A little question about british ability to use a car...

[Gilles]

Are all british people not able to refuel their car?

Or is it just a privilege for the professional drivers ??

I jsut made a huge pray to have some retirement of Bents and Audis to have a more interesting race, but Audi UK was the last I wanna see leave !

[Chris24]

I guess you can blame that on one of the Panoz's
The reason given for the retirement was that Biela was on his way in at the end of his 15th lap, but was blocked from getting in the pitlane by a Panoz, so he had to go round again.
As he only had 1/2 pint of go go juice left in his tank, his team immediately started to pack up all the gear in the pits as they knew they were done for.

Personally, I would have thrown the car across the gravel trap into the pits, would have then had a fighting chance at least.

[Mark 2006 Lemons Gang]

Maybe (if anyone lets him drive again) he'll reduce his speed a bit better when getting close to the pit entrance so he can avoid missing it.
You might survive (if lucky) on a regular sized track but not on a track as long as Le Mans.

How many times has he done this before (this isn't his first out of juice moment) ?


Mark
Two Thousand And Three Lemons Gang

[SIMONR]

Are all british people not able to refuel their car?

No, we don't have one of those bloody Carte Bleu cards  

I left Le Mans with a full tank, plus 15 litres in cans strapped to the roll bar... we all still ended up running out and spent Sunday night sleeping in a McD's car park north west of Rouen.

Still, we all had an excellent time!

Simon

[Chrisgr31]

I thought that having paid for Jamiriquoa Audi UK couldn't afford the fuel for the car!

Anyway got to agree that Biela should have slowed behind the Panoz if necessary.  After all to win a race first, first you have to finish, and running out of fuel won't achieve that!

[Liszt]

I believe the technical term is "School boy error"

[mgmark]

More like fundamental error of judgement - even a school boy could work out that saving a few seconds by getting past the Panoz instead of hanging back is not worth it over 24 hours, particularly when you are driving an Audi R8..........

[Bobblehat]

All I can add is:-

Biela, you'r a prat, a big one!!!!

[Mr. Rick]

Still cannot quite believe he did it! I know the press release states something like he's still beating himself up over it, but for feck's sake -  a ludicrously uncharacteristic piece of misjudgement by someone so experienced.

How many millions has the project cost for Audi UK, not just the race prep but the hospitality etc.

It's like when you're not sure if you can get past that vehicle in front before the motorway exit, you just don't do it in case you miss it.. the decision is simple!!

[Barry]

The stupid thing about this was that after he had missed the pits, he went over the finish line like a cat with a rocket up its arse. If he had slowed right down he probably would have made it round, better to lose 10 minutes than be out the race.

[smokie]

...and there was me thinking cynically that it was a way for Audi to let Bentley beat them without losing too much face...

[mgmark]

Smokie - how could you think such a thing?  I am disappointed that you of all people could think that corporate brand image and marketing bollox play a part..............

[Gilles]

Last news on national Tv in France...

... 9 differents british drivers have been caught near to Caen with a speed radar detector which is now forbidden in france and they received a 750 Euros fine.

Some of these nine are Ca'ers??

[Mark 2006 Lemons Gang]

Not wanting to split hairs but isn't he German ?


And I made it back to Caen without being stopped..
(appart from by the crowds that had gathered in the villages who wanted some tyre smoking fun  )

Mark
Two Thousand And Three Lemons Gang