Lemans: Did the Peugeot driver contravine the regulations

[Dragaan]

We all saw it. On the final lap, the Peugeot driver pulled over on the final corner to wait for the Audi to come past. It would seem that he was in contravention of the rules. What do you think?

http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/reglements/ressources/auto_2007/reglt_sportif_2007_fr_gb. 

I'm refering to article 25.2.2 part (a) which states:

'Its is FORBIDDEN to stop on the race track, waiting for the chequered flag'

Opinions anyone?

[2priestsferrari]

Had it been circulating prior to that or was it parked for a while and then re-started just at the end?

[Dragaan]

It parked up for about half a lap (in time) to (in the words of the commentators) 'avoid having to do another lap'. Even the Peugeot team were in a panic because they didnt realise at first what was going on. Could you imagine the mayhem if every car had done that?

[johnph]

It was a French car (Pug) with a French driver (Bourdais) from Le Mans, in an event run by the French (ACO) whose partisanship is the worst kept secret in motor racing.

[2priestsferrari]

But hardly affected the race win and to be fair at least Peugeot gave Audi some competition which is more than can be said for the rest of the field....

[Dragaan]

2priestsferrari said:

But hardly affected the race win and to be fair at least Peugeot gave Audi some competition which is more than can be said for the rest of the field....

Hehe, well I hate to say it, but they were in a seperate class, but thats a different debate.

[2priestsferrari]

With closed cars coming in 2010 any quick fix to stop the '08/'09 events being Audi, Peugeot only races?

[bennno]

Dragaan said:

2priestsferrari said:

But hardly affected the race win and to be fair at least Peugeot gave Audi some competition which is more than can be said for the rest of the field....

Hehe, well I hate to say it, but they were in a seperate class, but thats a different debate.

Ahey?? There were 10-12 LMP1 cars in the race. In case you missed it the Aston was 7th overall and an LMP2 came sixth so thats close competition.

A 996 won Daytona the year before last.

bennno

[2priestsferrari]

bennno said:

Dragaan said:

2priestsferrari said:

But hardly affected the race win and to be fair at least Peugeot gave Audi some competition which is more than can be said for the rest of the field....

Hehe, well I hate to say it, but they were in a seperate class, but thats a different debate.

Ahey?? There were 10-12 LMP1 cars in the race. In case you missed it the Aston was 7th overall and an LMP2 came sixth so thats close competition.

A 996 won Daytona the year before last.

bennno

Mate are you serious? The first none Audi/Peugoet was the Pescarolo in 3rd whose fastest lap was around 6 seconds per lap slower while the Rollcentre car's fastest lap was 10 seconds slower (or not much faster, over a lap, than the best in LMP2!). Neither were a serious threat to the lead.

As for Aston and LMP2. The Aston actually came 5th overall which shows the pitiful state of the LMP field. As for LMP2 that degenerated into a "please put us out of our misery's and finish the race". Only 2 cars finished and the lead LMP2 car finished behind the lead GT2 Porsche.

[ginettag27]

To answer the main question, without doubt it did, but I guess that everyone had been alerted about it and it was at the penultimate corner on the last lap of the race... Entirely stupid and should get them a wrist slap.

2priestsferrari said:

With closed cars coming in 2010 any quick fix to stop the '08/'09 events being Audi, Peugeot only races?

Porsche and Acura? They're both doing quite well in the ALMS...

[happy snapper]

ginettag27 said:

To answer the main question, without doubt it did, but I guess that everyone had been alerted about it and it was at the penultimate corner on the last lap of the race... Entirely stupid and should get them a wrist slap.

2priestsferrari said:

With closed cars coming in 2010 any quick fix to stop the '08/'09 events being Audi, Peugeot only races?

Porsche and Acura? They're both doing quite well in the ALMS...

Now let me see French car with French dirver in a French race (and he said in the press conferance after if he had not stopped the car would have not made it round another lap!) Every body knows he broke ACO's own rules but unless somebody protests then forget it nothing will happen but it would have been nice to Martin Short on the podium......