24 Hours of Le Mans.

[SavannahMann]

Every year the most difficult and demanding auto race in the world takes place in Le Mans France. Three drivers will run a single car for 24 hours of racing.

This weekend the race is going again. This weekend cars and people will be pushed to the limit.

When I first learned of the race I was dubious. I could not imagine a car taking that kind of punishment for 24 hours. I couldn't imagine a driver doing a turn at the wheel and knocking out a Daytona 500 and then six hour later climbing back into the car for another Daytona 500. The brakes on the car must have been engineered to incredible lengths to increase the racing durability.

I couldn't believe the car would be going 200 MPH before braking to about 60 and then standing on the throttle again. I couldn't imagine four races actually going on the same track at the same time.

I learned about the four classes of racers. Prototype one and two. GT pro and am. I've watched the videos of the races and been astonished to see Toyota passing Ferrari and Corvettes.

This weekend I'll be watching and listening to the race. One that goes from 3pm Saturday to 3 PM Sunday. Day and night. Rain or shine. The cars will pound around the track trying to survive and finish the race. If you are a racing fan I invite you to look into this incredible race and I think you will be impressed as well.

 

[gipper]

Do the cars used in Le Mans, resemble cars the public can purchase?

 

[Papageorgio]

Every year the most difficult and demanding auto race in the world takes place in Le Mans France. Three drivers will run a single car for 24 hours of racing.

This weekend the race is going again. This weekend cars and people will be pushed to the limit.

When I first learned of the race I was dubious. I could not imagine a car taking that kind of punishment for 24 hours. I couldn't imagine a driver doing a turn at the wheel and knocking out a Daytona 500 and then six hour later climbing back into the car for another Daytona 500. The brakes on the car must have been engineered to incredible lengths to increase the racing durability.

I couldn't believe the car would be going 200 MPH before braking to about 60 and then standing on the throttle again. I couldn't imagine four races actually going on the same track at the same time.

I learned about the four classes of racers. Prototype one and two. GT pro and am. I've watched the videos of the races and been astonished to see Toyota passing Ferrari and Corvettes.

This weekend I'll be watching and listening to the race. One that goes from 3pm Saturday to 3 PM Sunday. Day and night. Rain or shine. The cars will pound around the track trying to survive and finish the race. If you are a racing fan I invite you to look into this incredible race and I think you will be impressed as well.

So why is this 24 hour race more grueling than the 24 at Daytona?

 

[SavannahMann]

Do the cars used in Le Mans, resemble cars the public can purchase?

In the two GT classes. Yes. Ford GT and Chevrolet Corvettes race against Aston Martins and Porsche. There you have the big V-8 motors bellowing down the track against the higher pitched screams of the Ferrari and Porsche.

 

[gipper]

Do the cars used in Le Mans, resemble cars the public can purchase?

In the two GT classes. Yes. Ford GT and Chevrolet Corvettes race against Aston Martins and Porsche. There you have the big V-8 motors bellowing down the track against the higher pitched screams of the Ferrari and Porsche.

Thanks.

Is this the race that Audi used to perfect their all wheel drive system, some decades ago?

 

[SavannahMann]

Every year the most difficult and demanding auto race in the world takes place in Le Mans France. Three drivers will run a single car for 24 hours of racing.

This weekend the race is going again. This weekend cars and people will be pushed to the limit.

When I first learned of the race I was dubious. I could not imagine a car taking that kind of punishment for 24 hours. I couldn't imagine a driver doing a turn at the wheel and knocking out a Daytona 500 and then six hour later climbing back into the car for another Daytona 500. The brakes on the car must have been engineered to incredible lengths to increase the racing durability.

I couldn't believe the car would be going 200 MPH before braking to about 60 and then standing on the throttle again. I couldn't imagine four races actually going on the same track at the same time.

I learned about the four classes of racers. Prototype one and two. GT pro and am. I've watched the videos of the races and been astonished to see Toyota passing Ferrari and Corvettes.

This weekend I'll be watching and listening to the race. One that goes from 3pm Saturday to 3 PM Sunday. Day and night. Rain or shine. The cars will pound around the track trying to survive and finish the race. If you are a racing fan I invite you to look into this incredible race and I think you will be impressed as well.

So why is this 24 hour race more grueling than the 24 at Daytona?

Daytona is run over a closed course. Most of the Le Mans race is on public streets. Le Mans has greater technical difficulty and a longer lap.

If the Nurburgring was not strictly an amateur race I'd say it was the toughest track. But it is a variant series.

 

[SavannahMann]

Do the cars used in Le Mans, resemble cars the public can purchase?

In the two GT classes. Yes. Ford GT and Chevrolet Corvettes race against Aston Martins and Porsche. There you have the big V-8 motors bellowing down the track against the higher pitched screams of the Ferrari and Porsche.

Thanks.

Is this the race that Audi used to perfect their all wheel drive system, some decades ago?

Audi revolutionized the race by bringing Diesel to the game. It allowed for more driving time and fewer pitt stops. Audi is back out of the race and now it is essentially a duel for LMP 1 between Porsche and Toyota. LMP 2 is more varied but the cars are slower and less technological. P 1 is all Hybrids now. Nissan tried a front wheel drive car a couple years ago. It did not go well. The cars were slower, and basically couldn't keep up with the lower class cars.

Ford and Chevy are in the GT class this year. The Ford GT versus the Chevrolet Corvettes, Ferrari 488, and Porsche Racers.

The Quattro system Audi developed was for Rally racing. That is done on dirt and gravel and the cars spend half their time sideways going around corners. That is also where Mitsubishi and Subaru got their racing experience. The Mitsubishi Evo was developed for those races.

 

[Cellblock2429]

Every year the most difficult and demanding auto race in the world takes place in Le Mans France. Three drivers will run a single car for 24 hours of racing.

This weekend the race is going again. This weekend cars and people will be pushed to the limit.

When I first learned of the race I was dubious. I could not imagine a car taking that kind of punishment for 24 hours. I couldn't imagine a driver doing a turn at the wheel and knocking out a Daytona 500 and then six hour later climbing back into the car for another Daytona 500. The brakes on the car must have been engineered to incredible lengths to increase the racing durability.

I couldn't believe the car would be going 200 MPH before braking to about 60 and then standing on the throttle again. I couldn't imagine four races actually going on the same track at the same time.

I learned about the four classes of racers. Prototype one and two. GT pro and am. I've watched the videos of the races and been astonished to see Toyota passing Ferrari and Corvettes.

This weekend I'll be watching and listening to the race. One that goes from 3pm Saturday to 3 PM Sunday. Day and night. Rain or shine. The cars will pound around the track trying to survive and finish the race. If you are a racing fan I invite you to look into this incredible race and I think you will be impressed as well.

/---- In the early days of racing they had no accurate way of determining who was in first second or third place much less how many laps a car had gone. They tried assigning a watcher for each car but sometimes the car's numbers would be obscured by mud or dirt. Sometimes a spectacular accident would distract the watchers and they's lose sight of their cars.It turned into a guessing game.

 

[usmbguest5318]

Do the cars used in Le Mans, resemble cars the public can purchase?

Any member of "the public" can purchase a car that would be or was raced at Le Mans, but I think I know what you mean....

Some Le Mans race cars sort of resemble cars one might by at their local car retailer and others absolutely do not. LMP 2 and LMP 3 class cars do not resemble the cars one'll find at the local, say, Porsche dealer. LMG TE class cars fairly well do, at least more so than do the cars that compete in the other two classes.

LMP 2 Class

LMP 3 Class

LMG TE Class

 

[usmbguest5318]

How cars and drivers survive Le Mans.

 

[Papageorgio]

Every year the most difficult and demanding auto race in the world takes place in Le Mans France. Three drivers will run a single car for 24 hours of racing.

This weekend the race is going again. This weekend cars and people will be pushed to the limit.

When I first learned of the race I was dubious. I could not imagine a car taking that kind of punishment for 24 hours. I couldn't imagine a driver doing a turn at the wheel and knocking out a Daytona 500 and then six hour later climbing back into the car for another Daytona 500. The brakes on the car must have been engineered to incredible lengths to increase the racing durability.

I couldn't believe the car would be going 200 MPH before braking to about 60 and then standing on the throttle again. I couldn't imagine four races actually going on the same track at the same time.

I learned about the four classes of racers. Prototype one and two. GT pro and am. I've watched the videos of the races and been astonished to see Toyota passing Ferrari and Corvettes.

This weekend I'll be watching and listening to the race. One that goes from 3pm Saturday to 3 PM Sunday. Day and night. Rain or shine. The cars will pound around the track trying to survive and finish the race. If you are a racing fan I invite you to look into this incredible race and I think you will be impressed as well.

So why is this 24 hour race more grueling than the 24 at Daytona?

Daytona is run over a closed course. Most of the Le Mans race is on public streets. Le Mans has greater technical difficulty and a longer lap.

If the Nurburgring was not strictly an amateur race I'd say it was the toughest track. But it is a variant series.

You enjoy your race.

 

[gipper]

Do the cars used in Le Mans, resemble cars the public can purchase?

Any member of "the public" can purchase a car that would be or was raced at Le Mans, but I think I know what you mean....

Some Le Mans race cars sort of resemble cars one might by at their local car retailer and others absolutely do not. LMP 2 and LMP 3 class cars do not resemble the cars one'll find at the local, say, Porsche dealer. LMG TE class cars fairly well do, at least more so than do the cars that compete in the other two classes.

LMP 2 Class

LMP 3 Class

LMG TE Class

Looks like the 911 is as cLose as I can get, and it is the car I always wanted. Problem is now that I can afford one, I am too old to get in and out of one.

 

[usmbguest5318]

Do the cars used in Le Mans, resemble cars the public can purchase?

Any member of "the public" can purchase a car that would be or was raced at Le Mans, but I think I know what you mean....

Some Le Mans race cars sort of resemble cars one might by at their local car retailer and others absolutely do not. LMP 2 and LMP 3 class cars do not resemble the cars one'll find at the local, say, Porsche dealer. LMG TE class cars fairly well do, at least more so than do the cars that compete in the other two classes.

LMP 2 Class

LMP 3 Class

LMG TE Class

Looks like the 911 is as cLose as I can get, and it is the car I always wanted. Problem is now that I can afford one, I am too old to get in and out of one.

That photo and article was just offered as an example. The Porsche 911 isn't the only type of car raced in the LMG TE class. There are, for example, BMW 3 Series and 4 Series coupe based cars and others that race at Le Mans.

I don't know about your particular fitness and agility, but my cane-using arthritic mother and I both can get into and out of my kid's BMW 335i (E92) and 440i (F32) coupes. (For Mom, getting in isn't hard. She needs a hand getting out, but that's also the case when she rides in my big, roomy sedan.) Ingress/egress is not difficult at all with regard to either car. (I wouldn't buy my kids cars I can't easily get in and out of because occasionally I show up at their school and they have to drive me up at the airport or drive us to dinner/lunch. LOL) You may want visit your local BMW store and see for yourself. They are quite nice to drive as well.

BMW M3 (the one pictured is no longer the current production version)

BMW 4 Series (this is the style of the current "3 Series" class coupe -- BMW changed the number to 4)

The Aston Martin Vantage (not that the model matters all that much as their coupes all look very similar) is also raced at Le Mans.

Perhaps one of them is be a better choice for you?