Press release; they've shortened the race!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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I think that again you've missed the point. I for one will be at the Dunlops on the inside at the first left-hander, leaning on the tyres with the 200/400 whirring furiously. They have moved the starting line up so everyone will be on the pit straight, not in the chicane, so as usual you can expect, as the lead car starts the race, for mayhem to ensue behind as everyone tries to get a jump on everyone else. Now you have 60 cars jostling all the way up to the Dunlops before braking hard and perhaps a bit late. Watch this space for some perhaps very interesting photos in June!

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struttob said:

But he will have started further up the start finish straight as well so the distance remains the same, agree should make Dunlop interesting first time around though.

Bob

Did you actually read my post? They now start 145 metres in front of where they used to but finish on the same finishing line. So, the race is 145 metres shorter.

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The ACO are already aware of the difference and are recalculating average speeds accordingly. I mean, there was the time when one team crossed the finishing line all abreast and the ACO then pointed out that the car furthest from the start line at the off had won because it had done more yards.

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You have won a virtual beer sir.