[LM24] Le Mans 2014

[FstrthnU]

http://www.motorsport.com/lemans/new...00-spectators/
263300 spectators this year, the most in the last 20 years

[Articus]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://www.motorsport.com/lemans/new...00-spectators/
263300 spectators this year, the most in the last 20 years

That great to hear!
And they will probably break even more records with the people who support Nissan next year.

[FstrthnU]

Some misc. statistics I tracked

All of the cars in LMP1 ran into problems at one point or another. 5 out of 9 cars retired (3, 7, 13, 14, 20)

All of the cars in LMP2 ran into problems or got penalties. The #24, #34 and #38 had the least-troubled races. 5 our of 17 cars retired (26, 37, 41, 47, 48). Of the WEC LMP2 cars, only the #27 SMP Racing car finished.

All of the cars in GTE-Pro ran into problems EXCEPT for the #51 AF Corse. They had a totally trouble free race. 2 out of 8 cars retired (52, 71)

In GTE-Am, all of the cars ran into trouble at one point or another. The #95, #88 and #90 had the cleanest races. 4 out of 19 cars retired (60, 72, 75, 81)

[Bandicoot17]

Originally Posted by outnumbered

Interesting. Webber looks by far the slowest Porsche driver.

His average 75 looks to be alright in comparison to Hartley. One lap pace may not be all that great but he's currently got limited experience and hasn't been to LM for a while, just as much as a learning curve for him as Porsche in some respects. Also must remember he had the stint where the car was dying too and running atrocious lap times so that will affect the numbers.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Bandicoot17

His average 75 looks to be alright in comparison to Hartley. One lap pace may not be all that great but he's currently got limited experience and hasn't been to LM for a while, just as much as a learning curve for him as Porsche in some respects. Also must remember he had the stint where the car was dying too and running atrocious lap times so that will affect the numbers.

To be fair to Hartley, he's not exactly used to LMP1 either. I wonder what's more difficult - making the step up or down in terms of speed? But I agree with the general point that the lap times alone belie the situation each driver (Webber included) found themselves in.

I don't remember Webber going off at Arnage either, which seemed to be a 919/458 specialty. Another plus point for him.

[bjohnsonsmith]

I've just got to say, that was one of the most enthralling 24hrs in a while. Just as I was about to hit the hay, something else was served up, just to keep me up for longer and it wasn't a cup of Joe.

[Bandicoot17]

Originally Posted by J Jay

To be fair to Hartley, he's not exactly used to LMP1 either. I wonder what's more difficult - making the step up or down in terms of speed? But I agree with the general point that the lap times alone belie the situation each driver (Webber included) found themselves in.

I don't remember Webber going off at Arnage either, which seemed to be a 919/458 specialty. Another plus point for him.

Not that I realised it but comparing Webber to Hartley makes sense with their lack of experience and being in the same car. It's obviously a positive that their averages are close, shows Webber's not quite as far off as some would believe. Give him some time and I think he'll be a solid member of the team.

[FstrthnU]

I should also note that Lotterer, Fassler and Treluyer have just tied the record for most wins at Le Mans as a driver trio with Kristensen, Biela and Pirro

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Bandicoot17

Not that I realised it but comparing Webber to Hartley makes sense with their lack of experience and being in the same car. It's obviously a positive that their averages are close, shows Webber's not quite as far off as some would believe. Give him some time and I think he'll be a solid member of the team.

It's actually even more encouraging with the expectation that both of them will be able to match Bernhard's lap times with more experience, so there's pace to be had in this 919 even beyond improving the car.

[Articus]

While it may not have shown in the race. Brendan Hartley's speed is without question. He was set to go do the pole run in the #20 before Chandhok brought out the slow zone. Prior he put in the 3.23 that had Porsche on provisional pole going into thursday. Hartley is the wheel man in the #20 Porsche. The car had a lot of problems, couldn't use brakes, nasty vibration, suspension issue.

I think Hartley is a little bit quicker than Bernhard for raw pace.

[Mixer]

Webber's consistency itself raises a question about what instructions he was racing under, the pace was metronomic which suggests he was driving to a time.

I guess it is easy to point fingers but by all accounts it seems it wasn't a nice thing to drive, and to finish first, first you must finish.

So I should expose my bias, I'm an Aussie, and this is the first LM24 I've seriously kept up with because of Webber (and Hartley...), and I'm HOOKED!

[JoestForEver]

Originally Posted by Martin90

Quick recap on p1 performance bearing in mind not all cars made it to the finish.

Thanks a lot for the table ! One little suggestion, would you please add the percentage of laps sub 3:30, 3:27, 3:25 to the table, since it tells more of this story in my opinion. (In the bracket I already added)
It seems that Toyota is actually a better car, and Porsche on the other hand, is well off the pace

[jimclark]

Originally Posted by Mixer

So I should expose my bias, I'm an Aussie, and this is the first LM24 I've seriously kept up with because of Webber (and Hartley...), and I'm HOOKED!

'Took you long enuff....

Only since '65 here...cripes...50 years already???

[jimclark]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

It seems that Toyota is actually a better car, and Porsche on the other hand, is well off the pace

I'm still learning.

I wuz under the erroneous impression that the winner (backed by second place no less) was the best...what did I know???

[GT3.14]

Originally Posted by Mixer

So I should expose my bias, I'm an Aussie, and this is the first LM24 I've seriously kept up with because of Webber (and Hartley...), and I'm HOOKED!

Another convert.

[airbusA346]

Don't think this has been mentioned, but I have just been looking at the classifications and #14 is now classified. 11th overall, 5th in class.

[champcarman]

Webber appeared to be the slowest driver in the Porsches but I think given time he will be a sports car star.

Sometimes I think it is harder coming from a faster car to a slower on than the other way.

The lack of downforce and having to deal with traffic would be fairly new to him as well.

I would expect Webber to be more comfortable when Porsche run a high downforce set , presumably from Austin onwards.

[Moneyseeker]

Great race, really enjoyed it.

Good job from Gene and shows the importance of having an experienced reserve driver who is fully up to speed, the complicated systems on the car LMP1's make this very important.

I think Porsche and Toyota will need 3 car teams next year as will Nissan which should mean plenty of seats for quick and experienced protoype LMP2 drivers.

I found more to captivate me in watching hours of LM24 that sitting through one GP, which says a lot!

[Articus]

It think it's fanatastic that Jota sport won after having lost Gene so late in the week. Bittersweet victories in all 4 classes. Well deserved. That's Le Mans.

[bella]

yeah, that was a fantastic performance from jota given the early race dramas. it shows that literally anything can happen at le mans. losing gene wasn't as big an issue as it could have been because turvey is very, very capable and stupidly quick (and tincknell is looking similarly able), so i wouldn't really make too much of a story about that.

what actually happened in their shunt with murphy in the rain? did we ever see a replay other than a pair of cars locked in a warm embrace?

other than that, a big hand for signatech alpine for third. panciatici and chatin are really very very good drivers and really aren't getting enough praise for it - the former being the only one left on slicks in the first rain shower wasn't a surprise at all, nor was his serious pace in the morning. the latter laying the foundations for what was potentially a race win if it wasn't for the repair job on sunday morning can't be understated.

new blood/morand had a bit of a quiet one. i was expecting more from them.

[rdjones]

What a very interesting race, when I went to bed on Saturday night I through Toyota had it on the bag, but when I woke up they where out and it was advantage Audi, the next thing I know Webber is in the lead and I was thinking that would be mega for WEC and Le Mans.

But who was there to pick the peaces Audi.

As for the classs LMP2 was just fantastic I was gutted for Brundle/Mardenborough/Shulzhitskiy because that was cracking performance, but I was so please Jota took the victory.

GTE I was gutted that the #97 Aston didn't take the win but I was so please for #95 because that is full circule from the events of last year.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by bella

Other than that, a big hand for signatech alpine for third. panciatici and chatin are really very very good drivers and really aren't getting enough praise for it - the former being the only one left on slicks in the first rain shower wasn't a surprise at all, nor was his serious pace in the morning. the latter laying the foundations for what was potentially a race win if it wasn't for the repair job on sunday morning can't be understated.

new blood/morand had a bit of a quiet one. i was expecting more from them.

Is Panciatici becoming something of a rainmeister? He was mega in the Alpine in the Silverstone monsoon last year - which was the first time I'd come across him, and I was completely blown away. Has he always had this sort of rep and it's me (as is often the case) just being a bit late to the party?

Agree about New Blood Morand (although - I think the late change to their livery so "New Blood" no longer appeared on the fin maybe contributed to why I wasn't "seeing" them so often) - although a quiet run to not far beyond the class winners was largely what they'd planned.

[tbtstt]

Not the result I was expecting (I really did think Audi would be toppled this year) but a hell of a race: I ended up staying awake for the whole 24 hours!

NB: Given the huge series of ups-and-downs the 2014 race is surely a good candidate for "Truth in 24 III"?...

[GT3.14]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

NB: Given the huge series of ups-and-downs the 2014 race is surely a good candidate for "Truth in 24 III"?...

Would be the best of the series with all of this drama, but I'm not sure Audi would want to publicise the fine details of this win so much with all of the mechanical problems they had. I really do hope they make one though.

[fanta4]

Originally Posted by jimclark

'Took you long enuff....

Only since '65 here...cripes...50 years already???

Always adding your intelligent comments to the discussion. Well done, old man.