Andy Wallace comments on LeMans

[KC]

Andy Wallace commented on the rules changes at LeMans that have reduced horsepower of the last few years as detrimental to the sport. The use of intake restrictors has effectively reduced the average horsepower for the top line prototypes from 800hp to 600hp. This has resulted in top speeds being further reduced from the incredible 262mph (Mercedes C11) to just over 200mph on the Mulsanne. He complains that sports car racing at this level is not for everyone, the cars should be difficult to drive but ultimately rewarding as well. He claims that they should be "cars for drivers with hairy arms".

I tend to agree. Prototypes are supposed to represent the pinnacle of technological motor cars in the sports car ranks. There should be a way to make them as fast as they can possibly be without becoming a drastic danger to other drivers and spectators.

[This message has been edited by KC (edited 12 May 2000).]

[Liz]

Is this a reaction to the Flying Mercedes last year? That had nothing to do with speed, it was a problem of aerodynamics, I thought. I agree that the cars should be allowed to be as fast as the pilotes can control them - and the only way we find that out is let them get faster than that. I don't hear anybody complaining about danger except officials and people who neither race nor attend races. And insurance companies.