LeMans 24 hours 2011

Please discuss here all your remarks and pose your questions about all racing series, except Formula One. Both technical and other questions about GP2, Touring cars, IRL, LMS, ...
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Tom
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Joined: 13 Jan 2006, 00:24
Location: Bicester

Re: LeMans 24 hours 2011

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Tozza Mazza wrote:
Just shows why Le Mans is the Mecca of motorsport engineering
I agree with this, to make a high performance engine last 24 hours straight and be competitive requires something that even F1 can't manage. I know F1 engines have to do multiple races, and quali and practice etc, but compared to Le Mans they're basically spec.

LM on the other hand, the engine designers alone have to consider engine configuration and how it will fit into the car, fuel (at least three different types), cylinder capacity, turbocharge? direct injection or not, and that's before getting to the details like chain or gears? materials? chamber sealing? All the things which are almost designed into F1 rules.

Then there's the cars themselves: Class? open or closed? aero and stiffness, cost, of course, crucially how much time is available.
And will it even get through scruitineering!?!

Also consider that F1 cars are made to do 20 near identical events, but Le Mans is a one off for many teams, the cars are made for that circuit, the rest of the series isn't nearly as important. The whole thing allows real engineering talent to flow and avoids a 'loophole exploiting only' scenario.


I also understand some people will argue Dakar is harder, it might be. I would suggest they're deliberately over engineered at the expense of performance and constrained slightly by their road car origins, but the job they do is admirable none the less.


Either way Le Mans is something special and even the team that comes dead last, you can't overestimate the amount of work, time, pain and effort put into just getting that thing to the start line.
Murphy's 9th Law of Technology:
Tell a man there are 300 million stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch to be sure.