24h Nürburgring/VLN

[Down F0rce]

I hope they can conclude their investigation before the 24 Hour Race.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by tux

I dont know how much truth there really is in this rumour but it was said that after the 2013 24 hour race where this Nissan http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/nur...deo-1576177398 kept taking off in similar fashion that Nissan did alot of studies to try and stop it.

Exact some spot.

Are flat bottom floors allowed in GT3 (if so do all/most GT3s have it?) or is it a Ring adjustment?

[tux]

I respect the banning of the classes around the nordschleife for the foreseeable future but can they not run the banned classes in separate races without the non banned classes around the GP track instead? Otherwise many teams may face financial issues and drivers may lose drives.

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

I hope they can conclude their investigation before the 24 Hour Race.

If that the implications for the 24h race would be catastrophic. No GT cars robs the race of a good 1/3 of the field at least.

[Rodger Davies]

Yeah, it's a big reaction, but it makes sense in the circumstances. I'm not going to comment until we know how 'temporary' the ban is; otherwise it's just speculating.

I'm glad we haven't seen too many rush into a blame game yet though, which makes me thankful for the way it has been covered, in general.

[deggis]

I don't undetstand why in this case the (in)experience of the driver is even a topic. 10-time N24 winner wouldn't have made any difference since there's no "anti-take off" switch in the steering wheel.

[Babapapa]

Originally Posted by Napolis

This was during practice which is what practice is for. This was our first NS session ever with SCG 003C.. We were running slowly to see what we needed to do. We specifically told our drivers to approach the jumps slowly which they did. Once we saw what we needed to do we adjusted aero and car was very good and stable. We raced today without any issues and were running 6th when we were black flagged for being too loud.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone.

They car was well in the pace of the GT3-cars and the sound was much to joy of the spectators!

Was everything else fine? Any damage or some new insights in coherence with the Nordschleife?

[deggis]

Therefore, we need to analyze the details of what happened, discuss and then implement the necessary consequences. Only after that vehicles can get back on the Nordschleife for use with similar specs as the car accident. ”

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/0...announced.html

[J Jay]

Well, apart from the usual "mainstream media reporting non-F1 motorsport only when bad stuff happens" non-shocker yeah the reaction has been largely civil and measured.

The immediate suspensions are also a sensible move given the circumstances. We will have time to judge what comes afterwards when it happens.

Originally Posted by deggis

I don't undetstand why in this case the (in)experience of the driver is even a topic. 10-time N24 winner wouldn't have made any difference since there's no "anti-take off" switch in the steering wheel.

It has nothing to do with the accident, but it's too tantalising a stick for various detractors and former Japanese F1 drivers not to beat him (Jann) with. Low-hanging fruit and all that.

[CaptRustyNail]

Originally Posted by PascaLM

The zone between the catch fencing and the spectator fence or barrier is, normally and usually, forbidden to spectators.

Tragic events and RIP to that lost soul, however that was more first thought when I saw the image of the catch fencing. They have no escape route as they are penned in and In my view probably didn't help the situation. None the less another dark day for Motorsport

[Gregory S]

The German motorsports federation has temporarily banned GT3 car. IMHO i don't think that they will keep it for long.

A very sad day for the motorsport world and fans. R.I.P, thoughts and prayers to the family.

http://www.motorsport.com/vln/news/g...fatal-accident

[Sodemo]

What about the WTCC cars which are due to race there this year? They aren't far off the pace of GT3 cars...?

[Rodger Davies]

Much less power and aero.

[deggis]

Assuming WTCC used same configurations, less aero and power is not showing much in the lap times:

Spa:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI...m#Qualifying_2
http://www.dailysportscar.com/Upload...alifying_1.pdf

Slovakia Ring:
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2014/0...ing-times.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FI...a#Qualifying_2

[helmat]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

Much less power and aero.

actually the 2014 TC1 cars have quite some aero and flat floors
sure they have "only" about 380bhp, but if you compare the times at Spa for last year
24h pole time for Laurens Vanthoor in the WRT Audi 2:18,710
WTCC fastest lap in qualifying Yvan Muller in the Citroeon 2:23,204

that's only 4.5sec slower for a FWD touring car compared to a RWD GT car
and topspeed is in the range of 250km/h

[Rodger Davies]

My bad, I forgot the new specs from last year. Even 2013 were probably quicker than SP10.

[TF110]

Multiple classes wont run according to speedweek. S10, SP9, SP8, SP7, SP-X and SP-PRO gone. Wow. Heres the official statement http://www.dmsb.de/active/detail-vie...cd3c840b3f768c

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by TF110

Multiple classes wont run according to speedweek. S10, SP9, SP8, SP7, SP-X and SP-PRO gone. Wow. Heres the official statement http://www.dmsb.de/active/detail-vie...cd3c840b3f768c

Until the investigations are concluded, that is. Too early to say anything about the permanent consequences just now.

[TF110]

I realize that. Still a blow, no matter how long (unless theyre reinstated before next race).

[Gregory S]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

Much less power and aero.

That's not a solution Rodges. Formula 1 tends to become boring...not GT3 too!

By the way, take a look at this. Many years ago at the same place a 3.0 CSL...almost in the exact position!

[ger80]

Well, that's a jump on the crest. Yesterday the car started to flip before reaching the crest ...

[rich07]

The ban of the GT3 and associated classes won't last long. There's just too much money in those classes from the big three Germans for that to happen.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by rich07

The ban of the GT3 and associated classes won't last long. There's just too much money in those classes from the big three Germans for that to happen.

I wouldn't bet on that. For one, there might be anti-racing people on the board at those manufacturers as well (especially at MB, IIRC), so I wouldn't rule out that they find that pulling out of at least this particular form of racing suits their interest better than fighting to keep the status quo.

And then, there's the question of politics. And with the Greens part of the ruling coalition in Rheinland-Pfalz/Rhineland-Palatinate (the state the 'Ring is in), I wouldn't be too surprised to see them getting involved.

I really feel that this is very much an "all bets are off" kind of situation right now.

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by Gregory S

That's not a solution Rodges. Formula 1 tends to become boring...not GT3 too![/img]

I meant the WTCC

[CTD]

Originally Posted by deggis

I don't understand why in this case the (in)experience of the driver is even a topic. 10-time N24 winner wouldn't have made any difference since there's no "anti-take off" switch in the steering wheel.

(This is not just a reaction to your post, but all posts not blaming the driver).
The driver cannot be taken out this equation at all, especially not the experience of the driver.
An experienced Nürburgring driver know that the Flugplatz will give you a little bit of air time.
A good experienced racing driver knows his car and it's weakness. One of Nissan's being airtime at Flugplatz.
If the driver knows that he/she is coming in too fast at Flugplatz, in a car prone to airtime, he/she should lift the throttle a little before, to take down the risk of being airborne.
The trend the last 25 years of modifying cars and tracks to take the edge of the drivers is in far too many cases nonsense compared to what Motorsport is (or was). The best drivers is the ones that can race a car at 100% through an entire race, knowing that if he hits 101% he will be off and out of the race.
The trend right know is to allow driver to push 110% all the time, but making sure the cars are slow enough to do this safely or changing the track to handle the 110% (tarmac run offs, removal of elements)
If a driver cannot judge the conditions of the track and the abilities of the car, he/she is a poor driver who should not race.

In this sad case, Jann Mardenborough should have know that his car was prone to getting this lift and lifted off the throttle at Flugplatz.
However it is not his fault alone! Nissan has an equal, if not bigger responsibility, as they should have secured enough downforce to the front, to have kept the front from getting the lift.
Mercedes accepted this in 1999 with the CLR. It flipped twice through the week, and Mercedes accepted that the car was not equipped with enough front downforce to cope with the lift generated at the old "hump" at Le Mans.

My point being. Why should social democratic politics take over motorsport where it is the regulations and tracks which is changed to ensure safety, instead of taking a liberal way of forcing the drivers and manufacture to take responsibility of the risk of their actions!? (I'm not seeking a politic discussing, but using the terms to describe the politics being done at the sanctioning bodies)