Audi

[Barry]

No comments yet about Audi's performance this year.

Under prepared, with not enough races with a new car?
Pushed the design envelope a bit far?
Complacency?

Or Peugeot finally getting it's act together?

Personally I think the first and last apply.

[DelBoy]

I certainly agree that the last was true, but I don't go with the first comment.  They did pretty well with the R10.

Del

[Barry]

I certainly agree that the last was true, but I don't go with the first comment.  They did pretty well with the R10.

Del

The R15 is quite a different chassis concept to the R8 and R10 though.

[Brad Zarse]

I think Audi's problem was a lack of a roof.....

I know it sounds silly, but they had the chance to revise the car completely, and take advantage of closed cockpit rules, and its aero benefits - but chose not to.  Lets face it - the weight issue balances itself out as most of the cars are underweight by design anyway - so why go open cockpit?

Plus - the Pea Gots looked better

[Gilles]

Peugeot is not a new car, having a 3-years history...

... R15 is brand new

and having no preliminary days didn't help to fix the car.

By the way Audi was quicker on wet track and in traffic.

[termietermite]

By the way Audi was quicker on wet track and in traffic.

Agreed.  I thought all weekend that if we had one of the predicted thunderstorms that Peugeot might back themselves out of a win.  Was glad that it turned out the way it did though and it's so good to see everybody here in such a good mood in the aftermath - including many who have no interest in motor racing at all. 

I have nothing against Audi and they have been spectacularly successful - let's face it even the private R10s did really well - but as this is the first non-German win I've witnessed since I've been coming it was really good to have a change.

[Martini...LB]

Peugeot is not a new car, having a 3-years history...

... R15 is brand new

and having no preliminary days didn't help to fix the car.

By the way Audi was quicker on wet track and in traffic.

Now I know Sebring is a different track but they did use the R15 there, I have photographic evidence, and your reference to them being quicker on a wet track is probably down to the drivers and their experience of Audi in those conditions.

I think a roof would have helped them but will wait for Nordic  (with respect) to advise me on that.

>Martini...LB

>Martini...LB

[Gilles]

Now I know Sebring is a different track but they did use the R15 there, I have photographic evidence, and your reference to them being quicker on a wet track is probably down to the drivers and their experience of Audi in those conditions.

I didn't remember who in the Audi's staff told that during Scrutineering, but Sebring was for him not to be considered as a serious LM preparation, as the american track is quite dump, or what you call in Uk, made of belgian paves.

[alibongo]

It did make me titter when the pug slowed down 10 mins from the end for a photo call, the comentator was besides himself as he thought it was in trouble  yeah well done peugeot ( appart from the pitlane prang with the pesca) but it would have been nice for the Aston to be in the top three, they were awsome and sounded the dogs too!!! pretty car !

Btw did anyone see the going of the lizards porker it was there when I hit the sheets at 5am ish and had gone when I woke up

[andy a]

yeah what happened to the lizard car ? was doing so well and looked stunning !!

[Mr Termite]

According to Jennifer on their website www.lizardms.com - she is Lizards' excellent and charming marketing/PR lady - Darren had a problem at the first chicane on his outlap at 5 a.m., crashing and being taken for medical attention This has not been updated since being posted at the weekend. Given their relative domination of ALMS last year and this, their LM showing year after year doesn't look great. There is a reason - drivers! In ALMS they run more than one car, so team owner Seth Neiman gets to drive one while other professional drivers, including Porsche factory geezers, do the biz in the other one and sock it to the Ferraris to good effect. Come LM, they get one entry, and Seth wants to drive, which is entirely reasonable when you put much wonga into the team, as he does. The LM grid is littered with similar stories, actually, and always will be. Johannes van Overbeek is another team principal and quite quick, but he has wound down this year due to an increasing family and other interests, so Darren Law was brought in. He regularly shares a car with Seth in ALMS so is reliable, and of course won Daytona this year  - but no Bergmeister, Melo or Salo, perhaps.