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17 Oct 2003, 11:31 (Ref:754259)
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#1 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 282
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Bentley pulls out of Le Mans
This is sad news, good job I never bought any of their gear, I thought they'd be around for at least 1 more year to denfend their win :confused: I'm still going next year though
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17 Oct 2003, 12:06 (Ref:754292)
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Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,052
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BBC have got a ticker-tape headline about this, with full story to follow. Not a huge surprise but still a big disappointment.
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17 Oct 2003, 12:10 (Ref:754297)
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#3 | ||
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Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 9,482
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We knew from the start that it was for 3 years only...
It was the same for Cad : three shots, that's all... And the Oreca Dallaras, aka Chrysler Mopars... Time goes by, we cannot nothing about it, only hope that we'll have great new cars again... 
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17 Oct 2003, 12:41 (Ref:754317)
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#4 | ||
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14th
1% Club
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 42,911
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A shame. Fantastic cars and name.
No chance for a sale to a privateer either. As for their merchandise. I want more now! 
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__________________
Seriously not taking motorsport too seriously.
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17 Oct 2003, 13:02 (Ref:754335)
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#5 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,909
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i wanna see them in gts
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17 Oct 2003, 13:16 (Ref:754343)
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#6 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,204
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I'm trying to find something positive in this...
at least the Domes and Courages will be in with a better chance, and a privateer team may be able to raise more sponsorship as they may have a greater opportunity to win outright... on the other hand, without a blue-chip marque maybe the overall sponsorship level is diminished... (I know that to a sportscar fan a Dome or Courage is a blue-chip marque) Outright Ferrari or Saleen GTS win, anyone? |
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17 Oct 2003, 13:38 (Ref:754353)
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#7 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,580
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Quote:
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__________________
Oops
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17 Oct 2003, 14:58 (Ref:754421)
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#8 | ||
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Team Crouton
20KPINAL
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 39,653
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It is a great shame, but we all knew ages ago this would be the case.
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__________________
23 days...
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17 Oct 2003, 15:05 (Ref:754428)
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#9 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,366
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Yes indeed it is a shame that Bentley have decided not to return - or to sell the cars to a Privateer. Ah well. The LMP era is ending!!
 - Forza GTS!  
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__________________
Sportscar Racing fans of the world Unite!
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17 Oct 2003, 15:24 (Ref:754450)
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#10 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 256
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Part of the problem of not seeing more ex-factory cars run is the expense and technical resources to do it right. Unless a manufacturer can find a privateer willing to take over the program at the same level, the cars will just run in the middle or back of the field. The marketing guys believe this doesn't serve the brand well and rather promote success, even if it is a few years old. Anyone seen the Mazda racing ads lately?
The only ex-factory cars that have done better in recent memory are the MG Lolas, but a lot of the credit has to go to Dyson (funding) and Lola (technical). |
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17 Oct 2003, 15:33 (Ref:754463)
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#11 | |||
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Team Crouton
20KPINAL
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 39,653
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Quote:
Oh go away........
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__________________
23 days...
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17 Oct 2003, 15:55 (Ref:754489)
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#12 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,366
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Quote:
 But u know its true.
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__________________
Sportscar Racing fans of the world Unite!
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17 Oct 2003, 16:07 (Ref:754503)
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#13 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,743
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does anyone else feel bentley missed a trick here...i mean one win is hardly setting the world alight and raising their profile. i think they should have came back and tried to build on this success.
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__________________
I want you to drive flat out
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17 Oct 2003, 16:09 (Ref:754506)
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#14 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,241
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It's like three strikes and you're out.
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17 Oct 2003, 16:29 (Ref:754528)
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Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,353
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Quote:
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17 Oct 2003, 16:36 (Ref:754536)
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#16 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 326
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shame really, i thought the latest speed 8 cars were some of the best prototype cars i've seen in a while. but with no major factories confirmed for next year as of now, looks like a privateer team could win, i think there will still be a fair bit of private LMP cars at Lemans next year for a GTS car to win overall. the domes and courages have al ran pretty reliably in the past couple years and same goes with the audo r8's. since the factory has said their R9 is delayed, the private audi teams should enter lemans next year and i'm sure we'll see another audi win
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__________________
Always Expect the Unexpected
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17 Oct 2003, 16:55 (Ref:754553)
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#17 | |
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Racer
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 378
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Oh they'll be back......in another 70 years.....
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17 Oct 2003, 17:19 (Ref:754579)
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#18 | |
 Race OfficialVeteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,741
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Also I am not surprised, but this gives Courage, Pescarolo and/or RfH a better chance of getting a podium finish.
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17 Oct 2003, 17:50 (Ref:754604)
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#19 | ||
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Take That Fan
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,112
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Not really suprised, but its a really shame, lets hope its not another 80 years before they come back.
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__________________
There is only one way of life and thats your own ! ! !
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17 Oct 2003, 18:11 (Ref:754623)
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#20 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 6,699
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I realize it was expected that Bentley would not return due to their three-year commitment, but I do think they missed out. You could hardly call the Speed 8 a dominate force. Only one Le Mans win. No series titles. No Sebring win. No other victories for that matter. How will the Speed 8 go down in sports car history? However, their goal was to win Le Mans, and they did that, so maybe it was a success after all.
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__________________
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein
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17 Oct 2003, 19:42 (Ref:754702)
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#21 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 386
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I agree that it's a damned shame, but the bright side of this news is that the Courage, Dome, and Lola teams, et al, will redouble their efforts to unseat the privateer R8's.
Not to mention those pesky GTS cars...
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__________________
Stan Clayton Dauntless Racing
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17 Oct 2003, 21:52 (Ref:754775)
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#22 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,215
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We've pretty much known that for a while...guess there were many that still held onto hope....
They were fast and gorgeous!!!! It's a shame we won't see them back |
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__________________
Finally... One American Open Wheel Series!
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18 Oct 2003, 07:04 (Ref:754932)
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#23 | ||
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Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 9,482
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Just one thing : Matra and Renault did the same in the 70' (Matra : 1972, 73, 74 ; Renault : 1976, 1977, 1978).
Sad, but due to the cost, we knew that it wasn't for life. Other will come... again, Cy ? You say ? Nissan, BMW, and ? SaleenS7R, no problem, I love GTs as well !
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18 Oct 2003, 13:25 (Ref:755062)
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#24 | ||
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Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 3,797
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I'm afraid I was convinced of this in August when I heard that the Bentley truckies had been told they were free agents for next summer.
And if a team doesn't need transporter drivers.... well, I drew my own conclusions. I'll remember a great three years though and the models on my desk and the paintings on my walls will keep the memories alive for the next 70 years or so. |
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18 Oct 2003, 13:26 (Ref:755063)
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#25 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,580
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Quote:
As long as BMW is in F***1, they won't have time or money for anything else (and they'll never give up playing with tourers). Nissan is dependent of Renault now, and as long as the Régie is in F1... - see above. And yes, I also believe the prototype era is coming to a close. Innovative racing isn't in demand anymore (there are the DPs but they are prototypes only by name) - perhaps they should be done away with and replaced with a "super-GTS" class based on cars homologated GT/GTS cars and "supercars" (or indeed all sorts of FIA-homologated cars), with more technical freedom? - Not that that's anything new: Group 5 was like that. Last edited by cybersdorf; 18 Oct 2003 at 13:27. |
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