock the bikes up walk round to Tetre Rouge, wobble back etc and repeat. Easy to cycle from BJ round to arnage corner also or into the arnage village for girly bar etc etc

 

re brit donkeys on Stupid Sunday in Beausejour one lad (though I think he may have been danish) managed to roll his ford ranger pickup near us trying to do donuts. twat! Very very easy to avoid trouble at le mans. Anyone see the cars, and caravan that burned up because owner parked red hot cats on dry grass. big old fire! nosey buggers in our group went to "av a look". Me? couldnt be arsed.

 

M5 Bimmer nearly met the same fate after picking up dry cut grass during donut shenanigans. soon calmed down when Les Pompiers et beaucoup des securite rocked up.  

[Pete-M]

We took bikes to get to Carrefour. Used the buses to get around the track.

[Sloth in a bowl]

we take down cycles, equipped with lock and lights makes getting around easy, cycle through to the back of the pitlane, lock the bikes up walk round to Tetre Rouge, wobble back etc and repeat. Easy to cycle from BJ round to arnage corner also or into the arnage village for girly bar etc etc

 

 

 

That was my experience, camping at BJ with a bike to get around. Arnage after midnight has a great atmosphere and the Corvettes are ear hurtingly loud if you are against the fence at the exit of Indianapolis. 

Lots of people cycling after dark with no lights though. Then they tailgate you so that you have no visible rear light for the cars to spot, arses, needed a bit of speed to lose them.

Given that you can get bike LEDs from poundland I give up on some people's ability at basic prep.

 

I didn't go this year as there were only 2 LMP1 works teams, I suspect that a 3rd or even 4th manufacturer would up the crowds quickly.

[Junkman]

Didn't they nick Dr Ullrich's pushbike there once?