[LM24 Race] Anthony Davidson vs. Piergiuseppe Perazzini

[formerf1champ]

You guys have got to be joking. Another example of a "pro" being complacent in an lmp1 car. It would not surprise me at all that Davidson would not have even considered the Ferrari would've turned in. "Oh yeah, I'm in an lmp1 toyota, I've got 550hp, I'll blow past him, he should move out of the way."

Considering Davidson's braindead history with lapped traffic at Le Mans, you'd think he would've learnt something? I fail to see how some of you have the attitude that the slower cars have to be aware of the exact moves or positioning of a car that is significantly more powerful and behind him! All of you are aware that when you're driving a vehicle (any kind, any circumstance), your attention should be of what is ahead of you. Sure keep an eye behind you to be aware of what's there, but the priority is is to be driving a car that is moving forwards, to be looking at the direction of where it's going!.

But no, "Davidson's hurt, he's a good bloke, I like him on tv, he should be racing in F1 (), the other guy's just an idiot amateur anyway."

[gregtummer]

^^^ I don't know about you, but I am OBSESSIVE about checking my mirrors while driving on the Interstates.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

he should be racing in F1

Oh really , along with all the other pre-maddonas ...... I think not !!!

He is doing great where he is ..... If he needs a frontal labotomy , he should go to F1 .

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

Sure keep an eye behind you to be aware of what's there

Which is what the driver in the Ferrari WASN'T DOING. And in a GT car at Le Mans, looking out for faster cars approaching is among the top priorities. Yes, the driver in the prototype is supposed to make the safe pass, but the driver in the car that's being passed also has to make it safe for the passing driver and leave room.

You can (sort of) judge the amount of blame on how the cars made contact. And the Ferrari turned in on the Toyota and clipped its left-rear, which signals to me that the Toyota had the line and was nearly clear of the Ferrari. We've seen passes of this sort (LMP cars passing GT cars at that turn-in point) completed at Mulsanne Corner without incident dozens of times.

[formerf1champ]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

^^^ I don't know about you, but I am OBSESSIVE about checking my mirrors while driving on the Interstates.

That's fine. Are you saying that's what the drivers in the lesser classes should be doing at Le Mans?

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

That's fine. Are you saying that's what the drivers in the lesser classes should be doing at Le Mans?

Number one priority for GT drivers: watch the racetrack in front. Number two, almost as important: look out for LMP cars. That's what happens in multi-class racing. GT drivers should be aware of faster cars approaching, LMP drivers should be aware of slower cars in front. Davidson was aware of the Ferrari in front, Perazzini apparently wasn't too aware of the Toyota behind.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

That's fine. Are you saying that's what the drivers in the lesser classes should be doing at Le Mans?

Yep. They all know the score. Always has been the case. It may well be their race they trash if they don't....

IMO, Perrazini actually had Davidson in his mirrors for a reasonable period closing on the corner and should have been aware of him. I would definitely have expected the Toyota to pass the slower Ferrari rather than wait. Perrazini obviously had no idea at all that Davidson was there and couldn't have looked in his mirrors for several seconds on entry to a corner where he would (should) have expected faster LMP1s to overtake.

That's my view. A racing accident yes, if you like, but I believe there was inattention there.

[gregtummer]

To add to it, Perrazini wasn't in any great battle for position. In fact, there was no one in front of him. So he should have been glancing in the mirrors before, during, and after the corner knowing that LMP1s come up on him 30mph faster.

[Aysedasi]

Absolutely agreed. (But I'm also tempted to agree with your theory about corner overtaking now being essential.... which has a big bearing on this).

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Absolutely agreed. (But I'm also tempted to agree with your theory about corner overtaking now being essential.... which has a big bearing on this).

Tempted? What's to stop you from agreeing with me?

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

IMO, Perrazini actually had Davidson in his mirrors for a reasonable period closing on the corner

...define "reasonable period"

[grumpyf14d]

Anyone want to speculate if Ant would have made the corner if the Ferrari hadn't hit him?

I feel the Ferrari should have been watching out for the LMP1 car but looking at the video it appears as if Ant was also approaching the turn a little quicker than in previous times. And lastly, the LMP drivers have equal responsibility in the conduct of their driving as we have seen other classes affected greatly by LMP drivers not understanding how their pass is going to effect the other driver's car.

[Peat]

Nah, the kink seems easy flat in an LMP. Bit more ballsy in a GT.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Piglet

...define "reasonable period"

In time terms I can't - but just watch the footage. There is nothing else behind him as Davidson closes in - we're definitely not talking milliseconds here......

Originally Posted by grumpyf14d

Anyone want to speculate if Ant would have made the corner if the Ferrari hadn't hit him?

No speculation necessary.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by grumpyf14d

Anyone want to speculate if Ant would have made the corner if the Ferrari hadn't hit him?

He would have made the corner. The factory LMP1 cars brake around the point where Ant got clipped by the Ferrari. For all we know, he may have even been starting to brake when he was alongside.

[bella]

i don't really think it's anyone's fault. what it does is raise the same issue that all the other lapping incidents raised - that what happens at the moment doesn't particularly work.

considering the guys at the front are supposed to be amongst the most skilled and competant drivers in the world why is it that the rules put the responsibility on those who aren't to spot, recognise and jump out of the way of the faster cars?

what are alternative rules for passing slower cars? should they consider saying something similar to the nordschleife does on tourist days, that if you're being lapped you stay to the right (or the left, i forget which) and the car wanting to pass you will pass on the other side?

[Aysedasi]

But if you don't see the other car and just take the apex line as Perazzini went to do....?

[bella]

that's the difficult bit isn't it? but it's something you see in all racing one way or another - some drivers have poor peripheral vision.

considering the level of technology we have at the moment, is it time that a light or presence on the dashboard pinged every time a quicker car was within a certain distance of another? since we already have location tracking on many live timing systems (the company who do le mans have it on their wsr service, if not already on the wec), it shouldn't be too difficult to work out a way of doing that?

[fieldodreams79]

I lean towards the GT driver either not fully paying attention to his mirrors and the approaching LMP or just flat out misjudged exactly where the LMP was with respect to him and the kink, thinking that he perhaps had enough distance between the two (length wise) to take the racing line through the kink only to give way afterwards for the braking zone into the Mulsanne corner, which would allow the LMP to easily get past.

Perazzini should take the blame.

Originally Posted by bella

that's the difficult bit isn't it? but it's something you see in all racing one way or another - some drivers have poor peripheral vision.

considering the level of technology we have at the moment, is it time that a light or presence on the dashboard pinged every time a quicker car was within a certain distance of another? since we already have location tracking on many live timing systems (the company who do le mans have it on their wsr service, if not already on the wec), it shouldn't be too difficult to work out a way of doing that?

My very first thought after seeing a very similar accident to Rocky's shunt last year was finding any way to allow spotters like speedway racing, somehow, perhaps using the CCTV or something. However, even on short road courses I quickly realized that this is nearly impossible, but I think that GPS or tracking system of some type is something to seriously consider. However, it will still boil down to the distance between the drivers ears and them using their eyes.

[Fiorentina 1]

Perazzini should have left a gap for Davidon. As Pruett said, he always stayed in the middle when racing a GT car (leaving a gap for a LMP car). There is room for two cars.

Davidson should have never dive-bombed the guy when he was already turned in the corner. He assumed the GT driver was a pro and would leave said gap. And, we all know what happens when you assume....

Therefore, both were at fault; Perazzini 70% Davidson 30%.

[ss_collins]

Perazzini had loads of time to check his mirrors, davidson would have been visible at least since the hump prob earlier, and in a multiclass race the drivers in the slowest class should always be aware that at the end of a straight its almost certain there would be another car there. He was napping.

I've driven in a multi class race in a slower car and you are aware of the faster cars. Perazzini made a mistake.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Fiorentina 1

Davidson should have never dive-bombed the guy when he was already turned in the corner. He assumed the GT driver was a pro and would leave said gap. And, we all know what happens when you assume....

Therefore, both were at fault; Perazzini 70% Davidson 30%.

Sorry I don't agree. Having just watched it again - several times - Davidson was already committed before Perazzini turned in - and actually, turned in quite sharply. 'already turned in the corner' - no, I'm not seeing that.

[lemansfan]

Have seen the Video for several Times and it look's that the Marshalls are sleeping . Can't see any blue Flag .

[GTfour]

Overly clear the ageing italian was at fault here. As SS-Collins so rightly points out, when racing in multiclass races, one has to constantly be aware of the faster cars, especially in the brakingzone after a long highspeed straight were the fastboys'll overtake...
This italian robbed us of a fantastic Audi/Toyota battle...

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by lemansfan

Have seen the Video for several Times and it look's that the Marshalls are sleeping . Can't see any blue Flag .

Indeed. Bad call of them. Allthough the Ferrari would've had the Toyota mirrorfilling in it's sights...