LM Pole Prediction (Closed - Now We Wait and See!)

Now that I'm in the groove, another prediction thread for you....

Your guess at the pole position time for Le Mans 2002 (overall) please.

Not so easy this year, with the new Dunlop to Esses sweeper, which you will have to factor into your equation!! ;)

What was it last year?

Only have the 2000 times at the moment.

Apr 30th test day 3.36.62 Audi - 4.2700 996 GTR
Starting Grid 3.36.124 (McNish) - 4.31.71 996 GTR

So allowing for the possible increase in performance equalling the new layout I will go for the same times
Fastest 3.36.124 - 4.31.71 Slowest Qualifier

SL

Thanks!!

I'm going to go for a 3.38 for pole then.

Originally posted by paulzinho
What was it last year?

Rinaldo Capello - Audi No. 2 - 3m32.429s.

Ok make my prediction a 3. 35 then, I don't think they'll lose more than 3 or 4 seconds in the new section

Aysedasi,

Let's keep track of the bets and see who gets closer.

I am on a pole time of 3min36s018.

Cheers,

Muzza

How many Audis will the fastest MG outqualify? I'll plum for one, the Goh! Audi.
And how close to Audi pole time will it get... 2.5 seconds
Fastest non Audi/Bentley/MG will be Lehto's Caddy

I'll go for Dindo Capello on n°2, and for around 3'39''500 (this new esse seems to me very slow...)...

Herbert - Wednesday night @ 2235 - 3'34.500 - and I just booked my plane ticket! Counting the days......

anybody think a bentley or a.n.other will displace the krumm, peter, werner, audi on the podium?

Frank Biela (if given qualifying duties) in 3:36.2
Which reminds me, Audi's pole time of 2001 would have only been 4th/5th in 1999! behind 2 Toyotas 1 Mercedes and 1 BMW. Shame there is no real competition to really stretch them this year.

bring back the toyota gt-one!!

Yes indeed!

I reckon 3:35.600 secs and it'll be one of the Audi's ;) and hopefully it'll be Herbert's pole.

Right pole time...............................

Biela car will be on pole with a time of 3:36.493

Very specific there!!

Originally posted by Muzza
Aysedasi,

Let's keep track of the bets and see who gets closer.

Muzza

Absolutely Muzza! Keep those times coming in if you haven't placed your bet already. The week-end before race week I'll post a full list of all the predictions received by then. ;)

3.37.012

Pole Time for each class
LMP900
3.33.964 Audi #2 Johnny Herbert
LMP675
3.37.365 MG #26 mark Blundell
LM GT
3.58.68 Corvette #63
LM GTS
4.12.237 Ferrari #70

I reckon 3m33.333, I guess it will probably be an Audi, Damn it. The Mazda will still sound best and MG will still get the best support though....

Originally posted by iucrmh
Frank Biela (if given qualifying duties) in 3:36.2
Which reminds me, Audi's pole time of 2001 would have only been 4th/5th in 1999! behind 2 Toyotas 1 Mercedes and 1 BMW. Shame there is no real competition to really stretch them this year.

The Guernies were added to the rear wing in 2000 'cos of the flying Merc, this slowed the cars down a lot.

Come on people! Only 11 times posted! I know there must be more of you out there prepared to have a stab at this!

Just to give you some encouragement (and to see what you're up against!), here's an interim list of the times posted so far (fastest to slowest predictions):-

3:33.333 - Big Stu
3:33.964 - rdjones
3:34.500 - Rick
3:35.000 - paulzinho
3:35.600 - Oversteer
3:36.018 - Muzza
3:36.124 - SL
3:36.200 - iucrmh
3:36.493 - hakkiman
3:37.012 - FastJoel31
3:39.500 - Fab

(By the way, Osella, your post doesn't have a time in it!)

C'mon folks, place your bet!

I am buy a beer to the winner.

Sorry, caspita, I always forget to check the spelling before posting! I meant that I am BUYING a beer to the winner....

Mr aysedasi, we appear to be lacking a prediction from yourself!!

a 3:37.541 - racing for holland dome, thank you very much mr.aysedasi

3.30.000

3.31.019 the track will be fast, the weather dry, the tires good.
I also think the top of the grid will be alot closer than of recent years.
We may not even have an Audi on Pole!!

Originally posted by TVRfan
3.30.000

Well done, out on a limb and it paid off!

Audi No. 2 3.30.296

At that's faster than the 1999 time. Since which we've had the new Dunlop stuff, the tightening of the Ford Chicane, the removal of the Mulsanne hump, and the Gurney on the back wings.

FG

Can I change mine again?

Think we all might wish to change our minds. Who is going to bet on a non Audi Pole ????

A stunner from MG maybe, that would be a turn up, all the drivers have the skill after all. Just have to remind Hughes and Reid they are not in touring cars that all.

Simon

Aha! I rather thought there might be some changing minds after that Audi time! (And others relatively close too!).

I guess you have a choice. Either I end the "pole poll", so to speak with those entries made up to 4th May, or we start again from scratch. I'm easy on it so over to you (bearing in mind that I haven't had a go yet, of course.......!).

By the way, my apologies for not being around for the last 36 hours or more. Its just coming up to 2 am now and this is the first time I've been able to get onto the forum for all that time.

Well if your allowed the benefit of a test day ayse I think we deserve the same!!;)

Seems fair do's Paul! But I'm not going through all of the effort again unless I get a decent show of hands in favour of it......

*holds up 10 hands*

Is everyone done on this? Bearing in mind that if I now put in my few penneth and anyone else does as well, I guess that means that we ought to start again? (If anyone's interested, that is?).

Alternatively, I could close this thread and post the guesses just before race week as I had planned? (Seems a bit daft though if we're all miles out!).

OK, you've had 3 days and I reckon that's enough. I'm now closing this thread and I will post the fill list of entries separately on the weekend before race week.

:beer:

OK. Here is the (supposedly) final list.


3:29.723 - AdamAshmore
3:30.000 – TVRFan
3:30.296 – FG1
3:31.019 - Nordic
3:32.875 - Aysedasi
3:33.333 - Big Stu
3:33.863 - paulzinho
3:33.964 - rdjones
3:34.500 - Rick
3:34.721 - kdr
3:35.600 - Oversteer
3:36.018 - Muzza
3:36.124 - SL
3:36.200 - iucrmh
3:36.493 - hakkiman
3:37.012 - FastJoel31
3:39.500 - Fab

As the three fastest predictions have come in after the Test Day, I am going to re-open this thread and allow anyone who wishes to to amend their prediction. I will close the thread again on Friday. And just to keep Paulzinho happy - my guess is now in there!!

I'm REALLY ridiculous now ! :laugh:

And very pesimistic, obviously ! :bag:

I'm even wrong for the 675 pole !!!

Hope could be quite accurate for GTS...

Are they back open then? I missed the boat last time...

3:29.723

Yeah! A sub 3:30. It'll be an Audi and it'll be miles ahead of the others that won't bother setting a qualifying time.

ayse...checking the ten day weather forecast, i'd like to go down to 3.34.721 - dallara/judd. only fair i can change as it was before pq i posted.

I would like to stick to my original time.

Can I change mine to a 3:33.863?

Hey ! The first Audi made 3'30 at PQ ! Or am I missing something ?

Yeah, I've gotta feeling it won't be that quick come next week!!

Originally posted by paulzinho
Yeah, I've gotta feeling it won't be that quick come next week!!

Have you ? I hope they'll break even the 99' record ! :rotate:

I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens!!

I can't wait! And i'm not even going!! Look forward to seeing everyones photos though!

Enjoy! :)

Originally posted by Fab


Have you ? I hope they'll break even the 99' record ! :rotate:

They won't if they don't beat your guess Fab!!

Are you sure I can't tempt you to revise your guess?

(Or are you proedicting rain all day Wednesday and Thursday? :( )

Originally posted by Aysedasi


They won't if they don't beat your guess Fab!!

Are you sure I can't tempt you to revise your guess?

(Or are you proedicting rain all day Wednesday and Thursday? :( )

:laugh:

I'm balancing between extreme pessimism and extreme optimism !

But when I see the PQ time, I bet for less than 3'30, and put 3'29'500 :rotate:

For my guess, i'm going to estimate 3'29'100...

....and another one bites the dust.....

Final scores on the doors.....

3:29.100 - Quattro
3:29.500 - Fab
3:29.723 - AdamAshmore
3:30.000 – TVRFan
3:30.296 – FG1
3:31.019 - Nordic
3:32.875 - Aysedasi
3:33.333 - Big Stu
3:33.863 - paulzinho
3:33.964 - rdjones
3:34.500 - Rick
3:34.721 - kdr
3:35.600 - Oversteer
3:36.018 - Muzza
3:36.124 - SL
3:36.200 - iucrmh
3:36.493 - hakkiman
3:37.012 - FastJoel31

There ya go!!