OT: LeMans 24 Heures

[Plum Hill]

Any interest?
As a kid, it was THE big deal when Ford went over to play in Ferrari’s playground.
Today, my only interest is in the GT class. LMP cars look like freaked out Hot Wheels.

[William]

Waiting for the live stream to start up...

https://www.lemans.org/en/news/live-streaming-of-the-2018-24-hours-of-le-mans/49306







William

[dancinkozmo]

im a big fan of the lemans....

https://assets.hemmings.com/uimage/57572749-500-0.jpg

[Mark McM]

I find the 24 Hours of Lemons (https://24hoursoflemons.com/)more interesting.

http://hanabi.autoweek.com/sites/default/files/styles/gen-1200-675/public/img_0357_0.jpg?itok=MxiUd_DD


https://24hoursoflemons.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/BoLIMG_9841.jpg


http://hanabi.autoweek.com/sites/default/files/styles/gen-1200-675/public/img_8961_0.jpg?itok=ce7kimlr

[William]

Lemons is fun, I like it for different reasons. I'm a fan of both.:banana:

That speedy cop.com car is hilarious.





William

[bthornt]

Courtesy of Road & Track: https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a21561760/2018-24-hours-of-le-mans-preview/

[oliver1850]

I agree that the current crop of prototypes (to use a term from the past) are pretty ugly. Doesn't take anything away from the challenge to get a car through a 24 hour race though. For once I'm pulling for the overdog, would like to see Alonso win and take on his next goal.

Some proper looking cars from ancient history:

March 83 G
Lola T600
Porsche 956

[oliver1850]

With 10 hours to go the Toyotas were 1-2 with the #8 Alonso car in 2nd. It was right on the tail of the #7 car before pitting. Guessing this will come down to who has mechanical or on track issues in the morning.

[MaraudingWalrus]

With regard to the current crop of prototypes being ugly, it's a matter of what you're used to. I only kinda sorta remember as far back as the mid-late 90s where the Porsche GT1, CLKGTR and McLaren FT GTR were basically road cars crushing it at LeMans.


The Audi and Bently LMPs of the early 2000s are what I remember most strongly, so the current crop of cars are just the final evolution of that body style and rules set, as a result, I love them. The Porsche 919 was an absolutely mental car, and it's a shame they or Audi weren't there to push Toyota this year.

Feel thrilled for Alonso to get this win, and can't wait to see him chase the Indy500.

I also am fully stoked for the new rule changes in 2020 that will seek to have the top level cars be more road cars.

[SoCal Al]

Best gear head movie ever? McQueen's LeMans!

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[tylercheung]

With regard to the current crop of prototypes being ugly, it's a matter of what you're used to. I only kinda sorta remember as far back as the mid-late 90s where the Porsche GT1, CLKGTR and McLaren FT GTR were basically road cars crushing it at LeMans.


The Audi and Bently LMPs of the early 2000s are what I remember most strongly, so the current crop of cars are just the final evolution of that body style and rules set, as a result, I love them. The Porsche 919 was an absolutely mental car, and it's a shame they or Audi weren't there to push Toyota this year.

Feel thrilled for Alonso to get this win, and can't wait to see him chase the Indy500.

I also am fully stoked for the new rule changes in 2020 that will seek to have the top level cars be more road cars.

Huh?! I thought Audi and Porsche were mainstays?

That being said, Akio Toyoda is hungry for racing wins. And he has the R&D to get them...

[MaraudingWalrus]

Porsche withdrew from LMP competition last year, basically saying they want to focus on Formula E entry soon, which is similar to what Audi has done. They feel Formula E has more relevance right now to development of road vehicle technology.

I think the new rules package that's coming will certainly lure some manufactures back, given it's going to be a shift away from prototypes to more of a street car, albeit modified hyper cars. Huh?! I thought Audi and Porsche were mainstays?

That being said, Akio Toyoda is hungry for racing wins. And he has the R&D to get them...

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[denapista]

The BMW M8 was crushing! It had so much speed on the back straights. I love how it was flying by the other GTE cars, but Porsche wins! The 911 (991.2) car just has so much development and history.

I was watching the live feed on Velocity TV (Spectrum cable)

[peanutgallery]

Good to see Toyota finally win, they've been trying for years and have had some heartbreaks. Last Jap win was in 1991 with the 4 rotor Mazda driven by Johnny Herbert et. al. Now that was an effing race car! Shook the leaves right out of the trees, had a ti exhaust that glowed and shot flames. Doesn't get much better than that.

Really miss a normally aspirated Judd or Ferrari mixed in with the rumble of a Ford v8 stuffed into a riley and scott chassis. Quite a ruckus of sound, not liking the current era on sound aesthetics alone. Don't get me started on dentists and their pay to arrive and drive 911's

[William]

I was re-watching the last fifteen minutes of the race and when the cameras were cutting back and forth between the pits of the different teams they kept showing one guy who looked familiar to me. First it was familiar, then I'm thinking he looks kind of like an actor but I couldn't put a name with a face. A few minutes later as the current team placement on the track was scrolling by I noticed "Dempsey - Proton Racing"....then it clicked. I had no idea he was involved and had a team there competing which took first in the GTE Am class running a Porsche 911 RSR....


Patrick Dempsey lauded his Dempsey-Proton Racing team as they recorded a dominant victory in the GTE Am class at the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans with the #77 Porsche 911 RSR, driven by Matt Campbell, Christian Ried and Julien Andlauer.

Speaking after the race the Hollywood star was very happy to have succeeded as a team owner for the first time, “I’m really tired and really satisfied and relaxed right now and want to go celebrate with the team.

“You know it’s always good to see through the course of the week and you know I was just trying to stay calm through the race and his you know make sure the guys were focused, comfortable and supported....

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2018/06/patrick-dempsey-on-dempsey-proton-gte-am-victory-its-a-hollywood-movie-ending/









William

[FL_MarkD]

Velocity having the entire race this year was cool. I could watch what I wanted and go back later to check in.

I just renewed my Daytona 24 hour tickets for January :) Last year was a blast.

Mark

[MaraudingWalrus]

Don't get me started on dentists and their pay to arrive and drive 911's

It's much better than it used to be.

The 60s had people in their near stock Minis or Austin-Healey Sprites while GT40s and Porsche 906s.

Or in the 70s when the Porsche 917s, 936s and 935s along with Ferrari prototypes of the time had to weave down a Mulsanne straight (with no chicanes) with people in near stock BMW 2002s and Alpines!


The speed differential has closed dramatically, coupled with the track top speed being brought down (or at least limited) with the chicanes. Plus lights in these cars are so much better.

Also the privateer racers now are so much better than back in the day from a skills perspective.