2016 Le Mans 24H

[NedaSay]

Ok so there are no Lotus in the race.

 

But this year's race is worth a topic anyway... In my opinion this one is for the ages, with less than 7 hours to go 2 Toyotas and 1 Porsche are on lead lap and less than 4" appart. The cars are slightly slower than last year but good god they do have insane pace, the Toyotas have barely spent any time in the pits. The speed in the Porsche curves and the esses are absolutely ridiculous.  I'm sort of rooting for one of the Toyotas to win it. The Audis have been crippled and appear really of the pace - still running in 4th position and just 2 lap down... But when are we getting their Laser lights as standard on our cars?

 

There's a quadruple amputee racing in a LMP2 car which commands respect and awe, as he is racing a 500bhp-925kg beast with just one forearm and his thighs !!!    

The Battle between Ford and Ferrari is totally happening in GTE- pro class, my only beef with it is that Corvette, Aston Martin and Porsche are nowhere near their pace so it is not the battle royale I really wanted 

ACO has done a great job to "streamcast" the race online : 720p HD stream for a sensible price.

 

it's past 2 am here and I have been watching this straight from the start I'm getting a bit tired but can't really see myself taking a nap now
  

 

 

 

 

[CaptainSlow]

I agree, good racing with several battles in the different classes. Ford vs Ferrari in GTE Pro class is really interesting. The 488 seems to be struggling a bit with several cars out of the race. As you mention the pace of the LMP1 is impressive. Makes the other look static. 

I'm watching using the Eurosport app. Good quality although I miss commentators.

[NedaSay]

No!!!! I can't believe that... Porsche inherits the win on the final lap ... Kazuki Nakajima is left stranded on the main straight I cannot believe it!

 

Nakajima finished the race in full electric limp mode with no engine power! There was no warning, the #5 car had a flawless race until the 3' mark. 

Edited June 19, 2016 by NedaSay

[Arregueti]

Really cruel. This was 25 years from Mazda's win and, Imo, Toyota deserved winning today.

[NedaSay]

P1 winner : Porsche #2 car Porsche Team 

P2 winner : Alpine #35 car (Signatech-Alpine)

GT LM Pro : Ford GT #68  car  (Ford Chip Ganassi team USA)

GT LE Am : Ferrari F458 #62 car  (Scuderia Corsa)

I'm gutted Toyota deserved the win both cars had run pretty much flawlessly with only an off by Kobayashi and some minor damage on the #6 car that finished 3rd in the end.  

Erase that, it appears the #5 car is not classified due to article 10.15 as it did not do a cool down lap Audi #8 inherits the 3rd!!! 

Edited June 19, 2016 by NedaSay

[mayevora]

If you'd have seen that in a movie, you wouldn't have believed that finish. Toyota garage looked truly gutted.

its not over till the fat lady....

[Vulcan Grey]

8 hours ago, NedaSay said:

Ok so there are no Lotus in the race.

Technically... there was

interesting read here

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/lotus-t128/

The CLM P1/01 used to be the "Lotus" T128 LMP2 car

If you count that it has a chassis plate stamped Lotus

Here it is this year for LeMans

#4 ByKolles Racing CLM P1/01: Simon Trummer, Pierre Kaffer, Oliver Webb

 

Used to look like this

later looked like this

 

 

 

[CaptainSlow]

Nice spotted Vulcan Grey

Did anyone else notice something strange with the LMP2 car that caught fire close to the end of the race? Looked to me like the marshall could get the fire extinguisher to work!

Not a huge fan of Toyota when it comes to racing but I felt sorry for them in this case.

[molemot]

I was watching it until I had to start driving back to the UK yesterday....the Esprit went nicely; I was  bit worried as I only got it all back together on Friday!! Last night I was trying to find the result...looked on BBC Red Button sports....not a single mention of Le Mans. Not a thing. For the mainstream media, it didn't even happen...

[NedaSay]

On 6/19/2016 at 10:57, Vulcan Grey said:

Technically... there was

interesting read here

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/lotus-t128/

The CLM P1/01 used to be the "Lotus" T128 LMP2 car

If you count that it has a chassis plate stamped Lotus

Here it is this year for LeMans

#4 ByKolles Racing CLM P1/01: Simon Trummer, Pierre Kaffer, Oliver Webb

 

Used to look like this

later looked like this

 

 

 

True, the CLM P1/01 "2015" was in fact a T128, albeit not built by Adess A.G, but directly by Kodewa and their partner PMC GMBH, however both T128 cars were  given back to their rightfull owner Mr Charouz, the owner Praga, and Thomas Holzer who later sold his car to Charouz... I think. Both cars can be admired at the Charouz System museum in Lamy Czech republic.

The 2016 version of the CLM P1/01 is for all intent and purposes not a former T128 chassis but a "brand newish" "CLM" chassis built buy PMC based on the T128 chassis design, Kodewa is still looking for a partner in this hence the new "by Kolles" moniker. The image posted by racecar engineering are about a year old

Kolles and Adess A.G still have some unfinished legal business, and so does the Holzer Firmengruppe.

Truth is that story is the usual mess leftover from the DB era... the CLM P1/01 finished its race slow burning near Arnage after an overnight rebuild due to a crash and fire on thursday.

 

[Knightewolfe]

DVR'ed the race on FS1 (big mistake. FOX Sports gooned it{effed it up} as usual with their split FS1/FS2 coverage. Had to work yesterday and missed 90% of the good stuff. Got home and watched the remaining bit I had recorded and those idjits at Fox Sports switched to the US Open with maybe an hour or so left. 

Was most ticked off at Fox Sports. Still am. I miss the original and independant Speed Channel-Speedvision. Hell, I wish I could see the FIAWEC races here in Louisiana as they happen. 

For next year,I would like to see if a GTEPro spec Evora [or four] racing for the class win. Of course I'd like to see  Rossoon q1r {Noble M12/M400 American cousin} do the same.

 

KW