Press release; they've shortened the race!

[lowdrag]

An important communiqué arrived on my desk yesterday explaining that the ACO have taken the decision to shorten the race this year. The starters flag has been moved 145 metres further up pit straight it seems. You can all go back to sleep now.

[Cass63]

That’s it then, I’m not going.
It’s health and safety gone mad.

[ellroy]

Front page of the local rag I heard LD?

[99dndd]

Ruined it, where's my refund?

[Truckosaurus]

TVR Moneypit said:

Why?

So all the cars are on the pit straight when the race starts rather than half the field being on the Ford Chicane.

[Voldemort]

TVR Moneypit said:

Why?

Take a wild guess where the VIP suite is...

[MG Mark]

Truckosaurus said:

So all the cars are on the pit straight when the race starts rather than half the field being on the Ford Chicane.

If that's the case, then they're all going to be much closer together going into the Dunlop chicane for the first time.

Likely to be entertaining. Even more likely if they're rolling in side-by-side grid positions rather than single file when the flag drops.

[Jammez]

Is this because of Brexit?

[Voldemort]

lowdrag said:

An important communiqué arrived on my desk yesterday explaining that the ACO have taken the decision to shorten the race this year.

The LeMans23...?

[Oldwolf]

Maybe they're running the Le Mans 24 Minutes like they used to in the 1960's where the prize was the winner's weight in sweets

[delta0]

I’m in Dunlop to watch the potential chaos with a much tighter field going into that first corner!

[JagerT]

delta0 said:

I’m in Dunlop to watch the potential chaos with a much tighter field going into that first corner!

Me too !!

[lowdrag]

And I'll be on the infield at the left-hander with camera in hand. Last year there was a lot of fun in the Jaguar only race when an E-type spun there. This though could be much better!

[fatboy18]

Jammez said:

Is this because of Brexit?

Everything is because of Brexit........Well it is if you listen to 98% of the media
I bet if you was to ask the average person in France if they would like the French Frank back many would say yes

[lowdrag]

Voldemort said:

lowdrag said:

An important communiqué arrived on my desk yesterday explaining that the ACO have taken the decision to shorten the race this year.

The LeMans23...?

You may think you are joking but there is a race that is called the 23 Hours 60 minutes. It is held every year on the little Maison Blanche circuit and is for up to 125cc bikes. They called it the 125cc 24 hours but had letters about copyright infringement from the ACO's solicitors.

[struttob]

And here is me thinking the race was 24 hours, kinda makes the start/finish line position irrelevant, in fact it makes the race longer because they have to go further along the finish straight on the last lap to reach the line !

Bob

[lowdrag]

struttob said:

And here is me thinking the race was 24 hours, kinda makes the start/finish line position irrelevant, in fact it makes the race longer because they have to go further along the finish straight on the last lap to reach the line !

Bob

Actually wrong, because the race is 24 hours plus those on the last lap. If a car is 144 metres short of the new line when the clock ticks to zero his race is run whereas at the moment he would ahve another lap to do.

[gt6]

But he will start the race further up the pit straight so absolutely no difference in distance and as he starts further up all cars will have started 144m (or whatever) further round the course. Lap distance not changed, 24 hours fixed so all of this talk is pointless.

[Krikkit]

gt6 said:

But he will start the race further up the pit straight so absolutely no difference in distance and as he starts further up all cars will have started 144m (or whatever) further round the course. Lap distance not changed, 24 hours fixed so all of this talk is pointless.

If they don't move the finish the distance spent racing (not including warmup) will be shorter.

[lowdrag]

gt6 said:

But he will start the race further up the pit straight so absolutely no difference in distance and as he starts further up all cars will have started 144m (or whatever) further round the course. Lap distance not changed, 24 hours fixed so all of this talk is pointless.

Oh but it does. Did you stop to think about the finishing line and the podium? No you didn't, and in fairness I don't suppose many others gave it a thought either. The finishing line stays where it has always been so the race is 145 metres shorter. Ruined my weekend they have.