Endurance Racing 2017+

Grim.

I think its time to start a new thread with the WEC prologue about to kick off at Monza,

LMP1 will be strange without Audi but hey, we still have Toyota and Porsche and regulation changes that seem to be paving the way for a return of Peugeot and to aid privateers (although i don't see how privateers will ever compete with the factory LMP1 hybrids).

LMP2 Should be interesting this year with new much faster cars and standard (unreliable so far in the IMSA championship) Gibson engine and also with Rebellion racing entering two cars in the already ultra competitive championship.

GTE PRO/AM should be as competitive as ever, great to see Ireland's own Matt Griffin back and driving the Clearwater racing Ferrari in GTE AM.


So to Get things started Both factory LMP1 teams Unveiled there 2017 Challengers today

Jordan 199

I like the wheels on the Toyota.

Sterling Archer

Anyone doing this, this year? http://mwclarkson.co.uk/wec/

donspeekinglesh

Close enough race so far. Expected the Toyotas to be further ahead.
Nasty crash for Lopez, can't believe he got the car back.

Sterling Archer

donspeekinglesh wrote: »

Close enough race so far. Expected the Toyotas to be further ahead.
Nasty crash for Lopez, can't believe he got the car back.

Unbelievable that he made it back, the drive back must have been terrible on his back tho

Grim.

noticed this during the silverstone race

Sterling Archer

That mans a beast

losthorizon

Couldnt Porsche and Toyota come up with slightly different colour schemes? It gets awfully confusing to a simple lad like me who dips in and out.

Looking forward to Le Mans I have to say. Have a Coffee machine and everything this year. I will be wired. :eek:

Sterling Archer

Is it just me or have LMP2 upped the speed this year?

Grim.

New cars and an extra 150bhp means they're a lot faster, by as much as seven or eight seconds per lap, top speeds are way higher too at +340kph they were even beating the P1 cars in the speed traps although the P1 cars were lifting/coasting before they got to the speed traps

Sterling Archer

Ah thats explains it, should make for an Err interesting race, I can foresee some LMP1 cars being "surprised" by LMP2s

Sterling Archer

http://ltmsport.com/10-unbelievable-and-wild-moments-from-le-mans/

Sterling Archer

Oh my, this is a lovely livery

losthorizon

I presume this is being shown on Eurosport

TheChrisD

Eurosport 1 from 1pm Saturday all the way to 2.15pm Sunday.

Other alternatives if you don't pay for sports:
Quest - Saturday: 1.30-3, 8-9; Sunday: 10-11, 1-2.30
ITV4 - Sunday: 9.30-2.45

losthorizon

Anybody watch Practice yesterday? Thought the LMP1 cars were fairly close to each other actually.

Forgot I had added Rebellion Racing to Periscope on my phone last year and they started broadcasting from the pits which was fairly interesting.

donspeekinglesh

Yeah, practice and qualifying.
Was much closer than I expected, but the Toyotas still had the edge.

Frank Bullitt

New lap record from Kamui, crazy fast!

Grim.

amazing lap by Kamui earlier, its all kicking off in GTE Pro now

Grim.

what a lap, and he had to lift before he got to the line

would love to see what these cars could to with unlimited fuel flow

Dcully

Insane stuff!
Actually looked like the camera was sped up as he was taking the last few corners.

donspeekinglesh

Plenty of action already.

Grim.

donspeekinglesh wrote: »

Plenty of action already.

great so far the GTE pack are glued together as are the P2 field and the P1 cars appear to have very similar pace, this could be a great race

This a Eurosport job?

donspeekinglesh

Yes, on Eurosport.

Though I'm watching via the WEC app, with Radio Le Mans for audio.

BikeRacer

Couple really good live streams on youtube too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmVwocz9c1s

TheChrisD

Eurosport are challenging American TV for the record of how many ads you can show relative to race coverage.

rizzodun

Worth mentioning that there's an Irish driver in the field, in the GTE-Am class (if anyone didn't know).

Matt Griffin, #61 Ferrari.
Car is currently 9th in class, recently finished his stint pulling back a few places in the process.

Interestingly, the entry lists marks Euan Hankey as Irish also, but he's British.
He's is in the #90 TF Motorsport Aston Martin, running 3rd in class.

donspeekinglesh

Griffen is one of the best GT drivers in the world at the moment. It's a pity he doesn't get more recognition in this country.

Dailysportscar.com quizzed a bunch of drivers about the race, and one of the questions asked was how many drivers from your country are entered. Griffin said two, so maybe he saw the Irish flag next to Hankey's name.

Grim.

idiotic stuff from the tds P2 driver there should be parked for about twenty minutes for that crap

and now Matts car with a pucture

donspeekinglesh

It's terrible seeing a driver taken out of the race because someone else wasn't paying attention. Was a nasty impact.