[LM24] La Sarthe/Arnage Track and Other Changes

[carbsmith]

That corner was already paved behind the curb with big speed bumps, for what it's worth. Not a place where anybody wanted to cut anyways, as Beaumesnil said. It's the exit they run wide on.

[chernaudi]

New photos of the expanded Porsche Curves run off, due to be completed by late September:

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/0...he-curves.html

[deggis]

Around 40,000 tons of soil are being moved to create a new 1.1-acre run-off area covered in abrasive bitumen.

Aka the sort of stuff Paul Ricard has.

[Coach Ep]

More 'updating' to Grade 1...

[chernaudi]

There will be track limits violations at Grade 1 tracks because if it's paved and the drivers think they can get away with it, they'll push the limits.

Only abrasive asphalt or abrasive paint that will quickly wear out tires will prevent such abuse, or a strip of grass or low grip material. The cynic in me does believe that maybe only spike strips will prevent track limits abuse.

Sadly in the name of safety--in ironically an inherently dangerous sport--this stuff is here to stay. I wish that there was something that would satisfy safety while discouraging abuse.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Only abrasive asphalt or abrasive paint that will quickly wear out tires will prevent such abuse, or a strip of grass or low grip material.

At Paul Ricard the blue painted stuff doesn't seem to do much considering how e.g. Blancpain drivers seem to take quite liberal racing lines. The red stuff is harsher though.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by deggis

At Paul Ricard the blue painted stuff doesn't seem to do much considering how e.g. Blancpain drivers seem to take quite liberal racing lines. The red stuff is harsher though.

Exactly. And abrasive also tends to be more grippy.

But I don't believe track limits will be an issue at this particular area. If you're that far over the road you're about to have an off anyway. Nobody even runs around the outside of that corner, so track limits isn't going to be a concern there.

I'm all for driver safety, but if it's just plain grey tarmac then we're going to end up with another circuit looking like a car park. Hope it gets some yellow and blue ACO stripes to help it a bit. What they did at Le Mans and even COTA is the best compromise.

[Adam43]

I doubt there is a track limits issue here.

Although there is an impressive engineering project.

[deggis]

https://www.lemans.org/en/news/porsc...-circuit/47526

[PascaLM]

At least, the track is not changed, and it's safer.


(toward Arnage, from the second right curve)

[Graham Goodwin]

The works have been completed - and have left the lap shorter by 3 metres

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/1...r-in-2018.html

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

The works have been completed - and have left the lap shorter by 3 metres

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/1...r-in-2018.html

Thanks, Graham. Also covered a corner of France in tarmac?

[Deleted]

Looks like a view of COTA or something now

Oh well it's to be expected...

[Victor_RO]

On the upside, hopefully no more flying LMPs destroyed in the fence though. But yeah. I wish they'd find a way to combine tarmac runoff with grass and gravel and have all of it work together, like, say, 2 m of grass at the track edge, then all the tarmac runoff you want, then about 4-5 m of gravel trap and a service road next to the barrier.

[Mike E]

Start line moved 145 metres north. Makes sense really, although the cars may be more bunched up at the chicane...

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2018/0...line-move.html

[Simmi]

Shame they couldn't have completed the works and kept the track the same length. Now there will always be this tiny asterisk against laptimes, despite the change being negligible.

The start line makes sense I guess. Might make for better photos, more even starts and maybe even better battles into the first corner.

[Deleted]

Even with this change, I don't see how they can get all 60 cars free from Ford chicane in time for the start.

Anyway it doesn't really matter to me, but at least this took attention away from the finished, absolutely disgusting looking "COTA" Porsche Curve sanitation works

[CTD]

It is more or less centred on the Start/Finish straight:
https://goo.gl/maps/CJvdppvQgX72

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by CTD

It is more or less centred on the Start/Finish straight:
https://goo.gl/maps/CJvdppvQgX72

Yep, if you look at the shadows in this photo, looks like the new start line is being positioned directly opposite the beginning of T18.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Yep, if you look at the shadows in this photo, looks like the new start line is being positioned directly opposite the beginning of T18.

I'm wrong, CTD's map is accurate, looking at this.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Start line moved 145 metres north. Makes sense really, although the cars may be more bunched up at the chicane...

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2018/0...line-move.html

What so we’re going to wait for all 60 cars to be out of the Ford Chicane before starting?

We’ve lost something if the cars aren’t allowed to unleash hell from that last corner.

[Adam43]

The leaders didn’t unleash hell from the last corner anyway. They just have to wait a bit longer on the straight and there will be more that can unleash hell at the same time now.

[Akrapovic]

Not convinced you'll get 60 cars on the straight before the leaders reach the line. Eduardo will be absolutely losing his sh*t about the pack not being bunched up.

[Adam43]

It’ll be more, maybe most, but probably not all 60. It seemed like it was only a handful before.

[PascaLM]

Of course, the 60 cars won't on the straight before the start. I would say the half of the grid. The braking for the Dunlop chicane will be more risky.