Monday 20th June 2005

Plucky TVR team finishes Le Mans

As Aston Martin Racing pips third after 24 hours

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Tiny team finishes 24-hour race

Le Mans is over for another year, as Tom Kristensen drove his way into the record books with a record seven victories, passing the previous record-holder, Jackie Ickx. He completed 370 laps in his Champion Racing team's Audi R8.

One issue all teams spoke of was the heat, up to 35 degrees C at times but, the hoped-for overnight respite from the heat didn't happen; as Peninsula TVR reported, the temperature only fell to 25 degrees C. But the great thing was that the team made it home -- with 256 laps completed, it was just over 80 laps behind Alex Job Racing's Porsche 911 GT3 RSR winning entry in the LM GT2 class. Best of all, Peninsula TVR outlasted the Ferrari, Spyker and Panoz entries -- all of which were highly fancied for the class.

Aston Martin Racing had a good race in the LM GT1 class, with plenty of pace compared to its immediate rivals and looked to be a strong finisher. But in the final hours of the race, it all went wrong for the Prodrive-run team. The no. 58 car stopped in the Porsche Curves, seemingly stranded by a fuel feed problem. At almost the same time, the no. 59 car needed a new radiator, and was wheeled into the pit garage.

This double-headed problem mean the class one-two win went to a pair of Corvettes, with Magnussen bringing no. 64 home a couple of laps ahead of O’Connell in the No.63. Stephane Sarrazin managed to grab third for Aston Martin after 333 laps, 16 laps down on the leading Corvette.

[CiderwithCerbie]

Poor show all around and little end of race excitement - glad I did not go. :grumpy:
Aston's fragile hair to Corvette's rock solid tortoise (Similar story for the Audi's and Pescarolo's). TVR's snail will not even be officially placed because of not doing enough laps compared to winner, even though it outlasted Spyker and some Porkers and Fezzas (but well done to Peninsula for lasting the full 24h). Pity LNT not there.

My suggestions for Le Mans -
1. Get rid of expensive prototypes and have two or three classes of GT's with cars recognisably developed from road going product (GT1's are quick enough now).

2. Get rid of Mulsanne chicannes

3. Get at least 4 Aston's there next year

4. Get NS to build enough T440's to get the restrictors off and give the Porkers a real run for their money.

5. Make sure a fully equipped and atleast two car LMES TVR team is on the grid.

6. Get more sportscar producers to make LM derivatives, more marques would mean more interest and better competition and coverage.

See you there next year?!