Tag: mans

Motorsports: The pre-race and first in-race report from Le Mans

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Audi, Porsche, Ferrari, Racing

The 2013, 90th anniversary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has begun, tragedy marking the opening laps with the death of Allan Simonsen. We’re at the track now as a guest of Audi and plan to stay through the evening, and even we haven’t been able to find out what caused the accident – the only video is from just after the incident, and beyond the statement from ACO there’s been no more news. The Aston Martin in the LM GTE Am class and its all-Danish drivers had taken pole in its class and was one of the favorites to win.

The pre-race report will come first, and even thought we can’t spoil the race because we’re only five hours into it at the time of writing, we’ll put all of the news at the end in case you don’t even want the updates.

Or you can go straight to the high-res galleries above.

Continue reading The pre-race and first in-race report from Le Mans

The pre-race and first in-race report from Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorsports: Allan Simonsen dies after crashing in fourth lap at Le Mans

Filed under: Motorsports, Aston Martin

Allen Simonsen Aston Martin at Le Mans

Allan Simonsen - Le Mans driver killed in 2013 raceDanish racing driver Allan Simonsen has died as a result of injuries sustained during a crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. According to race officials, the 34-year-old was in serious condition after the accident and was immediately rushed to a hospital, where he died shortly thereafter.

The incident took place on the fourth lap of the race. Simonsen, a seven-year veteran of Le Mans racing, spun about 10-minutes into the race, hitting safety barriers at the Tertre Rouge bend.

The No. 95 Aston Martin that Simonsen co-drove along with teammates Christoffer Nygaard and Kristian Poulsen has officially retired from the race. Our condolences to all those close to Simonsen.

A video showing the first 10 minutes of the race can be found below, though be advised that it ends with the Simonsen’s accident, along with an official statement from race’s governing authority, Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

Continue reading Allan Simonsen dies after crashing in fourth lap at Le Mans

Allan Simonsen dies after crashing in fourth lap at Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Jun 2013 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nissan shows off Le Mans Prototype, says it’s world’s fastest electric racer [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Nissan, Electric, Racing

Nissan ZEOD RC Le Mans prototype - front three-quarter dynamic view

Nissan has announced plans and details around its upcoming all-electric racing car, the ZEOD RC. The Zero Emission On Demand Racing car is said to be capable of a top speed in excess of 300 kilometers per hour (186.4 miles per hour), is shaped a bit like the closed-cockpit version of the DeltaWing (albeit, to our eyes, better looking) and will make its debut in 2014 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This weekend, visitors to the race will have the opportunity to view the prototype near the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Nissan’s ZEOD RC has been invited by Le Mans organizers to compete as the Garage 56 entry in next year’s race; that’s essentially a spot on the grid held for vehicles with new and/or cutting edge technology.

Short of announcing a partnership with Michelin to develop tires for the EV racecar, however, Nissan is mum on any kind of battery or motor specification for the ZEOD. The press release (below) offers a sense that the Nissan and Nismo teams have still got a lot of work to do before the 2014 race. Ben Bowlby, designer of the ZEOD RC, says “We have many options to consider and test. The test program is part of a longer term goal of developing a system and a set of rules for this type of technology in partnership with the ACO that would be best suited to competing at the highest level of this sport.”

The ultimate goal of the ZEOD RC program, in terms of racing at least, is to sort out the feasibility of a LM P1 all-electric class for future Le Mans racing. Continue on below for more information, as well as a video about the ZEOD RC project.

Continue reading Nissan shows off Le Mans Prototype, says it’s world’s fastest electric racer [w/video]

Nissan shows off Le Mans Prototype, says it’s world’s fastest electric racer [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jun 2013 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog gets ready for Le Mans with an R8 road trip and Allan McNish

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Audi, Luxury, Racing

Audi R8 at Le Mans

This car is the master link between what Audi does on the race track and sells on the road.

We’re attending the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Audi and we figured we’d make the world’s biggest endurance race even more interesting by driving from Munich to Le Mans in an R8. We’ve also had a brief chat with Audi driver Allan McNish, and if you haven’t already, check out all the multimedia ways to enjoy the next four days from the Circuit de la Sarthe, then read on.

The R8 we’ve been driving – a white, 430-horsepower V8 coupe with the S-tronic seven-speed gearbox – is a bag of tricks when it comes to making a road trip, some of those tricks sublime. The obvious reason to want to do a road trip to Le Mans in an R8 is because, ahem, it’s a road trip on occasionally unrestricted Autobahn in an R8. The next most obvious reason is that this car is, for the moment, the master link between what Audi does on the race track and sells on the road.

In truth, however, tied at number one is that we wanted to see if we could find a way to love the R8. Not appreciate it, not respect it, but love it – to want to rearrange our loins such that every meal passes through a long intestine shaped like The Four Rings and a short intestine that spells “R8.” We drove the V10 Spyder and considered it Supercars for Dummies, so farcically easy to drive fast that it destroys the grading curve for supercar driving ability and, as an aside, supercar thrills. Since you can apparently teach a python to open doors, as soon as they teach one how to drive it will be able to podium in SCCA races if it’s in an R8.

We’d been told the V8 was better balanced than the V10, yet it was more than balance we sought – we wanted soul. Ten days and 1,500 kilometers in (with another 770 kilometers to go before Le Mans), we’re still looking for it.

But what we can say is this: This car is so [insert expletive] good that we can’t honestly consider it a car.

It is, more accurately, tender violence.

Continue reading Autoblog gets ready for Le Mans with an R8 road trip and Allan McNish

Autoblog gets ready for Le Mans with an R8 road trip and Allan McNish originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jun 2013 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorsports: How to watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year

Filed under: Motorsports

24 Hours of Le Mans pit action

You want to watch/stream/identify the cars in/hear/Like/Tweet the 90th anniversary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend? For a long list of ways to consume the action that’s already begun, check out this page put together by our former colleague and current friend Reilly Brennan. Here’s the short list:

  • Le Mans Site
  • Le Mans TV
  • Le Mans Facebook page
  • Le Mans Twitter page
  • Entry list
  • Live timing
  • Audi’s racing stream
  • Speed TV stream
  • Spotter’s Guide
  • Detailed track guide

Again, head over to Brennan’s long list of links for all of the ways to take in the action, including radio programs and apps to stay in touch with the race, and we’ll be right back with our first report from Le Mans – once we finish driving there…

How to watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jun 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Aston Martin unveils new Gulf livery for Le Mans

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Aston Martin, Design/Style, Racing

Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE Gulf Livery

Aston Martin has pulled back the sheets on the company’s new Gulf livery for this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Penned by Jonathan Wesley, the Number 97 Vantage GTE will wear the colors throughout race week as the car prepares to compete in the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans. Darren Turner, Stefan Mucke and Peter Dumbreck will all take turns behind the wheel of the car. Wesley said he designed the livery using the four Gulf corporate colors arranged from lightest to dark, with the right side painted white and the left painted dark blue to symbolize the change in race conditions from daylight to dusk.

Fans chose Wesley’s design from a spate of others as part of a Gulf contest. As a result, the designer will spend Le Mans weekend as a VIP guest with Aston Martin. The company says the No. 97 car will compete along with four other Vantage GTE bruisers, but will be the only one to carry the special livery. You can read the full press release below for more information.

Continue reading Aston Martin unveils new Gulf livery for Le Mans

Aston Martin unveils new Gulf livery for Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 2014 Audi R8 GT zooming toward Le Mans reveal

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Audi, Rumormill, Luxury

2014 Audi R8 GT spy shot - front three-quarter view

According to a report from Autocar in the UK, the Audi R8 is set to get something of a swan song for its own going-away party in the form of an updated GT model for the 2014 model year. If Autocar is right, this even higher-performance Audi R8 will debut at the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.

The 2014 Audi R8 GT Plus will reportedly get a tuned version of the much-loved 5.2-liter V10 engine that Audi has used to good effect in past R8 models. A six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic would send power to the rear wheels, enabling a 3.4-second 0-62 mile per hour run and a top speed of 199 mph.

Judging from spy shots that we’ve already seen (reprised above), the new GT Plus will be fitted with an aggressive body kit that includes a massive rear wing, a more prominent front splitter and enlarged side blade ducts. A Spyder version of the GT Plus may be on tap for 2015. Pricing, obviously, is unknown, as is any potential launch date. In other words… stay tuned.

2014 Audi R8 GT zooming toward Le Mans reveal originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorsports: SRT Viper ready for Le Mans after 10-year absence [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing, SRT

The Viper will once again roar down the storied Mulsanne straight, as SRT is returning to the famed French race with two identically prepared GTS-R race cars set to compete at Le Mans later this month. Enthusiasts have been waiting a long time for a repeat appearance of the ten-cylinder coupes, which haven’t raced since winning the GTS class three times from 1998 to 2000. Ralph Gilles, president and chief executive officer of the SRT brand and motorsports, told Autoweek, “Le Mans is a world stage. The GTS-R has enjoyed great success at Le Mans in the past, and we’re excited to start a new chapter of Viper racing at that historic venue.”

Understandably, the rules at Le Mans have changed over the past decade and the automaker will be racing a new vehicle. Gary Johnson, SRT racing manager, told the publication, “Our plan is to be as competitive as we can and see what happens at the end.”

The new GTS-R shouldn’t have trouble running against its competitors in the LM GTE Pro Class, as its chassis has proven itself several times since its American Le Mans Series (ALMS) debut last August. This year alone, the No. 91 Viper has finished in the top five in all three races it has entered. “We’re going with the same commitment to do our best,” said Johnson.

To learn more about SRT’s race efforts, check out its new web series called Beyond the Checkered Flag. We’ve linked to the first video below.

Continue reading SRT Viper ready for Le Mans after 10-year absence [w/video]

SRT Viper ready for Le Mans after 10-year absence [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Nissan/PlayStation GT Academy winner Ordonez training for Le Mans on UK roads

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Nissan, UK, Racing

GT Academy training

Lucas Ordoñez takes off on a 24-hour road trip – Click above to watch video after the jump

Oh, what a life…

Lucas Ordoñez went from racing cars on his couch to sitting behind the wheel of a real-life Nissan LMP2 racecar. After winning the Nissan/Playstation GT Academy contest, Ordoñez earned a shot at putting his virtual skills to the test. He’s running a full Le Mans Cup schedule this year, which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Nissan is prepping him for a full day of racing, and to do that they’ve sent him and his teammates on a trip around England.

Armed with a Nissan GT-R, an RV, trainers and a dietitian, Lucas Ordoñez and his team will split driving duties as they travel around the country. The team knows this isn’t as dramatic as spending hours behind the wheel of a racecar, but it’s still a good warm-up to the real thing. Click past the jump to watch Lucas and friends on their research road trip.

Continue reading Nissan/PlayStation GT Academy winner Ordonez training for Le Mans on UK roads

Nissan/PlayStation GT Academy winner Ordonez training for Le Mans on UK roads originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Audi highlights the rigors of Le Mans in animated short

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Audi

A Day in the Life of an Audi Driver

A Day in the Life of an Audi Driver – Click above to watch the video after the jump

They don’t call it endurance racing for nothing. And the strain is placed not only on the car, but on the driver, as well. That’s all very well and fine to know in theory, but to highlight the rigors of racing around the clock at Le Mans, Audi has produced this stunning animated short.

The two-and-a-half-minute film called A Day in the Life of an Audi Driver features the team’s star driver, Alan McNish, and will be shown during the high-profile soccer match this weekend at Wembley Stadium between Barcelona and Manchester United, a team which Audi sponsors. It will also play in 3D for moviegoers going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in the UK, and will spearhead a newspaper ad campaign as well as dedicated apps for various smartphone platforms.

Fortunately, we don’t have to wait for all that to watch the clip ourselves. All you have to do is follow the jump and click play, where you’ll also find details of the campaign in the full press release.

Continue reading Audi highlights the rigors of Le Mans in animated short

Audi highlights the rigors of Le Mans in animated short originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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