JLOC's Le Mans auto invite - Page 2

fiend540 · 2 Nov 2009, 14:44 (Ref:2574169)

They won the slot fair and square, so it's not like you can be mad about it. Lets just hope they have their **** together this year.

Gingers4Justice · 2 Nov 2009, 20:33 (Ref:2574392)

Hang about, we're all going on about how bad JLOC has been recently, but I'm sure I remember that they managed to pedal that thing round La Sarthe til Sunday morning in 2006. The impossible has already been achieved.

JHamilton · 2 Nov 2009, 20:52 (Ref:2574418)

It's not that JLOC bothers me, but the category all together.

Joe Taylor · 2 Nov 2009, 23:26 (Ref:2574537)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Hang about, we're all going on about how bad JLOC has been recently, but I'm sure I remember that they managed to pedal that thing round La Sarthe til Sunday morning in 2006. The impossible has already been achieved.

Well yes, but the car was being run by Reiter that year. If JLOC had turned up with a bag of bolts like this year, they would probably have insisted on using one of their own cars. On the other hand, I felt sympathy for them in 2007. Apicella had a big accident, they completely rebuilt the car around a new shell, then had a failure on the second lap.

geeteeone · 3 Nov 2009, 12:38 (Ref:2574850)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

Whatever happens, It better not be #1068(?) they bring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If they take up their entry, it will have to be with one of the new Reiter-built Murcielago R-SVs, as will be used in the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship. The old Murcielago R-GT won't be eligible next season. It's possible that there may be some sort of conversion kit they can use to save them having to buy a brand new car.

Tim the Grey · 3 Nov 2009, 15:17 (Ref:2574940)

I guess if they pay Reiter enough, they could...

Cheaper just to buy the 2010 car!

The Badger · 3 Nov 2009, 15:41 (Ref:2574956)

When they had that disaster at Le Mans , they didnt deal with Reiter , they went for a car that was years old and was owned by DAMS ..... something about the JLOC/Reiter relationship seems sour in my opinion .

Tim the Grey · 3 Nov 2009, 17:39 (Ref:2575046)

Ahha! DAMS, now I understand why they bought bits in Paris. Thank you!

Dead-Eye · 3 Nov 2009, 18:48 (Ref:2575095)

They could try work with someone who has a car, like Vitaphone and Strakka did last year.

cmk · 4 Nov 2009, 05:12 (Ref:2575360)

They previously dealt with DAMS to borrow one of their cars (which, just like all the others was built by Reiter) after Marco Apicella had that awful prang on the Mulsanne a couple of years back. Of course the car did not run well - it had been sitting unused for over a year when it was dragged out and made to start LM without proper prep.

This year's car, as far as I understand it, was a rebuild of the chassis Apicella ripped the back end off of, which, rather than being sent back to Reiter, they reassembled themselves with cannibalized Murcielago road car parts. Obviously a build like this is not suitable, but though the car was not Reiter's, it was also not wholly not Reiter's. Perhaps having Kaneko's T2M team run the car might not be as good as having the car builder's team run it for you, but they don't deserve to be slated for it either. It was not their fault they were provided with something like that to run.

The SuperGT Murcielago R-GT cars which JLOC ran in GT500 and then later in GT300 are also Reiter-built chassis, for the record, but it seems that the one they ran as #68 has not been hack-jobbed at any point like the #69 ex-LM2009 car has. Not a bad car, they ran it well, they deserved the result they got. Hitotsuyama did a good job too - hopefully they'll be recognized for that if they also submit a Le Mans entry.

The359 · 4 Nov 2009, 05:16 (Ref:2575363)

I think the winning JLOC car was in fact an R-GT LM, while the other one was the older car. They had completely different mock ups in the front end underneath the bodywork.

tlracing · 4 Nov 2009, 08:54 (Ref:2575426)

I'm pleased that we should be seeing a Lambo at the Sarthe in 2010.

Whatever the reasons for the 2009 debacle - and debacle it was - it's been shown that the car can run reliably. It's different, it looks good and so - for me at least - adds to the attraction of the 24 Hours

The Badger · 4 Nov 2009, 09:17 (Ref:2575444)

Im delighted at the thought of seeing a Lambo again , but I just wish the car and team had a bit more pedigree .

Gingers4Justice · 4 Nov 2009, 21:17 (Ref:2575890)

Could the ACO snub them and refuse their entry?

The359 · 4 Nov 2009, 21:22 (Ref:2575894)

...why? They earned it at an ACO event.

Gingers4Justice · 4 Nov 2009, 21:26 (Ref:2575898)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The359

...why? They earned it at an ACO event.

The ACO might want an entry where the car is likely to reach double figures in the lap count.

I'm not saying they should refuse them, but on the evidence of their past two entries this team is not exactly going to set the world on fire - although we'll most likely see a Lambo go up in flames spectacularly.

The359 · 4 Nov 2009, 21:38 (Ref:2575906)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

The ACO might want an entry where the car is likely to reach double figures in the lap count.

I'm not saying they should refuse them, but on the evidence of their past two entries this team is not exactly going to set the world on fire - although we'll most likely see a Lambo go up in flames spectacularly.

The JLOC Lamborghini completed 283 laps in 2006. In 2007 their car was torn to bits in qualifying and lucky to even make the start. The ACO might want a lot of things, but there's no reason to deny a team a rightfully earned entry because of year where they completely screwed up.

Since when has Le Mans only been about allowing race winning entries?

Gingers4Justice · 4 Nov 2009, 21:43 (Ref:2575912)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The359

The JLOC Lamborghini completed 283 laps in 2006. In 2007 their car was torn to bits in qualifying and lucky to even make the start. The ACO might want a lot of things, but there's no reason to deny a team a rightfully earned entry because of year where they completely screwed up.

Since when has Le Mans only been about allowing race winning entries?

It's not, but it was a crime letting in the JLOC entry last year when we had the Labre Saleen, which was a strong entry racing full time in the LMS, in the reserves. That entry was still not pushed through even after a few entries dropped out. I got the impression that JLOC were granted an entry to promote the AsiLMS at the expense of a podium-contending entry which did things the proper way.

I mentioned earlier about the '06 effort not being too bad, but as someone said (I can't remember who), that year Reiter were running it.

cmk · 4 Nov 2009, 21:44 (Ref:2575913)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The359

I think the winning JLOC car was in fact an R-GT LM, while the other one was the older car. They had completely different mock ups in the front end underneath the bodywork.

You are completely right, I'd reversed the two numbers in my mind but #68 was the car from LM and #69 this year's (?) GT300 car. Guess they finally got the LM chassis sorted properly then.

I don't really get why some people are so down on the team. This year at LM was not their finest hour, but no worse than many entries in the past. They did run strongly in their first entry though, in terms of endurance if not outright pace. The Lambo was not much of a weapon then anyway. Furthermore, they've had success in Super GT too - the Murcielago was on the GT300 podium at the last race in Fuji for instance.

Finally, they completed all 1000km last weekend to earn their spot. So if the ACO is thinking 'we want cars that can finish the race', why would they look at the JLOC car and refuse it? It just finished, twice, and won once!

Gingers4Justice · 4 Nov 2009, 21:50 (Ref:2575915)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Could the ACO snub them and refuse their entry?

Perhaps I should rephrase that question anyway.

Would it be possible for ACO to refuse an auto-invite if they were so minded?

The359 · 4 Nov 2009, 22:32 (Ref:2575951)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

It's not, but it was a crime letting in the JLOC entry last year when we had the Labre Saleen, which was a strong entry racing full time in the LMS, in the reserves. That entry was still not pushed through even after a few entries dropped out. I got the impression that JLOC were granted an entry to promote the AsiLMS at the expense of a podium-contending entry which did things the proper way.

I mentioned earlier about the '06 effort not being too bad, but as someone said (I can't remember who), that year Reiter were running it.

Do you think the ACO could have predicted what would have happened with the JLOC entry? No. Yes it's highly likely that JLOC got the entry for being an Asian team (and for having a Lambo), but the ACO also likely gave them an entry expecting them to actually perform.

2009 Le Mans is moot however, as JLOC have clearly shown they have the potential to perform after two straight races.

Marcel ten Caat · 5 Nov 2009, 08:42 (Ref:2576180)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmk

You are completely right, I'd reversed the two numbers in my mind but #68 was the car from LM and #69 this year's (?) GT300 car. Guess they finally got the LM chassis sorted properly then.

None of the JLOC cars raced at Okayama raced at Le Mans this year.

The Badger · 5 Nov 2009, 10:09 (Ref:2576239)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Perhaps I should rephrase that question anyway.

Would it be possible for ACO to refuse an auto-invite if they were so minded?

I would think there would be a case for legal action against them if they tried that route .

But you always have to get past the little french man with the straight stick (Scrutineer chief) ..... and he can be very difficult at best !!!

Ive seen better prepared teams getting turfed out on their ear by that evil little Frenchman .

Dario911 · 5 Nov 2009, 10:16 (Ref:2576242)

Well done! Mission accomplished for JLOC.
That's the 3rd international win for Lamborghini. I love R-GT and I'm happy for this.
If IPB Spartak Racing would not be menaced by its budget trouble, it could have fought for the title in LMS, this year!

JLOC has done a great job in two races, not just in one. A 1st and a 2nd place are a good result to go to Le Mans...
I think they can improve the car and the team to be the next outsiders in la Sarthe!

Dead-Eye · 5 Nov 2009, 10:59 (Ref:2576267)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

But you always have to get past the little french man with the straight stick (Scrutineer chief) ..... and he can be very difficult at best !!!

Well, he did let this year's chassis through...

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