Month: June 2015

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Porsche WEC

2015 LM24: Porsche claims win number 17

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

If Porsche didn’t have such a proud history at Le Mans achieving a one-two result in its second year would be difficult to believe. But Porsche went about the business of returning to the LMP1 category with enormous respect for its competition and seeing Porsche dominate and indeed tame the Circuit de la Sarthe for 24 hours is what we’ve been trained to expect.

The victory is Porsche’s 17th Le Mans victory. Seventeen!

It’s true, in a perfect world, and keeping an eye on the World Endurance Championship title, Porsche might have preferred its #17 or #18 car to win the race. However, there can be no denying the win to the #19 car which won on merit and with blinding pace during the night session.

Earl Bamber, Nico Hulkenberg and Nick Tandy are an unlikely grouping, but they are now Le Mans winners. They will share a bond for life and nobody can ever take that away from them. Well done lads, well done!

Wolfgang Hatz, the Porsche R&D boss put it succinctly, while reminding us of the resources Porsche has thrown at its LMP1 return: “A one-two finish in what is only our second year is an amazing reward for the guts of our engineers regarding the 919 Hybrid’s concept, and the relentless efforts of our 230 team members.”

Porsche 919 Hybrid final placings

1st (395 laps) #19 – Bamber (NZ), Hulkenberg (GER), Tandy (GB)
2nd (-1 lap) #17 – Bernhard (GER), Hartley (NZ), Webber (AUS)
5th (-4 laps) #18 – Dumas (GER), Jani (SUI), Lieb (GER)

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Audi WEC

2015 LM24: Audi sets lap record

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

Audi failed to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans for just the third time since its maiden win in 2000. The four rings have an incredible record at La Sarthe and while they gave away their crown to Porsche in 2015 they did take one record from their stablemates; the outright race lap record.

Amazingly, the old race record (3:18.4) had stood since 1971 and was set by Jackie Oliver in a Porsche 917 LH. However, Audi etched its name into the record books twice, when first Filipe Albuquerque lapped La Sarthe in 3:17.647 in the #8 Audi R18 only for Andre Lotterer to better that in the #7 R18 with a time of 3:17.475.

Perhaps because they are part of the Volkswagen Group, or perhaps because they’re just good blokes, but Audi was very gracious in defeat. Audi Motorsport boss Wolfgang Ullrich was in the Porsche garage to pass on his congratulations a full 10 minutes before the race had ended.

And this is what Audi Chairmain Rupert Stadler had to say: “That was motorsport at the very highest level. The spectators witnessed a tremendous endurance race in which the two Group sisters, Audi and Porsche, fought the expected fierce and thrilling duel for victory.

“We can only congratulate our colleagues from Stuttgart on this success because we know exactly how difficult it is to win this race.”

While Audi’s Technical Development boss, Ulrich Hackenberg, was quick to give the marketing bods some joy: “I found it particularly impressive that Audi and Porsche with two completely different concepts of hybrid race cars were practically driving on the same level throughout the entire race.

“Both Group brands with their concepts were clearly faster than Toyota. And that’s exactly what we’d like to show in the WEC and at Le Mans.”

Audi still leads the title race in the World Endurance Championship and will no doubt want to make amends at Le Mans in 2016.

Audi R18 e-tron quattro final placings

3rd (-2 laps) #7 – Fässler (SUI), Lotterer (GER), Tréluyer (FRA)
4th (-3 laps) #8 – di Grassi (BRA), Duval (FRA), Jarvis (GB)
7th (-8 laps) #9 – Albuquerque (POR), Bonanomi (ITA), Rast (GER)

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Motorsports News

Nürburgring management bans lap records

Looking over Quiddelbacher Hohe to Flugplatz accident site, April 2015

The fallout from the tragic accident at the Nürburgring in the VLN1 race back in March has continued with the track’s owners, capricorn Nürburgring GmbH, deciding to extend the speed limits initially introduced for motorsport only to all Nordschleife track activites.

That means all Touristenfahrten days will have speed limits. All private track days will have speed limits. And all industry pool days will have speed limits.

Capricorn has still gone one step further by officially banning any new attempts at lap records. This statement was issued late last week:

“Following the tragic accident on 28 March 2015, the German motorsport association (DMSB) introduced speed limits for races at the Nürburgring. capricorn NÃœRBURGRING GmbH has decided to extend these speed limits to other activities on the Nordschleife, which is why record drives are currently not permitted on the Nürburgring Nordschleife,” said Carsten Schumacher, CEO of capricorn NÃœRBURGRING GmbH.

The VLN accident happened at the entry to the Flugplatz right hander where a Nissan GT-R got airborne over the Quiddelbacher Hohe “jump” and crashed into the crowd killing one spectator.

The image above was taken in late April looking at Quiddelbacher Hohe, with the entry to Flugplatz over the crest. Workers were modifying the fences around the spectator area ahead of the VLN2 race.

A 200km/h speed limit applies from Hocheichen to Flugplatz (all activities).

A 250km/h speed limit applies from Flugplatz to Schwedenkreuz (all activities).

The usual 90–50km/h speed limits apply on the approach to the Breidscheid Bridge track entry (TF only).

A 250km/h speed limit applies on the main Döttinger Hohe straight, from the “gantry” to Antoniusbusche (all activities).

The initial introduction of speed limits for VLN competition, including the Nürburgring 24 hour race, was hoped to have been an introductory measure that was able to be brought in relatively quickly while a longer term solution was developed.

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Audi Video

Audi RS3: The hills are a-five

Audi RS3

We all know the new Audi RS3 won’t be perfect. But we do know, and with absolute certainty, that its five-pot engine will make it one of the best sounding cars in its segment. Don’t believe us, then get busy watching the video after the break. Grrrrrrrrr!

[Thanks to John for the tip]

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Top Gear

Chris Evans to head new Top Gear line up

Hi, my name's Chris and I am a fuckwit!

Chris Evans is a knob. And he’s also going to be the new host of Top Gear.

Speaking about his new role the UK radio and television presenter said: “I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward.”

Evans is a well known petrol head and has one of the world’s most enviable classic Ferrari collections. He’s also a massive knob.

Showing a sign of intent for the future of Top Gear the BBC has signed Evans on a three-year deal. And they’re pretty happy about it too.

“I’m so delighted that Chris will be presenting the next series of Top Gear,” enthused Kim Shillinglaw, Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four. “His knowledge of and passion for cars is well-known, and combined with his sheer inventiveness and cheeky unpredictability he is the perfect choice to take our much-loved show into the future.

“Chris is a huge fan of Top Gear and has great respect for the craft and work ethic of one of the best production teams in the world. He knows the phenomenal attention to detail it takes to make a single sequence of Top Gear, let alone a whole series. He is already full of brilliant ideas and I can’t wait for him to get started.

“He’s also a total knob-end.”

Okay, maybe Shillinglaw didn’t make that last comment.

Evans has made contact with the show’s three former hosts and says he has the blessing of Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond. As for James May, Evans had this to say: “James called me back straight away. We had a chat, we are going to meet up today or tomorrow to talk about things. Who knows what might happen there?”

While Evans’ co-hosts are yet to be named, the BBC has confirmed production for the next series of Top Gear will start in the next few weeks.

The last episode to feature Clarkson, Hammond and May will go to air in the UK on 28 June and will follow on Australian screens shortly after.

[Source: Top Gear | Pic: twitter]

Categories
Toyota WEC

2015 LM24: Toyota deals in reality

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

While Nissan is busy peddling the fantasy of suggesting its understandably difficult Le Mans debut was a success, Toyota is dealing only in humility and reality.

The two TS040s spent the majority of the race circulating alone in seventh and eighth places. Late race issues for the #9 Audi elevated the #2 TS040 into P6, but it was still a mammoth eight laps behind the winning Porsche. The #1 crossed the line in P8 nine laps off the pace.

There’s no confused management speak from Toyota, just an open display of disappointment and, thankfully, a firm promise to comeback in 2016 to try and put things right.

Toyota says it is “determined to improve in all areas after a result which was far away from the team’s pre-season expectation.”

After offering its congratulations to Porsche, the Toyota team added it aims to “improve and be back at Le Mans stronger and more competitive in 2016.”

Toyota TS040 Hybrid final placings

6th (-8 laps) #2 – Wurz (AUT), Sarrazin (FRA), Conway (GB)
8th (-9 laps) #1 – Davidson (GB), Buemi (SUI), Nakajima (JAP)

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Nissan WEC

2015 LM24: Nissan wins award for optimism

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

Nissan turned up to Le Mans with three of its radical front-wheel drive GT-R LM Nismo machines. Only one finished. And it was 153 laps behind the winning Porsche, the last of the classified LMP1 runners. Only two LMP1 cars failed to finish the race and they were both Nissans. It was a tough day for the Nismo team.

Yet, a quick glance of the post-race headline from Nissan could leave you mistaken for who actually won the race.

“Mission accomplished at Le Mans for Nissan,” it boldly states!

Yeah, erm, sorry guys but we’re pretty sure your mission wasn’t to walk the tightrope between admiration for having a crack and outright embarrassment for being so under prepared, so far off the pace and just downright loopy.

In Nissan’s favour it was always going to be very tough for the GT-R LM to make its race debut in the spotlight of Le Mans. And there is a lot of good will out there for this project. But not a lot from Germany it would seem.

An unnamed spokesman from one of the two German teams labelled Nissan’s effort as “a disgrace”. Further, after confirming with Max Prince from Road & Track that his identity would remain secret he went in off the long run.

“What is their intention?” asked the secret German. “You can come here and do whatever you want, say whatever you want, but when the final minutes come, what will you show? That’s what racing is about.

“Is coming to race just a marketing tool? Just marketing? That’s what pisses me off. In the old days, the technical side was on top. Now, marketing is the top. The technical side is not as important.

“And if it is just marketing that Nissan is doing, then there is something wrong with the sport. If [the car] isn’t showing promise in simulations and testing, it will never fly. Never. They may be embarrassed, but they knew from the beginning, after the Sebring test. Stay home. Even if it’s totally different, it still has to work.”

Ouch!

He thinks the the GT-R LM is a turd. And maybe it is a turd, only time will tell. Right now, based on its lack of performance, which to be fair is mostly due to a lack of preparation, the GT-R LM is one massive turd. Well, three turds actually.

After the break you can read Nissan’s press material and see that, if nothing else, they win the “How to polish a turd” PR award for the week.

Nissan GT-R LM Nismo final placings

40th (-153 laps) #22 – Krumm (GER), Tincknell (GB), Buncombe (GB)
DNF #23 – Chilton (GB), Mardenborough (GB), Pla (FRA)
DNF #21 – Matsuda (JAP), Ordonez (ESP), Shulzhitskiy (RUS)

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Aston Martin Audi Chevrolet Dodge Ferrari Nissan Porsche Toyota Video WEC

2015 LM24: Official race highlights

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

Straight from the race’s official YouTube channel here’s a collection of videos bringing you the highlights from yesterday’s 24 Hours of Le Mans won by the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid.

The first clip, a 20 minute special, includes podium celebrations from all four classes as well. Everyone’s a winner!

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Categories
Porsche WEC

Porsche wins 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

The #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid (Bamber/Hulkenberg/Tandy) has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and delivered Porsche its 17th win in the endurance epic.

The winning car led for more than half of the race and completed 395 laps (two off equalling the distance record) and finished one lap ahead of the #17 Porsche 919 (Bernhard/Hartley/Webber).

The final podium step in LMP1 was taken by the defending winners in the #7 Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer).

LMP2 was won by the #47 Oreca 05 Nissan (358 laps).

GTE Pro was won by the #64 Chevrolet Corvette C7R (337 laps).

GTE Am was won by the #72 Ferrari 458 Italia (332 laps).

A full listing of final placings can be found HERE.

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Audi Nissan Porsche Toyota WEC

2015 LM24: LMP1 gallery first 12 hours

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans is now into its second 12 hours and the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid enjoys a reasonably comfortable lead (live timing).

Keeping the lead Porsche honest is a pair of Audi R18s, with the #17 Porsche 919 fighting to stay on the lead lap.

In the early stages of the race the #17 919 held the lead before dicing with the #7 R18. The red liveried Porsche suffered a minor setback after Mark Webber was given a one minute stop-go penalty for overtaking during a yellow flag.

Porsche also enjoyed seeing the #18 919 on the lead or fighting very hard for it, but it lost time after going off track at the Mulsanne Corner and is now 1–2 laps behind the leader, although still showing very strong overall pace.

The #9 Audi R18 has led this race as well and has the honour of setting a new outright lap record when Filipe Albuquerque lapped La Sarthe in 3:17.647. And thereby finally beating the old record set way back in 1971 by the Porsche 917 LH. Remember, too, that 1971 record was before the Mulsanne Straight had its two chicanes to help slow the cars down.

Going into the final 12 hours then, the first six cars remain a constantly revolving combination of Porsche 919s and Audi R18s. It will take a miracle for anyone other than Porsche or Audi to win this race; the closest Toyota is four laps off the pace.

Of course, we’d love to see the Mark Webber #17 car take the win, but the lads have some work to do after Mark’s mistake late in his first stint.

Continue reading “2015 LM24: LMP1 gallery first 12 hours”
Categories
Ford WEC

Ford returns to Le Mans in 2016

Ford GT LM GTE Pro

As expected Ford has announced it will be returning to Le Mans with a Ford GT in 2016. However, it won’t be an LMP1 challenge for outright victory, rather a crack at the LM GTE Pro category.

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates will run the cars for Ford and will enter a pair of cars in both the 2016 World Endurance Championship and the US-based United SportsCar Championship.

The two teams will combine to form a four-car effort for the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will mark the 50th anniversary of Ford’s first win at Le Mans with the legendary GT40.

Driver annoucnements are yet to be made, but with a high profile team like this you can bet the driving talent will be top shelf.

More pics and details after the break.

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Porsche

Want to buy your own Porsche 919 replica?

Porsche 919 life size replica

Up for sale on eBay at the moment is this life size Porsche 919 replica, which is being offered up for charity by Porsche Asia Pacific.

It’s a rolling chassis only with no drivetrain, otherwise known as a ‘buck’. And right now you’ll need over fifty thousand bucks (US$) to get your name at the top of the buyer’s list.

Here’s some of the blurb from the eBay listing:

The 919 Hybrid. This is the car for Porsche’s return to top-class motor sports at the FIA World Endurance Championship. To be clear, bidders here are not bidding on an actual car, it is a rolling chassis without a drivetrain. In the industry, it is often referred to as a “buck”.

The exclusive limited edition 919 Hybrid 1:1 model car is a full-sized replica of the Porsche 919 Hybrid and is known to be the only 1 out of 13 replicas in the world to be privately owned. Very rarely are these rolling chassis models allowed to leave the factory yet alone be available for sale. The model car also includes the original signatures of the six Porsche 919 Hybrid drivers that participated at Le Mans 2014 and the WEC 2014 — Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber, Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb. This is a unique opportunity for a collector, Porsche enthusiast, museum or other public place to obtain this piece.

Delivery and inclusive flights and accommodation for the winning bidder is only available to select group of countries in south east Asia, so if you want to win this exclusive offering you’ll have to factor delivery fees to Australia, or wherever you are.

[Thanks to Tiaan for the tip]