2016 Le Mans 24 Hours - 15th to 19th June 2016

[twitcher]

Is alcohol sponsorship not allowed at Le Mans?

 

[IforceV8]

Is alcohol sponsorship not allowed at Le Mans?

Correct.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Is alcohol sponsorship not allowed at Le Mans?

Not unless the sponsor also makes a non alcoholic product as well. If I recall correctly.

 

[Furinkazen]

Not unless the sponsor also makes a non alcoholic product as well. If I recall correctly.

Martini take a bow.

 

[IforceV8]

Johnny O back to Le Mans in a Corvette. http://sportscar365.com/lemans/lemans24/oconnell-set-for-24h-le-mans-return-in-aai-corvette-c7-r/

Updated entry list. http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/05/16/fia-wec-le-mans-24-hours-entry-list-with-drivers.html

 

[AMPMROCKETFANN]

P1: IDK maybe Toyota or Porsche.

P2: Go Tequila Patron Paul Mitchell ESM

GT Pro: C7.R All the way!!!

GT AM: Any and all Vettes running in the class (Larbre, AAI, etc.)

 

[Furinkazen]

AAI - meet the Corvette that wants to be an AF Corse 488.

 

[Sertsa]

Four Ford GTs, hope they all make it to the end.

It's also cool to see Jordan Taylor will be racing for Corvette again, too. By the way, his Twitter feed is pretty cool: https://twitter.com/jordan10taylor

 

[Luminis]

Gonna be difficult to make up my mind as to whom I'll be supporting this year in the GTE class. Been siding with Corvette Racing these last few years and the C7.R's noise alone is a good enough reason to continue doing so... But the Ford GT is so damn beautiful. Too bad neither is participating in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring next week.

 

[TheElbows]

I didn't get a chance to see the full Silverstone race, but I did see the Spa debacle. This could be a hugely interesting LeMans.

A) Only two cars for the top LMP teams - I'm unsure if this is a new regulation but that's a pretty darn big deal.

B) Spa 6-Hour was a master cluster of poor management/tech/driving etc. for the top teams, allowing Toyota to be competitive despite being quite slow during Silverstone. I think Rebellion could easily end up on the podium if things go badly.

C) The 4-car Ford effort against the Corvette team (which in all honesty is basically the "Audi" of GTLM, a hugely professional well oiled machine).

D) Audi using a new hybrid system...always room for stuff to break.

All in all, a lot of things to look forward to. I assume Marino Franchitti is still driving for Ford despite his huge accident at Spa? I only remember them mentioning severe bruising etc. to his legs.

 

[R0ssingt0n]

Not long now! 7th time in 10 years. Managed to get back in our favourite campsite as well. Exciting stuff!

 

[catamount39]

I didn't get a chance to see the full Silverstone race, but I did see the Spa debacle. This could be a hugely interesting LeMans.

A) Only two cars for the top LMP teams - I'm unsure if this is a new regulation but that's a pretty darn big deal.

B) Spa 6-Hour was a master cluster of poor management/tech/driving etc. for the top teams, allowing Toyota to be competitive despite being quite slow during Silverstone. I think Rebellion could easily end up on the podium if things go badly.

C) The 4-car Ford effort against the Corvette team (which in all honesty is basically the "Audi" of GTLM, a hugely professional well oiled machine).

D) Audi using a new hybrid system...always room for stuff to break.

All in all, a lot of things to look forward to. I assume Marino Franchitti is still driving for Ford despite his huge accident at Spa? I only remember them mentioning severe bruising etc. to his legs.

Two cars in LMP1 basically ended up because of VWAG's money troubles for Audi and Porsche, and Toyota likes the two car setup. But yeah Corvette are the Audi of LMGTE, looking forward to Aston Martin and Corvette kick Ford's ***.

 

[Eva]

My predictions:

P1: Rebellion. None of the three hybrid teams have shown an ounce of reliability.
P2: KCMG
GTE Pro: Corvette. As much as I love the GT, just getting podium would be amazing.
GTE Am: Larbre or AAI. AAI has the defending winner's car in the C7, and Larbre has a C7 as well. I think Aston Martin will be fighting with them tooth and nail.

 

[catamount39]

My predictions:

P1: Rebellion. None of the three hybrid teams have shown an ounce of reliability.
P2: KCMG
GTE Pro: Corvette. As much as I love the GT, just getting podium would be amazing.
GTE Am: Larbre or AAI. AAI has the defending winner's car in the C7, and Larbre has a C7 as well. I think Aston Martin will be fighting with them tooth and nail.

If this ends up happening I'll do an Irish jig from joy.

 

[Tom]

One of my colleagues is commentating on the World Feed for Eurosport during the event. His name is Jake Sanson, and his commentary should do anything but send you to sleep.

Hugely excited for this year on the whole, it's going to be even more unpredictable than last year by the looks of things! The only downside is that I'm not at the circuit, and stuck in the office all weekend!

 

[shoemaker]

Massively annoyed that the FIA have allowed F1 Baku on this weekend. They always said nothing else will happen on Le Mans weekend, money talks !

 

[shoemaker]

One of my colleagues is commentating on the World Feed for Eurosport during the event. His name is Jake Sanson, and his commentary should do anything but send you to sleep.

Hugely excited for this year on the whole, it's going to be even more unpredictable than last year by the looks of things! The only downside is that I'm not at the circuit, and stuck in the office all weekend!

I am sure he can't do any worse than their current commentators who are constantly mistaken during the 6 hour wec races, they will really struggle with 60 cars at Le Mans this year !

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

Massively annoyed that the FIA have allowed F1 Baku on this weekend. They always said nothing else will happen on Le Mans weekend, money talks !

No they said nothing else will happen during Le Mans race hence why the race starts when Le Mans ends.

 

[IforceV8]

 

[TheElbows]

Negri and Vanthoor are good pedals.

 

[Furinkazen]

New KCMG livery.

 

[TheElbows]

So...Toyota changes their livery to basically mirror Porsche/Audi...and this team takes on their livery... The livery situation is pretty dull this season. I'm still hoping they surprise us with the Ford GT liveries.

 

[Furinkazen]

So...Toyota changes their livery to basically mirror Porsche/Audi...and this team takes on their livery... The livery situation is pretty dull this season. I'm still hoping they surprise us with the Ford GT liveries.

Actually this has been KCMG's colours every year other than 2015...

 

[IforceV8]

This sounds like a very long 6 weeks but they will never forget it.

 

[TheElbows]

Actually this has been KCMG's colours every year other than 2015...

So they've always been boring? Got it. (and trust me, that's not a criticism of them...rather 95% of racing teams).

 

[Furinkazen]

So they've always been boring? Got it. (and trust me, that's not a criticism of them...rather 95% of racing teams).

Don't take it the wrong way, but what do you want? Every car like this?

 

[PzR Slim]

Starting to get get excited now. It's my favorite weekend of the year. No other sporting event can match it.

 

[Furinkazen]

If this doesn't capture you then nothing ever will.

 

[LongbowX]

Hopefully this doesn't come to fruition.

A shortage of fuel caused by strikes and protests in France could impact next weekend’s Le Mans Test Day, and potentially if unresolved, the 24 Hours of Le Mans next month.

Unions have blocked oil refineries across the nation, either through protests or strikes, over reforms of employment law, leading to mass shortages of gasoline and diesel for motorists in large parts of the country.

According to a report from the Independent, one-quarter of France’s gasoline stations were closed or running short of fuel as of Wednesday morning.

Additional strikes and/or protests on electricity at nuclear power plants, as well as the country’s rail network have also been planned this week.

 

[R0ssingt0n]

Hopefully this doesn't come to fruition.

Yeah we're already planning on making extra space for Jerry cans in the cars just in case!