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Post by Jamie on Jun 13, 2018 18:54:27 GMT
Hi chaps,
Been off grid recently due to broken or malfunctioning IT hardware and a stupidly busy time at work, hopefully back to some semblance of normality now......
Who’s looking forward to Le Mans? I know I am......this is my Super Bowl......
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Post by René on Jun 13, 2018 19:22:24 GMT
Hi Jamie, Great to have you back!  I am certainly looking forward to Le Mans. I have always preferred sprint races to endurance races but Le Mans is a classic. Always great to watch. I have been there once in 1991, an experience I will never forget. |
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Post by Carl on Jun 13, 2018 20:17:12 GMT
Hi chaps, Been off grid recently due to broken or malfunctioning IT hardware and a stupidly busy time at work, hopefully back to some semblance of normality now...... Who’s looking forward to Le Mans? I know I am......this is my Super Bowl...... Welcome back, Jamie! Enjoy Le Mans! I still recall your describing the sound of the Ferrari 333SP on the Mulsanne Straight.
Cheers, Carl
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Post by chrisb on Jun 13, 2018 20:27:14 GMT
Jamie! i've missed you! good to hear you are back, missed your wonderful contributions and stories, now, re Le Mans, on paper its a walkover for a Japanese team and a Spanish driver, but Le Mans is one of the most perplexing races ever dreamed of, so that may not happen, but I adore Le Mans, and would love to go back - after all it is about 30 odd years since i was last there
I've got my MS preview and must admit have spent more time looking at the GT cars and that looks really interesting - money is on the Fords, but as a Porsche owner, may look at my allegiences and hope for an Aston win
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Post by Jamie on Jun 13, 2018 21:02:11 GMT
Thanks fellas 👍
This really is an open goal for Toyota and, all things being equal, they should be the 2nd Japanese manufacturer to win the race. However, Toyota have a spectacular record of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory at this place so who knows 😀
I’m hoping Alonso wins as reward for having the guts to stick his neck out and do something different......I’m also hoping Porsche win in GTE Pro as the car is an awesome machine and sounds wonderful. I’m enjoying the retro ‘pink pig’ and ‘rothmans’ liveries as well.
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Post by robmarsh on Jun 14, 2018 6:59:26 GMT
Looking forward to this one. GTE Pro looks really good and am rooting for the Ferraris. The LMP1 could be interesting and hope that some pressure can be put on Toyota to ensure some excitement.
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Post by mikael on Jun 14, 2018 11:07:33 GMT
We have talked a good deal about the "runaway" dimensions of the modern F1 cars. I find it curious that the LMP1 cars, in spite of their somewhat odd appearance, have been kept on "reasonable" and, basically, harmonic dimensions. While the wheelbase of the F1 cars is approaching 4 metres, that of the LMP1 cars is just around 3 metres - just about 50 cm longer than that of an an "old fashioned" sports car (like the 911 in the two first pictures).    (Measures in milimetres here.) |
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Post by mikael on Jun 14, 2018 11:34:09 GMT
... and the 2018 cars, like the Toyota shown below, do not appear to have become larger, or longer (than the slightly dated cars shown in the previous post), not much an any rate. (But is the wheelbase a bit longer? It might be so ...)  Edit: the total length of the Toyota TS050 is 4650 mm - so slightly than the Audi shown above. |
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Post by Jamie on Jun 14, 2018 13:29:30 GMT
We have talked a good deal about the "runaway" dimensions of the modern F1 cars. I find it curious that the LMP1 cars, in spite of their somewhat odd appearance, have been kept on "reasonable" and, basically, harmonic dimensions. While the wheelbase of the F1 cars is approaching 4 metres, that of the LMP1 cars is just around 3 metres - just about 50 cm longer than an "old fashioned" sports car (like the 911 in the two first pictures). (Measures in milimetres here.) That’s very true Mikael, the modern prototypes are very compact and in proportion. Also, that’s a great photo of the comparison with the 911, the 919 looks tiny. That shot reminds me of a similar picture of the 917 against a 914 road car from the 70’s......it’s a iconic photo and, again, the prototype 917 looks tiny compared to the 914.....I’ll see if I can post it up on here. |
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Post by Carl on Jun 14, 2018 15:58:23 GMT
I have to say that the 2018 Toyota looks compressed, as though in the midst of opening like a flower to the rising sun, or an ugly duckling in an awkward stage of adolescence.  Mikael, you are kind to describe modern LMP1 contenders as "somewhat odd"!
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Post by Jamie on Jun 14, 2018 17:30:34 GMT
I think I’m ‘somewhat odd’ in that I like the look of the modern prototypes......much more so than current single seaters anyway ( with the possible exception of the current INDYCAR in high downforce trim), to caveat that statement - the modern cars arn’t a patch on the early / mid seventies era cars or the Group C beasts, particularly the Sauber C11....😁
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Post by Carl on Jun 14, 2018 19:47:32 GMT
I think I’m ‘somewhat odd’ in that I like the look of the modern prototypes......much more so than current single seaters anyway ( with the possible exception of the current INDYCAR in high downforce trim), to caveat that statement - the modern cars arn’t a patch on the early / mid seventies era cars or the Group C beasts, particularly the Sauber C11....😁 If they'd only extend the nose to aerodynamically resemble the 962 and get rid of the billboard fin from cockpit to rear wing, the prototypes would look very nice. I imagine many of us were spoiled by the beauty of prototypes in the past.
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Post by chrisb on Jun 14, 2018 20:08:52 GMT
I loved the looks of the D Types, the Mercs, the Ferrari's, the Astons and Maserati's of the 50's they just looked so powerful, with graceful and menacing lines and that grunt,
then the 60's the iconic Ford Gt's and then the splendour that was Porsche and Ferrari with the gorgeous 917 and 512's,
but as Jamie said [although slight disagreement my friend, the Jag's were much better looking] then came to me the best period since the late 60's early 70's, the Group C era, I was at Le Mans for the 1st 962 victory and think we just had such a golden period - brilliant, in fact i will go and check it out again on utub- making sure the only races i watch are when the Jags beat the Mercs, which if i remember was quite often, or am i slightly mistaken...
Rene, forgive me my friend but how does the 917 and 962 measure up to the 919? would be great - albeit a bit cheekily - to see the models side by side [thank you in hope]
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Post by Jamie on Jun 14, 2018 20:17:53 GMT
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Post by Jamie on Jun 14, 2018 20:22:02 GMT
but as Jamie said [although slight disagreement my friend, the Jag's were much better looking] then came to me the best period since the late 60's early 70's, the Group C era You know how much I love Group C Chris and the Jag's were superb, my favourite was the XJR8 which was subtly different around the rear wheel area from the more widely regarded XJR9 and the best looking of the bunch I think. I liked the later turbo car as well, very clean lines...... Sauber Merc C11 all the way for me though  .......Jag's a very close second. |
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.......Jag's a very close second.