24 heures du Mans 2009

[francescof]

http://www.corvettemotorsport.com/webcam.htm

L'attesa prima della partenza nel box Vette Luc Alphand

Fico !!!

In pit lane c'è un botto di gente

[lupacchiotto]

We're on our own today with nothing to report from RCE and Sam Collins. We'll make do with some odds and ends, plus it gives us some time to catch up with a few things. Qualifying showed the Bourdais, Montagny, and Sarrazin Peugeot on top with a 3:22.88. This compares to last year's pole time, also set by Peugeot, of 3:18.513. That works out to a 4.367 second difference. All of that can be attributed to the changes made to the '09 regulations aimed at slowing the entire field down (reduced span and chord rear wings) as well as the changes made to further slow the diesels down (10% smaller restrictor, 6.5% turbo boost cut, 30 kgs additional weight). So all of that equates to a 2% difference? Mighty impressive that the margin was that small considering the length of the track and all the stuff thrown at them.

What's even more interesting is if you then look at the second place qualifier, the #1, Capello, Kristensen, McNish, Audi R15. Last year the top Audi R10 qualified at a time of 3:23.847. But this year Allan McNish was able to ride the Audi R15 around the circuit at 3:23.650, or .197 seconds quicker than the R10 managed last year. If you add 2% to last year's R10's qualifying time, it works out to a 3:27.9. Team Kolles managed their R10s into consistent 3:31s in qualifying this year. Given differences in driving squads, this seems pretty reasonable. So what's most impressive is that by designing a new car, Audi was able to eliminate the effects of the regulations and overcome the performance reductions the sanctioning body levied.

Looking at the ACO provided speed trap data, the Peugeots are consistently quicker than the Audis down the straights. In yesterday's free practice, the #8 908 was clocked at 301 km/h compared to 295 km/h for the top Audi. In the first qualifying session the fastest speed was recorded by a Peugeot at 297 km/h with the Audi's giving up 5 km/h in speed. In qualifying session 2 that difference was again 6 km/h (300 vs. 294). We're unsure where the ACO speed trap is, clearly they aren't posted at the fastest point on the track, and expect that these speeds are down by 10-15 mph compared to the fastest point on the track.

Audi now go into the race with a car that is, as far as we can tell, the equal to the Peugeot in terms of absolute performance, though we suspect as the race unfolds the R15 will show superior race speed. Couple that with superior race craft, Peugeot has their work cut out for them.

Speaking of speed traps, looking at the other cars we see the Lola Aston Martin (#008 entry) is consistently the quickest gasoline powered entry and indeed is mixing it up with the Audi R15 in the top speed contest posting 292 km/h in all three of the recorded sessions. In qualifying, again the fastest gasoline powered car was the #007 Lola Aston Martin which put in a time of 3:27.180, or 4.242 seconds behind the pole winning Peugeot. Last year's "gasoline pole" was a 3:25.158 (Charouz Racing Lola B08/60 Aston Martin) making this year's time difference 2.02 seconds or about 1% slower. So here we can see that indeed the diesels were (as intended) slowed down a bit more relative to the gasoline powered cars. Last year Audi was able to win the race even when posed with a 3.5+ second race pace absolute speed difference to the Peugeot on the track. If the gasoline to diesel powered difference in pace continues (and doesn't get any larger) into the race, things could get interesting in that the top gas car could have a chance if they run a perfect race.

The only thing that is somewhat discouraging for the gasoline crowd are the sheer number of diesel entries, no fewer than 9 (though realistically only 7 as the Kolles R10s are back behind the fastest gasoline cars). On paper at least, this year's event looks to be a lot closer.

AMEN

[mirkob]

http://it.justin.tv/sportzonemotors/popout

[lupacchiotto]

Grazie Mirko

[francescof]

E' su una Ferrari GT2

[francescof]

Con commento in italiano

http://it.justin.tv/tazbsc1

[ponch]

Con commento in italiano

http://it.justin.tv/tazbsc1

grazie!
intanto una pescarolo peugeot e una peugeot si sono scontrate, si sono "eliminate" tra di loro...

[ottobre_rosso]

Con commento in italiano

http://it.justin.tv/tazbsc1

[francescof]

[lupacchiotto]

Per chi volesse seguire la 24h di Le Mans ora in diretta:
Live streaming (per il momento è il migliore dopo quello di SpeedTV)
Live streaming HD di SpeedTV (in questo momento non va, ma ogni tanto provate perchè qualitativamente è tutta un'altra cosa, non scatta e si vede come in televisione)
Commento in diretta di RadioLeMans (è in inglese, ma è consigliatissimo se capite un minimo la lingua)
Tive Timing

[Rufrus]

VITTORIA DELLA PEUGEOT 908 HDI!

.... GRANDE GARA DELLA PEUGEOT E FANTASTICO ARRIVO IN PARATA!

[ponch]

308 HDI?


mi pareva di non averla vista.....

[endurance-24h]

che gara!
grande vittoria della Peugeot con una macchina stupenda!
Brabham per il secondo anno di fila arriva primo (l'anno scorso in LMGT1)!

[ottobre_rosso]

stanotte, grazie alle dritte su RW, ho potuto vederla in streaming: che fascino indescrivibile

[Rufrus]

stanotte, grazie alle dritte su RW, ho potuto vederla in streaming: che fascino indescrivibile

si si, ringrazio anche io, è stato fighissimo, però a volte il segnale si oscurava, per lo meno a me!