77th Le Mans 24 Hours

[Demon Drone]

Damn. Now we have to wait a year again for this great race. I got to say though. This was one of the more exciting ones I have seen in quite a while. Fantastic race. Wish I had the money to go see it in person. What an experience that would be

 

[ranhammerR34]

Great race. Congrats to the Peugeot Total Team with great 1-2 finish. --- Randy

 

[Alex.]

Beautiful moment there. Was a very nice touch to see the 3 peugeots come home in formation, as well as my supported Barazi Zytek in formation with the 2 corvettes, was real cool.

 

[Stevisiov]

I can't wait for GT5 and 24hour racing, hoping for some rain and night effects added. 👍

 

[evil_dave86]

Congrats to Peugeot and all the class winners. All were well deserved winners.

And congrats to any fans that stayed awake to watch the whole 24 hours!

 

[McLaren]

Ahem. May I remind you Audi wasn't anything decent in their first year as well? And haven't faced serious competition from that year until 2007?

I never said Audi was perfect since it came in. But it's not Audi's fault for what Peugeot did during their first 2 years.

BTW, Audi was actually a decent car. The R8R, R8C, & R8R Spyder were really nothing more than test cars & nearly all of them showed much better reliability than everyone else.
Audi used these 3 cars, learned where they excelled in 1999, then in 2000, unleashed the finished product & dominated. Peugeot was on the same page until they made poor decisions last year.

As for their competition, well, that's really nobodies fault. Audi's a smart company, & they just happened to come upon a formula that worked really, really well.

Audi was being silly and did many mistakes on all the cars, while Peugeot ran the #9 flawlessly.

Yes, because Audi didn't do any testing to the R15 from Sebring til' now. I don't know why they neglected it, but they did & it showed.

As for the #9 running flawlessly, yeah it did, but that doesn't really excuse some of the mistakes like letting Pescarolo run into their rear & starting a chain of problems for the #8.

Does doing ONE whole race all season up to this point ring any bells?

Pulling out of ALMS isn't their downfall. It's not doing any testing to the R15 since Sebring. The car pretty much just sat somewhere getting minor treatment.

That's about the only thing I can fault Audi for.

 

[Lotrzyna]

Congratulations to all participants, class winners and of course to overall winners. I was right - Peugeot on top

It was nice to be able to exchange info and emotions with you all guys during last 24h, regards to all who done whole 24h

It is now official I did it - my personal best in time spent watching Le Mans
6h of training session, 4h of qualifications, 45minutes of warm up session, 1h? of legends race and of course 24h non stop race

 

[Paulie]

It's a real shame the other Corvette Racing Vette didn't finish. Hyped that the Vette won though. Anyone know why GTR wasn't in it? I would have loved to see an epic Corvette vs GTR battle at Le Mans , but Corvette would have won.

 

[lpb-nissan-gt-r]

I now need some sleep good race though audi will win next year.

 

[Clark]

I'm glad to be a Peugeot fan, although I really wanted Seabass to win. Great showing for the Aston's first Le Mans.

Roll next year for the last year of the 908, new LMP rules in 2011 is when they'll all build new cars.

 

[McLaren]

It's a real shame the other Corvette Racing Vette didn't finish. Hyped that the Vette won though. Anyone know why GTR wasn't in it? I would have loved to see an epic Corvette vs GTR battle at Le Mans , but Corvette would have won.

I believe the ACO has to either invite you, or accept your request to take part as it does have limited entries.

I'm going to assume though, that there isn't a GT-R ready to endure the 24 Hours yet. Besides that, who has a GT-R ready to race here besides the FIA GT team?

I'm glad to be a Peugeot fan, although I really wanted Seabass to win. Great showing for the Aston's first Le Mans.

Roll next year for the last year of the 908, new LMP rules in 2011 is when they'll all build new cars.

So Peugeot confirmed they will return next year? 👍

 

[Demon Drone]

The competition really stepped up and put it to Audi. Let's hope Peugeot winning shows everyone that it is possible to beat Audi and opens the flood gates for more teams to come in an compete for the ultimate glory in racing. Nice to see such fierce competition again. It was only a matter of time before someone came along and toppled the giant that was Audi.

 

[Metar]

I believe the ACO has to either invite you, or accept your request to take part as it does have limited entries.

I'm going to assume though, that there isn't a GT-R ready to endure the 24 Hours yet. Besides that, who has a GT-R ready to race here besides the FIA GT team?

^ That, and, that FIA GT team (because FIA GT teams get invited - though Vitaphone keeps refusing) has a GT-R built up to 2010 regulations, which aren't legal (nor competitive) this year. They can't score points at FIA GT either.

So Peugeot confirmed they will return next year? 👍

They've got that hybrid in development for 2011, as well.

 

[albteman015]

great job to Peugeot ,Team Essex , Pratt & Miller and Risi Competizione [Forza Ferrari] 👍👍👍👍👍👍

 

[Clark]

This would hint at a return. From Autosport.

Peugeot working on 908 successor

Thursday, April 16th 2009, 16:16 GMT


Peugeot has begun work on a replacement for its 908 turbodiesel Le Mans 24 Hours car, reports this week's AUTOSPORT.

Team manager Serge Saulnier has revealed that the French manufacturer is evaluating concepts for the 2011 LMP1 regulations.

A new car for 2010, the last year of the existing prototype engine formula, has already been ruled out by Peugeot Sport boss Olivier Quesnel.

Saulnier said: "We are starting to work on a 2011 car; we are beginning to think about the concept."

He suggested that Peugeot would remain in sportscar racing beyond the life of the 908 coupe introduced in 2007.

"The management understands the need for consistency," said Saulnier, "but it is difficult to make a long-term plan at the present time."

He also explained that the state of the global economy would play a more significant role in the company's decision-making process than its result at Le Mans.

"That will decide the future, not our success at Le Mans this year," he said.

Peugeot's 908HY hybrid has not tested since its public airing last September.

 

[McLaren]

^ That, and, that FIA GT team (because FIA GT teams get invited - though Vitaphone keeps refusing) has a GT-R built up to 2010 regulations, which aren't legal (nor competitive) this year. They can't score points at FIA GT either.

I'd really love to know why. They're dominate as can be in the FIA GT (or were; I don't know they've done this year), and would easily push the Corvette teams in GT1. Then again, doesn't really matter after this year seeing as GT1 is dead, right?

great job to Peugeot ,Team Essex , Pratt & Miller and Risi Competizione [Forza Ferrari] 👍👍👍👍👍👍

Speaking of which, anyone else surprised just how well the Spyker team did this year? 5th in class behind a whole lot of red heads.

This would hint at a return. From Autosport.

It shows Peugeot will return in 2011, but it doesn't necessarily say the 908's will come back next year, just that a new car won't be produced for next year.

The reason I'm curious is because the announcers here said, Peugeot may not come back next year regardless of the outcome.

 

[Clark]

I think they will. I remember Saulnier saying they wanted to do Peitit Le Mans and another LMS event this year so they didn't get rusty. That would be the big hint that they'd be returning next year.

If they don't I bet you can see most or all of the factory drivers in Pescarolo run 908's next year.

 

[Metar]

I'd really love to know why. They're dominate as can be in the FIA GT (or were; I don't know they've done this year), and would easily push the Corvette teams in GT1. Then again, doesn't really matter after this year seeing as GT1 is dead, right?

They only started racing this year. They never dominated anything: They're around four seconds a lap slower around Silverstone than the regular GT1 contenders, and the Maserati and Saleen cars are the dominating ones.

GT1 isn't dead, they're simply shifting it down: GT1 will be as fast as today's GT2, GT2 to GT3, and GT3... I don't know.

Speaking of which, anyone else surprised just how well the Spyker team did this year? 5th in class behind a whole lot of red heads.

Yeah! Last year, they were almost as bad as the JLOC was this year!

 

[Clark]

Well actually 2010 GT1 cars are right in between current GT1 and GT2 pace-wise.

 

[Metar]

Yeah, governing bodies never seem to get it right: The FIA didn't plan for 2009 cars to be this fast, either.

 

[Clark]

Well no the 2010 GT1's are at that pace, and the FIA designed them to be that. And it wasn't the FIA that decided the pace of the LMP1's at Le Mans. That's the ACO

 

[Metar]

I meant 2009 F1 cars, sorry.

I recall reading that the point of the new GT-class regs are in order to allow easier transitions between the various GT classes: Slight differences in aero packaging and engines, allowing privateers to build the GT2 cars up to GT1 or down to GT3 specs.

 

[Clark]

Well the 2009 LMP1 cars won't supposed to be that fast either!

 

[McLaren]

They only started racing this year. They never dominated anything: They're around four seconds a lap slower around Silverstone than the regular GT1 contenders, and the Maserati and Saleen cars are the dominating ones.

We must be talking about different Vitaphones in the FIA GT b/c when I hear Vitaphone & FIA GT, I think of these guys.

The same guys who won the Team Championship in 2005-2008, and according to the FIA GT's website, are leading right now with 24 points, 2 circuits in.
http://www.fiagt.com/points.php?season=2009&class=GT1&type=team&event=1

 

[Metar]

Ah yes, I'm talking about those. I thought you asked why the GT-R isn't there.

Well, if I'm not mistaken, the Maserati doesn't comply with one of the ACO's regulations. Shame indeed, because the MC12 would easily plant itself on the podium.

 

[McLaren]

Ah yes, I'm talking about those. I thought you asked why the GT-R isn't there.

Well, if I'm not mistaken, the Maserati doesn't comply with one of the ACO's regulations. Shame indeed, because the MC12 would easily plant itself on the podium.

I thought ALMS was the only series where the MC12 wasn't allowed. Mmph.

 

[daan]

Vitaphone don't keep refusing. They used an Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 last year (as the MC12 isn't eliglble under ACO rules.)

Congrats to Peugeot for winning this year. I was wanting McNish to win again, but was pleased to see Peugeot finally winning.

 

[Metar]

They were supposed to field a Porsche RS Spyder this year, too, apparently - but pulled out.

 

[Bram Turismo]

What I'm concerned about for next year is the difference of speed between the LMPs and GTs for next year. Drivers are already saying that they do not see the LMPs coming, they are that fast. I believe slowing the GT cars down will only increase the risk of a crash when an LMP car will lap a GT car in the night. I don't think the LMP cars will get that much slower either. The ACO wanted the LMP cars to be slower, but they never expected the Peugeots to run 3'24-3'25 laps.

 

[daan]

In 1966, a Mini Marcos GT 1300 raced at Le Mans, (and finished 15th) and it was being passed by the Ferraris and Fords which were going over 80mph faster....