The Road To LeMans
Discussion
dont forget quite a lot of f1 drivers have done a stint at Le Mans...
wendlinger, schumi,brundle, coulthard, HHF etc
I dont think there is a direct route to LM, There are a few specialists but the rest of the grid is made up of
jobbing drivers and guys with cash...
You also tend to get maufactuers drivers rolled out.. I.e guys with contacts at merc, porker, bmw line nishy
im hoping the route goes somthing like
Tasmin - Tuscan - Britcar - Le Mans
G
wendlinger, schumi,brundle, coulthard, HHF etc
I dont think there is a direct route to LM, There are a few specialists but the rest of the grid is made up of
jobbing drivers and guys with cash...
You also tend to get maufactuers drivers rolled out.. I.e guys with contacts at merc, porker, bmw line nishy
im hoping the route goes somthing like
Tasmin - Tuscan - Britcar - Le Mans
G
Edited by Graham on Wednesday 29th November 17:37
There's several routes, no singular one being the definative one.
Sportscars, starting with Caterham Academy (right at the bottom) or Roadsports, to Superlights and then something like Porsche Cup. After that it's either GT3 or into a GT2 car, maybe a direct jump to GT1 if you have the budget and talent.
LMP, single seater experience is good, mainly due to how the cars react and work at high speed with the downforce, but it's definately not necessary. Martin Short hasn't done single seaters and was always a GT/Saloon driver before buying the Dallaras.
Jamie Campbell-Walter, Ian McKellar Jr, both came from TVR Tuscans into GT racing and then prototypes, never drive single seaters.
Steve Soper wasn't a bad hand in a sportscar, he was always a Saloon/sportscar driver. (Can't recall his early career though)
To gain experience then starting in Radicals is good, they have plenty of feeder series and the SR8 isn't that far off the back of the grid pace of an LMP2 in all honesty, so I've been told.
Oh, and ringing teams up to say that you've got 50K in your pocket might get you a test, but it sure as hell wouldn't get you a full season of racing and not a Le Mans drive either!
Sportscars, starting with Caterham Academy (right at the bottom) or Roadsports, to Superlights and then something like Porsche Cup. After that it's either GT3 or into a GT2 car, maybe a direct jump to GT1 if you have the budget and talent.
LMP, single seater experience is good, mainly due to how the cars react and work at high speed with the downforce, but it's definately not necessary. Martin Short hasn't done single seaters and was always a GT/Saloon driver before buying the Dallaras.
Jamie Campbell-Walter, Ian McKellar Jr, both came from TVR Tuscans into GT racing and then prototypes, never drive single seaters.
Steve Soper wasn't a bad hand in a sportscar, he was always a Saloon/sportscar driver. (Can't recall his early career though)
To gain experience then starting in Radicals is good, they have plenty of feeder series and the SR8 isn't that far off the back of the grid pace of an LMP2 in all honesty, so I've been told.
Oh, and ringing teams up to say that you've got 50K in your pocket might get you a test, but it sure as hell wouldn't get you a full season of racing and not a Le Mans drive either!
The road really depends on how good an account of yourself you want to make when you get there!
You can be a novice racing 2CV's in 2007 and an LMP1 at Le Mans in 2009, I can arrange it all for you, no problems and with guarantee entry. Its that simple for any driver if they can afford it?
The best road is not about what you raced in its about how you raced and who you raced with that prepares you properly for events of that calibre.
You can be a novice racing 2CV's in 2007 and an LMP1 at Le Mans in 2009, I can arrange it all for you, no problems and with guarantee entry. Its that simple for any driver if they can afford it?
The best road is not about what you raced in its about how you raced and who you raced with that prepares you properly for events of that calibre.
Worked on 6 cars at Le Mans and the only things you need are - suitable licence, pots of cash to pay for the seat, and be able to pedal the car within 120% of the fastest car in the class. Privateer teams are usually funded by the drivers, who would normally be doing the whole season, perhaps FIA GT, LMES or ALMS with them. When Le Mans come round and there is a spare seat, then it helps if you know the team owner! Ian McKellar drove with us in 2002, great guy, but he also drove several ALMS races with us. I dont think theres any set route to take, you obviously have to have talent, but some of the muppets Ive strapped in had more money than talent.... If like Shorty, you have a good backer, Deuchbank I think was/is one of them, then the other option is to buy a suitable car. One problem is the ACO change the rules so often you have to be carefull that the car you buy (if not brand new) will still be eligible for the race, IF you get an entry! The trick is to get a car that is both eligible and quick to help with the cause. The other option is, as we did with the TVR's and other LMP cars, go off to Sebring for the opening ALMS race (or Atlanta later in the season)and win your class, thus giving the team automatic entry to the 24hrs. Ive been with teams that have bought new cars yet failed to impress the ACO to get an entry. I've always said to myself if I won the lottery and had enough to throw away, I'd do Le Mans, either team or driver. But thats a pipe dream!
Simon Mason said:
Just me but in a pair of speedos... Toga's are so last year Darling.
Graham I caught some of the TVR challenge on Motors last night with your in car camera. That was a suprise to see. Nice spin by the way
Graham I caught some of the TVR challenge on Motors last night with your in car camera. That was a suprise to see. Nice spin by the way
Edited by Simon Mason on Thursday 30th November 17:15
bent front wishbone giving me 20+ mm toe in 
and a very heavy cold is my excuse ( page 34 and 108), did you notice recovery time though the car never actually stops ...Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff