2020 race start time

[lofty]

If the race starts in september it willbe at 2.30.lets hope so.stay safe dudes.

[Kristof]

New timetable for September.

No scrutineering in town but at the track. 
Drivers Parade still scheduled for Friday afternoon.


Provisional schedule for the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans: 13–20 September
 

Saturday 12 September

18:00 – End of the installation process. The teams are set up in their garages and paddock.
 
Sunday 13 September

08:00-17:30 – Scrutineering – competitors are summoned to attend the administrative checks (Welcome building) and technical inspections (circuit).
 
Monday 14 September

08:00-17:30 – Scrutineering – competitors are summoned to attend the administrative checks (Welcome building) and technical inspections (circuit).
 
Tuesday 15 September

10:00 – Briefings for drivers and marshals in the Welcome building
17:00-18:30 – Pit walk and autograph sessions
 
Wednesday 16 September

13:00-18:00 – First free practice session – FP1
20:00-23:00 – Second free practice session – FP2
23:15-00:00 – Qualifying
N.B. Rookies are required to complete 10 laps during FP1 and FP2.
 

Thursday 17 September

17:00-18:00 – Third free practice session – FP3
20:00-20:30 – 24 Hours Hyperpole
21:00-00:00 – Fourth and final free practice session – FP4
N.B. Drivers are now required to complete 8 night-time laps (compared to 5 previously).
 

Friday 18 September

10:00-20:00 – Pit walk
17:00 – Drivers Parade in the city centre.
 
Saturday 19 September

08:15-08:30 – Warm-Up
12:15-12:30 – Pit Lane opened
12:35-13:20 – Access to the Grid Walk open
13:15-13:40 – Grid Walk cleared
13:40-14:21 – Starting procedure
14:30 – Start of the 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans
 
Sunday 20 September

14:30 – End of the 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans

[Truck]

A 2:30 start is unique.  Not early enough to give more running before dusk but there must be a clash

Did we ever find out why there was to be a 4pm start this year.

And no sign of support races

[Truck]

I saw somewhere that the FIA were talking about a shortened F1 season starting in October  Clearly, they don't want a clash of dates.

[Chrisgr31]

A 2:30 start is unique.  Not early enough to give more running before dusk but there must be a clash

Did we ever find out why there was to be a 4pm start this year.

And no sign of support races

I wonder if the earlier start time is to give the teams, retail units etc time to pack up before its dark?

As regards the support races the email from the ACO on Friday so details of the support races would be provided later, which implies there will be some.

[Kristof]

Road to Le Mans was already confirmed as support race.

[geoffd]

The earlier start time is to cater for TV and to allow some extra daylight running for TV too.

The return to 16:00 start time was to allow for extra stuff to happen in the run up to the start.

I think there was a Porker race due this year, it will be interesting to see if they try and fit one in.

Almost certainly the race is going to clash with multiple sporting events, especially with the TdF to finish on the 20th, plus there is bound to be a GP on both LM weekends, the Canadian one was due to clash this year anyway.

[ewan]

Found this, from Macron, last week

Speaking in an address to the nation on Monday night, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the extension of nationwide lockdown until at least 11th May, as the country continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Public gatherings, restaurants, cafes and hotels, cinemas, theatres, halls and museums will remain closed at this stage. The big festivals and events with a big audience will not be able to occur until earliest mid-July. The situation will be collectively evaluated from mid-May to adapt things and provide more clarity.”

https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2020/quarantine-in-france-extended-until-11th-may-no-mass-gatherings-until-mid-july/

Germany & Belgium have banned mass gatherings until end of August for now; I'm starting to think there's no way LM24 will be going ahead unless it does so behind closed doors...
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/news/more-races-under-threat-as-europe-extends-bans-on-mass-gatherings

[geoffd]

Found this, from Macron, last week

Speaking in an address to the nation on Monday night, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the extension of nationwide lockdown until at least 11th May, as the country continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Public gatherings, restaurants, cafes and hotels, cinemas, theatres, halls and museums will remain closed at this stage. The big festivals and events with a big audience will not be able to occur until earliest mid-July. The situation will be collectively evaluated from mid-May to adapt things and provide more clarity.”

https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2020/quarantine-in-france-extended-until-11th-may-no-mass-gatherings-until-mid-july/

Difficult to run a race behind closed doors when half of the track is public road!
And I doubt the ACO could afford to run the race without paying customers anyway, so it will either run as "normal" or not at all I would have thought.

As an aside the Belgium government hasn't as yet declared what a mass gathering is!

Germany & Belgium have banned mass gatherings until end of August for now; I'm starting to think there's no way LM24 will be going ahead unless it does so behind closed doors...
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/news/more-races-under-threat-as-europe-extends-bans-on-mass-gatherings

[ewan]

geoffd said:

Difficult to run a race behind closed doors when half of the track is public road!
And I doubt the ACO could afford to run the race without paying customers anyway, so it will either run as "normal" or not at all I would have thought.

I'm sure if they really needed to, they could still close the roads etc, but you're right that they'd probably not do it if they couldn't sell tickets. Not worth the aggro, unless the costs would be covered by TV rights or subscription streaming or the like.

[jimclark]

Agreed, TV rights etc. will make the difference hopefully. Many sports (auto racing, football, baseball, basketball, golf, horse racing, etc.) here (U.S.) are contemplating proceeding without fans attending. Those hosting arenas need to make up the lost fan revenue (tix, concessions, etc.) also so I'm assuming negotiations are in the works.......

[geoffd]

The other problem problem for events like LM and F1 is that they have presold tickets and have the money sat in their bank accounts, and have probably spent some of it already! I can't see that LM would get enough revenue from TV to cover the costs of putting the race on. 

The Silverstone GP pays it's hosting fee out of the ticket revenue (which just about covers it), with no ticket sales it would not be able to pay Liberty and so they would have to wave the fee.

The Premier League in the UK doesn't really need the money from ticket sales, but it does need the money from TV rights, so chances are the season will be finished one way or another.

Anyway September is some way off yet, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[Kristof]

Belgium should give more information about which events will be labelled as a "mass event" on Friday.  
That should give an insight into whether it will be possible to see any racing at Spa or not before September.

At this time I can't see anything happening to be honest.  There's fear for a second wave of the virus after the summer, at the end of August and in September if everyone comes out of lockdown.  It's still uncertain if and how we will be able to travel in the upcoming months, especially if you have to go from one country to another (like teams, drivers, media if racing starts again); will they force us into quarantine, will we need immunity tests (and what will happen with those who are not immune), drivers & team members will have to be flown in from all continents ...  

2020 might well be a lost year 

  

[Kev_mk3]

Think it will be mad if they postpone it again to October / November. The wife has said she will get a babysitter for the baby so she can go later in the year. Not sure I'd want to camp that time of the year to be honest.

[Barry]

Not sure I'd want to camp that time of the year to be honest.

Did some October/November camping in my youth with the Army Cadets.
Not impossible if it's dry, keeping warm is quite easy, but if it's wet it's a miserable experience.