79 replies to this topic

[SonnyViceR]

 

For me, the single most exciting sports related day all winter (and actually since last June) is the annual ACO press conference that reveals the entries for Le Mans 24 Hours. And that day is once again upon us, as the conference will be held next Thursday 13th of Feb at Paris. It will be streamed live on 24h-lemans.com -assuming it doesn't crash again- and live english commentary can be accessed via radiolemans.com, as per usual. I have taken the day off from work as well.

 

On top of the Le Mans invites, they will also list the FIA WEC and ELMS entries, but of course will be most interested about the 56 entries plus the ten reserves for the 24 hours. What we already know is:

 

AUTOMATIC ENTRIES GIVEN BY THE ACO - Not necessarily taken by the teams, but they have them in the back pocket if they slotted a request
Audi Sport Team Joest LMP1 - victory in Le Mans 24 Hours
OAK Racing LMP2 - victory in Le Mans 24 Hours
OAK Racing LMP2 - victory in Asian Le Mans Series
Porsche AG Team Manthey LMGTE-PRO - victory in Le Mans 24 Hours
IMSA Performance MATMUT LMGTE-AM - victory in Le Mans 24 Hours
Muscle Milk Pickett Racing LMP2 - selected in the ALMS
Risi Competizione LMGTE-PRO - selected in the ALMS
AF Corse LMGTE-AM - victory in the Asian Le Mans Series (GTC)
Craft Racing AMR LMGTE-AM - second in the Asian Le Mans Series (GTC)
Signatech Alpine LMP2 - victory in the European Le Mans Series
RAM Racing LMGTE  - victory in the European Le Mans Series
Proton Competition LMGTE  - second in the European Le Mans Series
Team Endurance Challenge LMP2 - victory in the European Le Mans Series (LMPC)

Garage 56 Nissan ZEOD

 

Furthemore, it has been announced that of the (non-reserve) cars 28 will go to LMP1 + LMP2  +G56, and 28 will be LMGTE. So 27 slots for proper prototypes not in the reserve list. Now what this means is that either LMP1 will be again very small in entry numbers while P2 boasts the usual-ish numbers, or P2 is reduced and P1 gets more space. In any case, P1 field will have the minimum of 9 cars (confirmed), with the possibility of 3-5 more.

 

For the older blah-blahs we've already had before, check these

LMP1

LMGTE

 

Support races for the 24 Hours will (again...) be the Group C Legends, plus mix up of Porsche Carrera Cup championships merged into one. Group C entries will show up here eventually when we're closer to June

http://motorracingle... Legend Results

Edited by SonnyViceR, 08 February 2014 - 13:58.

[Andrew Hope]

I'd like someone to tell me if they feel the same way: in completely opposite fashion to good things in life, I feel like the 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place every couple of months. It always seems forever for the Daytona 500, Indy 500 etc. toll around, and yet for Le Mans (perhaps because I don't pay much attention to sports car racing apart from the big races) it feels like it's always a couple months away.

 

I see the Dildo Wing is racing. This is their year.

[SonnyViceR]

Zeod is not DW, at least that's what Nissan's marketing department (the only part of the company that really matter to them in motorspors) wants us to think.

 

Le Mans does -sort of- seem to happen more often than say Bathurst 1000, but I think for me it's because the entire motorsports year centers around it and everything else is an afterthought for me

 

January

Picking up news and rumours more and more

 

February

Entries announced

 

March to May

Testing

Preliminary ACO races that work as dress rehearsals and you get the overall idea of what to expect

 

June

Test Day

All the buildup, announcements, previews and hype prior race week

I re-watch huge bunch of LM related documents and films every year because it's tradition and fun

Scrutineering, practice, qualifying, warm-up, supports

The race itself

Aftermath

 

Late summer

Rewatch the race (Speed/Fox version because that's not the one I watch live, it's sort of different experience)

 

Fall / early winter

Re-watch the race again (Eurosport)

Official Duke review comes out prior Christmas, watch that too

Start picking up news and rumours again

 

It's a cycle

Edited by SonnyViceR, 08 February 2014 - 17:35.

[Andrew Hope]

You rewatch a 24-hour race 3 times? I've got a thousand-yard stare at the end of lap six.

 

This confirms my long-held suspicion endurance racing fans are actually robots.

[SonnyViceR]

You rewatch a 24-hour race 3 times? I've got a thousand-yard stare at the end of lap six.

 

This confirms my long-held suspicion endurance racing fans are actually robots.

 

Yeah but I have given up / am starting to give up on most of the other races, as I said on that other thread.

 

And it's the only race I actually do re-watch. Except if there is some random sprint race that had something truly extraordinary happening or something, but that almost never happens

Edited by SonnyViceR, 08 February 2014 - 17:41.

[SonnyViceR]

Brand new models for this year that we know of

 

LMP1: Porsche 919 Hybrid, Toyota TS040 Hybrid, Audi R18 e-tron Quattro, Rebellion R-One Toyota + (still unofficially) Oak Onroak LMP1 and Lotus/Kodewa T129, ???

LMP2: Dome S103 Nissan, Oak Onroak Ligier LMP2

LMGTE: Chevrolet Corvette C7.R

Edited by SonnyViceR, 08 February 2014 - 18:00.

[Victor_RO]

Great, I just realized that I'm going to be on a 9-hour coach trip to a ski resort just as the entries are getting announced.   

[SonnyViceR]

Great, I just realized that I'm going to be on a 9-hour coach trip to a ski resort just as the entries are getting announced.   

 

Well, if nothing else, ACO does nowadays archive those press conferences some time later so you can do more than just read a sheet of names afterwards

2013 Feb anouncements - http://www.dailymoti...conference_auto

2012 Feb announcements - http://www.dailymoti...-2-fevrier_auto

 

Mix with RLM comms

 

edit - I see someone modified the thread title. Funny, I've seen a lot more biased titles than that, especially since what I said is used by press as well. Whatever.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 08 February 2014 - 18:54.

[Andy35]

"For me, the single most exciting sports related day all winter (and actually since last June) is the annual ACO press conference that reveals the entries for Le Mans 24 Hours. "

 

So RB troubles in F1  pre season testing is not as exciting as a list of entries ?

[SonnyViceR]

"For me, the single most exciting sports related day all winter (and actually since last June) is the annual ACO press conference that reveals the entries for Le Mans 24 Hours. "

 

So RB troubles in F1  pre season testing is not as exciting as a list of entries ?

 

A) I don't really care for F1

B) I meant that as annual thing, as in of all the sports related things happening in winter it's the day I'm most waiting for in advance (as in if say Ferrari had a shock announcement tomorrow saying that they'll be in LMP1 in 2015 -> that would probably be more exciting than entry list for the 2014 race, but that's not what I mean)

Edited by SonnyViceR, 08 February 2014 - 19:19.

[Red17]

 

This confirms my long-held suspicion endurance racing fans are actually robots.

 

It takes some stomach to see I agree, but it's far from being a tiring experience. I watched about 16 hours of the Daytona race this year with no issues. And im hardly an hardline fan of endurance.

 

It may be me, but I notice that on this side there is more of a tradition to watch the whole weekend rather than just the race.

Edited by Red17, 08 February 2014 - 20:55.

[DanardiF1]

Question: If you gain an automatic entry such as Pickett did by winning the ALMS P1 title, is that entry for whatever class you want for Le Mans itself? I only ask because obviously Pickett are now racing in USCC with the P2 Oreca, so is their automatic entry for whatever car they want to turn up with, or did they have to ask the ACO for permission to swap classes?

[Option1]

You rewatch a 24-hour race 3 times? I've got a thousand-yard stare at the end of lap six.

 

This confirms my long-held suspicion endurance racing fans are actually robots.

I.am.not.a.robot.

 

I.am.not.a.robot.

 

i.am.a.robot........

 

****!

 

Neil (ru/18.69)

[Victor_RO]

Question: If you gain an automatic entry such as Pickett did by winning the ALMS P1 title, is that entry for whatever class you want for Le Mans itself? I only ask because obviously Pickett are now racing in USCC with the P2 Oreca, so is their automatic entry for whatever car they want to turn up with, or did they have to ask the ACO for permission to swap classes?

 

They didn't get the entry as the ALMS P1 champions, for the last two years the ALMS/IMSA entries have been given out at teams' requests. And this means that the entries were also given for whatever class the team requested, and therefore Pickett, knowing that they'd be running the P2 Oreca this year, requested the invite in LMP2 for Le Mans.

[DanardiF1]

They didn't get the entry as the ALMS P1 champions, for the last two years the ALMS/IMSA entries have been given out at teams' requests. And this means that the entries were also given for whatever class the team requested, and therefore Pickett, knowing that they'd be running the P2 Oreca this year, requested the invite in LMP2 for Le Mans.

 

Thanks for that. I had previously understood that the automatic entries were for the P1 and GT champs, but thinking about it didn't the SRT Viper guys get automatic entries last year? Happy to have been corrected as always though

[Victor_RO]

Thanks for that. I had previously understood that the automatic entries were for the P1 and GT champs, but thinking about it didn't the SRT Viper guys get automatic entries last year? Happy to have been corrected as always though

 

Nope, Corvette and SRT went the old-fashioned route of applying for entries to the ACO. And since both are factory teams, who would turn them down? According to Wiki, the ALMS/IMSA invites last year went to Level 5 (who took up their entry), Conquest (who rejected it due to lacking a car) and ESM (who accepted it then withdrew after switching classes in the ALMS and abandoning their Ferraris).

[PayasYouRace]

I think we'd better test for robots.

 

 

Apologies if Sonny doesn't survive this.

[SonnyViceR]

Since a few people are making predictions of the numbers around the web, here's mine (based on... instinct or something    )

 

12x for LMP1
15x for LMP2
13x for LMGTE-PRO
15x for LMGTE-AM
01x for G56
prototype reserves 5x LMP2, GT reserves heavy on the AM side

 

 

And my predictions in the non pro-am categories:

 

LMP1
Audi Sport Team Joest
Audi Sport Team Joest
Audi Sport Team Joest
Porsche AG
Porsche AG
Toyota Racing
Toyota Racing
Rebellion Racing
Rebellion Racing
OAK Racing
Lotus Kodewa
Lotus Kodewa

 

LMGTE-PRO
Corvette Racing
Corvette Racing
SRT Motorsports
SRT Motorsports
Porsche AG Manthey
Porsche AG Manthey
Aston Martin Racing
Aston Martin Racing
AF Corse
AF Corse
Risi Competizione
RAM Racing
JMW Motorsports

 

still praying for third works cars from Porkie and or Toyota, but highly unlikely.

 

P1 is semi-optimistic anyway, even at 12 cars, as 15 LMP2s does sound a bit thin for a class that has entries coming not only from the WEC autoentries, but ELMS, USCC and (kinda) AsLMS as well

Edited by SonnyViceR, 10 February 2014 - 15:19.

[wewantourdarbyback]

You rewatch a 24-hour race 3 times? I've got a thousand-yard stare at the end of lap six.

 

This confirms my long-held suspicion endurance racing fans are actually robots.

 

Attend the race, own them on DVD, and the annuals, and the history annuals, spend life watching youtube videos of races. Couldn't be better.

[Victor_RO]

I'd say a third works Porsche would be more likely in GTE-Pro as a Porsche Motorsports North America entry.

[SonnyViceR]

I'd say a third works Porsche would be more likely in GTE-Pro as a Porsche Motorsports North America entry.

 

Not that I really disagree with you, but I'm not sure they really need it to be honest? Having four works cars in two categories, plus all the customers is a pretty handy program already.

 

I will be shocked if Dempsey isn't on the AM list. They've had issues with the funding but Porsche would be mad to lose such a great public relations partnership. They made tons of free advertising last year. Also when you're partnered with Proton it's a road to success.

[Andrew Hope]

Have any of you endurbros done the LM24 in Gran Turismo games? I always liked the shortert enduros, only did Le Mans once, with an R390. For 12 hours I turned the contrast on my TV way down so it looked like it was night out.

 

I was a strange kid.

[Victor_RO]

I will be shocked if Dempsey isn't on the AM list. They've had issues with the funding but Porsche would be mad to lose such a great public relations partnership. They made tons of free advertising last year. Also when you're partnered with Proton it's a road to success.

 

I'm fairly confident they will be. Considering last year's performance, they'll be there on merit as well as thanks to Dempsey's profile, most of their time loss was due to being spun around by an errant LMP2 car during the night AFAIK.

[SonnyViceR]

I'm fairly confident they will be. Considering last year's performance, they'll be there on merit as well as thanks to Dempsey's profile, most of their time loss was due to being spun around by an errant LMP2 car during the night AFAIK.

 

They also had a flat tire at the start of the race and some bad luck with the SCs, but right so.

 

Dempsey's recent Velocity series was probably the best motorsports related made-for-TV-documentary I have ever seen. Was also great that they concentrated so much on the preceeding ALMS frustrations with the P2 Lola

[SonnyViceR]

Not sure this means anything for Larbre's GTE programme (no auto entries either) but

http://sportscar365....ra-cup-program/

 

They did use to run simultaneous FFSA GT programs with the Saleen S7-R and stuff back in the day though

 

Interesting quote there from mr Leconte

"“So the decision has been made. Larbre Competition will return to the Carrera Cup and race the way we believe is correct: without Balance of Performance!”"

 

Hmm yes.

 

I wasn't really happy about their attempt of waiver-lobbying C7.R into GTE-AM (then again you should always try in such poorly regulated category, might work) but it would be a shame not to see the old C6.R for the last time

edit: apparently there's a chance of them running LMP2, which sounds weird to say the least.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 11 February 2014 - 16:05.

[DanardiF1]

Damn! No Corvettes?

[TF110]

C6R was long in the tooth. Its also losing out in bop in the class. Porsche did a sly move and ran their 2014 car in GTE at Bahrain which means GTE AM teams can run a 2014 car from them this year since it ran last year.

[FatHippo]

Can't wait for Le Mans to start. Thre three-way battle between Audi, Porsche and Toyota is a mouth watering prospect

[DanardiF1]

Once again Pickett are not taking up their invitation...

 

http://www.racer.com...-racing-in-2014

[404KF2]

Have any of you endurbros done the LM24 in Gran Turismo games?

Yup, I finished first in a 2010 spec 908 HDI FAP....the engine did not blow after 22 hours.  I was several laps ahead - it rained a lot (like, 8 hours).

[SonnyViceR]

Once again Pickett are not taking up their invitation...

 

http://www.racer.com...-racing-in-2014

 

Damn it, one of the only interesting LMP2s gone. And another wasted ALMS invitation down the drain. They and Dyson always do this...

 

Interesting bit from racer article:
"Initially, even being able to get Michelin tires for Le Mans was a real problem. Michelin, our partner the last few years, said 'no chance'. "

 

Hmm yes spec Contis sure do have wonderdul effect on things...

Edited by SonnyViceR, 12 February 2014 - 08:55.

[DanardiF1]

Before I even read the article I knew it was going to be about the tyres... I wonder if Continental would produce a tyre for the USCC teams to race at Le Mans with, or are they just interested in the spec tyre supply because it's cheaper?

[SonnyViceR]

Radio Le Mans coverage of the conference will start in one hour (14:55 CET) so start getting excited everypony!

http://radiolemans.0...org/nplayer.php

 

ACO streaming (not functioning yet, but will once the coverage starts - hopefully...) here

http://www.24h-leman...1746_13876.html

 

DSC "preview"

LM24 http://www.dailysportscar.com/?p=22936

WEC http://www.dailysportscar.com/?p=22939

ELMS http://www.dailysportscar.com/?p=22948

 

Positive and negative surprises anticipated according to Hindy,

Edited by SonnyViceR, 13 February 2014 - 12:58.

[Richard T]

Radio Le Mans coverage of the conference will start in one hour (14:55 CET) so start getting excited everypony!

http://radiolemans.0...org/nplayer.php

 

ACO streaming (not functioning yet, but will once the coverage starts - hopefully...) here

http://www.24h-leman...1746_13876.html

 

DSC "preview"

LM24 http://www.dailysportscar.com/?p=22936

WEC http://www.dailysportscar.com/?p=22939

ELMS http://www.dailysportscar.com/?p=22948

 

Positive and negative surprises anticipated according to Hindy,

 

Is the PC in english or french?

Anyway, Im probably on RLM 

[SonnyViceR]

Is the PC in english or french?

Anyway, Im probably on RLM 

 

The stream and conference is (usually) conducted fully in French, but indeed when you got mute button + RLM it doesn't really matter.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 13 February 2014 - 13:16.

[OvDrone]

 

Cool, I'm here and excited to see what this is all about.

 

Taking a much deserved break from not learning for my super serious endgame exams next week.

Edited by OvDrone, 13 February 2014 - 13:29.

[SonnyViceR]

Hindy tweeted that their coverage will start five minutes earlier than first announced, ie 14:50 CET which is 20 minutes from now

 

Stream is on with some elevator music

Edited by SonnyViceR, 13 February 2014 - 13:34.

[SonnyViceR]

Prepping up going up on the stage.

 

Right, I'm off to enjoy the moment, see ya later

[OvDrone]

Lovely elevator music, this.

[bideford1]

[Ross Stonefeld]

AF Corse seem serious about this GT gig...

[Richard T]

Phone rang halfway through but no OAK P1?

[bideford1]

Here is the WEC grid as well http://www.fiawec.co..._one_driver.pdf

[SonnyViceR]

ELMS grid was pretty boosting, 26 ACO cars + 16 GT3s equal 42 entries...

 

Full PDF for LM

http://www.24h-leman...u-mans-2014.pdf

 

First teactions...

 

LMP1 - can't be too disappointed about 10 cars since that is around the figures that were expected, but no OAK at all is sad. Well at least one other privateers to go against Rebellion, so that's something

LMP2 - pretty okay. Larbre actually did head there - wtf - and didn't even got away from reserve list... ACO appears to have revenging attitude

PRO - RISI LEFT TO LAST PLACE IN RESERVES,  are you kidding me!!!! same for JMW, would've switched places with some of the ams

AM - well Dempsey got the budget together so that's nice, otherwise having 16 cars feels a bit too big for this category

 

They really wanted to highlight the difference between P1-H and P1-L as I feared

Edited by SonnyViceR, 13 February 2014 - 15:24.

[Ross Stonefeld]

There's already 10 458s to 3 Astons, it kind of makes sense to not add more Ferraris. But you could have swapped out some of the AF Corse entries for Risi or others.

[SonnyViceR]

There's already 10 458s to 3 Astons, it kind of makes sense to not add more Ferraris. But you could have swapped out some of the AF Corse entries for Risi or others.

 

PRO - 3x Ferrari, 3x BoP-Vantage

AM - 8x Ferrari, 4x BoP-Vantage

 

I don't think one more PRO Ferrari would've made difference, especially since we are talking about probably the second best Ferrari GT team on planet and former winner of this event.

 

Then again they've made weird decisions in the past

 

Really glad to hear about 2015 extra pit garages!!    Best news heard today (other than ELMS boost and some of the single entries on the LM list). 4th of March press conference for that

 

For WEC, funny to have LMP1 as the largest category with 9 full season entries after being the smallest last season

Edited by SonnyViceR, 14 February 2014 - 13:45.

[SonnyViceR]

Re looking the list, it's pretty telling how ACO's relationship to USCC really is when the only entries from States are the two usual works GT teams, and Dempsey's Proton collaboration... 42 cars for ELMS also means that the extra pit complex was more necessity than ever before, glad they're finally doing it

[PayasYouRace]

So is garage space the only limit on entries at the moment? Will there be more cars starting the race from 2015?

[SonnyViceR]

So is garage space the only limit on entries at the moment? Will there be more cars starting the race from 2015?

 

The garage space has always been the only limit for this race. The circuit could probably have like 100 cars circulating due to it's length (obviously you won't get that many garages due to lack of space and financials, but in theory). It's not like say Road Atlanta where it starts to get crowded because of the circuit length. Nordschleife is double the length of Sarthe and can have 240 cars or more.

 

There should be more cars starting for it in 2015 as confirmed by the ACO, not sure how many though. 60? 65? 70? 75? 80? About bloody time too, 55-56 cars is ancient and throws 15-30 entries off the list every year. Also limits the WEC list to pitiful 32 or whatever low number capacity gap it is.

 

Another weird thing. Automatic entries apparently do not count for anything anymore as not only have you got Risi there at the back of the reserves with like 0,5% chance of getting in, also the Taisan team that received auto entry from AsLMS is on the reserves. WTF, if you want to have people interested in your regional series then you must actually have a way to lure them in and not change minds afterwards (who gives a crap about some AsLMS without any prize, seriously). It's a bit like NASCAR and IMSA handling USCC, making things up as they go along

 

Many French teams left out which is a bit surprising again knowing the ACO

Edited by SonnyViceR, 13 February 2014 - 16:09.

[froggy22]

Just looked through the list, this is me finding out Fabien Barthez is now a racing driver. Just last week, me and my mate were wondering what he's been doing since he retired.