Corvette Racing finishes 2nd and 3rd at Le Mans

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

Well, it seems the Aston-Martin team has fixed it's "duration" issues at Le Mans as the 009 Aston-Martin wins for the second consequetive year.



LE MANS: Aston Martin Victorious at Le Mans for the Second Consecutive Year

Written by: SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
06/15/2008 - 11:41 AM
Charlotte, North Carolina

A wrong tyre choice, or the smallest mistake from any of the drivers, would have cost the coveted victory. (Photo: Aston Martin Media) » More Photos

One year on from Aston Martin’s first victory in the GT1 class in 2007 – which was the first Le Mans win since the company triumphed overall in 1959 – the 009 DBR9 of David Brabham, Antonio Garcia and Darren Turner has claimed another GT1 win at the La Sarthe circuit.

Just like last year, the 009 car – this time resplendent in the iconic Gulf livery – took the class victory at Le Mans, for sports cars based closely on their road-going equivalents.

The race was one of the closest in history, in all the classes. The 009 car took the lead within the first three hours of the endurance classic, but it was shadowed constantly by its Corvette rival. Intermittent rain and safety car periods made the duel closer still: at one point halfway through the race 009 and its pursuer were separated by less than four seconds. Even at the finish, the two cars were less than five minutes apart – having covered more than 4,500 kilometres.

The suspense remained right up until the end of an epic race. More rain fell within an hour of the finish at 3pm on Sunday, making every decision crucial. A wrong tyre choice, or the smallest mistake from any of the drivers, would have cost the coveted victory.

<continued at link>

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...secutive-year/

[GMusa]

pretty good showing by the Corvette Teams

[Bvonscott]

Well that sucks. I was hoping the vettes would take it this year. Well at least the DBR's are weak in the AMLS, as the Vettes dominate there.

[mbukukanyau]

If the Corvettes were just a little bit faster, they could have easily won. Whenever I watch this race, I notice that at the higher speeds Corvettes are somewhat slower than the Astons, the advantage they have is they power out of bends way better than anyone can manage.
Cadillac should also go back. they left with their tails between their back legs.. shameful.

[Sinner]

Le Mans is rigged. Team Corvette has to choke their motors with restrictor plates with an opening the size of a quarter while the Aston Martins get free reign all in the name of leveling the playing field. Apparently A decade of Team Oreca Vipers and Team Corvette winning has left a bad taste in the mouths of the French. GM needs to start making money in N.A so they can fund an all out assault on LMP1.

[Robert Ryan]

Nice work by Aston Martin, two wins in a row. Have come along since Prodrive bought them from Ford. It will be interesting to see how the new models by Prodrive go.

[63GrandSport001]

Originally Posted by Sinner

Le Mans is rigged. Team Corvette has to choke their motors with restrictor plates with an opening the size of a quarter while the Aston Martins get free reign all in the name of leveling the playing field. Apparently A decade of Team Oreca Vipers and Team Corvette winning has left a bad taste in the mouths of the French. GM needs to start making money in N.A so they can fund an all out assault on LMP1.

The P1 class is on its way out.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally Posted by Sinner

Le Mans is rigged. Team Corvette has to choke their motors with restrictor plates with an opening the size of a quarter while the Aston Martins get free reign all in the name of leveling the playing field. Apparently A decade of Team Oreca Vipers and Team Corvette winning has left a bad taste in the mouths of the French. GM needs to start making money in N.A so they can fund an all out assault on LMP1.

this sucks. The Corvettes are better. I will not waste my time watching this stupidity. It smells of "lance is a dopper allegations"...
The French are sooo unfair!!

[Sinner]

Originally Posted by 63GrandSport001

The P1 class is on its way out.

Really? That sucks. I love watching the Joest/Audi Sport teams. Anyone who can change a transmission/rear end, 4 tires, the rear body kit, do fuel and a driver change in 4 minutes are Gods.

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

Originally Posted by GMusa

pretty good showing by the Corvette Teams

Nothing short of first is good enough for Corvette Racing, nor should it be.

Corvette has already stated winning Le Mans out right is the goal for the next Vette.

Mid-engined is my suspicion. Fans of the Corvette will miss the reverse opening bonnet. Unless they can keep that in a mid-engined model. I just think mid-engined is the logical evolution of the Corvette with the power they are now getting out of the LSx engine. I just hope the Corvette does not lose it's historical driving charateristics. Aggressive throttle modulation is a feature through corners, while the Porsche is prone to throttle-off over steer performing the same move. There are just certain things you can get away with in a front engined car, vs. a rear engined car. But I suppose there are more advantages to a mid-engined over a frone engined car.

A mid-engined Corvette will have different driving characteristics over the front engined model. This may upset many purists, and may upset some Corvette drivers. But if this is what it takes to keep it at the cutting edge, so be it. Corvette has always meant the "best of America". Even though Europe has 500 years more years of evolution over us.

Many Corvette drivers will need to "re-learn" how to drive a Corvette if it goes mid-engined.

Originally Posted by Bvonscott

Well that sucks. I was hoping the vettes would take it this year. Well at least the DBR's are weak in the AMLS, as the Vettes dominate there.

Aston-Martin is not even competing in NA in the ALMS. Lets hope that changes.

Originally Posted by Sinner

Le Mans is rigged. Team Corvette has to choke their motors with restrictor plates with an opening the size of a quarter while the Aston Martins get free reign all in the name of leveling the playing field. Apparently A decade of Team Oreca Vipers and Team Corvette winning has left a bad taste in the mouths of the French. GM needs to start making money in N.A so they can fund an all out assault on LMP1.

Ohh, c'mon 'bro. And I think you mean GT1, not P1. GM is not competing in LMP1. Although, if they can come up with a suitable diesel, this may change.

Originally Posted by 63GrandSport001

The P1 class is on its way out.

First I've heard of that. Maybe P2, or GT1, but not P1. From what I've heard P2 is kinda set up for "private" operations with less rules than P1. Penske didn't bring their Porsche RS Spyder this year in part because of the different rules between P1 and P2..

[tigger#76]

I would have loved to see team Corvette and especially Ron Fellows take the class win, but the Aston Martin team deserves credit for being able to keep the car together for the full 24 hours.

Originally Posted by New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66

Nothing short of first is good enough for Corvette Racing, nor should it be.

Corvette has already stated winning Le Mans out right is the goal for the next Vette.

Mid-engined is my suspicion...<snip>
...Many Corvette drivers will need to "re-learn" how to drive a Corvette if it goes mid-engined.

Ohh, c'mon 'bro. And I think you mean GT1, not P1. GM is not competing in LMP1. Although, if they can come up with a suitable diesel, this may change.

First I've heard of that. Maybe P2, or GT1, but not P1. From what I've heard P2 is kinda set up for "private" operations with less rules than P1. Penske didn't bring their Porsche RS Spyder this year in part because of the different rules between P1 and P2..

While I think a mid engined Corvette (rear mounted) design has been considered for the C7, I'd have to say that between the new CAFE regulations, the collapse of the SUV market and other economic factors that have GM on the ropes, and the general public's concerns about fuel mileage, all bets are off as to what configuration the C7 has. I wouldn't be surprised if it is a rear mid engine design, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it's a progression of the C6 configuration or even something as radical as a tweaked up Kappa with a small V8 option.

With the rules being what they are at Le Mans, the ONLY way to really compete for the over all win is in the P1 class currently. The ACO will not allow the P2, GT1, or GT2 cars to be fast enough to compete for the over all win at Le Mans. Plus there have been rumors for over a year now that GM was looking at building a top level prototype for Le Mans that would be called a Corvette but would compete with the Audi and Peugeot. Although those plans would have been for a 2010 roll out of the car with a new class and set of rules that were supposed to have been put in place.

The P1 class was announced as going away. In 2007 the ACO announced that in 2010 they would phase out P1 and replace it with an EVO class that required closed cockpits, a front end that resembled the street car that the prototype was supposed to be based on, and reduced performance. Since then, it looks like Audi and Peugeot complained enough to get P1 rolled back in which means the new EVO class might be dead before getting started if the powers that be don't come up with a new plan for the EVO cars or change their mind and go back to dropping the P1 class.

So if GM still decides to go for the over all win at Le Mans, they'll be doing it in a car that has a lot less in common with the street car regardless of whether or not the street car is front mid engined or rear mid engined and regardless of whether the race car is a P1 car or an EVO car.

To throw another wrench into the works, there are supposedly plans underway to roll the GT1 and GT2 classes together with a spec that's closer to the GT2 class. If this happens and GM stays in the Le Mans based series' then they'll have to have a new car by 2010 no matter what.

Lastly, 2010 is when the contract with Pratt & Miller ends, so they might just decide to end their involvement in Le Mans/ALMS all together since the EVO class has been scrapped and the current cars won't be able to compete even if they are re-skinned for a C7 version.

Most of the above race/rules information is from articles at www.motorsport.com www.autoweek.com and www.automobile.com


Artist renderings of the proposed Corvette EVO Le Mans prototype in this forum:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=2014835

A quick synopsis of the situation the Corvette Racing team is facing with uncertain rules:
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...1/newsletter01

[Sinner]

Originally Posted by New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66

Ohh, c'mon 'bro. And I think you mean GT1, not P1. GM is not competing in LMP1. Although, if they can come up with a suitable diesel, this may change.

No, I mean P1. The only way GM can take #1 overall is with a LMP1 car. The only way GM is going to develop a P1 car is if their bottom line gets better and they have extra cash to throw around.

The EVO class is such a stupid idea, it's just an EVOlution of the still born closed cockpit P1 class. Audi scraped their closed cockpit R8(it wasn't nearly competitive enough with the open cars) and sold the plans to Bentley.

[Sinner]

Originally Posted by tigger#76

To throw another wrench into the works, there are supposedly plans underway to roll the GT1 and GT2 classes together with a spec that's closer to the GT2 class. If this happens and GM stays in the Le Mans based series' then they'll have to have a new car by 2010 no matter what.

A ZR1 would do quite well in GT2.

[minnfang]

I watched the beginning and the end of the race. What happened in the middle? Why did Aston win? Was is all about speed, or did the Corvette teams have some problems?

[JerryL]

GT1 as we know it is going away...supposedly there will be one GT class so more brands can compete...like BMW for example. That also means the LS7 427 engine will be gone in the Vettes. So the car will be less like a ZO6 and more like the base car and the LS3. That means all new cars and all new development costs. If AM stays it will probably be with the Vantage model and not the DBR9. The Saleens with their 427 will be gone too.
A very sad day for the current P&M team and GM in general is approaching. I wish we knew what was coming. The current team generates so much good will worldwide for Corvette, and image for the brand that I really hope they don't withdraw.