LMS Rnd 4: Donington 25-27 Aug 2006

[JAG]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=1653

[Tim the Grey]

Whatever the forecast, the Donington microclimate is cold and wet!
I've been going for 20 odd years now, and it always has it's own cloud...

[FIRE]

Belmondo has switched from Mécachrome to an AER engine. Source: www.pitstop.tv

At the LM weekend Belmondo said they will use bio-ethanol next season. Does this switch mean they will have AER engines next year?

[minimangler]

mmm
it wont rain, ive nevr been raind on during a gt or lmes race (i missed lmes '05) so we'll be fine
except fia gt3 this year
but oh well!
no-one is allowed to sing or raindance methinks!

[spectre200]

I got water in two cameras at Silverstone last year. IT WILL NOT RAIN at Donington. I can't afford any more rain!

(Please don't rain.)

[cg7aa]

Is there going to be a 10-10ths meet and greet tomorrow? Looks like I've been abandoned again. Never rely on a younger brother for company at a race meeting. "Sure, I will be there...oh hang on, I can't"

He has now being disowned!

[peckadj]

live timing!?

[rdjones]

The 2nd session has just finished and the #2 Zytek was quickes and yes I have live timing as I am sat in the media centre !!!!

[peckadj]

live timing worked from 15:10, or something like that

[rdjones]

I have just uploaded some photos from the 1st 2 sessions and they can be found at http://www.rdj-pics.co.uk/Photos/200...Sat/index.html

[dazbaz_99]

Originally Posted by rdjones

I have just uploaded some photos from the 1st 2 sessions and they can be found at http://www.rdj-pics.co.uk/Photos/200...Sat/index.html

Nice pics! Were they taken from Spectator areas? Its my first trip to Donington tomorrow, if I can take pictures like those I will be more than pleased!

[ccharlie6]

what's donington like for a photographer in the spectator areas?

could people push me in the right direction for the areas of the track with least fencing etc.

last time i was at donington it was for the VSCC auto union meeting and i cant remember much of photo ops.

i do have a large zoom though so long distances not as much of a problem.

[Adam43]

If you chose your places carefully then you can take pictures without looking like you are in a cage. Although last time I was lucky enough to be stoodon a 4x4 and could see over. I got some great shots of my car on track killing its engine

[minimangler]

There are some verygood opportunities, particularly down at the bottom of the Melbourne loop, as the cars crest the brow and down ont o the brakes.
Best spot on the circuit is on the outside of Foggarty's, next to a railway carridge (i don't know what it's there for) and there is a balcony/ railings, from which great pics can be taken over the fence of the cars under breaks and on the apex for the first and second parts. Also, infield at Goddard's is handy, and with the right lense/s the fence becomes invisible anyway. Finally, alongside the back straight, on top of the mound is good viewing and photgraphy opportunities.
Have fun!

[minimangler]

and amen to spectre, about water in cameras
grrrrrrrrrrrr!

[FIRE]

Qualifying
LMP1
1 GOUNON Jean-Marc/FISKEN Gregor/FREI Alexander F/SCO/CH Courage LC70 Mugen 1:20.756
2 JOHANSSON Stefan/NODA Hideki S/J Zytek 06S 1:20.869
3 COLLARD Emmanuel/BOULLION Jean-Christophe/ANDF/F/F Pescarolo C60 Judd 1:20.926
4 CAMPBELL WALTER Jamie/ORTIZ Felipe/GABBIANI B GB/CH/I Creation CA06/H Judd 1:20.992
5 PRIMAT Harold/FASSLER Marcel CH/CH Courage LC 70 Judd 1:21.256
6 NAKANO Shinji/KUROSAWA Haruki J/J Courage LC70 Mugen 1:21.283
7 MINASSIAN Nicolas/McGARRITY Kevin F/GB Creation CA06/H Judd 1:21.555
8 BERRIDGE Bob/EVANS Gareth/OWEN Peter GB/GB/G Lola B06/10 AER 1:22.133
9 MOLLER Jens/KEEN Justin DK/GB Lister Storm Hybrid 1:25.026
10 BENNETT Phil/COPE Paul GB/GB Protran RS06/H 1:25.930

LMP2
1 NEWTON Mike/ERDOS Tommy GB/BR MG Lola EX 264 1:21.557
2 GREAVES Tim/MOSELEY Stuart/DEVLIN Ben GB/GB/G Radical SR9 Judd 1:21.776
3 BINNIE Bill/TIMPANY Allen/HANCOCK Sam GB/GB/G Lola 05/42 Zytek 1:22.769
4 SHORT Martin/BARBOSA Joao/BARFF Rob GB/P/GB Radical SR9 Judd 1:22.851
5 AMARAL/DE CASTRO/BURGUENO P/E/E Lola B05/40 AER 1:22.981
6 ROSTAN Marc/BRUNEAU Pierre F/F Pilbeam Judd 1:25.283
7 VERGERS Michael/BARAZI Juan/VALSECCHI Davide NL/DK/I Courage C65 AER 1:25.719
8 RANDACCIO Ranieri/SAVOLDI Mirco I/I Lucchini LMP2 1:26.140
9 LUEDERS Jan Dirk/PETERSEN Jens/BURGESS Tony D/D/CDN Courage C65 Judd 1:26.205
10 GOSSELIN Claude-Yves/OJJEH Karim/RAGUES Pierre F/SA/F Courage C65 Ford 1:26.815

GT1
1 LAMY Pedro/GARDEL Gabrielle/VOSSE Vincent P/I/B Aston Martin DBR9 1:27.390
2 ORTELLI Stephane/AYARI Soheil MC/F Saleen S7R 1:27.459
3 KUISMANEN Pertti/MENTEN Jos/PALTTALA Markus FIN/NL/FI Corvette C6-R 1:27.685
4 LICAND Jerome/GOUESLARD Patrice/ALPHAND Lu F/F/F Corvette C5-R 1:27.825
5 GARCIA Antonio/HARDMAN Peter E/GB Aston Martin DBR9 1:27.898
6 KOX Peter/PERGL Robert/VASILIEV Alexei NL/CZ/RUFerrari 550 Maranello 1:27.982

GT2
1 EAGLING Dan/SUGDEN Tim GB/GB Ferrari 430 GT 1:31.320
2 DRUDI Luca/ROSA Gabrio/MONTERMINI Andrea I/I/I Ferrari 430 GT 1:31.654
3 CORONEL Tom/DUMBRECK Peter NL/GB Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R 1:32.231
4 LIEB Marc/CAMATHIAS Joel D/CH Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:32.365
5 HUGHES Warren/BELL Robert GB/GB Panoz Esperante GTLM 1:32.582
6 KRISTENSEN Gunnar/SIMONSEN Allan DK/DK Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:32.656
7 BOUCHUT Christophe/NARAC Raymond F/F Porsche 996 RSR 1:32.725
8 EHRET Pierre/FARNBACHER Dominik D/D Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:32.748
9 ZONCA Stefano/BELICCHI Andrea/CIOCI Marco I/I/I Ferrari 430 GT 1:32.813
10 SMITH Nigel/HESNAULT Philippe/BELTOISE Anthony GB/F/F Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:32.875
11 BLEEKEMOLEN Jeroen/KANE Jonny NL/GB Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R 1:33.037
12 DANIELS Paul/MC CORMICK Bo/POMPIDOU Xavier GB/DK/F Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:33.420
13 NIELSEN Lars Erik/SEEFRIED Marco DK/D Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:33.461
14 TOMLINSON Lawrence/DEAN Richard/HYNES Marc GB/GB/G Panoz Esperante GTLM 1:34.338
15 DOCKERILL Iain/HARTSHORNE John GB/GB TVR Tuscan T400R 1:39.668

[Shotteh]

6 tenths seperating the GT1 cars, thats pretty damn close. Also well done to the Spyker for its qualifying 3rd in GT2!

[JAG]

http://www.lemans-series.com/uk/donington/videolive.asp

Looks like theres live TV coverage on the official site.

Hopefully this will be in place for all races from now on.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Shotteh

6 tenths seperating the GT1 cars, thats pretty damn close. Also well done to the Spyker for its qualifying 3rd in GT2!

All classes are very close.

I am curious why the Bleekemolen/Kane Spyker is much slower as the Coronel/Dumbreck Spyker this weekend.

Originally Posted by JAG

http://www.lemans-series.com/uk/donington/videolive.asp

Looks like theres live TV coverage on the official site.

Hopefully this will be in place for all races from now on.

For people who have Motors TV: They do live coverage this time.

[cptkablamo]

The second Spyker only did a handful of laps in practice so there may have been something wrong with it - it had about a third of the track time of the lead car so...

Both Creations seem to be doing well too.

I have found that spectators here at Donington are spoilt for photo opportunities. Tracks in Australia, you have virtually no choice but to look like you are in a cage (well the ones I have been to). If you are clever and have a good enough camera, you should be good almost anywhere.

[minimangler]

Originally Posted by cptkablamo

The second Spyker only did a handful of laps in practice so there may have been something wrong with it - it had about a third of the track time of the lead car so...

Both Creations seem to be doing well too.

I have found that spectators here at Donington are spoilt for photo opportunities. Tracks in Australia, you have virtually no choice but to look like you are in a cage (well the ones I have been to). If you are clever and have a good enough camera, you should be good almost anywhere.

a good telephoto sees through the fence, making it invisible.
any lens that isn't getting rid of the fence probably isn't close enough!

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by dazbaz_99

Nice pics! Were they taken from Spectator areas? Its my first trip to Donington tomorrow, if I can take pictures like those I will be more than pleased!

I have been lucky enough to get a media pass, I have just updated my site with some pictures from quailifying.

[rdjones]

Just looking out of the window of the media centre there is nice big black cloud right above the track....

[Graham Goodwin]

The Bleekemolen Spyker lost its engine in practice and the spare is an older spec, down on power

[rdjones]

and Lucchini has gone home with a broken gearbox.