GT Academy winner Lucas Ordoñez and his Signatech Racing team are off to an incredible start at Le Mans, taking class pole in the LMP2 category with a 3:41.458 around La Sarthe. That’s 1.1 seconds ahead of the next LMP2 challenger, and nearly half a second faster than Oak Racing’s LMP1 car! For more, see the full qualifying results along with this overview of the day’s events.
The 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans kicks off this Saturday, June 11, at 3:00PM in France (check your local time here). I’ll post again before the race with all the links and resources you need to follow all of the action this weekend, so stay tuned.
For now, though, Lucas and deserves our congratulations and support – you can reach him on Twitter @Lucas_Ordonez. On behalf of the GTPlanet community, GT fans, and sim-racers around the world, good luck!
See more articles on 24 Hours of Le Mans, Lucas Ordonez, and Signatech Nissan.
Can we have that car as DLC?
When was the last time he was in the car? Im looking forward to following him during one of his stints.
I have interest to take a look of his onboard pole lap ! ^^
Nobody else noticed they spelled his name “ORDOEZ?”
In a real endurance race, there are 3 drivers per car, and there is a limit to how long you can stay in the drivers seat. During a 24h, a driver would HAVE TO sleep at some point. I also mentioned that I don’t know if it’s possible to play ps3 during the breaks or not.
Keep in mind Lucas wasn’t really a gamer before GT Academy. He went and purchased a PS3 just for the contest. Odds are he hasn’t touched it since.
Motivational stuff, mostly true. I spend a lot of time going through ACO regulations and information. And in 1995, most of the race was wet, many lmp’s had issues with staying on the road. So much so that the McLaren f1gtr got the overall. Lmp1 cars are faster than lmp2s, but are heavier, making them slower in the turns. The first part of the track is a lot of slower turns where lighter cars have the advantage. The main straights are where Lucas is disadvantaged compared to lmp1s. If he starts the straights close to the lmp1s, he would get draft off of them and that would give some distance from the competition
Well I think he know that already, this strategy could help him in the early stages 5 / 10 laps but Le Mans wont be decided by that. 90% of time it’s all about how many pits you need for refuelling and repair mechanical damages.
Please win the P2 Lucas your my favorite
Here’s a little advice for racing (I like giving out advice, makes my conscious happy)
1: You are in lmp2 class, which means that the car is lighter and more agile than p1. Because you have the pole in your class, you just have to stay ahead of the p2s. Try to stay on p1s in the esses before the straights. If you pass any, that’s great. In the straights, try to draft and keep up, it will put distance between you and the other p2s. The first laps are a major deciding factor in the race.
2: The race is in shifts, so get good rest between shifts and prepare for next shift. If you’re allowed (or have) ps3 there, play it (if you want to, isnt that how you got into this race in the first place?)
3: Weather greatly effects the race in incredible ways. It is a wild card that can allow any car to win (look at 1995 lemans videos) stay safe, keep car on track, have fun.
4: You have one of the biggest fanbases backing you up, you are alredy one of the most famous racers in the race. Good luck, race well, and don’t let Audi and Peugeot intimidate you, you are LMP2!! win your class and take the prize!! The gaming community is with you!!
I really don’t think he needs any “advice” especially from someone on the internet…
Hahaha! I’m sure Lucas really appreciates your (partially inaccurate) Captain Obvious advice.
Aron your post is epic xD. This is real racing and one of the most challenging ever. He can’t play ps3 lol instead of take a break between the stints. There are no restrat buttons here, you can’t pause the endurance to go p. If you are tired and crash your car you are out of the race or you’re gonna loose lot of time. There is no damage/OFF here nor GT Auto lol.
Gratz. I hope there will come an update with the new audi and all the other cars
Best of luck in the race Lucas!
By the way, does anyone know when the 787B runs???
It was running yesterday, saw it on eurosprot coverage last night
AWESOME. Be safe and win!!!
Side note: you all KNOW his car is going to soon be downloadable content right? I’m making an assumption (no proof), but come on, think about it.
Don’t count on it. I thought the same thing when they ran at Sebring back in March. It should be obvious; dozens of cars are running in the field with PS3 Logos, there are ads for GT5 all around the track, it’s a signature track in GT5, the car is powered by NIssan and sponsored by Sony and one of the drivers is the 2009 Nissan-GT Academy winner. Why wouldn’t they have the car out as DLC already NOW, before the race? Or running on PS3s in the paddock area as a cross promotion? Because it’s PD and Sony we’re talking about and it seems, sadly enough, that such basic marketing concepts are beyond them. (sigh)
hey guys do you know where i can watch 24 hour in livestream?
Very impressed, wishing you the best and get that car to the finish.
Grtz
MC959
Great performance Lucas and best of luck in the race :)
This guy is a hero
WOAH that’s some serious results!!! Definitely this is a fast driver no matter what he drive virtual or real life cars. Unbelieveable but it’s true!
Holy Jesus! His first shot at a racing career, and he takes class pole at Le Mans?! That’s something I aspire to!
GO GO GO LUCAS! Simply Amazing.
Absolutely awesome!!!! Well done Lucas for representing us. Best of luck for the race!
And who said playing computer games would never amount to anything.
Awesome job
It’s not the best lap for Lucas! The best ime of the team is 3.41.458 and Lucas 3.45.525.
http://www.lemans.org/wpphpFichiers/1/1/ressources/Pdf/2011/24heures_du_mans/results/2011_24_heures_du_mans_qualifying_practice_3_results.pdf
Thank you for sharing the link to the latest results, Ginger. My apologies to Soheil Ayar for the original error. Le Mans’ live timing website is quite misleading.
Good luck man :) I’ll be watching whatever SPEED channel covers of the race :)
Whoah, he actually topped the fastest LMP1 along with the LMP2?? Lucas is a major savage!! He and the Nissan team got it good. XD
Lucas is an ANIMAL!!!! RAWWWRRRR!!!
Best of luck for you Lucas!!! Get that checkered flag!!!
He may be on pole at Le Mans but the rest of us GT racers can now swap our helmets and firesuits at will!
Go Lucas!
Just think, next year Nissan could very well set up an all GT Academy Le Mans team! Lucas + Jordan + Bryan + 2011 European winner = kick ass team! :)
Intense! Terrific Job Lucas.. bring the car home safe!
Very impressive, good luck Lucas and team :tup:
GO LUCAS!
Good Luck Lucas, we will be rooting for ya!
Brilliant! I was watching the qualifying earlier today and the #26 Signatech-Nissan that Lucas along with his teammates drove looked incredible.
Well done Lucas, to you and the Signatech team for your class pole. I watched you on Eurosport earlier tonight. All the best for the race too…;-)…
Wish him luck. Too bad we can’t drive that beautiful Oreca ingame.
Awesome! Stay strong and race hard.
Amazing. It just proves that there is awesome talent out there just waiting to be found. Kudos to GT Academy for giving these guys a shot.
Best of luck Lucas! I’ll be watching for you on Saturday! Beat those LMP2 guys!
PS: that is me in the 1st post put wrong name lol
Ah, damn I put wrong name again! It’s really me: John :)
XD OMG. It was just me all this time LOL
Is it me, or was this guy practically hand-picked. Racing pedigree etc. Not trolling or being bitter – it just seems a little ‘X-Factor’ regarding Mr. Ordõnez.