Le Mans 2013 aboout to start - another Audi show or Toyota up for it?

Arguably the greatest motoring event of the year judged by attendance etc.

(More Brits go to Le Mans the the Brit F1 GP!)

Weather rather cool and damping, best 4 wheel drive will probably prevail !

Let us hope Mr McNish does not mangle the car is the first hour and we see a record distance though I doubt it with the weather due.

(More Brits go to Le Mans the the Brit F1 GP!)

Been working in France this week and been on the A16 / A28 several times…. lots of very nice UK cars travelling down there, some of the ones that I remember:

Convoy of Bentley’s

Westield / Caterham 7’s - two with no soft top… in the pouring rain.

Loads of Ferrari’s, Astons, GT-R’s, BMW’s, Audi’s, etc

Most memorable ones were:

MKI RS 2000

MKII RS 2000 (droop snoot)

Sunbeam Lotus works rally car (replica?)

GT40 (on a trailer, assuming competing?)

A couple of classics, one with a union jack covered bonnet. couple of moggy minors (one with DRL’s on… how wrong did that look!!)

Several Skoda’s as well, didn’t see JCP though.

Anyone down there then watch your speed as the Gendarmes were out in force with several speed traps!!

Back to the race, don’t normally follow it as ‘roundy roundy’ stuff doesn’t do much for me, but the craic must be brilliant there (went once when I was a kid… ‘77ish IIRC)

I work at Eurotunnel and have seen plenty of amazing cars travelling through. To be honest I enjoy the classic race in a couple of weeks as some of the classics we see put the rarity of the super cars to shame.

One year I'll get there. Always say it and I'll get to Spa or Nurburgring for F1 eventually too. Not fussed on going to Silverstone as it's overpriced for what it is. Driving to Europe would be part of the experience I'd enjoy.

I'm working away at the moment and have missed the build up to this years race. Does anyone know if the Nissans 3 wheel Batmobiles are racing again?

I have not noticed them in the coverage on Europsport or on thhe web.

Lots of Morgan's their but no 3 wheeler versions of their cars. Only made 5 miles away from here but then the use BMW engines and not JAP!

Allan Simonsen has died as a result of injuries sustained in a crash in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Accident on lap 4 and unfortuantely the Danish Aston driver has not survived his injuries.

Brave man doing what he loved.

Allan Simonsen has died as a result of injuries sustained in a crash in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Accident on lap 2 and unfortuantely the Danish Aston driver has not survived his injuries.

Brave man doing what he loved.

That is terrible news. I thought he was just unconscious initially and later talking to the doctors. So so sad.

I just looked him up on Wiki and they already have his death noted and write about him in the past tense. Feels a little ghoulish to me

Ghoulism is one of the new past times. As so few see such things for real and yet see so much CGI etc think it is all a game. Being a long term motorcyclist known lots of road/race accident but speed is addictive and can pay well.

Not a great advert for Aston Martin shelll strength and why no air fence there?

Toyota had an electrical problem around lap 12, the engine still running but car slowed to a stop, it restarted again. Looks like the bullet proof reliability is fading for Toyota.

Audi 1-2-3 as of this post.

Oh, number 1 Audi has a crankshaft sensor issue and is the bits for quite a bit of fixing.

Had a similar issue on the HTP Fabia !

Race on with Toyotas in 2nd and 3rd, not going to be too easy for Audi.

Temperatures dropping making faster straight speeds and tyres lasting longer !

Bad night for Audi but pretty good for Toyota's two cars, perhaps a biit of a shake up of the previous years.

Thought the cooler and damper conditions might siut Audi rather than Toyota but reliability issue for the Audi seem to mean a 1-2-3 is not on this year but still not too bad a result.

Doctor McDreamy is still going

Congratulation to Alan M, Luic Duval and of courseTom Kristensen but also to Toyota as we finaly have a race again after Peugeots exit.

Also to Anthony Davidson and his team mates.

Hopefully much of what could be learnt from the race willl make its way on to the roa for safer and more ecconomical etc cars.

Well done all and a an extra special well done to McDreamy (he nearly made a podium)

I'm working away at the moment and have missed the build up to this years race. Does anyone know if the Nissans 3 wheel Batmobiles are racing again?

That was the Deltawing, it was racing last year as the number 56 special entry (meaning it didn't have to meet any of the standard four class specs) but it couldn't race again as that entry was already taken for this year (although that went a bit wrong so didn't actually run). I don't think they're running that car at all now as the idea was it was a technology demonstrator so a customer team took it over and fitted a Mazda engine, it did race at Sebring but not heard anything of it since.

It was a shame the #2 Audi didn't win on pace alone but was still pleased to see them get the win, was still rooting for the Toyota but I think it's an incredible achievement for them to get second after such as short amount of time given the very tough challenge endurance racing offers.

I still don't understand what on earth was going on with that Aston that was going for the GTE Pro lead near the end, he was right on the back of the leading Porsche but dived into the pits to get wets while the Porsche stayed out on its slicks. However the Aston then came back in for slicks while both the Porsches behind and ahead swapped to wet tyres then the Aston switched back onto the wets. I can't see why they changed back onto slicks, ok at the time the Porsches were also on slicks but the wet tyres looked the better choice and you'd think it would be worth giving it a little time to see if it's worth changing again. Just a shame to lose that battle for the GTE Pro lead as it was looking very good up to that point.

John

Fantastic race, completely unpredictable this year. Toyota made a very strong show and were still challenging at the end.

RIP Alain Simoneson, the first death at la Sarthe for many years.

Unusual race this year but no record distance. With 11 safety cars amounting to almost 6 hours it was never on. Very glad that McNish finally got his third win though and was touched by Tom Kristensons emotions at the end of the race (former mentor and fellow countryman to Simoneson).

If you have never been it is a real experience. Expensive to get there but my ticket which allowed access to all public areas for the week was just 71 Euros. It is fifty something quid just to go to the festival of speed for one day!

Anyway on the ferry now sat in the bar back home tomorrow morning. That's my holiday gone but by fudge it was good

One year I'll get there. Always say it and I'll get to Spa or Nurburgring for F1 eventually too. Not fussed on going to Silverstone as it's overpriced for what it is. Driving to Europe would be part of the experience I'd enjoy.

Martyn

I know it is a trek from South Wales but it has to be done. If you want some more info on the whole going to LM just send me a pm. Just coming back after my fourth year. Definitely this is something any petrol head should do.

I'm working away at the moment and have missed the build up to this years race. Does anyone know if the Nissans 3 wheel Batmobiles are racing again?

The Delta wing still had four wheels, not three.

As has been said it was last years garage 56 car - this years entry was to be a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle but was withdrawn just three weeks ago (probably just prior to the test weekend). That could have made refuelling fun

Nissan did announce that the delta wing will be back next year under the garage 56 regulations. However it will be a zero emission vehicle called the Zeod.

I was there for three weks, working at the Nissan Nismo youtube sponsored hospitality. I got back last night and I am still knackered for it. was a brilliant event to work, and even though i only saw parts of the race i had an amazing time. even saw six men pick up a classic mini off the floor to stop it going and burn some rubber. the things drunk people do when youre trying to leave the grounds is quite fun to take part in and watch

If anyone fancies reliving Le Mans highlights this year, the DVD/Blu-ray has been released.  My copy arrived yesterday so looking forward to watching it.

 

I had hoped to go to Le Mans this year, next year I need to get my finger out and give it a go plus possibly the Nurburgring 24.  I did make it to the FIA WEC a couple of years ago in Silverstone and find it great to watch as there's such a variety of cars and even just all the different noises they make from the ground shaking roars of the Astons and Chevrolets to the eerily silent whistle from the Audi prototypes.

 

I'm quite excited to see what Porsche bring to the table and what Audi or Toyota are going to do with the new regulations allowing them more flexibility on the turbos and bigger energy collection systems to power bigger electrical engines.  I like that the electric technology seems more practical given the current hybrid systems are simply harvesting the power to feed their 200/300bhp engines from within the car (rather than having to plug in at all) and they have to be incredibly durable to last up to 24 hours at full pelt.  Comparatively the recently announced electronic formula series with charge up cars and swapping cars at pits seems very artificial and questionable relevance.  

 

Toyota produced an interesting Yaris concept car powered by a 1.6 turbo in the front producing 300bhp and a trio of electric motors in the back rated at 60bhp each hooked up to a super capacitor using a similar concept to the Le Mans car.  The third traction motor harvested power from braking to charge up the super capacitor allowing the car then to discharge the power back out the other two 60bhp traction motors giving the car temporary four wheel drive and 420 bhp (also similar to Audi's implementation).  The advantage of the super capacitor in this use is the ability to quickly charge and discharge the power whereas batteries are slower.

 

John 

I had hoped to go to Le Mans this year, next year I need to get my finger out and give it a go plus possibly the Nurburgring 24.

Next years date is June 14/15.

Ferry booked

Campsite booked

Get tickets at the circuit

My fifth year and can't wait

If anyone fancies reliving Le Mans highlights this year, the DVD/Blu-ray has been released.  My copy arrived yesterday so looking forward to watching it.

 

I had hoped to go to Le Mans this year, next year I need to get my finger out and give it a go plus possibly the Nurburgring 24.  I did make it to the FIA WEC a couple of years ago in Silverstone and find it great to watch as there's such a variety of cars and even just all the different noises they make from the ground shaking roars of the Astons and Chevrolets to the eerily silent whistle from the Audi prototypes.

 

I'm quite excited to see what Porsche bring to the table and what Audi or Toyota are going to do with the new regulations allowing them more flexibility on the turbos and bigger energy collection systems to power bigger electrical engines.  I like that the electric technology seems more practical given the current hybrid systems are simply harvesting the power to feed their 200/300bhp engines from within the car (rather than having to plug in at all) and they have to be incredibly durable to last up to 24 hours at full pelt.  Comparatively the recently announced electronic formula series with charge up cars and swapping cars at pits seems very artificial and questionable relevance.  

 

Toyota produced an interesting Yaris concept car powered by a 1.6 turbo in the front producing 300bhp and a trio of electric motors in the back rated at 60bhp each hooked up to a super capacitor using a similar concept to the Le Mans car.  The third traction motor harvested power from braking to charge up the super capacitor allowing the car then to discharge the power back out the other two 60bhp traction motors giving the car temporary four wheel drive and 420 bhp (also similar to Audi's implementation).  The advantage of the super capacitor in this use is the ability to quickly charge and discharge the power whereas batteries are slower.

 

John 

 

Went to the first WEC at Silverstone and what impressed me was the Audi R18s, and the Toyota, passing the howling 12 cylinder cylinder Ferrari etc cars like they were standing still.  Just goes to show what can be done with a purpose built diesel track car mangling a 12 cylinder petrol derived road car.

 

 Still saddened by the death in the AM early on at LM, hope their learn some more safety lessons from it but a great event otherwise, effectively crossing the US in mileage terms, ie over 3000 miles, in 24 hours, wow.  Still miss the old straight without the chicane and the 400 kph + speeds but understand why they had to slow it down as was getting too fast for the different classes.    

It is very strange that these top of the range exotic sports car on the road are just left standing still, it's pretty scary when they're roaring down the long straight at night with only their headlights lighting the way and you just see the brief glimpse of a pair of red lights as they hammer past another GT car.

 

Porsche produced a super short video on Le Mans this year finishing with a fitting tribute to Simonsen:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UotNe4FbkcQ

 

John