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I know this doesn't get a big following on here, but I just adore Le Mans week, even if it is a little truncated this year. I'm so glad to be watching it this evening as it's my favourite individual motorsport event of the year. I will be struggling in to work come Monday morning!

I’d love to see JPM get the win and complete the triple crown although more realistically I’d like to see the #7 Toyota finally do it.

Good luck to the #50 all women’s team too, hopefully they give a good account of themselves.

Here we gooooooooooooooo Lots of rain forecast for this evening!

^ yep, and i hadn't thought about the extra hours of darkness, due to it being september

pc27b wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 12:53 pm

^ yep, and i hadn't thought about the extra hours of darkness, due to it being september

No, I hadn't either. I've also read about the fact that when the sun is out for this race, it's lower in the sky for longer than normal, causing difficulties. Drivers have also said the lack of fans when away from the main stadium section is very different. They often use the large floodlights and other illuminated areas for fans as guides for how far away things are. One driver said that when passing cars from the GT classes, there would often be some lighting that they could use to judge upcoming corners a bit easier at night and could then decide if there was room to safely pass before a corner.

So, the first 'Slow Zone' is being used at Le Mans, something I think F1 badly needs. A car is stuck in the gravel and rather than a safety car, full course yellow or whatever, the cars continue to race flat out around the majority of the circuit but then slow for the slowzone ensure the car can be removed from the gravel without any danger.

Unlike yellow flags where drivers have to back of a little, the cars are going through the slowzone at just 80km using a pit limiter. Works perfectly.

Asphalt_World wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 1:14 pm

So, the first 'Slow Zone' is being used at Le Mans, something I think F1 badly needs. A car is stuck in the gravel and rather than a safety car, full course yellow or whatever, the cars continue to race flat out around the majority of the circuit but then slow for the slowzone ensure the car can be removed from the gravel without any danger.

Unlike yellow flags where drivers have to back of a little, the cars are going through the slowzone at just 80km using a pit limiter. Works perfectly.

It works to an extent, though. If it were to be introduced in F1, I'd like to see it being brought in such that each driver passes through it x number of times. Otherwise, some drivers get massively penalised for having to spend an extra lap in the slow zone compared to others.

Love Le Mans, but won't be watching much of it this year due to a lot of work to do over the weekend. I'm also naturally more interested in the front of the pack, of which there is little competition and no Alonso this year. The Rebels do look very quick though surprisingly.

Can't wait to catch some night racing later on, something so addictive about watching Le Mans at night.

I kind of tag in and out with Le Mans, it’s not something I can sit and watch for hours. Just want to wake up tomorrow and #7 to still be in the race.

I watched the first hour or two this morning, but I agree with Banana Man... I can''t really watch it all day.

I sure would like to see F1 race at LeMans. Who cares if it's only a 30-lap race?

DFWdude wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:11 pm

I sure would like to see F1 race at LeMans. Who cares if it's only a 30-lap race?

It would be a 23-lap race, actually...

It would be interesting, but the Circuit de la Sart doesn't really make sense for F1. It's far too huge, and an F1 car would be flat for a frightening amount of the track.

Whilst there isn't the large number of different manufacturers we've had in the past, I still love watching it. The GT classes often provide the best racing and are so at the moment this year.

Hopefully. the new Hypercar rules will up the variety and it's looking very much that way at the moment.

Exediron wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:22 pm

DFWdude wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:11 pm

I sure would like to see F1 race at LeMans. Who cares if it's only a 30-lap race?

It would be a 23-lap race, actually...

It would be interesting, but the Circuit de la Sart doesn't really make sense for F1. It's far too huge, and an F1 car would be flat for a frightening amount of the track.

The prohibiting issue would be the money needed to bring it up to F1 safety standards. The barriers alone are clearly nowhere near up to standard and the amount of catch fencing etc. Needed for a track that length basically rules it out.

https://www.blitzortung.org/en/live_lig ... php?map=13

Looks like a squall line is going to pass south and miss the circuit. Probably still going to get a bit moist.

Decent thunderstorm in the background, not heading for the circuit though.

The amount of live on boards on YouTube, awesome

Asphalt_World wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:37 pm

Whilst there isn't the large number of different manufacturers we've had in the past, I still love watching it. The GT classes often provide the best racing and are so at the moment this year.

Hopefully. the new Hypercar rules will up the variety and it's looking very much that way at the moment.

I can't wait to see the Hypercars next year. Any idea of how many manufactures we can expect at Le Mans 2021 in the LMP1/Hypercar class?

I wil be missing the prototypes come next year. Just as I miss Stoffel now. And SMP for that matter.

Schumacher forever#1 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 7:30 pm

Asphalt_World wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:37 pm

Whilst there isn't the large number of different manufacturers we've had in the past, I still love watching it. The GT classes often provide the best racing and are so at the moment this year.

Hopefully. the new Hypercar rules will up the variety and it's looking very much that way at the moment.

I can't wait to see the Hypercars next year. Any idea of how many manufactures we can expect at Le Mans 2021 in the LMP1/Hypercar class?

Not really and idea on numbers of manufacturers because there's still lots of conformations of taking part or not.

Fiki wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 7:33 pm

I wil be missing the prototypes come next year. Just as I miss Stoffel now. And SMP for that matter.

Yes, I have enjoyed prototype racing but I guess the sport needs shaking up to bring companies back. That said, the Hypercar concepts I've seen don't exactly look a million miles away from prototypes. Will be interested to see them when they are officially launched.

If you haven't already seen it, take a look at what ByKolles are looking to produce for next year.

Exediron wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:22 pm

DFWdude wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:11 pm

I sure would like to see F1 race at LeMans. Who cares if it's only a 30-lap race?

It would be a 23-lap race, actually...

It would be interesting, but the Circuit de la Sart doesn't really make sense for F1. It's far too huge, and an F1 car would be flat for a frightening amount of the track.

So I suppose we should no longer reminisce about F1 history at the Nordschleife?

Asphalt_World wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:19 pm

Schumacher forever#1 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 7:30 pm

Asphalt_World wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:37 pm

Whilst there isn't the large number of different manufacturers we've had in the past, I still love watching it. The GT classes often provide the best racing and are so at the moment this year.

Hopefully. the new Hypercar rules will up the variety and it's looking very much that way at the moment.

I can't wait to see the Hypercars next year. Any idea of how many manufactures we can expect at Le Mans 2021 in the LMP1/Hypercar class?

Not really and idea on numbers of manufacturers because there's still lots of conformations of taking part or not.

Yeah, I found the same problem. A lot of speculative entries, but not many major commitments thus far.

DFWdude wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:37 pm

Exediron wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:22 pm

DFWdude wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:11 pm

I sure would like to see F1 race at LeMans. Who cares if it's only a 30-lap race?

It would be a 23-lap race, actually...

It would be interesting, but the Circuit de la Sart doesn't really make sense for F1. It's far too huge, and an F1 car would be flat for a frightening amount of the track.

So I suppose we should no longer reminisce about F1 history at the Nordschleife?

You can reminisce to your hearts content but F1 will never again race on such circuits.

Very respectable 8th in class so far for the ladies team. Adding the #97 Aston to my list of teams to cheer for, having a hell of a dual with AF Corse.

Banana Man wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 9:29 pm

Very respectable 8th in class so far for the ladies team. Adding the #97 Aston to my list of teams to cheer for, having a hell of a dual with AF Corse.

They could be genuinely competitive if they got Calderon out of that seat and put someone quicker in...

""but the Circuit de la Sart doesn't really make sense for F1. It's far too huge, and an F1 car would be flat for a frightening amount of the track.""

has anyone simulated what time an f1 car would lap on this track? curious always think of steve McQueen when lemans comes around

pc27b wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 20, 2020 10:21 am

""but the Circuit de la Sart doesn't really make sense for F1. It's far too huge, and an F1 car would be flat for a frightening amount of the track.""

has anyone simulated what time an f1 car would lap on this track? curious always think of steve McQueen when lemans comes around

Here you go - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSVM-Uhyy4o

Exediron wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 20, 2020 6:18 am

Banana Man wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 9:29 pm

Very respectable 8th in class so far for the ladies team. Adding the #97 Aston to my list of teams to cheer for, having a hell of a dual with AF Corse.

They could be genuinely competitive if they got Calderon out of that seat and put someone quicker in...

Which is surprising as she had probably the more impressive junior career.

Asphalt_World wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:23 pm

If you haven't already seen it, take a look at what ByKolles are looking to produce for next year.

I have and I like it. Lookswise, they have been one of my favourites for years.

#7 Toyota is cursed, I swear.

mikeyg123 wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 20, 2020 10:32 am

pc27b wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 20, 2020 10:21 am

""but the Circuit de la Sart doesn't really make sense for F1. It's far too huge, and an F1 car would be flat for a frightening amount of the track.""

has anyone simulated what time an f1 car would lap on this track? curious always think of steve McQueen when lemans comes around

Here you go - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSVM-Uhyy4o

Yea, but that 2:56 was in one of those slow Ferraris...

An astonishing final 90 minutes with both cars and drivers having issues!