[LM24] Le Mans New White Line

[gttouring]

What is this rule? I saw pictures at Dailysportscars.net, and have not found the appropriate article concerning the 'White Line Rule'
Are car being bound not to cross a white line by the kerbs? and this will be enforced how? I don't see why this would have to be put in effect, if the course cutting is trouble why not raise the kerb or make it bumpier so the drivers might avoid them?- Another question probably for another post but- Why are the GT's running times like last year and no one else, they're close but..?

[Cynic]

It's apparently an attempt by the ACO to solve the problem of car's getting punctures from gravel that has been dragged onto the track. At both the Dunlop chicane and Indianapolis, there is a white line painted on the track. The drivers were told that if they crossed the line during a timed lap they would incur a time penalty, and repeated transgressions woudl result in their times being wiped. Needless to say the drivers are not happy.... Depending who you talk to it was costing the prototypes between 1 and 3 seconds a lap. No idea why it didn't seem to affect the GT's as much though.

[BSchneiderFan]

Could this rule BE more unworkable? (Sorry to come over all Chandler.)

[danhx]

One of the corvette drivers said the new rule was costing them four seconds a lap! Of course, some of the lost speed can be attributed to the smaller air restrictors, and since the Porsche teams say they might actually have more torque this year than last it doen't effect them as badly. Apparently there is something odd about the construction of the air intake on the Porsches where the intake actually gets smaller after the restrictors, thereby nullifying much of the effect of the smaller restrictors. I'm not sure of the actual details and numbers, but at least this would account for the GT cars increased relative pace.

[batcave]

Dont have to worry about that rule, nobody listened to it or avoided any kerbs from start to finish. It was the stupidest thing we ever heard!

[Adam43]

I hope it is true that we wont have to worry about this rule. It could be a comical 24 hours!

How does anyone think this could work? Change the kerbs and the run off (perhaps with more of a gap between the kerbs and the gravel?) instead of imposing this rule. The guy who pushes (or ignores) the rule the most will be quickest!

[danhx]

There were some people penalized for infractions upon this rule over at the test day. I'm pretty sure the number 8 Bentley was one of those punished and a few GT cars. The penalty was normally a stop-and-go pit visit.

[batcave]

Danhx, we were told during the test to ignore it by the ACO because everyone else had.

[danhx]

Good. Maybe i read wrong about the penalties. I hope so since that rule is completely bogus.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Cynic
It's apparently an attempt by the ACO to solve the problem of car's getting punctures from gravel that has been dragged onto the track.

Still, why worry - it was the Audi's that seemed to suffer the most last year........

(Didn't exactly slow them down much, did it..... )

[Tim Northcutt]

Be Careful how your comments get perceived by bureaucratic race officals, Batcave....

At Indy, they tried a "Line Rule" and Mario Andretti's reply was:

"If you don't want me to drive on it, don't pave it..."

The next year, they dug upt that apron completely...

when it didn't keep cars from breaking the "Line Rule" they put in rumble strips -- yes rumble strips -- from the edge of the grass to the inside edge of the line.....

When cars do hit them, it makes lots of noise, and they get off of them quickly...like driving over a washboard according to the drivers.....especially at 220 m.p.h.

[Lee Janotta]

Hah, you can't even keep the drivers on the black stuff! Bourdais using part of the infield road course and the grass to try and make a pass at Lausitz in the CART race last weekend. Why did the they a painted line was going to stop the drivers?