2018 ACO 24h of Le Mans

[erwin greven]

24 Hours of Le Mans - Second phase of safety work at the Porsche curves now completed

Safety construction undertaken at the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit is now a done deal. These modifications affect the clearance zone at the last turn of the Porsche curves. A third and final phase will break ground in the spring of 2018!
24 Hours of Le Mans - Second phase of safety work at the Porsche curves now completed

Project management is taking place under the auspices of the Syndicat Mixte du Circuit des 24 Heures. It was kicked off at the end of September, 2017 and the second phase was completed this month. The Porsche curves are at the heart of the changes and, more particularly, the last turn before the Karting curve was significantly modified.







The work crews first deforested and then cleared the area, dismantled the rails and fence previously located there (phase 1). Now a clearance zone has been created as well as a lawn-covered embankment. The last modifications included the installation of 370 meters of fenching compliant with FIA standards, 350 meters of safety guardrails as well as on the bitumen, first sub-layers and the bitumen itself (590 tons of asphalt).

This second phase has now come to a close and the next and final phase will start in the spring of 2018. It will concern the installation of a special high-adhesive coating that will slow cars if they turn too wide, moving TecPro barriers and finishing work on signage and the safety lane.

The full length of the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit is now 13.626 meters.

This work has made it possible to redefine very precisely the edge of the track (the paint on both sides of the track to define the race line). It has ever so slightly changed the total length of the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit (decreased by three meters). The total length of the circuit is now 13.626 meters.

These modifications will be discovered by the drivers at the 86th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans during the first outing on Test Day on June 3rd.

https://www.lemans.org/en/news/24-hours ... eted/47789

[Everso Biggyballies]

Jenson Button to race at Le Mans in 2018!

Yes but no but.... well he is and he isnt.
Keep your tweeds on guys. He is not taking part in the Le Mans 24 hour race but rather he will be appearing in the Le Mans Classic Group C event, driving a 1988 XJR-9 Jaguar.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2018/01/1 ... assic.html

[erwin greven]

Yes, i keep my eyes on twitter. Doing it because the Dubai 24h.

[Ricardnut]

It's complete I hope it will come out well and be usable without problems.

[erwin greven]

[erwin greven]

Lammers set for 24th Le Mans start

Dutchman Jan Lammers, a veteran of sports car, F1 and IndyCar racing, is set to contest his 24th Le Mans 24 Hours this June, racing for a second year with Racing Team Nederland in its LMP2 class Dallara P217 (pictured below).

Lammers, 61, who won the race overall in 1988 in a TWR Jaguar XJR9, will become part of a very small group; after this year's start there will only be five other drivers with more Le Mans starts.

In the race, he'll compete with team owner Frits van Eerd, making his second start, and previously announced ex-F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, the run at Le Mans forming part of the team's 2018/19 FIA WEC Super Season entry.

29 1"Frits and Racing Team Nederland are giving me the chance to do my 24th Le Mans 24 Hours this June, which is really great!" Lammers said. "To be perfectly prepared, I will also join Frits and Giedo for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in May, the opening round of the world championship.

"Frits owes it to his ambitions to gather the fastest drivers around him. I may still be quick 'for my age' but if after Le Mans a fast and young successor will be available, I will step back in the interest of the team and the results.

"I may have other opportunities to keep on racing after Le Mans, and of course I will remain closely involved with Racing Team Nederland. I can't express how grateful I am for being given this chance!"

http://www.racer.com/wec-le-mans/item/1 ... mans-start

[erwin greven]

Fernando Alonso Confirmed at Toyota for Le Mans, WEC Rounds

Fernando Alonso is confirmed at Toyota for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and select rounds of the WEC in 2018.
January 30, 2018

Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso will race for Toyota at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and three further FIA World Endurance Championship rounds.

Alonso has been eager to race at Le Mans for a number of years as part of his pursuit to complete the ‘triple crown of motorsport’, requiring wins at the Circuit de la Sarthe and in the Indianapolis 500 to go with his pair of Monaco victories and emulate Graham Hill.

Alonso tested with Toyota following last year’s WEC season finale in Bahrain, enjoying a day in the TS050 Hybrid, and made his sports car debut in the Rolex 24 last weekend for United Autosports.

The McLaren F1 team announced on Tuesday it had given Alonso its blessing to race at both Le Mans and in the WEC in all rounds that do not clash with his grand prix commitments.

“McLaren has confirmed it will allow Fernando Alonso to compete in upcoming rounds of the World Endurance Championship, including this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, after reaching an agreement with both Fernando and Toyota Gazoo Racing,” the statement reads.

“McLaren and Fernando are in full agreement that Formula 1 remains their shared top priority. As such, Fernando will compete in every round of the 2018 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, and will dovetail his sports car commitments around grands prix.

“As a result, he will not contest WEC’s Japanese round, at the Fuji Speedway on October 21, due to it clashing with the US Grand Prix, held at the Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas.”

“I’ve never been shy about my aim of winning motorsport’s ‘Triple Crown’ – the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We tried for Indy last year, came close, but just missed out,” said Alonso.

“This year, I have the chance thanks to McLaren to race for the win at Le Mans. It is a big challenge – much can go wrong – but I am ready, prepared and looking forward to the fight.

“My deal to race in WEC was only made possible through the good understanding and strong relationship I have with McLaren, and I’m very happy that they listened and understood what this means to me.

“In no way will this challenge take away from my main target of Formula 1 with McLaren. In 2018, my aim is to be competitive at every grand prix, and I feel sure that we are closer to achieving that.”

http://sportscar365.com/features/fernan ... ec-rounds/

[MonteCristo]

Go Nando!

[kals]

Yeah!

[Everso Biggyballies]

Yay... I saw that in Nandos words it had gone from 50/50 to 60/40 over Daytona weekend and was looking highly possible.

[erwin greven]

I wonder how many F1 drivers would like to follow his footsteps. Maybe Nico Hülkenberg's side step at Le Mans, which he won, will trigger more interest by more F1 and other drivers. To do multiple series in one year.

[Ian-S]

It used to be the norm in the 50's, 60's and to an extent, the early 70's, just a shame it's taken nearly half a century to become acceptable again.

[erwin greven]

Entry list Le Mans 2018

[erwin greven]

Ullrich Named Special Advisor to ACO



Former Audi Motorsport boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich named special advisor to ACO…

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich has been named special advisor to the ACO, in a new role for the longtime Head of Audi Motorsport.

Ullrich, who retired from his post at the German manufacturer at the end of last year, has taken up a newly created position within the organization that will share his wealth of sporting, marketing and technical experience.

The 67-year-old led Audi to 13 victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple FIA World Endurance Championship titles as well as countless victories and other championships around the world.

“After I talked to my fiends at the ACO, it feels like I took the right decision,” Ullrich said during Friday’s announcement in Paris. “We worked together for years, very intensely, and we created the WEC.

“I had to make a very hard decision as I had to leave endurance racing, which was my true love that I deeply appreciated.

“I’m honored to work with the ACO team; I’ve worked with them, for quite some time.

“I’m going to bring my experience I’ve gathered when I worked for manufacturers. My objective is to make sure to find a way that endurance racing [can continue to grow].

“Endurance racing is the main motorsport [to me] and I hope the we can keep working like we are today.”

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/ullr ... l-advisor/

[MonteCristo]

Entry list Le Mans 2018

Decent amount of LMP1s, but good luck losing this one, Toyota.