Lime Rock Predictions After 1st Practice

This track is called a bullring. Laps are under a minute for each class. There are eight corners, primarily right handers, which forces an assymetrical setup on the cars.

Overall: This is the first time in a while it has been impossible to tell. The top five cars turned in laps all between 47.043 and 47.740. Therefore, whoever wins pole will have the best chance. I say the Audi R8.

LMP1: Audi or Dyson. The Audi is currently fastest, the Dysons are fourth and fifth overall.

LMP2: Porsche. Sorry Intersport, but the new Lola can't compete when the Porsches last the race. Sitting second and third overall, the Porsches could take the overall win as well.

GT1: Corvette. Number 4. Followed by Aston, then the other Vette, then the other Aston, then Saleen.


GT2: Peterson/White Lightning put the above car in the tyre wall at hour 11 in Le Mans. They bought a new one off a racer named Dennis West in California. Now their new car is fastest in practice. I hope Flying Lizard pulls it off, and Risi could do very well, but my prediction is BMW. This track is theirs with their precise cornering and it is about time they got a win.

The Lumpy Fifth Audi Prototype?

The story of Audi prototypes is astounding. Winning their second time out to Le Mans with the R8, they went on to win every year since that 2000 victory except 2003. Now, in 2006, they put a car 200 days old on the podium first and third. The R10 and R8 are both stunningly good cars. The R10 basically being opposite of what everybody else is doing right now - like the GT40 was in the late 60's.

In 1999 Audi raced two cars, a closed top R8C (above), and an open R8R (below).

In 2000 they introduced the R8 (below in its final livery). 2004 was the last R8 model, but an '04 won in 2005.


In 2006 they introduced the R10 (below). So far, two races, two wins - Sebring and Le Mans.


After such horrible 1999 results, Audi decided to stay closer to their inspiration - Lumpy (below). Tom's Toyota designed and tested an LMP1 for $500K. Tom Kristenson had a go and the car was fast - very fast - even with the 1988 Group C engine. Then Toyota told them not to race it and focused on Champ Car. However, stuck on the wall in the Audi development garages is Lumpy. In the R8, the styling similarities to Lumpy are obvious.

Le Mans

Le Mans had record crowds, first lap with Diesel in the lead, record speeds, and record intervals between pits (16 laps for Audi). Diesel is the new black - I swear it. And with America finally going to a high grade diesel last January, it is much more efficient, economical, and ecologicaly safe than gasoline. Not to mention quieter with more torque and faster engine response.

LMP1: No surprises here except Tom Kristenson did not win as he has every year since 2000. Pescarolo could not compete. Audi was kept from a 1-2 finish by a needed rear left quarter of the car replacement. Amazing that this car got tires for the first time 200 days ago, nobody having tried diesel before, and now it is 1st and 3rd at Le Mans. Bravo.

LMP2: Intersport had troubles and pulled a stunning effort to get to forth. RML took it all, while Binnie and Miracle showed American strength in 2nd and 3rd.

GT1: Hands down the most exciting racing this year. At minute 17 a privateer Aston slipped on the oil of the 007 works Aston and brought out a safety car. The oil leak turned into a six-lap, engine pulling problem for Aston. Meanwhile the 64 Corvette got into the lead. The 009 was close and they battled for a couple hours. At the end, the 009 was up a bit before running into trouble, letting the 64 take the win. 007 took 2nd. Privateer Luc Alphand in a Corvette took third. Aston privateers Russian Age took a hard fought fourth followed by the 009. And a great sixth place finish for the Saleen ahead of the 63 Corvette.

GT2: Pole sitter IMSA Performance Matmut started dead last and lead within the first five laps before retiring. Multimatic led then retired. Spyker led then retired. White Lightning led then retired. Out of 14 cars, six finished. Team LNT put a Panoz on the top spot. It has been a long time since an American developed car has won anything but GT1 so this is very exciting. Seikel put a Porsche 2nd. Scuderia Ecosse took third. Flying Lizard had serious troubles, but fought their way back to fourth late in the race. I was definately surprised by how many Porsches dropped out broken or wrecked.

First Official Le Mans Test Day - Grand Touring

These are the family drivers we see on the road every day, and a few supercars we're lucky to see once.

GT1: The Aston v. Corvette battle continues. The Aston Martin DB9R 007 took first with a 3:51.408, 1.2 seconds faster then the second place 009. The two Corvette C6.R's took third and fourth, the 64 ahead of the 63. Fifth is the #72 Corvette C5.R of Luc Alphand Adventures.
Analysis: Always my favorite category for some reason, GT1 provided some exciting testing. With Lamborghini stalling in the gravel early, and a couple of the Ferrari 550s spun out, this race is starting to look like another ALMS battle in GT1. The #62 Russian Age Aston Martin had a gearbox failure on track, but it could show well during the race.

GT2: A couple of big wrecks shook up the field a bit. Top was the No. 87 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 GT with a 4:04.252. Second went to IMSA Performance Matmut in a Porsche 911 GTS RSR with a late lap putting them ahead of Flying Lizard and a half second behind Ferrari. The #80 Flying Lizard took third after being second all day. Fourth went to the #77 Multimatic/Team Panoz Panoz Esperante after an engine failure in the first session, their time stood long enough to get the engine replaced and the car back out on track, still with the fourth fastest time. Spyker Squadron took 5th.
Analysis: As usual, this is the closest field of the race. With the most cars, 14, GT2 is usually a very exciting class. Only five cars are not Porsche 911 GTS RSRs though. I think the ACO could have done a better job and grabbed a couple of JGTC cars (Now Super GT) and at least two more manufacturers from FIA GT - Maserati, Nissan, Lister, Lamborghini, Mosler, and Gillet could have taken the opportunity. I'm cheering for Flying Lizard, as always. But Ferrari will be some tough competition.

First Official Le Mans Test Day - Prototypes

This is the race these cars were designed for. The Le Mans Prototypes have ruled the prototype racing world since 1998.

LMP1: Audi started the day powerful in the diesel R10. However, late in the session the number 16 Pescarolo Judd with pilot Emmanuel Collard took the lead with a 3:32.205. The number 7 Audi with Rinaldo Capello at the wheel responded with a 3:32.090 just minutes later. Then the 17 Pescarolo Judd took down Audi with a 3:31.687, then imporved to a 3:30.195. The number 8 Audi took fourth. Courage Competition running a #13 Courage body and Mugen powerplant took fifth.
Analysis: As the ACO website states, for pole position a lap under 3:30 will likely be needed. That is insanely fast for a track 13.650 km (8.476 miles) long. The Audi v. Pescarolo battle will be fun to watch though. The #17 is running a two-driver entry, so lasting the race may be a bit of a trouble for them unless they pick up a third.

LMP2: RML took the top spot in their Lola AER, Rollcentre took 2nd with a Radical Judd, and Intersport took third with their Lola AER. Fifth was Chamberlain-Synergy in their Lola AER, but an early spin cost them and their car is apparently destroyed. Fourth went to a Courage with a Ford engine put in by Paul Belmondo Racing.
Analysis: The C-S spin was unfortunate as they looked like they could have put forth some good competition.