The Le Mans General Discussion Thread

[RACECAR]

Porsche may have a good driver line-up for GT cars, but Lietz, Lieb, Pilet and Bergmeister are long time 911 GT3-RSR drivers and they haven't raced top level prototypes. Porsche might not select these drivers for their LMP1 project and leave them in 911s (whether it's with a continued factory effort or with private teams like Felbermayr doesn't really matter), and Porsche needs drivers to fill (likely) 2 cars in WEC and 3 at Le Mans. And I can't think of a better start than teaming top level driver talent like Webber and Heidfeld with the LMP1 experience of Bernhard and Dumas.

Speaking of Porsche Factory drivers, is Sascha Maassen still one? I haven't really heard much about him in a while, I remember he and Lucas Luhr were a longtime pair from driving with AJR in GT to driving for Penske in the Spyders.

 

[Mac K]

Isn't Mike Rockenfeller as well?

 

[SagarisGTB]

Speaking of Porsche Factory drivers, is Sascha Maassen still one? I haven't really heard much about him in a while, I remember he and Lucas Luhr were a longtime pair from driving with AJR in GT to driving for Penske in the Spyders.

Porsche passed on him for the GT program this year and will likely pass on him for the LMP program. He'll be 44 when the Porsche LMP1 debuts and it is my impression (I never followed ALMS that closely) that he wasn't that fast in the RS Spyder.

Isn't Mike Rockenfeller as well?

Rockenfeller is a long time Audi driver.

 

[Hernan04]

Starworks Motorsport is extremely disappointed to announce that it will not be taking part in the 2013 FIA WEC.

LINK: Starworks Motorsports confirms withdrawal from 2013 FIA WEC

 

[hawkeye122]

Isn't Mike Rockenfeller as well?

At one point he was, but he belongs to Audi now, with the DTM

 

[gtone339]

Starworks Motorsport is extremely disappointed to announce that it will not be taking part in the 2013 FIA WEC.

LINK: Starworks Motorsports confirms withdrawal from 2013 FIA WEC

Gutted! Well the good news is that they're focusing on their works for the 2014 season.

 

[Jav]

Starworks Motorsport is extremely disappointed to announce that it will not be taking part in the 2013 FIA WEC.

LINK: Starworks Motorsports confirms withdrawal from 2013 FIA WEC

Sad news indeed, it was bound to happen. With Chavez dead all that Venezuelan money was going to go to "different interests" sooner or later...

 

[cnd01]

Gutted! Well the good news is that they're focusing on their works for the 2014 season.

I think Enzo potoliccio owned the LMP2 that they were running. Enzo and Peter aren't on the same team anymore. Enzos LMP2 is now being run by esm in the alms if I'm not mistaken.

 

[RACECAR]

I think Enzo potoliccio owned the LMP2 that they were running. Enzo and Peter aren't on the same team anymore. Enzos LMP2 is now being run by esm in the alms if I'm not mistaken.

Yep, Enzo has his own team, 8-Star. Naturally, a lot of that funding wasn't going to be available with him splitting off.

 

[cnd01]

Yep, Enzo has his own team, 8-Star. Naturally, a lot of that funding wasn't going to be available with him splitting off.

Enzo was Peters primary source of funding if I'm not mistaken. Enzo has enough money for a wec gte am 458, two imsa lites, 2 lmpc cars, and, one (two soon) DP cars basically all by himself.

 

[Jav]

A bit old, but still cool to watch:

 

[freshseth83]

Toyotas thursday photos. I will add some as well.
https://t.co/WqwzMK0eKU

 

[gtone339]

Audi Sport Team Joest 1-2 in Practice 2 at Silverstone

1 Audi - 1:43.217
2 Audi - 1:43.263
3 Toyota - 1:43.843
6 Toyota - 1:45.520

 

[freshseth83]

Toyota using their 2012 car Audi their 2013 car Audi took pole here last season and within the first 15 laps Toyota drove past them on track.

 

[Tower Turn 13]

When's this thing kick off? US time, that is...

EDIT: never mind, found the thread. Cheers.

 

[KinLM]

Toyota locks out the front row in Saturday Qualifying.

If they win, I'll be changing my text color to this Navy tone.

 

[freshseth83]

Speedtv's WEC roundup
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-silverstone-wec-notebook//P1/

 

[Mac K]

Any other Canadians know of a way to watch the Long Beach race live this coming weekend on TV? or will we have to watch a livestream? I know Sportsnet showed a few races live last season..

 

[Tower Turn 13]

Hmmm. Justin.tv usually has these races. Other than that...

 

[gtone339]

WEC - 6 hr Silverstone-Highlights:

​

 

[freshseth83]

Toyotas tire issues were caused by using the wrong compound tire for the track. They couldn't double stint until they changed tire compounds, by then it was too late.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Entry list for Long Beach (ALMS) has been published.

I'm very interested in this race, it'll be the first battle for the overall win between Muscle Milk and Rebellion.

 

[Tower Turn 13]

What on earth happened to Dyson...they fell off HARD. He was way off pace at Silverstone, too, wasn't he?

 

[RACECAR]

What on earth happened to Dyson...they fell off HARD. He was way off pace at Silverstone, too, wasn't he?

Wait, Dyson was at Silverstone? That's news to me.


Also, I'm guessing they've decided to instead go part time.

 

[Furinkazen]

Wait, Dyson was at Silverstone? That's news to me.


Also, I'm guessing they've decided to instead go part time.

Chris Dyson was in a LMP2 I think, might have been the Greaves car.

 

[freshseth83]

What on earth happened to Dyson...they fell off HARD. He was way off pace at Silverstone, too, wasn't he?

Is this really even surprising?

 

[RACECAR]

Its like I said before, Dyson isn't even a team to take seriously anymore. What doesn't help is the fact that they feel this annoying Need to unnecessarily modify the cars they get and how does that turn out? Not well 80% of the time. They did this with the RS Spyder (instead of running the car exactly how Porsche instructed them to) and it didn't work. They did this with their unproven, unreliable Lola Mazda Combination (while battling the Far better honed Acura) and that didn't work because unsurprisingly, they blew up most of the time. And again last season, they went up again against a far better supported car (whose worst troubles were software glitches and were the only reason they even caught up) and what stopped them half the time? Engine issues (or something mechanical, really I've lost count).

I'm expecting more of the same this season, especially since the now they've got two cars to keep up with and by far and away the far quicker and more sorted. Watch them lazily campaign their 2nd car afew times just to help their points situation.

 

[hawkeye122]

Can someone please explain to me the advantage of the Isobutanol? Are they just trying to be clever, or does it actually run better?

Wile they try and parade their alternative fuel, they're being consistently beaten by Petrol V8's. If they wanted to win, they'd run the Lola with an actual engine from Judd or Toyota, or HPD, or Elan, or Chevy, or Ford (Ecoboost maybe? Or just a V8), or pretty much any engine manufacturer. Instead they run this crap, which as far as I know, is the only place Isobutanol is used as racing fuel in the world.

 

[Tower Turn 13]

Yeah, it's a shame because I like Chris Dyson; he's been racing a long time, and I really enjoyed watching him duke it out with MM back in the days before they got the Honda.

I think Dyson should run ONE car, and sell the two Mazdas to get something competitive. Maybe they should even make the jump to P2 if it's a money issue. I mean hell, it's all headed that way anyhow next season. Might as well get a jump on testing...

 

[phil bell]

Yeah, it's a shame because I like Chris Dyson; he's been racing a long time, and I really enjoyed watching him duke it out with MM back in the days before they got the Honda.

I think Dyson should run ONE car, and sell the two Mazdas to get something competitive. Maybe they should even make the jump to P2 if it's a money issue. I mean hell, it's all headed that way anyhow next season. Might as well get a jump on testing...

Exactly, their Lola Mazda cant compete with the HPD at all (when it's in full running order) and struggles with the P2 cars sometimes.

They should focus their efforts on one car in P2. And I wonder if they'll be using a Lola, HPD or "Morgan" next year if they do choose to compete.