LM24 New Championship: Le Mans Tournament - Page 2

Fab · 16 Mar 2003, 11:11 (Ref:537958)

Hey, I forgot : what about a great race again in Spa ?

And in Le Castelet (Paul Ricard) ?

And... huh...

Chofar · 16 Mar 2003, 11:20 (Ref:537967)

Like Fab i think it looks like the beginning of a new ACO-FIA war.
Playboy Ratel recently treated the ACO of "regional club" in an interview where he only mentioned prototypes as sparring partners for the GT's.

kdr · 16 Mar 2003, 12:09 (Ref:537991)

paul ricard would be good...awesome new facility...a weekend in late august/early september appeals!

Fab · 16 Mar 2003, 12:41 (Ref:538012)

Quote:

Originally posted by kdr
paul ricard would be good...awesome new facility...a weekend in late august/early september appeals!

Remembers me the old Bol d'Or (24 hours bicycle race)... marvelous place, BTW...

kdr · 16 Mar 2003, 12:52 (Ref:538026)

i've seen the pictures fab..

pirenzo · 16 Mar 2003, 13:40 (Ref:538056)

Quote:

Originally posted by veeten
pirenzo doesn't seem to agree...

Darn right i don't agree. I can't think of a more miserable **** hole than Donington. **** facilities, **** weather, **** racing, **** everything

I've been there so many times and sat in the mud being soaked by the ****ing rain, freezing cold, watching a really **** race devoid of any exitement.

pirenzo · 16 Mar 2003, 13:42 (Ref:538058)

As i said above, Le Castellet would be a fantastic track to host a race, especially on the full circuit, and most of the teams test there anyway.

**Asp** · 16 Mar 2003, 15:37 (Ref:538129)

Does Paul Ricard still hold races, or is it exclusively used for testing now?

weeks · 16 Mar 2003, 15:38 (Ref:538131)

God, I pray that they televise this in the US.

veeten · 16 Mar 2003, 15:47 (Ref:538140)

who knows, maybe Ratel is looking to sell the lot of the SCC to the ACO in order to maintain the GT championship, as well as reducing the overhead on the FIA.
One less headache for them, and the sportscar championship will be in good hands. Not to mention the bringing together of all major markets under one umbrella, which will include the Asian/Pacific markets as well since there was some news about continuing talks with manufacturers, promoters and teams.

LeMans may once again become the focal point of all things Sportscar, with selected races in each series being a signature.

Garrett · 16 Mar 2003, 16:04 (Ref:538151)

Same here weeks, I hope Speed Channel will televise these races over in Europe.

TVRfan · 16 Mar 2003, 16:11 (Ref:538153)

firstly i reckon it will be really good to see an aco series, the more races the better right? just needs someone to take the plunge and televise it and i reckon it could be a formula 1 beater, easily. secondly put it at donnie, in my opinion the best circuit in britain and the one that has the best racing, caught in the rain pirenzo? that happened to me everywhere last year, this is england remember

Fab · 16 Mar 2003, 17:45 (Ref:538203)

First of all, there is the news of Ouest France that Julien mentionned opening the thread :
http://www.lemans.maville.com/actu/D...62333&idCLA=53
I know, it's in french, but we can precise some things :
- Michel Cosson presented the project at Sebring yesterday, with the next President of ACO (Jean-Michel Plassard),
- Plassard seems to be a 'business' man (I mean not only a conservative man, only interrested by history),
- the project is in concurrence with FIA-SCC, officialy,
- let's face it : there will be a battle between ACO and FIA again.

Are planned : 4 to 6 races, including Japan later...

I just checked after posting this message : DSC gives some more precisions than Ouest France, I let you read them by yourself (and it's in english !), but it's coherent with Ouest France, Le Maine Libre (Le Mans paper), and David Legangneux reports.

I thing it will be a 'hot topic' in 2004, if ACO give birth to the thing. They could give it to a private firm, as Patrick Peter (Le Mans Classic manager).

To be continued !

Fab · 16 Mar 2003, 17:49 (Ref:538205)

Quote:

Originally posted by pirenzo
As i said above, Le Castellet would be a fantastic track to host a race, especially on the full circuit, and most of the teams test there anyway.

Quote:

Originally posted by Asp
Does Paul Ricard still hold races, or is it exclusively used for testing now?

The Paul Ricard track does'nt give place to races for the moment ; it's rented to private teams for tests.

I'm not optimistic on the possibility to have a race here. Maybe a new track is possible near Poitiers (250 km south of Le Mans), or Magny-Cours.

More reasonabily, I think there won't be another race in France, but more probabily : UK, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, maybe Portugal...

Chofar · 16 Mar 2003, 18:57 (Ref:538245)

Erm, Fab, i think you forget my home-track : Dijon
(held a race of the 98 FIA...)
It still lives and been fresh relooked by the snobeck-team.

**Aysedasi** · 16 Mar 2003, 19:59 (Ref:538287)

Quote:

Originally posted by Chofar
Like Fab i think it looks like the beginning of a new ACO-FIA war.
Playboy Ratel recently treated the ACO of "regional club" in an interview where he only mentioned prototypes as sparring partners for the GT's.

The FIA would do well to remember there were no winners in the last "war" between the FISA and the ACO back in the late 80's early 90's The ACO and Le Mans will always survive, simply because it is regarded by most (drivers, teams, entrants, sponsors - and most fans) as far more important than any other single race, and, indeed, more than any other series, for that matter.

veeten · 16 Mar 2003, 20:46 (Ref:538318)

And how about Clermont-Ferrand.

Chofar · 16 Mar 2003, 21:11 (Ref:538352)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aysedasi
The FIA would do well to remember there were no winners in the last "war" between the FISA and the ACO back in the late 80's early 90's

I hope so, but in 1992, the ACO was very close to a defeat.
I think nowadays it would be a lot more difficult for the race to survive with no official support. Even the Porsche days of the 80's when no Tv was no longer interested seem to be unbelievable. The outside world have changed, even the poor old track has changed, poor Dunlop bridge, he is the only reminder of the good days on that part of the track.

The ACO must take the Ratel menace very seriously

pirenzo · 17 Mar 2003, 08:01 (Ref:538645)

Is Clermont-Ferrand still in use? *awaits slap over the head for being so stupid*

Mal · 17 Mar 2003, 08:03 (Ref:538647)

If only the ACO and FIA would launch this together - it could be really big.

rdjones · 17 Mar 2003, 08:07 (Ref:538651)

Quote:

Originally posted by Mal
If only the ACO and FIA would launch this together - it could be really big.

But sadly I can not see that happening for the reason outlined above.

Mal · 17 Mar 2003, 08:11 (Ref:538654)

Agreed, but weve seen too many times over the years how two rival series can destroy each other. The FIA should realise that the sportscar world has, does and always will focus around LeMans, and they should embrace that and make something from it. Dream on, I guess!

Fab · 17 Mar 2003, 10:00 (Ref:538707)

Quote:

Originally posted by Chofar
Erm, Fab, i think you forget my home-track : Dijon
(held a race of the 98 FIA...)
It still lives and been fresh relooked by the snobeck-team.

Glad to hear you're from la Bourgogne (my favourite place for wines, and I have to go there to buy some !). Don't forget to precise it in your profile

And yes, I forgot it, and would like to see a race here !

Quote:

Originally posted by veeten
And how about Clermont-Ferrand.

The track name is "Charade" ; not very much in use, and if it is, only for classic races... or is there any other informations about it ?

Easier to go to Dijon than to Clermont-Ferrand, I'm afraid...

Fab · 17 Mar 2003, 10:11 (Ref:538723)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aysedasi
The FIA would do well to remember there were no winners in the last "war" between the FISA and the ACO back in the late 80's early 90's The ACO and Le Mans will always survive, simply because it is regarded by most (drivers, teams, entrants, sponsors - and most fans) as far more important than any other single race, and, indeed, more than any other series, for that matter.

Quote:

Originally posted by Chofar
I hope so, but in 1992, the ACO was very close to a defeat.
I think nowadays it would be a lot more difficult for the race to survive with no official support. Even the Porsche days of the 80's when no Tv was no longer interested seem to be unbelievable. The outside world have changed, even the poor old track has changed, poor Dunlop bridge, he is the only reminder of the good days on that part of the track.

The ACO must take the Ratel menace very seriously

As Ayse, I think Le Mans will survive ; after the catastrophical 1993 year, ACO will resist to everything. There always will be a 24 hours race on the track, whatever could happend elsewhere...

But, as Chofar, I think that FIA has absoloutely no interrest in a 'strong ACO championship' : FIA seems looking for a 'containment' of sporstcar in a small size area, to attract money and TV on F1. And ACO is a threaten...

Could Ratel and ACO have a deal ? Very doubtful... the logics are opposite... The teams will decide for them : if the main teams go to Le Mans Tournament, FIA-SCC will die by itself. If no real great team choose the Le Mans Tournament, this one won't live...

Nordic · 17 Mar 2003, 13:08 (Ref:538863)

Le Mans has a the name that the teams want to win, there are already other 24hr races across the world.
Le Mans is the race that is associated by the public with sportcars and therefore the most important.

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