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24 Dec 2014, 10:28 (Ref:3487640) | #1276 | ||
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A PO Box in Aylesbury...... (Buckinghamshire)
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280 days...... |
29 Dec 2014, 11:18 (Ref:3488403) | #1277 | |
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I've been mulling over a question...
Who would you most like to see win Le Mans that hasn't done so already? The name that sticks out for me is Stephane Sarrazin. In 13 participations he's been 2nd three times. 3rd once. Every time he's finished the race it's been in the top 10. He also had a class podium (3rd) with Aston in 2005. He's had three pole positions and holds the quickest lap around the circuit since the chicanes went in on the Mulsanne (so in the last 25 years). That's before you even get into his all-round talents. His skill in a rally car and speed in what ever car he drives. He's 39 so he still has time, albeit the window is starting to close. So he'd be my pick. If they would put him back in alongside Ant Davidson then a win would cover off my second choice as well. What about everyone else? |
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29 Dec 2014, 12:50 (Ref:3488409) | #1278 | ||
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I'd also agree with Sarrazin, and Davidson would be a close second of mine too. I feel that it would do both of them a great disservice if they retired without a Le Mans to their name.
To look at it from a different angle, I'm also looking out for who from the next generation or sports car greats is going to get their first Le Mans win chalked off. Apart from the Lotterer/Treluyer/Fassler crew, there's not really any obvious candidates to be the next McNish or Kristensen, although that reflects how competitive it is these days rather than a lack of talent. For this category I'm looking at drivers under 30. Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Rene Rast, Michael Bonanomi - not saying they'll get to Kristensen's level but time is really on their side to become big names in this part of the sport and the sooner they get their first Le Mans win, the better. I'd be happy to see any of them take it so I can say "I was there when it all started". Nissan will undoubtedly introduce a couple of names to that list. |
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29 Dec 2014, 12:55 (Ref:3488411) | #1279 | ||
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As I was typing out that post I was surprised how many names we think of as the younger generation who are 30 or above. I was going to put Conway, Jarvis, Jani, Pla and Duval in that list but they're all north of 30.
Makes Buemi's season seem all the more impressive when you consider that by LMP1 standards, he's a young driver. |
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29 Dec 2014, 18:57 (Ref:3488466) | #1280 | |
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Bob Wollek
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29 Dec 2014, 20:05 (Ref:3488478) | #1281 | ||
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Well, I think most of us would agree with Bob, but sadly not possible......
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280 days...... |
29 Dec 2014, 20:19 (Ref:3488480) | #1282 | ||
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29 Dec 2014, 21:32 (Ref:3488494) | #1283 | ||
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In addition to Bob, that Vic Elford never got a Le Mans win seems like something of a travesty.
In terms of current guys who might still have a shot at it, it's hard to see beyond Nic Minassian - gut feel says his time has passed but looking at what he brought to the sport, and the chances he had, does seem to me he might have warranted it. Equally in 'almost certainly not going to happen' category is Manu Collard, largely driven by thinking about the sort of dominance he brought in the middle of the last decade. |
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29 Dec 2014, 22:08 (Ref:3488501) | #1284 | ||
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Two good choices there Ian.....
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30 Dec 2014, 15:36 (Ref:3488759) | #1285 | |||
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Well apart from the obvious (every Toyota driver bar Wurz, just put the five of them in the #8) I would most want to see any of the third cars winning Le Mans. I think I'm safe with this one as I doubt Porsche/Nissan will put Le Mans winners in their 3rd cars! I know it hasn't been that long since a third car won - although thanks to a certain German, Frenchman and Swissman it feels like it - but Le Mans is the only chance these drivers and their pit crews get to show what they can do. And they often have to do so with relatively experience of the cars in racing situations; as good as testing and simulated runs can be they won't match up to full-on racing.
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30 Dec 2014, 18:34 (Ref:3488789) | #1286 | |
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There's a long list of French drivers in recent years who couldn't quite win the big one.
Ayari, Boullion, Bourdais, Collard, Comas, Gounon, Lagorce, Lapierre, Minassian, Montagny, Sarrazin, Tinseau. A couple of them still have chance but I agree, Manu and Nic's time has probably come and gone. It would be nice if Minassian could still bag a class win in the same way Lamy did in 2012. |
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30 Dec 2014, 19:03 (Ref:3488797) | #1287 | ||
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I agree will almost all names mentioned, and thinking the subject deserves it's own thread?
However I would like to throw a name into to pot too: Jan Magnussen. He drove very well in the Panoz, and only had one chance in a LMP1 car with a winning chance. That was in 2003 in the team Goh Audi R8 where he finished 4th. |
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31 Dec 2014, 13:41 (Ref:3488953) | #1288 | ||
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As long as the winner drives a porsche Lmp1 I personally don't mind who it is...
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31 Dec 2014, 15:01 (Ref:3488970) | #1289 | ||
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31 Dec 2014, 15:48 (Ref:3488977) | #1290 | |||
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Although the Nissan is rumoured to be so far leftfield and oddbal, and I do like my oddballs, I might give them a shout or two too. And Toyota. Because V8. Damn, need my clotheschoices carefully planned this year! |
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31 Dec 2014, 17:40 (Ref:3488990) | #1291 | ||
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31 Dec 2014, 18:00 (Ref:3488995) | #1292 | ||
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I personally think Toyota deserves a win after rescuing!!!! (is that proper English) LMP1. I favour Wurz.
btw Happy New Year, not long now until we can speak of this years LM |
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Driving my '95 GT2 winner to Le Mans, again and again and again and again and again.... |
1 Jan 2015, 07:20 (Ref:3489128) | #1293 | ||
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Well it is "This years Le Mans now"
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13 Jan 2015, 12:35 (Ref:3492465) | #1294 | |
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They still haven't announced the second support race yet, right? But we do know it's not gonna be Carrera Cup France again, nor Ferrari Challenge Europe, so we might be in for something new. I must say that although I did enjoy both of those, it is good to have fresh rotation going on with the spec brand support race and not have the boring predictable cycle rotation the Legend race has. AMR 2012 was something else, as was the 09 FLM.
Unfortunately, it's not gonna be Lamborghini Trofeo either |
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13 Jan 2015, 12:44 (Ref:3492468) | #1295 | ||
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I'm all for rotation, but I'd happily have the Porsches again. Having 70+ identical cars and giving drivers of varying degrees of talent a chance to race on their dream circuit on the day of one of the nation's great sporting events was always going to be a recipe for success.
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13 Jan 2015, 12:51 (Ref:3492470) | #1296 | |
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Well it was 'only' 61 cars as the track is not homologated for more to race currently.
The upside of the Porsches is that you have potential for bigger grid and Motors TV slot and some actual sort-of-big-names than with Ferraris or something else. But I think other single make series have more exotic flavor to offer, as long as it's not some 10 car Radical cup... Anyway they're gonna have that unified Porkie show at Spa this year. So N24 2011, LM24 2014, Spa24 2015. |
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13 Jan 2015, 14:57 (Ref:3492494) | #1297 | ||
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Only 61? It felt like more!
I would guess if LMP3 ever really took off (in the way PC didn't), we'll probably see a sort of "World Cup" race on the Saturday morning at some point in the future. |
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13 Jan 2015, 15:42 (Ref:3492501) | #1298 | |
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Now that you mention it, it's not necessarily out of a question for LMP3 to have that support race this year already. After all LMPC (even acknowledging that it was series of it's own at the time) got it's LM slot for debut year when the European grids were still alright
http://www.racingsportscars.com/resu...09-06-14f.html I think "LMP3 Le Mans Cup" would be good way to attract new customers. Then fill up rest of the grid with CN cars, Lites, old PCs, Radicals, vdev-stuff and whatever to avoid a sight of ten cars rolling Mulsanne alone. But well even if/when not, P3s can run at Test Day at least. Last edited by Deleted; 13 Jan 2015 at 15:50. |
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13 Jan 2015, 21:16 (Ref:3492585) | #1299 | ||
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Quote:
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13 Jan 2015, 21:48 (Ref:3492596) | #1300 | |
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Really? Any evidence to back it up?
Would be cool to have the DBR9s there again, even with slow 2010-spec they had the last time (? either that or the drivers were just terrible at pace). But on the other hand as I don't attend the event it means I don't get to see any of it as the likelihood of that getting broadcasted is around zero, just as the last time |
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