Comments on: Audi banks on efficiency at Le Mans

By: Craig

Craig — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:57:55 +0000

The problem this race has always had is with whoever coined the words: “The grand prix of endurance”

Le Mans should be nothing like Formula One

I really used to enjoy watching Le Mans, thankfully I still have the videos and You Tube to watch Le Mans 1983 through 1991, then ruined by the FIA and ACO for a couple of dark years in 1992 through 1994 then the BPR GT series came up and showed what endurance sports car racing should be 1996 – 1999 when it was comparatively good to the blandness of the event of today. What they have been doing at Le Mans now for ten years is really bad for the event. You have two boring manufacturers (admit it, they are) competing for overall victory in Audi and Peugeot. There is NOT McLaren nor Ferrari nor Lamborghini nor Toyota nor Honda nor Nissan nor Mercedes nor BMW NONE of those manufacturers are racing for overall victory at Le Mans.

That’s what is wrong with Le Mans.

They have politicians and accountants for race organizers at the Automobile Club d L’ouest who now want to introduce this new category called “Formula Le Mans” (Oh come on!) again another case of mistaken identity and a rather larger part of a ten year identity crisis at what sould be the greatest endurance race in the world.

By: Craig

Craig — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:43:06 +0000

I don’t like how the cars just keep getting ever more irrelevant. The traditions and history of what endurance sportscar racing should be all about is real cars that are in production and modified for racing.
Diesel powered F1 cars with bodywork is NOT what the 24 Hours of Le Mans is about. You all know this is true.
What’s the appeal of a car like the Audi or the Peugeot?
Why doesn’t the A.C.O. get a clue, is this the type of car they want to continue to attract?
I guarantee you the rules changes that are coming soon will do nothing to entice more manufacturers to compete at this once great race.
Just think about this:
Audi enters a trio of R8 road cars modified for a new top category at Le Mans.
McLaren will be releasing the new MP4-12C road car in a year and that must race at Le Mans in the NEW top category, as I see it.
You must get Pagani with their Zonda R to race at Le Mans, even though it’s essentially a race car for the road it can still be raced because it is based on a real road car.
Admit guys Le Mans has really been pretty boring for the past ten years. 1999 was the last great race even though that year did not reflect my want for real road cars modified to race at Le Mans it was much more exciting than bland, silent cars with politicians and accountants as the so-called racing drivers. While the organizer (A.C.O.) and the governing body (F.I.A.) with no clue as to what the identity of the 24 hours of Le Mans really is.

There was a great article in “Racecar Engineering” several years ago in which Gordon Murray, the designer of the McLaren F1 road car talks about what Le Mans and endurance sports car racing is all about, and what it should be about.

By: Wim

Wim — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:25:02 +0000

The new R15+ looks a bit like the 2004 Williams-BMW with the Walrus nose. Although the nose of the Williams was more extreme.

What surprises me is that the VAG-group is constantly denying future F1 involvement. Although this denial they are not able to kill this rumours, like the latest of the future HRT F1-team involvement. And mostly in autosport it is that the harder the denial, more of it is true.
At least I do not hope so, because it will be a loss for Sportscar racing.

By: Tonio31

Tonio31 — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:40:36 +0000

Now the R15 looks even more like a manta ray.

By: Bamba

Bamba — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:31:23 +0000

So Audi will have cars and personnel at the track while watching the race from their hotel rooms.

Thanks guys, for wetting our appetite all the more.

By: Captain Spyro

Captain Spyro — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:06:50 +0000

Like the Peugeot, I find the Audi R15+ to be QUITE beautiful. Granted, it’s in a different way, but meh. What matters is if it is fast and if it lasts.

Le Mans will tell all.

By: Tommy

Tommy — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:02:41 +0000

Disagree. I actually think it’s a VAST improvement! Anyway, since when did looks win you prizes? Granted, the Pug is a beaut and got the better of the R15 last year but overall it still needs to convince me of its dominance. Only time will tell i guess…

By: harry fenton

harry fenton — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:27:17 +0000

another monstrosity from audi, i’m sure its very functional and efficient, but what an eyesore. if you’re going to have a diesel racing car, at least the peugeot is much nicer to look at as it whizzes by in silence.