Dubai 24 Hours 14- 16th January 16

[TF110]

The base weight of the mercedes was absurdly high to begin with- 1350kg. The Audi was 1300. Then they had larger restrictors on top of it. SC365 covered it on Wednesday

***One of the big talking points has been Balance of Performance, particularly with the new-generation GT3 cars. The new Audi R8 LMS is currently running at a minimum weight of 1300kg and 38mm restrictor, with the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 using the same restrictor size by 40kg lighter.

***The Mercedes-AMG GT3, which makes its 24-hour debut this weekend, is at 1350kg with a 33.2mm restrictor, nearly 5mm smaller than the Audi and Lamborghinis. It is also 15kg heavier than when it ran its only two previous races, in VLN, last year.

I think it's clear the Audi was too bop'ed. Even the Huracan. But now it's being honed in and Mercedes is somewhat closer. It is possible that the Mercedes is the better car. But also drivers come into the picture.

[rich07]

BOP is nice and all but to finish first, first you have to finish and we've seen many instances of the front runners at Dubai in previous years hitting trouble with someone else or their own making so for me the race is wide open. Who amongst you wouldve tipped the Stadler Porsche to win in 2014?

Hopefully we dont see another SLS or Huracan in flames again

[RoeDent]

It's race day! Just over 2½ hours until the 11th Dubai 24 Hours gets going, and it's a good time to reflect on how much this race has grown over the last 5 years since I first discovered it (through this forum, I believe).

The first year I saw it, we had two static cameras showing small parts of the circuit, and every 2 minutes you'd see the cars go past. Commentary was just whatever you could make out from the very echoey PA system. Now we have proper cameras, the RLM team for commentary, and TV coverage. In fact, this year for the first time, Motors TV are showing the entire race in full, instead of the 4-hour blocks they've shown in the past. Wonderful progress for what is surely now the traditional start to the endurance motorsport calendar.

[rich07]

Many thanks Roedent I just came here to confirm if my time zone calculations were correct and the race does start in around two hours.

Looking forward to some some GT racing again. The break gets smaller every year but seems as long

[rich07]

And we're live on the grid

[Wardy.]

That helmet mounted GoPro would send me bozeyed


Edit 1, Did anybody else notice the bonnet mounted lights on the No.221 Aston? there must be a better place to mount them than that.

[RoeDent]

And we're racing in 2016!

[rich07]

Roalde Goathe owns Ram Racing now?

[rich07]

Oh wow so lucky the 78 Porsche didn't hit anyone when it crashed

[Wardy.]

First Code 60

Looked bad, could've been worse.

[RoeDent]

Three polystyrene signs obliterated.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by RoeDent

Three polystyrene signs obliterated.

One of those signs was two days from retirement

It looks like Scuderia Praha has rolled the tactical dice and put their gentlemen driver in.

[RoeDent]

This race has the longest night of any of the major 24-hour races. Sunset today is at 5:50pm local (1:50pm GMT) and sunrise in the morning is 7:06am local (3:06am GMT). 13 hours 16 minutes of night racing.

[rich07]

Roald Goathe nearly takes out Frank Stippler. Oh that was a heartstopping moment.

[goat69]

#12 lambo doing a good job of facing the wrong way or just trying to be a chicane

[Rodger Davies]

Been waiting for the Mercs to open up, I thought they'd wait until the night but maybe they're starting to turn up the wick early.

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

At this rate, it won't be long until they're changing BoP halfway through the race.

OK, turns out that's actually in the rules!

[rich07]

And the leading Merc is stopped on pit straight. That moment when he tried to fire up the car was a heart stopper. Bit of unburnt fuel there.

[fieldodreams79]

Trouble for Bernd and the Black Falcon and Code 60.

I would have to work in the rain today (7am here now), so I'll be missing most of this one.

To the others, enjoy! Maybe I'll stream the radio....

[rich07]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Trouble for Bernd and the Black Falcon and Code 60.



I would have to work in the rain today (7am here now), so I'll be missing most of this one.



To the others, enjoy! Maybe I'll stream the radio....

Sorry to hear Fields. Should call in sick and enjoy the rest of the race

Looks like a fuel pump problem for the Black Falcon guys.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by rich07

Sorry to hear Fields. Should call in sick and enjoy the rest of the race

Looks like a fuel pump problem for the Black Falcon guys.

I wish I could. Last year this time, I was working from the house with two or three screens dedicated to this and one to work. Oh well.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I wish I could. Last year this time, I was working from the house with two or three screens dedicated to this and one to work. Oh well.

Damn. How things change eh? I feel your pain.

From the sounds of it, the Black Falcon guys have broken out a circular saw in their haste to repair the car. 4th code 60 at the moment.

[Wardy.]

Heavy impact for car 74, race over for them.

[Wardy.]

Heavy impact for car 151, driver Chris James received medical attention at the side of the track and taken away in an ambulance.

[Rodger Davies]

Can see but not hear, which Ferrari is off?