Le Mans Series and Japan Le Mans Challenge

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Mulsanne
I just don't get it. The ALMS bent over backwards to get the ACEMCO Saleen competitive with the 'Vettes last season. They finally started challenging for wins and then all of a sudden, they leave the series. :confused: Anyway, I wish them the best of luck at Le Mans. (Just not enough to beat the Corvettes.) :D

Don't worry, as much as I love the team I've accepted the fact that they can't match the Corvettes at Le Mans. But I've come to find out that I'm no good at predictions... so maybe they will pull something off:sly:
 
JLMC

Ferrari picks up another overall win in the second round at Montegi! All of the LMP1s failed to finish, including the new Courage L70 Mugen, leaving the win to the Hitotsuyama Racing Ferrari racing of the GT1 class. (link)

Pictures from the JLMC website:
 
Le Mans Series: 1000 KM of the Nürburgring - July 16

Last year, Creation took pole position, but Zytek claimed the overall victory. Team Oreca's Audi R8 and the Creation car claimed the final two podium positions.

This year, Pecarolo looks to continue its perfect season with a win in the 3rd round. The GT1 class should be especially exciting with Aston Martin vs. Saleen vs. Corvette, along with Lamborghini and Ferrari looking to upset the favorites.

P1
1x Zytek
1x Swiss Spirit (Courage Judd)
1x Creation Autosportif
2x Courage Competition (Mugen)
1x Racing for Holland (Dome Mugen)
1x Protran Competition
1x Pescarolo Sport
1x Chamberlain-Synergy (Lola AER)

P2
1x Pierre Bruneau (Pilbeam Judd)
1x Bruichladdich (Radical)
1x Rollcentere (Radical)
1x Binnie Motorsports (Lola)
1x RML (Lola)
1x Ranieri Randaccio SCI (Lucchini)
1x Barazi-Epsilon (Courage AER)
1x G-Force (Courage Judd)
2x Paul Belmondo (Courage Ford)
1x ASM Racing for Portugal (Lola AER)

GT1
1x Larbre (Aston Martin)
1x B-Racing (Lamborghini)
1x Team Oreca (Saleen)
1x Cirtek (Aston Martin)
1x Convers MenX (Ferrari 550)
1x PSI Experience (Corvette C6.R)
1x Luc Alphand Adventures (Corvette C5.R)

GT2
1x Ice Pol (Porsche)
1x Renauer (Porsche)
1x Thierry Perrier (Porsche)
2x Autorlando Sport (Porsche)
1x Seikel (Porsche)
2x Team LNT (Panoz)
1x Icer Brakes (Ferrari F430)
2x Spyker Squadron
2x Farnbacher (Porsche)
1x T2M (Porsche)
1x IMSA Performance (Porsche)
1x Racesport Peninsula (TVR)
1x James Watt Automotive (Porsche)
1x GPC Sport (Ferrari F430)
1x Virgo Motorsport (Ferrari F430)

Edit: Removed Lister Racing from P1 class entry list.
 
I wish we could get a grid like that here in the States. ACO and ALMS should work together to make schedules that allow some teams (Pescarolo, Zytek maybe?) to come over and do a few events, and not just the 12 Hours of Sebring or Petit Le Mans.

m.piedgros
 
Le Mans Series Update:

Lister Racing will not be at the Nürburgring round of the Le Mans Series. They have decided to skip the race to further develop their LMP1 Hybrid and prepare for the final two rounds Donington Park and Jarama.
 
This quote is from John, in my thread: ALMS: Salt Lake City/Mid-Season Discussion
JohnBM01
All I can say is that quality costs money.

Now, this quote is from Autosport Magazine:
Autosport Magazine
Championship leaders Pescarolo Sport could be forced to abandon their Le Mans Series campaign this season due to a lack of funds...

They have won every round of the Le Mans Series so far, and finished second at Le Mans behind a very powerful Audi factory. Now, they may be forced to withdraw from the championship. Looks like you are right John.

I don't have a subscription to Autosport so that single quote is the only thing I could get from the article. If you have more information, please post it in here.
 
According to Autosport, Pescarolo had a couple of cars up for auction, but the didn't sell, and thus he's lacking some funds.

Historically, he's always been close to bankruptcy, because he puts absolutely everything into his racing and has no margin for error. In other words, his current parlous state is not entirely new to him.

I also wonder if he's actually a well man. He looks unwell on the TV, and some people I know who were talking to him in June said that he looks better on TV than in real life.

Hate to say it, but 2006 could have been Pescarolo's last big Le Mans shout.
 
Something needs to be done about the LMP1 category. As you said it, Pescarolo put everything into his Le Mans campaign and could only come up with 2nd place. Where does that put other privateer teams; the ones that cannot afford to put everything on the line? You should not be able to simply buy a competitive campaign in LMP.

If you look at the results of this year's Le Mans, you will see two cars each from Audi and Pescarolo Sport at the top. Who's right behind them? Not the other LMP1 cars, but GT1 factory cars! They are discouraging future LMP1 programs if this continues.

Soon, it will be up to the factory Corvettes to give Peugeot and Audi a fight for the overall win if nothing is done.
 
I think that part of the problem with LMP1 is that it's Audi. If it were a lesser manufacturer, then there might be some scope for privateers to frighten them. However, the R10 will be all-but invincible next year, and the Peugeot won't yet be sorted. The other LMP1s, from Dome, Racing for Holland, Creation etc just aren't quick enough, and I can't really see where the key failing is. Obviously, I'm not comparing them with the Audis, because they really are in a league of their own, but Pescarolo is as far ahead of the others as Audi is of Pescarolo.

What's your view on the new manufacturer entries? I'm sure that there's someone other than Peugeot, but I can't remember who it is.
 
Porsche has an LMP1 version of the Spyder under consideration, but as far as anyone knows Porsche and Penske will concentrate on LMP2.

Acura also has LMP1 under consideration, but will focus on LMP2.

Currently, the only new LMP1's that have been announced beyond Peugeot are the Lola B10/10 coupe, the next variant of the Creation, and the freshly debuted Lavaggi. One does imagine that Radical and Courage also have chassis in the works.
 
To add to Layla's Keeper's list, there is also the Epsilon Euskadi.

I can only hope that Porsche and Acura decide race in LMP1. It obviously will not be next year, so you are probably right about the R10 being "all-but invincible." In the past two years, Pescarolo was the only team to really take it to the Audis throughout the whole race. Without the Pescarolo, the Audi R10s shouldn't have any trouble finishing ahead of the others.

Of course, this is only my prediction. I would love for Swiss Spirit, Peugeot, Racing for Holland, Dyson, Lavaggi, Zytek, Creation and the other LMP1 teams to prove me wrong. I'll certainly be cheering for them to beat Audi next year.
 
Le Mans Series: Pescarolo Update

Henri Pescarolo has apparently denied that his team will drop out of the Le Mans Series this season. In addition to this good news, he has also said that he is currently building a new car to comply with the ACO's 2007 regulations. At this point, there are no plans to build a Le Mans Prototype coupe for 2009.

* Note that the report I have provided is unconfirmed. Many small racing sites have picked up on this speculation but it has yet to make it into the larger racing news sites. Treat this as speculation for now.
 
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