The Amateur 24 Hours Of Le Mans
This wasn't the real race but it was as close, as any normal driver was going to get...
The grid was typically made up of a group of enthusiasts, in a mix of old obsolete LMP and GT cars, many of which were winners of the main event in their time including a:
Audi R8 '01
Audi R8 '05
3 x Pescarolo's
Bentley Speed 8
BMW LMR
Mercedes CLK-GTR '98
Mclaren F1
2 x Oreca Dodge Vipers
And these cars weren't just left in their original race trim but they had been vastly upgraded in the engine department with the Audi R8 '01 rumoured to be pushing out over 800hp, a massive upgrade from the original cars 600hp with the other cars having similar gains in power.
But someone special was entering the amateur event this year. The factory Peugeot team as they believed this would be a greater test of the new car than the usual Spa 6 Hours. This car was conforming to the new 2011 engine rules with just 550hp so was giving an awful lot of straightline speed to the upgraded LMP's.
But the Peugeot team were confident with their advantage in tyre management over the amateurs and also of the calibre of their driver meaning they should still have a good shot at a win.
So on April 15th to little fanfare the ALM24 started:
Lap 1: We start 7th and quickly move up to 6th overtaking the Oreca Viper then despatch the BMW LMR and the Peugeot Pescarolo to end the lap 4th 6.2 seconds behind the leader another Pescarolo.
Lap 3: Up to 2nd passing the Bentley and the third Pescarolo around the Porsche curves which seems to be a particular area of weakness it seems for the amateurs.
Lap 9: Catch and pass the lead Pescarolo at Tetre Rouge and lap the lonely Viper for the first time.
Lap 10: Already built a 18 second lead over the second placed car!
End of Lap 12: Pit in for the first time. Rejoin 10 seconds behind the lead Pescarolo.
Lap 13: The start of a long tale... the Audi R8 '01 is within a few seconds of us.
Hour 1 +0.296
Lap 17: Pass the lead Pesky into Tertre Rouge again only to be repassed on the hour with the gap to the Pesky in front a tiny 0.296 seconds.
Lap 20: Start to work out our main rivals pit sequences and it seems that the Pesky is pitting every 9 laps, the Audi every 10 laps whereas we're doing a full 12 laps a stint.
Lap 25: Pit the lap before and re-emerge 6.2 seconds ahead of the Pesky with the Audi in 3rd.
Hour 2 -1:41.6
With the pitstops out of sequence the amateurs onto their third already whereas we're only on two means the gap appear much bigger than it really is.
This hour was very uneventful, we just very slowly pulled away from the Audi with fast and consistent laps
Hour 3 -24 seconds
More of the same this hour until lap 56 where we have a minor brush with the wall.
Hour 4 -1:50
It's got to lap 60 in the last hour so the Audi has now had to do an extra pitstop meaning for the first time a comfortable lead and in turn means the in-car CD player on the Peugeot gets switched on!
Until...
Lap 65: Have a close moment at Indianapolis and nearly spin.
Lap 66: Spin at Indianapolis and lose about 10 seconds.
Lap 69: Spin just before Tertre Rouge and nearly cause a massive accident with one of the Pesky's.
Lap 70: On the grass in the same spot as last lap but just get away with it.
Lap 71: Spin at the Dunlop chicane.
Lap 72: Spin at the first chicane on the Mulsanne then the second chicane our tyres are knackered, the cars undriveable so the radio gets switched off not that it makes much difference as we spin at Mulsanne corner, Indianapolis and the first Porsche curve!
This lap ends up taking a ridiculous amount of time almost 5 minutes!
Lap 73: Oh dear. The Audi's only 15 seconds behind so all the hard work that went into building a cushion for the night stint has vanished in one lap of madness.... And guess what the lights on the car have just turned on!
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