41 replies to this topic

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Peugeot set a shattering pace in the first qualifying session for this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours with two of the French diesel-powered 908 HDis setting 3:18 lap times.

Stephane Sarrazin, in the No.8 car, lapped eight seconds quicker than last year's pole time with a best of 3:18.513.

The Frenchman was fastest for much of the first session, and eventually ran four seconds quicker than the best time he set on the test day 10 days ago. Then team-mate Franck Montagny put the No.9 car just one tenth behind, two thirds of the way through the two-hour session.

Nicolas Minassian completed a lock out of the top three for the French manufacturer.

Seven-time winner Tom Kristensen set the quickest Audi time in the No.2 R10 TDi, but his lap was nearly seven seconds off the pace of the lead Peugeots.

Mike Rockenfeller drove the next fastest Audi, half a second off Kristensen's time, with Frank Biela rounding out the top six a further two seconds back.

Jean-Christophe Boullion was best of the petrol-powered cars, taking seventh for Pescarolo just a second off the back of the Audis. The Japanese Dome also set an impressive pace with Daisuke Ito at the wheel, going eighth overall in the new prototype.

Michael Vergers posted a late quick lap to go to the top of the LMP2 standings in the Barazi Epsilon. The lead Porsches from Van Merksteijn and Essex were just a second further back with Jos Verstappen and Sascha Maasen setting the quickest times in each.

The Van Merksteijn Porsche picked up a right rear puncture later in the session, though, forcing Peter van Merksteijn to limp back to the pits with damage to the bodywork of the RS Spyder.

Christophe Bouchet was fastest of the GT1 cars in the Larbre Saleen, ahead of the Corvettes of Oliver Gavin and Johnny O'Connell. The factory Aston Martins of Antonio Garcia and Heinz-Harald Frentzen were fourth and fifth in class.

Porsches struck the first blow in GT2 with the IMSA and Flying Lizards cars leading the way, ahead of the Virgo Motorsport Ferrari and the Felbermayr Porsche.

Peugeots are 7 seconds/lap faster than the Audi R10

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

the reliability is going to be their pitfall.

say they are 7s a lap faster for 250 consecutive laps, well an extra 30min pit stop to fix something gone wrong will negate that.

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last year I think they were a second or two faster a lap, but Audi still was the overall winner...

[DocGolem]

I did a 3:09 in GRID with a R10.

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Peugeot remain in complete control of qualifying after the first two sessions for the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours on Wednesday.

The French team continued to occupy the top three positions on the provisional grid in an eventful session that was stopped twice because of huge accidents had by Romain Dumas and Hideki Noda.

Both drivers were uninjured, but Noda's accident happened late enough in the session to bring out the chequered flag 10 minutes earlier than the full two hours.

Dumas went off in the Porsche Curves after losing control of his Pescarolo on oil dropped by the Modena Aston Martin.

None of the 908 HDis were able to better Stephane Sarrazin's remarkable 3:18.513 lap from the first session, but the fourth-placed No.2 Audi did manage to improve its time to 3:24.105 while Rinaldo Capello was in the car. It was however still some six seconds away from its diesel rivals.

Mike Rockenfeller also made the No.3 Audi run in the 3:24 bracket, but almost immediately afterwards spun at the Dunlop chicane while attempting to overtake the LMP2 Barazi Epsilon, which was also on a hot lap.

"In a race I wouldn't have gone for that gap but we were going for a quick time," said Rockenfeller. "He was trying too and turned in, but it's only a scratch."

The Lola Aston Martin had a much better run in the second session after suffering downshifting problems in first qualifying and completing just 13 laps. It returned to the track with the problem fixed later in the evening and finished the session 15th, six seconds off the quickest petrol car.

The Team Essex and Van Merksteijn Porsche RS Spyders both bettered their previous efforts to knock the Barazi Epsilon car off the top spot in LMP2.

The factory Corvettes improved their times in the second session with the No.63 car taking provisional pole in the GT1 class, just ahead of the sister car, No.64.

That pushed the Saleen, which was the only front running car in the class not to improve its time, down to third, while the Spartak Lamborghini beating the works Aston Martins to fourth in class.

GT1 rivals David Brabham and Luc Alphand had spins in the No.009 Aston and No.72 Corvette respectively.

The Flying Lizards Porsche improved its best time by nearly a second to knock the IMSA Porsche off provisional pole in GT2.

Qualifying 2 results

[kngrsll]

that is ALOT of time to give away... Audi better pray for reliability issues.

[MrHahn]

that is ALOT of time to give away... Audi better pray for reliability issues.

Yeah Audi really need to pull their finger out. Germans beaten by French? Jee

[cafcwest]

Need pictures of the Gulf DB9R's on track STAT!!!11!

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Need pictures of the Gulf DB9R's on track STAT!!!11!

best i can find...

[cafcwest]

best i can find...

right click, set as background image.

Thank you SIR!! :biggthumb:

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Peugeot rounded off two dominant days of qualifying by securing the first three places on the grid for the trio of 908 HDis.

Stephane Sarrazin's 3:18.513 lap from Wednesday proved good enough to secure pole position for the No. 8 car. Franck Montagny and Nicolas Minassian set the quickest times in the No. 9 and No. 7 cars respectively.

"I don't know how fast this car can go, but that lap was very close to the limit," said Sarrazin. "It was not easy, when you are pushing like that you have to be precise and I did a very good lap without any mistakes.

"But the car felt amazing and it has a really good balance so I'm very confident for the race. I hope that we can still be faster than the three Audis."

Peugeot's six second advantage over Audi remained as nobody was able to better Allan McNish's 3:23.847 from earlier this evening.

The No. 3 Audi of Mike Rockenfeller, Alex Premat and Lucas Luhr will start the race fifth, ahead of the Lola Aston Martin, which managed to break into the top six.

Stefan Mucke set a string of exceptional laps early in the final qualifying session and knocked the No. 1 Audi down to seventh.

Both Frank Biela and Marco Werner pulled out all the stops to regain the place right at the end of qualifying. Both set laps quicker than any other for the car throughout the two days, but Werner missed out on sixth spot by just a tenth of a second.

The factory Dome also took seconds off its best time and Daisuke Ito earned the Japanese manufacturer eighth place on the grid with a 3:26.928.

The No. 21 Epsilon Euskadi was relieved to be granted more dry running after its troubles yesterday and Jean-Marc Gounon lifted the car to 15th overall with a best time over a second quicker than the sister Epsilon.

The four-minute barrier was smashed, as predicted, in the GT2 class. Wolf Henzler, in the No.77 Felbermayr Porsche, posted a 3:59.072 before Patrick Long set a stunning 3:58.152 in the IMSA Porsche.

But Rob Bell proved that Ferrari too could manage a sub four-minute lap and produced a 3:59.820 in the No. 96 Virgo 430

so the top 7 are
Peugoet, Peugoet, Peugoet, Audi, Audi, Aston Martin , Audi

[Redliner]

best i can find...

I actually screamed out "OMG" when I saw that picture...total hotness.

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10 minutes in and it's Peugoet 1 - 3, Audi's 4 - 6 with the Peugoet's just taking off

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

i would expect audi to come back next year with a closed cockpit LMP1 car.

[MrHahn]

Wooo Le Mans mofos!

anyone have any kind of live feed other than radio le mans?



down with Peugeot!

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

Wooo Le Mans mofos!

anyone have any kind of live feed other than radio le mans?



down with Peugeot!

its on speedtv amazing that its not nascar on.

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

peugeot reliability starts...

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leading Peugeot in the garage with possible transmission problems

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i would expect audi to come back next year with a closed cockpit LMP1 car.

they have to go closed cockpit in the next couple of years regardless, rule change... is it for 2010?

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

they have to go closed cockpit in the next couple of years regardless, rule change... is it for 2010?

2nd leading peugeot black flagged for busted headlight

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2nd leading peugeot black flagged for busted headlight

are they working with Mercedes?

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yeah, 2010 is the rule change for closed cockpit

The new regulations, to be introduced in 2010 and titled as "LMP1 Evo", would change the LMP1 classified cars to solely prototypes with closed-cockpit designs. From 2010 on, closed-cockpit (coupe) design would be mandatory in LMP1. Changes will mainly affect bodywork and chassis, all other areas (e.g. engine) will remain unchanged.

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from Autoblog.com

As many of you are well aware, the 24 Hours of Le Mans kicked off during the last hour. American viewers can catch the action on SPEED TV. Unfortunately, unlike the old Speedvision days, there isn't full 24-hour coverage.

Here is the SPEED TV schedule:

All times Eastern
Saturday, June 14: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Live Coverage
Saturday, June 14, 9:00 PM - Sunday, June 15, 9:30 AM: Live Coverage
SPEED airs assorted NASCAR and other (summarily unwatchable) assorted programming between Noon and 9:00 PM today.

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JV saying the Peugoet handles like crap, he came in after 7 laps to make sure he didn't have a cut tire... nope, the car just isn't balanced well

where as the Audi drivers are saying their car is easy to drive and consistant everywhere

if Peugoet wins this, it's because the drivers manhandled the cars to the end...

#8 Peugoet still in the garage, 8 laps down

[Dr. Jimmmah!]

JV saying the Peugoet handles like crap, he came in after 7 laps to make sure he didn't have a cut tire... nope, the car just isn't balanced well

where as the Audi drivers are saying their car is easy to drive and consistant everywhere

if Peugoet wins this, it's because the drivers manhandled the cars to the end...

#8 Peugoet still in the garage, 8 laps down

it doesnt seem like they're quite there yet. maybe next year..