[LM24 Race] Le Mans 2023 Race Thread

[Gerard C]

As to Hypercar, may be they're looking for a squirrel tail…

[v8supes]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

I can see the ACO wanting to take stuff from the highest finishing entry of each Hypercar, but why for LMP2, which is a defacto spec class?

After qualifying and after the race the winning cars (and any the officials want to pick) are checked again. For example this is what and who was checked after qualifying. - http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/Res...eport%2012.pdf

The actual tech report from the post race checks is here, As you can see its quite involved. - http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/Res...neering%20.pdf

My theory is that something on the car did not pass post race scrutineering and they could not verify the part without getting the manufacturer to inspect it.

[chernaudi]

The ACO should know what's what, since it's their homolgation and they're running the show (IMO, the FIA just tag alone to provide the "World Championship" moniker--all the WEC brass are ACO people).


If F1 or NASCAR can make such decisions as far as DQ's on the fly (NASCAR has DQ'd teams within an hour or two of the conclusion of their races), why can't the ACO? Smells of bureaucracy and deal making to me.

And yes, I know that ACO/FIA decisions of this nature can be appealed, which can take months. Like the 1993 Jaguar DQ deal where IMSA and even the FIA sided with Jaguar, but the ACO told them to pound sand (the LM24 from '93 to 2011 wasn't part of a major championship and was solely the ACO's baby). And in GT1 years ago, a team appealed twice a penalty that the FIA/SRO imposed, and it took months before a FIA tribunal overruled the SRO/FIA.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by v8supes

My theory is that something on the car did not pass post race scrutineering and they could not verify the part without getting the manufacturer to inspect it.

Agreed.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Smells of bureaucracy and deal making to me.

Agreed.

[RL17]

Originally Posted by PhilipR

Honestly we have had this system of SZ since 2106 I think and there was never a issue until twice in this race.

Also what Kobayashi is referring to is a system like in 2015 where SZs were per corner, and that led to the Audi 8 crash when loads of cars were slowing at different rates at the end of the rundown to Indianapolis. I think this system where the SZ stars after a natural slow down for a corner is safest for everybody. Just some drivers need to pay attention and their teams to keep them informed.

Also maybe do not implement SZs whilst cars are going through the breaking point , maybe wait for that one to be cleared first

If considered a big enough issue you could go to FCY for 1 minute and then go full green to lift a SZ.

There would be minor winners or losers and when implemented or lifted. But would fun and games when groups of cars approach a SZ just before and after it’s lifted. Are SZs removed with notice from race control?

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by RL17

Are SZs removed with notice from race control?

Each car seems to have a dedicated screen for that. You can see it from on-board vids, generally right part of the cockpit.

[Gerard C]

By the text:
The Race Director / Clerk of the Course may decide to implement a SLOW procedure. The marshals’ post or posts (depending on circuit configuration) preceding the Slow Zone will have a single waved yellow flag. The sector/s under the SLOW procedure will have marshals’ posts, within its/their boundaries displaying boards indicating SLOW accompanied by double waved yellow flags.
Teams will be informed via pit-wall radio and by a message on the timing monitors. Drivers will also be alerted by the onboard display. In the preceding zone marshals will display "Next Slow" boards. The maximum speed of 80 kph is to be respected throughout the entire zone/s that is/are under SLOW regulation. Overtaking is forbidden from the first yellow flag preceding the SLOW until the car is clear of the waved green flag at the end of the Slow Zone.
A Slow Zone may be preceded and/or followed by an FCY or a Safety Car procedure. Several Slow Zones, consecutive or not, may be in use at the same time.Good reading

[Simmi]

I think the early SZ which saw Bourdais collected and two GT-Ams retire was badly managed by race control. They had the initial SZ from finish line up to Dunlop for the Sales shunt - then cleared that. Then less than a minute later appeared to add the next SZ down to Tertre Rouge.

Running both simultaneously for a short period would have been better than removing one and quickly adding another. Creates the chance for confusion or miscommunication with drivers thinking it's clear.

SZ entries are always super sketchy - as anyone who has spent time watching the race at Tertre Rouge can attest. It just doesn't seem that drivers are always that well armed with the info - the amount of times they nearly nail into the back of each other, fully locked up. And that's often pros on pros too.

[JoeW04]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I think the early SZ which saw Bourdais collected and two GT-Ams retire was badly managed by race control. They had the initial SZ from finish line up to Dunlop for the Sales shunt - then cleared that. Then less than a minute later appeared to add the next SZ down to Tertre Rouge.

Running both simultaneously for a short period would have been better than removing one and quickly adding another. Creates the chance for confusion or miscommunication with drivers thinking it's clear.

SZ entries are always super sketchy - as anyone who has spent time watching the race at Tertre Rouge can attest. It just doesn't seem that drivers are always that well armed with the info - the amount of times they nearly nail into the back of each other, fully locked up. And that's often pros on pros too.

I stood in line with the start of the slow zone after the tower car had crashed close to the start and there was so many near misses, even in the following laps when it had been there for a while. Some of the Hypercars have a good system where the hazard lights come on at the first slow zone then hit the brakes for the actual board, least it gives the other cars behind a bit of warning they are about to slam on the brakes.

[Sodemo]

I believe there was a team caught cheating racing something on the BTCC support package? Clio’s?

[RL17]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I think the early SZ which saw Bourdais collected and two GT-Ams retire was badly managed by race control. They had the initial SZ from finish line up to Dunlop for the Sales shunt - then cleared that. Then less than a minute later appeared to add the next SZ down to Tertre Rouge.

Running both simultaneously for a short period would have been better than removing one and quickly adding another. Creates the chance for confusion or miscommunication with drivers thinking it's clear.

SZ entries are always super sketchy - as anyone who has spent time watching the race at Tertre Rouge can attest. It just doesn't seem that drivers are always that well armed with the info - the amount of times they nearly nail into the back of each other, fully locked up. And that's often pros on pros too.

Saw a bit of onboard footage from Cadillac - was there any clear coverage? Did 2 GTE’s get in a tangle and then 1 run into back of Cadillac?

In other WEC races some drivers exploit the leeway when FCY imposed, so assume it’s mainly a problem with cars in class racing into SZs and generally WEC drivers (and lack of penalties) not following flag signals well enough.

Thanks for info Gerard - seems they have regs there if need to take it further

[Gerard C]

Thanks to you RL17! Why sometimes SZ are necessary at the beginning from the vid showing a big rescue team on the track: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8lnwjz
What happens at night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap0qXIx6VDU

What happens after a SC:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI2lkpdEH2I
Please note that no squirrel has been severely hurted during the writing of this post…

[Adam43]

Thanks!

Sharp intake of breathe Toyota numéro sept!

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Why sometimes SZ are necessary at the beginning from the vid showing a big rescue team on the track: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8lnwjz

That crew was on the way down to us after the Taylor crash, they had just enough time for a coffee and a bite to eat and then they came back to fix the same barrier from the #77/#22 crash!

[PascaLM]

I have published the results of the 2023 predictions contest

[GT-Eins]

Timo has added the usual Le Mans Statistics in our race-Report:
http://www.gt-eins.de/Berichte2023/2...al=Statistiken



(More of these from different classes under the above Link)

[Adam43]

Excellent stuff, thanks.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by GT-Eins

Timo has added the usual Le Mans Statistics in our race-Report:
http://www.gt-eins.de/Berichte2023/2...al=Statistiken



(More of these from different classes under the above Link)

Amazing from this one chart you can see the difference from the top 5 finishers to the next 2. Thanks for the reminder, and I am definitely checking out the others.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by GT-Eins

Timo has added the usual Le Mans Statistics in our race-Report:
http://www.gt-eins.de/Berichte2023/2...al=Statistiken



(More of these from different classes under the above Link)

Great stuff, I love these charts.
I'm quite often surprised by who is the slowest driver in each.

For example, Lotterer was the slowest in his car.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

Great stuff, I love these charts.
I'm quite often surprised by who is the slowest driver in each.

For example, Lotterer was the slowest in his car.

Yes, you would never have guessed Andre would have been, given his experience and speed. Not enough confidence to push to car might be it given his subsequent comments

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

Great stuff, I love these charts.
I'm quite often surprised by who is the slowest driver in each.

For example, Lotterer was the slowest in his car.

Originally Posted by S griffin

Yes, you would never have guessed Andre would have been, given his experience and speed. Not enough confidence to push to car might be it given his subsequent comments

Does that some of that speed (or lack of) depend on when they were in the car? If you put a driver in during the worst of the weather then their speed will be lower (does driving at night make a significant difference to speed as well?). With the highly changeable conditions in this years race did weather impact when drivers were in the car? For example does a team have a set plan of when each driver will be in the car or are they flexible based on conditions? So if you have a wet weather specialist would you swap the driver running order to get them into the car in the worst weather?

[RL17]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Does that some of that speed (or lack of) depend on when they were in the car? If you put a driver in during the worst of the weather then their speed will be lower (does driving at night make a significant difference to speed as well?). With the highly changeable conditions in this years race did weather impact when drivers were in the car? For example does a team have a set plan of when each driver will be in the car or are they flexible based on conditions? So if you have a wet weather specialist would you swap the driver running order to get them into the car in the worst weather?

Based on the pitstop analysis he did hace a 3.30am to 5.30am slot - cars should have been running faster at night with cooler air once all rubbered in after early rain - that was before long pitstops. You can understand not busting a gut when 10 or 15 laps down

[Gerard C]

I remember a front end change on a Porsche but dont remind which. The front end was damaged but they changed the rear end too, which looked good. May be they were adapting the aero package to the track change?

[Mike E]

Maranello victory lap for the winners

https://youtu.be/Qootp-84aVs