[WEC Race] 2013 FIA WEC - Round 5 - 6 Hours of COTA

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

In the case of a driver cutting corners, they are very effective deterrents!

My problem with them is when someone gets pushed into them. A driver might be able to put the squeeze on another car when the other driver is going for an inside pass.

Agreed, they have their advantages and disadvantages, but I'd rather have them there than not, wouldn't you?

Le Mans is in desperate need of these, especially in the turn 1 complex.

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by Beetle

Agreed, they have their advantages and disadvantages, but I'd rather have them there than not, wouldn't you?

Le Mans is in desperate need of these, especially in the turn 1 complex.

I'm not totally sold on them. I hate seeing cars get torn up. Maybe, they could make them like a piñata and fill them with pink powder so that if you hit one, it would explode into a big puff of smoke and cover your car (and those around you) with a pink mist. It would be extremely embarrassing but the car is not destroyed, just the driver's ego.

I can hear the crew, "I would rather replace the front corner rather than vacuum this pink dust out of every nook and cranny of the car! Jeez, try missing them next time will ya?"

[Simmi]

Le Mans is hard enough without planting these on apexes in my opinion.

Although it would be good to see SOMETHING put on the Ford Chicane. GT cars took some absolute liberties across there, especially at night.

[Maelochs]

I hate to see cars get torn up as well, and hate even more the caution periods that sometimes result. However, somehow, sooner or later, something has to be done to keep cars on the track.

If the track limits are not respected, then some cars can cheat safely to get advantages, or everyone has to cheat to stay level. This was never an issue until kerbs and such were made "safer" and acres of run-off allowed cars to straighten out chicanes at will.

Those pyramids are easy not to hit--just stay on the track. If you don't want your car torn up, tell your driver not to cheat.

The hope is for some kind fo kerb which doesn't cause accidents but still provides some kind of incentive to stay on the roadway. The pyramids did okay---as Oak showed, an idiot driver could use a pyramid as a launch ramp. However, no cars flipped, which is more of a worry with continuous square-edged kerbs.

Maybe the only safe solution would be to hitre extra referees just to watch the cars around the corners, and to hand out stop +30 (stop+60 for four wheels off) to violators. Thing is right now most race officials don't want to interfere, which is why most cars get at most warnings.

Everything is a compromise. Take the pyramids out and people will be complaining because a car went four wheels over the line and got penalized--"The stewards screwed up an epic, race-deciding battle!" or a car will hit a pyramid and crack its tub and people will complain.

One thing we know for sure, the drivers will take every advantage unless the risk outweighs the rewards--something other than the Honor System is needed.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

--as Oak showed, an idiot driver could use a pyramid as a launch ramp. i believe he learned that move from Scott pruett! Hehe I just had to

Maybe the only safe solution would be to hitre extra referees just to watch the cars around the corners, and to hand out stop +30 (stop+60 for four wheels off) to violators. Thing is right now most race officials don't want to interfere, which is why most cars get at most warnings.


One thing we know for sure, the drivers will take every advantage unless the risk outweighs the rewards--something other than the Honor System is needed.i believe Aussie super cars has extra spotters and transponders in the cars to inform officials of short cutting the chicane during the Gold Coast 600 race,each car has like 3 warnings before they get handed penalties.

.

[chernaudi]

We do have to remember that the curbs are so shaved down at the Ford Chicanes and the Dunlop Chicane because of the Moto GP bikes--the same reason as for that stupid "S" curve from Dunlop to the Esses. Only way that you'll get rid of the shaved curbs is to get rid of Moto GP from LM, which I don't see happening. Of course, the ACO nor the FIA have a big problem with it--they'd have done something more major than the baguettes inside of the main curbs otherwise.

We also have to remember that the FIA's rule is that two wheels must be outside of the inside white line--something that the spirit of for sure is violated by every driver at LM at Ford and Dunlop. But until something is done to discourage drivers from doing the curb cutting--like making it an disadvantage to bounce off a curb--it's going to keep happening.

We can complain about it all we want, but I doubt that it'll make the ACO's and the FIA's ears ring to the point where they appease us or even other drivers who want the old curbs to return to those areas of the track. They're also a reason why the 3:30 barrier has been broken, along with the re-profiling of Tetre Rouge.

[Samoan Attorney]

Originally Posted by skycafe

Good for you, and hats off to the Greaves crew for taking care of the fans!

It was our pleasure

[Samoan Attorney]

Originally Posted by KlBD

It would not have been inappropriate to show up at the track today in a scuba suit!

Meanwhile, it's only my second time in person at a sportscar race, but I've had an experience I'll never forget! The guys at Greaves Motorsports were kind enough to invite me into the garage when I was standing out in the rain and show me around...very nice guys indeed!

Red flagged sessions aren't so boring when they give you a chance to shoot the breeze with team personnel

Definitely looking forward to tomorrow...and hopefully less rain!

We always like to look after the fans

[Samoan Attorney]

Originally Posted by Beetle

A few photos I took at the track today that came out quite well...









And a big thank you to Samoan Attorney for a fantastic garage visit!




Cheers, John!

Thanks for coming along and supporting us.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

I'm not totally sold on them. I hate seeing cars get torn up. Maybe, they could make them like a piñata and fill them with pink powder so that if you hit one, it would explode into a big puff of smoke and cover your car (and those around you) with a pink mist. It would be extremely embarrassing but the car is not destroyed, just the driver's ego.

I can hear the crew, "I would rather replace the front corner rather than vacuum this pink dust out of every nook and cranny of the car! Jeez, try missing them next time will ya?"

Or fill them with tar and feathers!

[JacobP]

I was there are the ALMS/WEC weekend for two days. I had a blast. The race track is fine and the racing was good. However, there was one negatives.. and that is the cost. I am not talking about the tickets. Parking always expensive. A bottle of soda costs $5. Gatorade $8. Burger or hot dog: $8 or more, etc. Small domestic beer $8 (in a plastic cup). This can add up for a family of 3 or 4. As you can imagine, you will be buying a lot of food and drinks during the course of a six hour race. The same was at V8SC race. I guess that's the cost of visiting a "grownup's Disneyland". Considering the weak attendance, they should make it more accessible IMO.