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Post by chrisb on May 9, 2024 16:48:28 GMT
this series is really shaping up so well, and this time no BE to scupper it, it will be spectacular and that wow factor will definitely be there
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Post by René on May 10, 2024 14:40:12 GMT
Pole position for Antonio Fuoco in the Ferrari #50! Forza!   |
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Post by René on May 12, 2024 12:37:09 GMT
First win for the Jota team Porsche and huge disappointment again for Ferrari!  A popular win for Will Stevens and Callum Ilott in the Jota Porsche but it was Ferrari that looked set for a 1-2 finish with less than two hours to go. The disappointment already started yesterday when the pole position for the #50 Ferrari was taken away because the car turned out to be too light (a bit less than 1 kilogram ). They had to start from 19th position but were running second behind the sister Ferrari halfway the race, so much speed the Ferraris had!  But then Earl Bamber crashed heavily on the Kemmel straight taking with him Sean Gelael's BMW. This meant a two hour break for repairs. Usually this would mean a restart behind the safety car for a couple of laps and then the finish because they were way past the normal finishing hour. But for some reason the organizers decided to go for the full 1 hour and 44 minutes that were lost. The Jota Porsche and a factory Penske Porsche had pitted and refueled only a few laps before the accident which gave them a huge advantage to all the other Hypercars. The same happened in the GT class with the winning Manthey Porsche. It's a shame because it created a completely different outcome. Ferrari were fastest in Imola and now again in Spa. Imola was lost due to their own strategic error but Spa was simply bad luck. Now they'll need to win Le Mans again.  |
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Post by Carl on May 12, 2024 18:18:26 GMT
First win for the Jota team Porsche and huge disappointment again for Ferrari! A popular win for Will Stevens and Callum Ilott in the Jota Porsche but it was Ferrari that looked set for a 1-2 finish with less than two hours to go. The disappointment already started yesterday when the pole position for the #50 Ferrari was taken away because the car turned out to be too light (a bit less than 1 kilogram ). They had to start from 19th position but were running second behind the sister Ferrari halfway the race, so much speed the Ferraris had! But then Earl Bamber crashed heavily on the Kemmel straight taking with him Sean Gelael's BMW. This meant a two hour break for repairs. Usually this would mean a restart behind the safety car for a couple of laps and then the finish because they were way past the normal finishing hour. But for some reason the organizers decided to go for the full 1 hour and 44 minutes that were lost. The Jota Porsche and a factory Penske Porsche had pitted and refueled only a few laps before the accident which gave them a huge advantage to all the other Hypercars. The same happened in the GT class with the winning Manthey Porsche. It's a shame because it created a completely different outcome. Ferrari were fastest in Imola and now again in Spa. Imola was lost due to their own strategic error but Spa was simply bad luck. Now they'll need to win Le Mans again. I would say it was the officiating that was bad. Ferrari should appeal. |
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Post by René on May 12, 2024 19:25:32 GMT
First win for the Jota team Porsche and huge disappointment again for Ferrari! A popular win for Will Stevens and Callum Ilott in the Jota Porsche but it was Ferrari that looked set for a 1-2 finish with less than two hours to go. The disappointment already started yesterday when the pole position for the #50 Ferrari was taken away because the car turned out to be too light (a bit less than 1 kilogram ). They had to start from 19th position but were running second behind the sister Ferrari halfway the race, so much speed the Ferraris had! But then Earl Bamber crashed heavily on the Kemmel straight taking with him Sean Gelael's BMW. This meant a two hour break for repairs. Usually this would mean a restart behind the safety car for a couple of laps and then the finish because they were way past the normal finishing hour. But for some reason the organizers decided to go for the full 1 hour and 44 minutes that were lost. The Jota Porsche and a factory Penske Porsche had pitted and refueled only a few laps before the accident which gave them a huge advantage to all the other Hypercars. The same happened in the GT class with the winning Manthey Porsche. It's a shame because it created a completely different outcome. Ferrari were fastest in Imola and now again in Spa. Imola was lost due to their own strategic error but Spa was simply bad luck. Now they'll need to win Le Mans again. I would say it was the officiating that was bad. Ferrari should appeal. They did! But it was rejected… : www.autosport.com/wec/news/ferrari-protest-into-wec-spa-result-rejected/10609913/ |
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Post by René on Jun 13, 2024 11:59:30 GMT
24 Hours of Le Mans
  It's the weekend of the most famous long-distance race in the world again, the Le Mans 24 Hours!  The list of participants is truly unprecedented this year with factory participation in the Hyperclass from Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota, Cadillac, Peugeot, BMW, Lamborghini and Alpine! The LMP2 cars will also be in action again for this race and of course the GT cars. It's guaranteed to be very exciting. Bring on the race!  The surprise of qualifying was the speed of the BMW Hypercar. Cadillac, Ferrari and Porsche have two cars in the top 8. Toyota and Peugeot failed to make it. The top 8 will continue to the Hyperpole qualifying this evening; 1. #15 Dries Vanthoor/R.Marciello/Marco Wittmann - BMW, 3'24.465 2. #3 S.Bourdais/R.van der Zande/Scott Dixon - Cadillac, 3'24.642, +0.177 3. #50 Antonio Fuoco/Miguel Molina/Nicklas Nielsen - Ferrari, 3'24.731, +0.266 4. #35 Paul-Loup Chatin/F.Habsburg/Charles Milesi - Alpine, 3'24.872, +0.407 5. #2 Earl Bamber/Alex Lynn/Alex Palou - Cadillac, 3'24.993, +0.528 6. #51 A.P.Guidi/James Calado/A.Giovinazzi - Ferrari, 3'25.049, +0.584 7. #6 Kévin Estre/André Lotterer/Laurens Vanthoor - Porsche, 3'25.051, +0.586 8. #12 Will Stevens/Norman Nato/Callum Ilott - Porsche, 3'25.145, +0.680
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Post by René on Jun 13, 2024 16:54:35 GMT
Super tight final practice. Five different manufacturers in the top 5. The #50 Ferrari with Antonio Fuoco fastest. Last year's winner, the #51 Ferrari had technical issues and finished only 11th but it looked like they repaired the car just in time. The final shootout will be very exciting and close for sure. 1. #50 Ferrari AF Corse - 3'27.283 2. #6 Porsche Penske - 3'27.391 +0.108 3. #15 BMW M Team - 3'27.432 +0.041 4. #3 Cadillac Racing - 3'27.471 +0.039 5. #7 Toyota Racing - 3'27.803 +0.332  |
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Post by Carl on Jun 13, 2024 18:13:02 GMT
When Sebastien Bourdais won four Indycar Championships for Newman/Haas, his nickname within the team was "Sea-bass", similar to Bruno Giacomelli being "Jack O'Malley" to his English mechanics. I always root for Bourdais, one of Helmut Marko's misjudgments, still lightning quick at 45
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Post by René on Jun 13, 2024 20:01:26 GMT
It helped, Bourdais almost took pole!   Sébastien held the fastest time for most of qualifying but was beaten at the end by the other Cadillac of Alex Lynn and the Penske Porsche of Kévin Estre who took pole. The Ferraris looked set for pole but came short and will start from P4 and P5. But great result for Bourdais, who’s father was present, and they can all win.  Hyperpole results1 #6 PORSCHE PENSKE MOTORSPORT (K. Estre, A. Lotterer, L. Vanthoor) 3:24.634 2 #2 CADILLAC RACING (E. Bamber, A. Lynn, A. Palou) 3:24.782 3 #3 CADILLAC RACING (S. Bourdais, R. van der Zande, S. Dixon) 3:24.816 4 #51 FERRARI AF CORSE (A. Pier Guidi, J. Calado, A. Giovinazzi) 3:25.156 5 #50 FERRARI AF CORSE (A. Fuoco, M. Molina, N. Nielsen) 3:25.598 6 #35 ALPINE ENDURANCE TEAM (P. Chatin, F. Habsburg, C. Milesi) 3:25.713 7 #15 BMW M TEAM WRT (D. Vanthoor, R. Marciello, M. Wittmann) NO TIME |
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Post by René on Jun 16, 2024 15:49:58 GMT
Whhooahhh! Forza Ferrari!  Ferrari wins again the Le Mans 24 Hours! Nicklas Nielsen took the chequered flag after an exciting race, the Dane sharing driving duties in the #50 car with Italian Antonio Fuoco and Spaniard Miguel Molina. The Toyota #7 car finished second and last year’s winner, the Ferrari #51, finished a strong third. Porsche, a pre race favorite, could eventually not keep up with the pace of the Ferraris and Toyotas and neither could Cadillac in the end. Alex Palou was long in the lead group but they were on a different strategy that didn’t work out.  Heartbreak for the yellow customer Ferrari #83 that led the race for a long time but retired in the morning with apparently break issues.  Winning the Monaco Grand Prix and now Le Mans again, there have been worse years for the Ferrari fan.   |
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Post by René on Jun 16, 2024 17:52:59 GMT
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Post by Carl on Jun 16, 2024 23:36:00 GMT
LeMans is almost always a real smorgasbord of good fortune and bad. This year a well-deserved victory went to our administrator and Scuderia Ferrari
Forza Ferrari !!
I've said before that the concept of a 24 hour race of endurance belongs where it began, as a testing ground for manufacturers at the advent of automobiles. During a heavy downpour at LeMans, the ground was muddy and the test was for spectators shown crouching under umbrellas, reflecting fear of the elements and real dedication.
I started watching on Saturday after errands were done only to see a permanent safety car parade...with NO EXPLANATION from the broadcasters as to why. Main commentator Martin Haven must have graduated from the same academy of barnyard bluster as David Croft, remarkably self-amused, strangely unaware of time and place, dull-witted throughout. Whether in Formula One or World Endurance, capable commentators should be authorized to sedate the bloviators.
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Post by chrisb on Jun 17, 2024 9:34:54 GMT
well done Ferrari, Forza Ferrari!! a great victory - a pretty good race, save for a 4 hour safety car stint, which I missed the reasons for, guessing conditions? switch over to I think to the 1964 Sebring 12 hours with the torrential rain, in fact monsoon rains,
I had both my computers on watching the WSB, BSB and Le Mans, probably explains a lot - torrential rain in Scotland and a great debut victory for Rory Skinner - so unceremoniously dumped from Moto2 last year and WSB in very hot conditions with Toprak winning all 3 races on the reluctant BMW, Scott having a half decent race and finishing around 9th, and talk of Toprak and possibly BMW entering MotoGP, he really is special,
sorry I digress, so followed the Le Mans race, sad for Penske Porsche's as well as the Caddy's - the French threat didn't seem to materialise or was that just me? The last hour was pretty exciting, hopefully Jaguar are taking note as wouldn't it be something if they made a return? My biggest curses were heaped upon the UK and the lack of a race in this country, after this race surely one of the big tracks will be considering a return, I don't know Brands's category and whether or not they can host a race there but Sliverstone can and I would venture there again. Not sure Donington could manage the race but imagining these beasts hurtling down the Cramer curves is just mouthwatering,
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Post by René on Jun 17, 2024 17:16:21 GMT
It was a great race and a great win. Enzo would have been proud of this team.  The extremely long safety car during the night was indeed for safety reasons (and barrier repairs). The visibility was very poor, especially on the straight, and I think these modern cars with their advanced aerodynamics and low ride have more difficulties in rain. Don't forget how fast these Hypercars are, almost F1 speeds. And we know how bad F1's are in the rain nowadays. Carl, the commentators must have lost a sense of time due to boredom (and a sense of humor )... even Miguel Molina in the winning Ferrari complained of boredom during the safety car! Just imagine being bored in a 860bhp car on a wet surface!   Forza! |
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Post by Carl on Jun 17, 2024 18:24:10 GMT
It was a great race as the end neared on day 2 when the battle between Toyota and Ferrari was epic. At one time, a graphic display had top speeds at 215 mph.
During the endless safety car period, I decided it was weather related, or else boredom if driver radios were tuned to the broadcast commentary. It doesn't reflect well on modern prototypes or Formula One that they don't do well in a downpour. It's embarrassing that they could be passed by a Fiat Topolino in standing water. Is modern downforce so great that each car kicks up an impenetrable wall of spray? |
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