[LM24 Race] 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours Race Thread

[Peter Mallett]

Just had a message from Raphael Dr Borman. He needs a banjo axle casing steel wheels for his 64B. Anybody going to Spa Thursday who could take one?

Really am #askingforafriend

[Peter Mallett]

Sorry wrong thread.

[S griffin]

DHH has just accepted nothing can be done, so just move on. C'est la vie

[Akrapovic]

I always thought DHH got harsh treatment. He moaned about BoP, much like every other GTE driver. Ford were still whining about BoP saying they were uncompetitive whilst their drivers were on the podium. Never understood why DHH got harsher treatment than others.

[Simmi]

Still trying to absorb everything that happened in an incredible race. Every time I return I get asked: "was that the best one yet?" And at this point I honestly can't answer and pick between them. They are all different and fantastic in their own way. But certainly we'll be dissecting this race for a long time.

Some photos if people are interested. I didn't take anywhere near as many this year.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/949985...57682247201312

1 by Richard Simpson, on Flickr
2 by Richard Simpson, on Flickr
3 by Richard Simpson, on Flickr
4 by Richard Simpson, on Flickr

[pafe]

Great photos Simmi, Thank You!

[tigas]

Originally Posted by kvenom

I've been severely disappointed by Rebellion this year, the DSQ is the icing on the cake. Years of running against themselves clearly hasn't been beneficial to the team.

Wait. what?

If anything, the ACO has demonstrated that it doesn't have a sense of humour, no sense for drama, but lots of ice in place of a heart.

Shameful, to disown racing instincts this way.

[ederss7]

That's the spirit! https://twitter.com/christiaanhtznr/...197912577?s=09

[valedave]

Right, taken a while to digest that weekend. Couple of questions...

Did anyone in the tribunes see the Lapierre/Trummer incident? Saw one article online blaming Trummer but on the Lapierre onboard he seems to move over on the P2 leaving him nowhere to go.

How/where did James Calado stuff the front end of the #51 Ferrari early on in the race?

[S griffin]

There's no real needle at Le Mans. Everyone respects each other, while trying to beat each other

[bobec]

Originally Posted by GT-Eins

additional Statistics from our extensive Race-Report:


more to be found here:
http://www.gt-eins.de/Berichte2017/2...istiken_Rennen

Thank you so much, I was really looking forward to this chart.


Any thoughts? I think most of us expected the Toyotas to be nearly 3 sec/lap
faster, but my impression was that Porsche looked to be almost on the pace, certainly not behind by much from the fastest Toyotas.

And it looked like Porsche could nearly match Toyota's fastest laps, though it's unclear how many such fast laps they could do in succession, as it seems like the refrained from pushing hard for too long.

But did the Toyotas have to refrain from pushing even harder? Was it something about the conditions that precluded the record-breaking pace many of us expected?

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by valedave

Right, taken a while to digest that weekend. Couple of questions...

Did anyone in the tribunes see the Lapierre/Trummer incident? Saw one article online blaming Trummer but on the Lapierre onboard he seems to move over on the P2 leaving him nowhere to go.

I heard that the was a fuel cut in the Toyota which caused it to slow suddenly in front of Trummer. Can't remember where I heard it though.

[bobec]

Originally Posted by Mike E

I heard that the was a fuel cut in the Toyota which caused it to slow suddenly in front of Trummer. Can't remember where I heard it though.

Speed/FOX:

https://youtu.be/Y7ksEfqr4_Q?t=225

[Adam43]

I remember that comment too, bu it wasn't Fox, although maybe repeated from there.

[valedave]

Fuel cut? Naa, not having that.

I seemed to remember him moving over on Trummer, but on that clip it doesn't look like that happened. Seems to me it was more of a case of three into two don't go. Maybe Trummer probably should have lifted? Then again he's in his own race and it's Lapierre's responsibility to find a safe place to pass.

[Akrapovic]

Fuel cut? Not sure on that one. Might've lifted the throttle but it doesn't look like that on the images. Looks like he held his line because the Dallara on the right was exiting the pits. Trummer may not have taken that into account. He should've seen it, but it certainly appears as though Trummer turns into the side of the Toyota.

[chernaudi]

That's what people have brought up with fuel flow on LMP1s vs air restrictors on LMP2s. Fuel cuts are when an automated system cuts fuel to stay within the fuel flow limits. You don't have to worry about that on a LMP2 with an air restrictor (or on a pre-2014 LMP1 for that matter).

Not saying that's how it happened, because what footage is out there seems inconclusive on what happened.

Either way, it does seem that a combination of driver error (driving too fast with a delaminating tire) and a design error that the likes of Audi or Porsche would rarely if ever make killed the #9.

Besides, we've seen guys drive around LM stuck in 6th gear slower than that. I think an Audi did it last year when an electronic glitch jammed the gear shift mechanism.

I don't think that Nico will see the inside of a factory LMP1 cockpit for a long time after that one.

[PhilipR]

Great experience for my first time at Le Mans.
Did the entire night shift. Middle of the night in the Forrest next to Mulsanne Corner was amazing as well as Indianapolis - Arnage. Wasn't to impressed by the Horror Movie Woods walk to get to the Porsche Curves though. Now I know what it is like and next time I go I will be better prepared.

The racing was great, and loved how the entire stands started cheering and shouting when the Aston overtook the corvette on the final lap. It did feel though that many people use le mans as more of a festival rather than a racing spectacle.

[chernaudi]

Granted, that's something that I'd like to see happen with NASCAR because each race used to be treated as it's own event, not as some bit part in a championship.

[XtC24]

On Lapierre, was the Team radio itself not telling him to slow down after the incident?
I think I heard that.
If so... it does not look good for him.

[Aysedasi]

It certainly looked as though he was going massively too quickly. We were screaming at him watching from the screen in the Espace Club garden to slow down. He's a seriously experienced driver though - he would have known that.......

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

SMP Dallara down at Mulsanne post fire, being lifted onto a flatbed.

Just reading back through the thread - this led to James and I getting our first ever name-check on RLM! We watched the car pull off fully lit....... Just going to search out the podcast now!

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Just reading back through the thread - this led to James and I getting our first ever name-check on RLM! We watched the car pull off fully lit....... Just going to search out the podcast now!

Oh I heard at least 2 from Mr Truswell on Wednesday night.....

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Just reading back through the thread - this led to James and I getting our first ever name-check on RLM! We watched the car pull off fully lit....... Just going to search out the podcast now!

It's always fun when you get that. I remember back in the late 00s, I got so many name checks because I was down at the Porsche curves. There was very few cameras at night, and even the ones at the SF were missing cars coming into the pits. Reporting punctures, smoke, and even diagnosing by smell is all part of the fun for being at LM with RLM.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by rdjones

Oh I heard at least 2 from Mr Truswell on Wednesday night.....

What, for us? There was certainly one in first qually on Wednesday, there was also a mention by Sam of a text received during the race when they kept blathering on about the #7 having no number lights (which it did). But I wasn't mentioned by name.