The Le Mans General Discussion Thread

[Michael88]

Ah there they are, thanks guys! My eyes aren't what they used to be.

 

[STEAMER62]

51st, 52nd, 53rd? It does say it on the timing.

Gogogo Nick McMillen, a true SNAILer

 

[R0ssingt0n]

Guys if you have a decent phone download periscope and follow, Nismo, Aston Martin, Le Mans etc... Some amazing coverage coming from them!

So much stuff!

 

[TDZdave]

So show that their legality is in question (and by dint their illegality). You must be incorrect or there must be other agreements in place with the organisers/stewards/scrutineers to allow them to race

As I said earlier I wasn't entirely up to date with all things Datsun, I was under the impression that the car hadn't completed and passed its crash testing,

 

[Cobra_GT500]

Would love to go to this race maybe next year. Will be watching this race at home this year for some reason i always get excited about the 24 hour le man racee

 

[Carlos]

I walked a couple of times around Spa too and once got stuck in a field on the wrong side of the track @ Pouhon.
Also lit up some funny cigarettes all around the track as that was my stoned period, even smoked one on the main stand in front of the Uniroyal tower, nobody said a thing haha and each time i drive by there virtually i'm reminded of it.

Great times, can't wait until my boy grows up (hopefully he'll be into motorsports just like his dad), and go and visit races with him.

I almost did that too! Walked by that low tunnel, through the field where all those campers were and when I looked around I noticed nobody was following me... Thought going back to where people were going was a better idea. I was too chicken to smoke in the crowded area since there were some police on motorcycles driving around. And it was maybe two times more crowded than in 2013. Probably because LMP1 got a lot more fun to watch.

If I ever get a boy who's interested in motorsport that would guarantee a lot of fun. I went to the track with my dad so many times. And he wasn't even interested in motorsport. I was interested in cars and he let me see F1 on the tv and accidentally got hooked himself.

 

[redsoxboy80]

Is the Nissan an exciting and maybe promising concept? Sure. But it has to be able to deliver. If the goal this year was just to be able to provide a proof of concept, it has fallen well short of expectations.

I would guess this project will receive a green light again for 2016. But if it remains 25s a lap slower other LMP1s (not mentioning slower than many LMP2s), expect Nissan to drop it. And if I were personally on the board of Nissan, I would not even allow next year's car to race at all if it doesn't send most of its power to the rear wheels. At some point you have to be able to deliver on the hype otherwise you risk embarrassment.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Is the Nissan an exciting and maybe promising concept? Sure. But it has to be able to deliver. If the goal this year was just to be able to provide a proof of concept, it has fallen well short of expectations.

The year isn't over yet.

I would guess this project will receive a green light again for 2016. But if it remains 25s a lap slower other LMP1s (not mentioning slower than many LMP2s), expect Nissan to drop it. And if I were personally on the board of Nissan, I would not even allow next year's car to race at all if it doesn't send most of its power to the rear wheels. At some point you have to be able to deliver on the hype otherwise you risk embarrassment.

I expect the car next year to be exactly what they wanted it to be. AWD on corner exit and FWD the rest of the time, running the full 1200hp.

You have to walk before you can run.

 

[redsoxboy80]

The year isn't over yet.

I expect the car next year to be exactly what they wanted it to be. AWD on corner exit and FWD the rest of the time, running the full 1200hp.

You have to walk before you can run.

Well apparently you have more belief in the concept and team than I do. Just saying that these expectations will eventually need to be met. Starting off 25 seconds a lap slower is taking the walking before you can run idea a little too literally. And Audi, Porsche and Toyota won't be waiting around for the Nissan to catch up.

 

[catamount39]

Well apparently you have more belief in the concept and team than I do. Just saying that these expectations will eventually need to be met. Starting off 25 seconds a lap slower is taking the walking before you can run idea a little too literally. And Audi, Porsche and Toyota won't be waiting around for the Nissan to catch up.

You do realize the point of this year for Nissan is to get to grips with it right? That they realize they're gonna be garbage slow right? Because honestly...THEY SAID THAT BACK WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THIS PROGRAM.

 

[TDZdave]

I cant get the wec timing app on my phone, has anyone seen sector times to see where they are losing the time? 25 seconds would suggest they are only doing installation laps,

 

[catamount39]

Any links to any footage?

 

[CodeRedR51]

And Audi, Porsche and Toyota won't be waiting around for the Nissan to catch up.

I never said they would.

And right now it's just "testing" rounds, where I highly doubt anyone is going all out.

 

[TDZdave]

A 3.21 is bloody quick even for a test day

 

[catamount39]

This could be Porsche's big comeback!!!!!!!

 

[TDZdave]

This could be Porsche's big comeback!!!!!!!

But will we see a 3.15 in qualifying this year if its dry?

 

[catamount39]

But will we see a 3.15 in qualifying this year if its dry?

We broke like 3 records at Spa during the race...I wouldn't bet against it is all I will say.

Gentleman...we may see the Le Mans distance record broken this year. And maybe even the average speed record...

 

[Tired Tyres]

We broke like 3 records at Spa during the race...I wouldn't bet against it is all I will say.

Gentleman...we may see the Le Mans distance record broken this year. And maybe even the average speed record...

The weather says hi.

All timings from today are available here.

http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/

 

[catamount39]

The weather says hi.

All timings from today are available here.

http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/

Well barring weather obviously.

 

[sk8er913]

The Nissan got beat by LMP2s then I dont think did a lap in the second one, thats not very promising.

Quotes from article about there performance.

"Most of the day's running was run in wet conditions with neither the No.23, 22 or the retro-liveried No.21 machines recording a representative dry weather time."

Ben Bowley - "We weren't chasing headlines today."


... and its still disappointing.

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

Is the Nissan an exciting and maybe promising concept? Sure. But it has to be able to deliver. If the goal this year was just to be able to provide a proof of concept, it has fallen well short of expectations.

I would guess this project will receive a green light again for 2016. But if it remains 25s a lap slower other LMP1s (not mentioning slower than many LMP2s), expect Nissan to drop it. And if I were personally on the board of Nissan, I would not even allow next year's car to race at all if it doesn't send most of its power to the rear wheels. At some point you have to be able to deliver on the hype otherwise you risk embarrassment.

They've committed to 3 years if I remember correctly so I don't see them dropping it after one year if they were they would just do what Porsche did and do a completely new car.

Like RS1600 says

You have to walk before you can run.

 

[redsoxboy80]

You do realize the point of this year for Nissan is to get to grips with it right? That they realize they're gonna be garbage slow right? Because honestly...THEY SAID THAT BACK WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THIS PROGRAM.

I do remember them saying something like that. But they didn't say that on Friday .

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119212

Obviously the supporters of Nissan and this concept have the loudest voices in this forum so I'll back out after this post. All I'm saying is that this project has not exactly had an encouraging start ............

 

[sk8er913]

All I'm saying is that this project has not exactly had an encouraging start ............

I'm speculating that the car has a design flaw in the rain and that's why they are tested in the wet and not the dry parts of the test yesterday. It was raining at the corvette museum too when they tested it. There's something about the rain that they seem to think is extra valuable.

 

[trustjab]

@trustjab not sure which alternative personality your going by these days, Seth? Or Seths cousin? Either way.
Turbulent air will cause low, high and vacuum pressures around and within the car, thus having the possibility of losing bodywork or in worst case scenario crash, then there is heat soak, which will affect every part on the car that relies on clean air flow to remain cool, steering, brakes etc, things that could have been revised and developed further just by participating,

We dont know eachother. And thats all that needs to be said. Im not sure your logic works out. Youre claiming Nissan is illegal anyway, so how would they be able to race Silverstone? In part, you're right. They failed a crash test that made them miss the opening races. So they had no choice but to not race. So you're partially wrong there.

 

[CodeRedR51]

All I'm saying is that this project has not exactly had an encouraging start ............

Because some people are simply impatient. Sometimes it take a while to see any sort of success in racing. Toyota has been doing this for how long? 5 years? And it took them 2-3 seasons just to be competitive. Nissan hasn't even competed in a single event yet and already people are expecting them to win right out of the box. A little lop sided, no?

 

[sk8er913]

Because some people are simply impatient. Sometimes it take a while to see any sort of success in racing. Toyota has been doing this for how long? 5 years? And it took them 2-3 seasons just to be competitive. Nissan hasn't even competed in a single event yet and already people are expecting them to win right out of the box. A little lop sided, no?

This is their 3rd year, 4th race.

 

[CodeRedR51]

This is their 4th year.

Alright, well I don't really follow this type of racing outside the big races like Le Mans, but the point still stands that they were probably not much more competitive than Nissan is right now in their first year.

Edit: That goes for Porsche too.

 

[GTP_Ingram]

I'm speculating that the car has a design flaw in the rain and that's why they are tested in the wet and not the dry parts of the test yesterday. It was raining at the corvette museum too when they tested it. There's something about the rain that they seem to think is extra valuable.

Design flaw in the rain? For the last hour of this afternoon's session, Jann was lapping among the top three/four fastest cars on a pretty regular basis...

 

[aarror]

Alright, well I don't really follow this type of racing outside the big races like Le Mans, but the point still stands that they were probably not much more competitive than Nissan is right now in their first year.

Edit: That goes for Porsche too.

Toyota led their first Le Mans (Their first race), and won their 3rd race in the WEC. They were competitive with Audi from the start (Winning 3 of 6 races entered), even though they were forced to join the series a year earlier than planned due to Peugeot's withdrawal.

So no, your point really doesn't stand.

 

[TDZdave]

We dont know eachother. And thats all that needs to be said. Im not sure your logic works out. Youre claiming Nissan is illegal anyway, so how would they be able to race Silverstone? In part, you're right. They failed a crash test that made them miss the opening races. So they had no choice but to not race. So you're partially wrong there.

Where did i state it was illegal?? I wasn't aware it had passed its crash test, been corrected and the thread has moved onto todays events,

And now a third persona, nice, 👍