More News From France

[rdjones]

Again just seen this on DSC and again this was in Ouest-France today

There is a suggestion that Pierre-Henri Raphanel will head up the Le Mans Endurance Series organisation.

Also in the same paper today was the news that Retiring ACO President Michel Cosson and President Elect Jean-Claude Plassart will travel to Japan next month, to have dissions with representatives of Mazda, Honda, Nissan and Toyota. As well as speaking to all that they will also have meetings with Japanese TV executives.

[JAG]

I heard the ACO plans on visiting all of the major manufactuers in the next 12 months or so to hear there views and future plans for sportscar racing.

One rumour is that Honda are planning some alterantive powered/fuelled LMP/engine to coinside with there new alternative powered road car range.

[LouisTheShark]

Before reading too much into this, you should know that almost all sanctioning bodies visit with major manufacturers almost every year to pitch their ideas and get their feedback. Obviously if a manufacturer has some interests to reach a certain market and the sanctioning body believes they have series or class to promote to this market, they will try to work with the manufacturer to bring them into the series.

I think only F1 and NASCAR wait for the phone to ring, all others usually go out and pitch their ideas.

[thebear]

There is NO Le Mans racecar under construction at the current time. That is not to say that there are no plans. We will have to wait until the '05 season, at the minimum.:confused:

[JAG]

At least now with the LMES there is a European series of stature that Euro LMP teams/manufactuers can compete in, rather than just the once a year LM24. It hopefully should start to attract manufactuers eventually. We are already seeing the likes of Goh, Audi UK, RML, CMS, Lister, Nasamax, Spanish Engineering, etc. commiting to the LMES for 2004 alomg with the regular FIA SCC teams. So the series must be heading in the right direction.