Le Mans

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by p261brm

Agreed, proper racing, Just a pity us Brits have to get the adrenalin fix with a circuit in France, and not with one of our own...back to IOM this week n' the TT, once upon a time there were cars too,... and no silencers

'....a circuit in France......' ??

Not quite any old circuit in France though........

[Peter Mallett]

Team CRS is now 50th. http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24h-d...ve-timing.html

[Lancsbreaker]

Now 43rd, possibly about to move up a place as 42nd is in the pits....

[midgetman]

Shaun just stuck it backwards into the barrier at Ford Chicane big time....could be curtains

[White flag man]

Still running, 47th.

[White flag man]

Now retired, sorry Roger.

[Peter Mallett]

Bad news. Well done for trying though. Be interesting to get their thoughts when comparing Le Mans with the Spa 24hrs.

[john ruston]

Spa 24 hrs There is no comparison.

Different level of racing.

[Peter Mallett]

I realise that John. But I'd like to know where the differences are from a competitor's viewpoint.

[midgetman]

It never ran again after Eurosport showed it buried in the barrier. I watched timing over a period, and it just dropped steadily down.

[john ruston]

Answer Peter,Amount of dosh needed!

[Peter Mallett]

Hmm,

I would think there's more to it than that. Take as a f'rinstance the McNish accident. Massive speed differentials, a Ferrari that probably didn't see him comong and the possibility that McNish didn't realise it was there. As you say different approach to the race, but also is Le Mans circuit more of a challenge than Spa?

[john ruston]

Spa better track but Le Mans similar.

The longer lap distance at Le Mans makes it better for 56 car grid although I am sure I saw you lot in a Historic race at Spa with 100 odd starters but old crocks racing should not be confused with top level racing.

Before you do Le Mans you have to commit to three /four other races such as Sebring.

Roger/Shaun have got some large dangling bits to undertake the project.

Very unlucky but they now know the difference in class between Le Mans and other types of racing they have undertaken.Big question for them are they going back!

Bet they will.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by john ruston

The longer lap distance at Le Mans makes it better for 56 car grid ............but old crocks racing should not be confused with top level racing.

Agreed it is top line professional stuff.

Roger alluded to a different approach when we talked at Brands. I'd just like to get a bit more from the horse's mouth as it were.

As you say they've done Sebring and they've done the Spa 24hrs that's essentially what prompted the question.

[John Turner]

Kev has sent me this press release from CRS:-

June 12th, 2011

STANDING OVATION FOR CRS AFTER VALIANT EFFORT AT LE MANS

CRS Racing’s first attempt at the Le Mans 24 Hours ended in the darkness of the Ford Chicane tonight, despite the valiant efforts of Shaun Lynn and the CRS crew to get the No.62 Ferrari back on track after an accident.

It was Shaun who started the race for the team and he had a clean run throughout his first stint before following the safety car for much of the second stint while the barriers were repaired from an accident. Pierre Ehret then took the wheel of the No.62 Ferrari and he also had a good run, despite reporting some vibration from the tyres. After his pit stop Pierre continued to go well but then had a quick trip across the gravel towards the end of his run so he pitted early to hand over to Roger Wills.

Roger got into the swing of the race very quickly, putting in some fast and consistent lap times. He double-stinted the tyres during his run and as the race entered into darkness he handed over to Shaun Lynn.

Shaun was building up his pace very nicely, settling in for a long run, when he turned into the left-hander of the Ford Chicane and the car spun around “like a duck on ice”! The right rear corner of the car hit the tyre wall hard, causing a substantial amount of damage. The CRS crew rushed down to the Ford Chicane to help Shaun. The rules don’t permit the team to touch the car but they did all they could by shouting out instructions to Shaun to see if he could get the car back to the pits.

After a great deal of effort by Shaun and the mechanics and a lot of discussion with Race Control, the team admitted defeat and retired the Ferrari in the seventh hour of the race.

“We were just starting to really get into the rhythm of the race,” said Shaun. “The times were good and the car felt good. I went into the Ford Chicane fast but no faster than normal and the car just turned around.”

The CRS team were reminded of the fantastic spirit of Le Mans tonight. At the moment they finally walked away from the stricken Ferrari an entire grandstand of fans got up and gave them a standing ovation for their efforts.

“This was my first Le Mans and it was an incredible experience,” continued Shaun. “The team has worked so hard this week and we haven’t made it easy for them. It has been amazing and I will definitely be back to do it all again.”

Good to know that all the effort was appreciated, trackside. Well done, guys

[rogerwills]

Thanks for all the kind wishes and support.



Despite the result, it was the most amazing experience and will live with me for the rest of my life. I am very hopeful of doing it again in 2012.
*
It was a weekend of highs and lows.
*
We had 2 accidents in practice and qualifying which really put the pressure on the team to get the car repaired and back out on track. They did a fantastic job and the car was running great for the start of the race.
We are taking turns to start races and it was Shaun's turn to start Le Mans. He drove well in his first 2 hour double stint settling into a rhythm at a pace he was comfortable with.
*
Pierre was out next and was going well but complained of tyre vibration so came in for a tyre change. He then had a visit to the gravel so came in to hand the car over to me earlier than planned.
*
I was not nervous before I got in the car despite the enormity of the event and felt really calm. I think I've waited for the opportunity to do Le Mans for so long that excitement was my main emotion, not nerves.
*
I was very happy with my 2 hour double stint. I settled very quickly into a good pace and felt very comfortable in the car. The speed differential between the prototypes and GT cars is huge and you need to be constantly aware of cars approaching from behind. I managed to record the fastest time of our 3 drivers in our car in the race so was very happy with my first run.
*
I handed over the car to Shaun at around*10pm*as darkness closed in. I went to get out of my race suit, have a bite to eat and get some rest before I was scheduled to be back in the car around*2am. Just as I was eating dinner I heard the commentators say our car had lost control in the Ford Chicane near the start/finish line and gone backwards into the wall quite heavily.
*
We then had an hour or so of discussions between the team and Shaun over the radio to see if the car could be made mobile to get back to the pits. There is no outside assistance allowed under the rules but the whole team were on the radios looking for solutions to try to get the car in for repairs and to hopefully rejoin the race. These all proved fruitless as the damage was too significant and we were forced to retire before midnight.
*
The whole event was an absolutely incredible experience and something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The drivers parade through the centre of Le Mans on Friday was mind-blowing. The build up to the race start also was a real highlight.
*
I spent Sunday with family and friends watching the exciting climax of the race with a very tight finish between Audi and Peugeot. Having the top 2 cars a matter of 15 seconds apart after 24 hours is just mind-blowing. It was a disappointment not to be still in the race but I hope to have another chance to compete in the greatest race on earth once again, hopefully next year. My first time in the Le Mans 24 Hours was always going to be really special and despite not finishing, it certainly lived up to expectations!
*
The team have a lot of work to do to get the car rebuilt before the next race at Imola in Italy in just over 2 weeks time. We have now completed 3 of the 7 races in the ILMC season and really need to perform well in the remaining races to make up points to keep us in the running for the championship.

Thanks again for all the kind words of support.

Roger

[Peter Horsman]

Well done you guys. Thoughts with you through the highs and lows (sometimes together) of this sort of racing.

[Peter Mallett]

Sounds brilliant. Well done for the effort and I hope you all get the chance next year.

[John Turner]

Yep, terrific stuff, Roger, and thanks for taking the time to report back.

[rogerwills]

Youtube has the historic support race but annoyingly, the commentary is not the best. They think Joe started the race in the Bizzarrini and wax lyrical about how quick and smooth he is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UlDCbGVikM part 1

parts 2 and 3 are also there.

[john ruston]

Sack him!

[rogerwills]

Joe or the Eurosport commentator? Both perhaps.....

[midgetman]

Roger, any Tom, Dick or Harry can go through the card at a UK club meeting...but to do all the races at the biggest and best event in the world....chapeau!

[rogerwills]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Roger, any Tom, Dick or Harry can go through the card at a UK club meeting...but to do all the races at the biggest and best event in the world....chapeau!

Haha.

Thanks a lot but I only did the historic support race and the main 24 hours. Or around 7 of the 24 hours to be correct, of which 2 of those I was in the car before we were out.

I didn't do the Ferrari Challenge race though!

[grantp]

Originally Posted by rogerwills

Haha.

Thanks a lot but I only did the historic support race and the main 24 hours. Or around 7 of the 24 hours to be correct, of which 2 of those I was in the car before we were out.

I didn't do the Ferrari Challenge race though!

Bit of a quiet weekend by your standards Roger?