2009 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 77th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place from June 13th to 14th. Speed Channel will show 19 hours live on TV, starting at 6:30 AM Mountain (pre-race at 6 AM), and the other 5 hours will be streamed live on speedtv.com. As a warm up, Speed will be showing Truth in 24 Friday at 7 PM Mountain (more on this below).

Circuit de la Sarthe is 13.65 km long. It’s a combination of dedicated racetrack and public roads. On the back side, the Mulsanne Straight used to be an insane 5 km long! Imagine a Formula 1 track with no corners. Two chicanes were added to it in 1990 due to an FIA rule change. This was because, in 1988, the cars got up to 405 km/h (251 mph). Holy crap, that’s approaching Bonneville Salt Flats territory!

Four classes of cars compete in the race (at the same time). The fastest GT2 cars are almost as fast as the slowest GT1, and so on for LMP2 and LMP1 (LMP stands for Le Mans Prototype). The speed difference between the classes makes the race more perilous for all involved. Slower classes must always be checking their mirrors and faster classes have to be very careful when overtaking.

Audi has won the last 5 years in a row. This year’s new Audi R15 TDI already set a record while winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in March, so once again Audi is favoured. The Peugeot 908 HDi FAP will be its closest competitor. Both run on diesel because it provides better fuel economy.

Each car has three drivers who switch during pit stops at various times during the race. Le Mans cars cost about as much as Formula 1 cars, so it will come as no surprise that many of the drivers in LMP1 will be known to F1 fans. Since Le Mans falls on the weekend between the Turkish Grand Prix and British Grand Prix, Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Bourdais is available to drive for Peugeot. Former F1 pilots taking part are: Allan McNish, Pedro Lamy, Christian Klein, Franck Montagny, Marc Gené, Alexander Wurz, Tiago Monteiro, Olivier Panis, Narain Karthikeyan, Christijan Albers, Anthony Davidson, and Jos Verstappen. There will be three relatives of former F1 drivers in LMP1 as well: Bruno Senna, nephew of Ayrton Senna (he will probably be in F1 very soon himself); Vanina Ickx, daughter of Jackie Ickx; and Alain Prost’s son, Nicolas. Mika Salo will compete in GT2, as will Nigel Mansell’s son, Leo. Also in GT2 will be actor Patrick Dempsey from Grey’s Anatomy, driving a Ferrari F430.

Truth in 24 is a documentary about Audi’s 2008 race. It’s a free download on iTunes USA, but so far not on iTunes Canada. Truth in 24 is of course being compared to the 1971 movie Le Mans, which starred Steve McQueen, and featured tonnes of actual footage from the race (they even put a camera on a Porsche and entered it in the race). I just watched Le Mans for the millionth time last Saturday night, and if Truth in 24 is anywhere near that good, it’ll be well worth it. Some say Truth in 24 is better. I’ll find out Friday night, unless iTunes Canada comes around before that.

The Biggest Racing Feast Of The Year

The biggest racing feast of the year is upon us! Sunday, May 24th, we have the Monaco Grand Prix for breakfast, the Indianapolis 500 for lunch, and the Coca-Cola 600 for dinner. Sadly, the big news for all three will be how will they find the money to survive?

Formula 1 travels to Monaco with the May 29th deadline for 2010 entries looming. Ferrari and Renault have said they will not participate if the FIA sticks with its new voluntary budget cap plus technical freedom rules. On the other hand, some prospective teams have said they will enter F1 under those rules. It wouldn’t be surprising if some of the other marginal teams choose to drop out if there is no budget cap. Ferrari has gone so far as to sue the FIA in a French court. A ruling is expected on Wednesday, May 20th. I guarantee that won’t be the end of the story.

Monaco is old school motor racing. It’s dangerous. If it weren’t Monaco, they wouldn’t dream about racing on this track. Every year they talk about why it isn’t safe to race here and then go do it anyway. It still inspires video games, with its tunnel, casino and fountain, impossibly tight corners, and the run along the gigantic yachts in the harbour. Drivers want to win this race, maybe even more than winning the World Championship itself.

Fergie Would Be Proud

G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S,... We're Flyin' First Class!

It’s glamorous, as no other race ever could be or ever will be. Monaco is about spectacle, about seeing and being seen. Celebrities that don’t seem to care much about racing miraculously appear for this race. Lots of them. Local hotels that are outrageously expensive the rest of the year become obscene for the week of the Grand Prix. In 2004, the Jaguar cars carried Steinmetz diamonds as part of a promotion for the soon-to-be released Ocean’s Twelve movie. One diamond was lost after a crash and I don’t believe it was ever recovered. This year, Steinmetz will once again put diamonds safely (?) in the helmets of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen, instead of in the nose cones of the cars. The yachts in the harbour are unbelievable. Several rival the technical sophistication and operating budgets of even the biggest teams.

Formula 1 is known as the series with little passing and Monaco is the prime example. You have to qualify at the front if you want to win. Yet it is far from boring! It’s a brutally difficult track to drive around, even without other cars. There are a few overtaking opportunities, if you’re willing to risk your life, and every year a few drivers do.

The big story, on track at least, will again be whether anyone can compete with Brawn. Red Bull seems oh-so-close and Toyota has shown signs now and then. The subplot will be whether Brawn can compete with itself. After years playing a supporting role to Michael Schumacher, Reubens Barrichello is adamant that he will not be Jenson Button’s understudy. The sub-subplot will be how much longer Brawn can go without a major sponsor.

Read the rest of this entry »