General Sportscar Chat thread

[deggis]

Don't expect to see Montagny near any kind of race cars from now on:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117253

[CTD]

Embarrassing and stupid.
But his career was almost over anyway.

[J Jay]

I must resist the urge to post various "Frank" jokes.

The admission of guilt, while refreshing, doesn't make things easier. I know Enge/Allmendinger came back from their suspensions, but they had other circumstances and cocaine [derivatives] are more potent and therefore serious than stimulants or cannabis. What a daft way to end a career.

[GT6]

It is a real shame that any driver allows themselves to ruin a career in such a way

[Pandemonium]

Oh wow... why do drugs? People just don´t apreciate life. Sad way to end a career.

[ger80]

http://www.motorsport-total.com/form...-15010101.html

He said he took it first time during his F1 time and it helped in the 908 to cope with the pain of his broken ribs

[deggis]

Not a performance enhancement per se, but at what point it starts to become one if it helps with recovery etc?

[Simmi]

Makes you wonder how much of it goes on. Taking it recreationally and then getting caught with it in your system is one thing - actively taking it around a race to aid you (for whatever reason) is something else altogether.

Despite his claims you can't tell me that isn't going to affect your judgement behind the wheel. He might have opened up a few more issues for himself with that confession.

[Paradise City]

There's a lively debate surrounding weed. Coke is universally as regarded scandalous though. The authorities aren't going to be nuanced about Montagny's circumstances here - they are are going to throw the book at the guy. The American's aren't going to even entertain him.

He's unlikely ever set foot in the US again I suppose, still less compete there and he had a firm relationship with champions Andretti with the outside chance at the 500 that may have followed from that.

If his supporters hold firm and ride this one out he may reemerge in European sportscars after a number of years. That's about as optimistic one can be re. his career.

[TF110]

Like Rick James said "cocaine is one helluva drug". I know too many people who struggle(d) with it. Some people just cant turn it away.

[tyronnezx]

Originally Posted by deggis

Don't expect to see Montagny near any kind of race cars from now on:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117253

Be nice man! he was only trying to follow the white lines anyway

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by TF110

Like Rick James said "cocaine is one helluva drug". I know too many people who struggle(d) with it. Some people just cant turn it away.

It's almost like alcohol.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by tyronnezx

Be nice man! he was only trying to follow the white lines anyway

Yeah, not many can claim to do so nowadays in high profile racing.

[deggis]

WEC P1 is rated pretty highly in the new FIA/F1 superlicense rating system:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117281

Tbh, looks like an anomaly as a multi-driver, non-sprint and as the only not truly single-seater class.

[Articus]

And the fact that SuperFormula is so low is surprising seeing as how it's basically spec JDM F1 series.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by deggis

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117281

What a joke.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Articus

And the fact that SuperFormula is so low is surprising seeing as how it's basically spec JDM F1 series.

It's still more than any other national series (not counting ICS but it's sort of a special case)

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by FIRE

What a joke.

Corrupt, self-serving FIA nonsense. The danger of the promoter also acting as the governing body for the wider sport. See also: FIFA and the World Cup.

[Mal]

I don't often like articles on this site but I think this one is pretty good

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/the-st...=1420823173695

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Mal

I don't often like articles on this site but I think this one is pretty good

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/the-st...=1420823173695

Love is a stranger in an open car?

It's a bizarre article of ups and downs isn't it? I suspect most of us on here are either of sufficient vintage to remember the WSC-95 or be interested enough to know all about it, but it does pull me up a bit to realise that it's a bit of now distant history, and for those getting into racing now about as relevant as people talking about the early 1960s were for me when I started looking at sportscars.

I've a genuine fond spot for the WSC-95. Perhaps controversially I see it as a Porsche, and remember a level of massive frustration when US rules changes meant we didn't see it running competitively when it first arrived. Janos Wimpffen makes a very good point in Time and Two Seats where he says it running at Donington in 1996 gave the nascent sportscar series (ISRS? sorry, predictably cat's on lap and it seem unfair to move him to check) a needed boost by showing up as Le Mans winner. Doesn't hurt that it was one of the signature cars in the old Dreamcast Le Mans game either.

Like you not a huge fan of Jalopnik, but if even one person is inspired by what is a fantastic tale then so much the better.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by Mal

I don't often like articles on this site but I think this one is pretty good



http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/the-st...=1420823173695

Was just reading that, it's Jalopnik but one if their better efforts for sure with a decent run down of the cars history and some handy reading links at the end. I enjoyed reading the link to the IMCA page which sounds like it was written by that odd Belgian fellow Pierre Van Rossum.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by isynge

Love is a stranger in an open car?

It's a bizarre article of ups and downs isn't it? I suspect most of us on here are either of sufficient vintage to remember the WSC-95 or be interested enough to know all about it, but it does pull me up a bit to realise that it's a bit of now distant history, and for those getting into racing now about as relevant as people talking about the early 1960s were for me when I started looking at sportscars.

I've a genuine fond spot for the WSC-95. Perhaps controversially I see it as a Porsche, and remember a level of massive frustration when US rules changes meant we didn't see it running competitively when it first arrived. Janos Wimpffen makes a very good point in Time and Two Seats where he says it running at Donington in 1996 gave the nascent sportscar series (ISRS? sorry, predictably cat's on lap and it seem unfair to move him to check) a needed boost by showing up as Le Mans winner. Doesn't hurt that it was one of the signature cars in the old Dreamcast Le Mans game either.

Like you not a huge fan of Jalopnik, but if even one person is inspired by what is a fantastic tale then so much the better.

That Dreamcast le mans game was awesome! I remember doing the full 24 with my brother, took some work.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by isynge

Doesn't hurt that it was one of the signature cars in the old Dreamcast Le Mans game either.

While I'm a big fan of the story of the "abandoned" WSC-95 and how it racked up so much success with little recognition, I'm not sure the above applies. It definitely wasn't a major part of the promotion in gaming magazines of the time. In the DC game and its subsequent PS2 & PC ports it was a middle-of-the-road LMP, similar in stats to the Riley & Scott MkIII and Courages. It's even outdone by the two McLaren F1 LM cars; in general the pre-97 LMPs get treated rather harshly in terms of recognition and viability. The focus of the Dreamcast game was the LMGTP and factory LMP cars, as it was based on the 1998 season. The ports would add cars from '99-'00 seasons such as the Cadillac LMP and Panoz LMP07. The WSC-95 isn't listed as a Porsche in any version, despite there being plenty of Porsche 911s - it's called the Kremer LMP and it even had the Porsche decal removed from the rear wing if I recall correctly. Then again it wasn't the only licensing issue Infogrames ran into - I've got a cookie for anyone who spotted the F333SP missing it's prancing horse emblems

Brilliant game by the way. Solid driving model (if a tad arcadey) excellently complemented by a well implemented day-night schedule, which wouldn't make an appearance on any console for years afterwards. The LMP07 & GT-One TS020 in particular looked stunning in the fading/rising sun.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by J Jay

While I'm a big fan of the story of the "abandoned" WSC-95 and how it racked up so much success with little recognition, I'm not sure the above applies. It definitely wasn't a major part of the promotion in gaming magazines of the time. In the DC game and its subsequent PS2 & PC ports it was a middle-of-the-road LMP, similar in stats to the Riley & Scott MkIII and Courages. It's even outdone by the two McLaren F1 LM cars; in general the pre-97 LMPs get treated rather harshly in terms of recognition and viability. The focus of the Dreamcast game was the LMGTP and factory LMP cars, as it was based on the 1998 season. The ports would add cars from '99-'00 seasons such as the Cadillac LMP and Panoz LMP07. The WSC-95 isn't listed as a Porsche in any version, despite there being plenty of Porsche 911s - it's called the Kremer LMP and it even had the Porsche decal removed from the rear wing if I recall correctly. Then again it wasn't the only licensing issue Infogrames ran into - I've got a cookie for anyone who spotted the F333SP missing it's prancing horse emblems

Brilliant game by the way. Solid driving model (if a tad arcadey) excellently complemented by a well implemented day-night schedule, which wouldn't make an appearance on any console for years afterwards. The LMP07 & GT-One TS020 in particular looked stunning in the fading/rising sun.

It's been a while (terrifying if I think about it, probably 7 or so years) but my recollection was in the quick race mode the WSC-95 was one of the first quick cars you got your hands on - hence my 'signature car' comment. Had a lot of time for it as a game - combination of interesting tracks, relatively challenging races, and as you say some well executed elements such as day-night transitions, to say nothing of some fun cars that you still don't find in contemporary console games.

Still have a Dreamcast lurking in my 'old technology' box which I may have to dig out to reacquaint myself with it... perhaps a low intensity task for next week.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by isynge

It's been a while (terrifying if I think about it, probably 7 or so years) but my recollection was in the quick race mode the WSC-95 was one of the first quick cars you got your hands on - hence my 'signature car' comment. Had a lot of time for it as a game - combination of interesting tracks, relatively challenging races, and as you say some well executed elements such as day-night transitions, to say nothing of some fun cars that you still don't find in contemporary console games.

Still have a Dreamcast lurking in my 'old technology' box which I may have to dig out to reacquaint myself with it... perhaps a low intensity task for next week.

That makes more sense. I remember the Kremer being the best of the "2nd tier" LMPs along with the JMB F333SP that-shall-not-be-named. I think the McLaren F1 LMs also went unnamed due to copyright, but it wasn't hard to miss them.

If you go hunting I think the older SimBin titles will have most of the GT cars that LM24H had, but outside of endurance-themed mods for rFactor, etc. no game has produced the same variety of prototypes. Apart from the lack of Ferraris there was a great mix of cars from all the classes - for instance: both Lister Storms, Marcos LM600, Audi R8C, Nisan R391, Riley & Scott MkIII, Courages & Lolas; they even got the Debora BMW LMP got into the PC/PS2 versions.

The track selection was great as well. The game introduced me to some cracking tracks like Brno, Road Atlanta & Donnington. I've still got the game and working Dreamcast, but no CRT TV to plug it into ...