Get ready for Hyperpole at Le Mans in 2020!

[Voyager75]

The traditional qualifying session for the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been shaken up for 2020.
Would be interesting to see what everyone thinks. Good/ bad/ possible outcomes etc.
Thanks

[LawrieC]

Good for television. If you make a mistake, then its game over, you can't come back tomorrow.

I think its on too late, and may have to watch it on television, which is where I started.

[FredericRobinson]

Despite normally being outraged by change I'm looking forward to it, should be a nice, tight, focussed session

[Some Gump]

It turns 2 competitive sessions into test sessions. IMO that's a negative move for people who like race week.
In return, it makes 1 session better and specifically much better for TV.

So the years i go I'll dislike it, the years I watch on TV I'll like it!

[DaveTheRave87]

It seems very "made for TV" doesn't it? I don't love it but the Indy 500 organisers changed their qualifying last year to suit TV and that really worked.

I don't love it mainly because I can't see any teams running on Thursday unless drivers need to log their night laps.

The half hour session will be interesting to watch but pole position could go to whoever gets stuck behind the fewest GT cars.

[LawrieC]

It'll be odd, because cars aren't allowed to pit, and as the tyres go off, they won't stay out for too long - perhaps 2 fast laps, so 4 in total - about 15/16 minutes for LMP1. Less chance of tripping over a GT, but do you go out at the start or the end, and will cars really get in the way on their slowing down lap.

But why on earth does the qualifying for hyperpole session start at 11:15, in the dark It'll sort the men out from the boys

[FredericRobinson]

No qualifying tyres, so them going off shouldn't be too much of an issue, qualifying will be at 23.15 on the Wednesday, in the dark sounds good to me, hyperpole will be at 21.00 on the Thursday

[Great Dane]

There have been loads of problems with a two sessions quali on different days. Sam as F1 has had and changed.... FFS I saw Giovanni Lavaggi in a Minardi qualify ahead of Schuey ....

[Great Dane]

There have been loads of problems with a two sessions quali on different days. Same as F1 has had and they changed it.... Sat in the rain on a Thursday for two hours and nobody ventured out.... times from the night before was not being bettered or there was a yellow zone
FFS I saw Giovanni Lavaggi in a Minardi qualify ahead of Schuey ....

[FredericRobinson]

Where people qualify doesn't really matter though

[LawrieC]

FredericRobinson said:

Where people qualify doesn't really matter though

Not for the race, but for the television and the sponsors.

You're not only the star of Thursday night, but on Saturday, you should lead the race at the start flag, and that's the bit that gets on News at 6 (and I think the first few laps are on Freeview)

[MCSV8]

FredericRobinson said:

Where people qualify doesn't really matter though

It did for Aston Martin last year. I bet they won't do that again.

[LawrieC]

MCSV8 said:

It did for Aston Martin last year. I bet they won't do that again.

Yes, their speed in qualifying resulted in a late BOP adjustment, which slowed them considerably. I think the others just weren't trying as hard (as it doesn't matter), or sandbagging, which is what Ford did a few years earlier