Autoblog at 24h Le Mans 2009
Just over an hour ago, we arrived at the Circuit de la Sarthe for the 77th running of the 24 Hours of LeMans, and judging by the competitors, the track and the weather, the 2009 event has all the potential – if not more – than last year's race.
Gallery: 24 hours Le Mans 2009
If you've been following the news in the lead-up to the enduro, you're aware of the controversies surrounding the LMP1 front runners – Audi and Peugeot – specifically the newly instituted regulations for diesel prototypes and the protests from Peugeot about Audi's front wing.
After the Sebring 12 hour race, the ACO (the governing body of LeMans) instituted a fuel fill limiter on all the diesel entrants, reducing the nozzle size from 38 mm to 33 mm (the same as the gasoline-powered entrants). Additionally, the ACO has required 30 kg (66 pounds) of ballast be added to the three Audis and four Peugeots, but it hasn't done much to quell diesel's dominance.
During qualifying, the #8 Peugeot 908 HDI-FAP driven by Sarrazin took the pole with a 3:22.888 lap. They were followed by the #1 Audi R15 of Capello, Kristensen and McNish just 0.762 seconds behind, with the #7, #17 and #9 Peugeots taking the third, fourth and fifth slots, respectively, and the two R15s coming in sixth and seventh. Assuaging the fears of Audi faithful, Marco Werner simply said, "Grid position is not important [at LeMans]" – something that was all too apparent in 2008.
When asked about Peugeot's accusations about a non-spec aerodynamic aid, the Audi crew appeared unperturbed by the issue, with Tom Kristensen throwing it back in Peugeot's face, saying "You never heard a word from us last year when we were five seconds behind. We were focusing on the race and that's what we're doing this year."
Jurgen Pippig, Audi AG's head of motorsport communications, also had some choice words for the ACO regarding the new regulations implemented on diesels. At the Audi press conference, Pippig said the new rules were "very problematic" and "highly irresponsible" given both the short amount of time the team had to adapt and the expense of these changes during the economic climate.
Politics aside, the field of competitors is stronger than ever, although Aston Martin's placement at the bottom of the LMP1 field comes as a disappointment to its leagues of fans. When we asked Alan McNish about his thoughts on the Aston team he was cautious about their performance and potential. "Aston are a quiet force," McNish told us, but "we didn't see their ultimate performance in qualifying."
Yesterday's top ten qualifiers in each class are posted below and if the Internet allows, we'll be updating our Twitter feed during the race and penning periodic updates throughout the weekend. Later this evening, we'll be attending the driver's parade and plan to have plenty of pics from one of the weekend's highlight events. In the meantime, check out the stellar LeMans Spotters Guide by Andy Blackmore Design courtesy of Fourtitude and SpeedTV, along with coverage from our sibling sites, Autoblog UK and Autoblog Germany.
Gallery: 24 hours Le Mans 2009
P1
1 - 8 Team Peugeot Total, SARRAZIN Stephane - 3'22.888
2 - 1 Audi Sport Team Joest, KRISTENSEN Tom - 3'23.650
3 - 7 Team Peugeot Total, MINASSIAN Nicolas - 3'24.860
4 - 17 Pescarolo Sport, TRELUYER Benoit - 3'25.062
5 - 9 Peugeot Sport Total, GENE Marc - 3'25.252
6 - 2 Audi Sport North America, WERNER Marco - 3'25.780
7 - 3 Audi Sport Team Joest, BERNHARD Timo - 3'27.106
8 - 007 AMR Eastern Europe, CHAROUZ Jan - 3'27.180
9 - 008 Aston Martin Racing, TURNER D - 3'27.704
10 - 13 Speedy Racing Sebah, BELICCHI Andrea - 3'28.134
P2
1 - 31 Team Essex, POULSEN Kristian - 3'37.720
2 - 5 Navi Team Goh, KUNIMOTO Keisuke - 3'37.802
3 - 33 Speedy Racing Sebah, KANE Jonny - 3'41.724
4 - 25 RML, ERDOS Tommy - 3'41.952
5 - 40 Quifel ASM Team, AMARAL Miguel - 3'42.012
6 - 30 Racing Box. BIAGI Thomas - 3'42.848
7 - 41 G.A.C. Racing Team, GOSSELIN Claude-Yves - 3'44.830
8 - 35 OAK Racing. AJLANI Karim - 3'45.032
9 - 32 Team Barazi Epsilon, BARAZI Juan - 3'52.956
10 - 39 KSM, DE POURTALES Jean - 3'53.072
GT1
1 - 63 Corvette Racing, MAGNUSSEN Jan - 3'54.230
2 - 64 Corvette Racing, GAVIN Olivier - 3'54.702
3 - 66 Jetalliance Racing Gmbh, MULLER Alex - 3'56.126
4 - 72 Alphand Aventures, ALPHAND Luc - 3'57.170
5 - 73 Alphand Aventures, CLAIRAY Yan - 3'58.564
6 - 68 JLOC, YAMAGISHI Yutaka - 4'21.812
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JD 11:46AM (6/12/2009)
Must I have The Speed Channel to catch this? Online anywhere?
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Eddie 11:59AM (6/12/2009)
Check out http://www.radiolemans.com/
Joe K. 8:57PM (6/12/2009)
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/badboyvettes-com---le-mans-2009
viper GTS-R 11:47AM (6/12/2009)
People care about LeMans? Sigh...I miss the good ol' days when they literally flew down the back straight of Sarthe, the Viper and Vette used to have amazing battles and they used to have the American LeMans series at Daytona, not that Prototype crap.
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zamafir 12:04PM (6/12/2009)
silly grumpy old man. P1 and P2 aren't the only cars on the track. And yes, people care, more now than ever, actually requiring talent in a race will do that.
EJ25RUN 12:38PM (6/12/2009)
You're a noknowing.
Prototypes at Le Mans has been the game since the late 60's.
And Audi Vs Peugoet war makes the Viper vs Vette days as significant as Nascar.
imirk 12:54PM (6/12/2009)
Viper you make no sense at all, i guess you don't like the chicanes? How can 3 longs straight be worse that one? It's 3 times the passing areas. And Viper v. Vette, thats not the old days either.
Anyway i thing the prototypes are the sexiest modern autos made
garlinski 11:53AM (6/12/2009)
R15!!!!!!!!
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Motor_Yakuza 12:29PM (6/12/2009)
This year, next year Toyota will come to put an end to this game.
zamafir 12:38PM (6/12/2009)
dude, thank you, that's the most ridiculous bag of bollocks i've heard in years, keep them coming, my Friday’s already getting better.
Motor_Yakuza 12:51PM (6/12/2009)
Thank you, we all know who's fanboy are you, but remember the fight BMW vs. Toyota, Audi keeps wining because no one it's good enough to give them a real challenge, now the things will change when Toyota will be back at Le Mans.
zamafir 1:15PM (6/12/2009)
"we all know who's fanboy are you"
Do me a favor, go look at toyota's pathetic losses at the 24 hours on the 'ring, twice in a row, with a race spec v10 powered monster.
You don't need to be an audi fan to understand the turely monumental machine they bring to the 24 hours. If you actually followed motorsports you'd be aware of their dominance of the sport, their ability to help TK become the winniningest drive in the history of the sport, and toyota's inability to do anything relevant in F1, the 24 hours of the 'ring, or anywhere the big boys play.
I'm proud to be an Audi fan, just as proud as you are to be delusional.
Keep trolling though, I understand your frustration at having nothing relevant to say with Toyota’s inability to field anything which competes in the top 50 in an endurance race, let alone the very top where Audi, Peugeot, Aston, and the rest of the truly extraordinary rule.
Berto 11:55AM (6/12/2009)
You lucky fu#*$&@ sons of Bi$#%*s!!!!!
Glad you guys will be covering it from over there
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Eddie 12:00PM (6/12/2009)
I hope Tom Kristensen & Audi win again. He's one of the best drivers ever.
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zamafir 12:05PM (6/12/2009)
Well, technically, he is the best ever. At least in this venue :).
Bondtastic 12:21PM (6/12/2009)
Anyone know of a twitter feed that will do constant updates through the night. I will use radiolemans for when I am in front of a computer, but I want the quick news too!
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zamafir 12:39PM (6/12/2009)
Yes, Audi Team Joest has one.
Bondtastic 12:47PM (6/12/2009)
But that won't provide GT1 GT2 and LMP2 updates will it?
I know autoblog has a twitter feed, but I don't want news stories in my feed. Just actual updates.
zamafir 12:52PM (6/12/2009)
gotcha, no it wont :/.
woootles 3:41PM (6/12/2009)
Without the Aston GT1s looks like the Vette boys may as well get another class win to end the GT1 campaign.
After this race... you best watch out Porsches and Ferraris...
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