40 replies to this topic

[Howie Ursaner]

It appeared to me that Mcnish was using the situation with the Ferrari to make a move to pass the other prototype by blasting past on the inside.It looked like a crazy move to me.

[Ron Hershman]

It appeared to me that Mcnish was using the situation with the Ferrari to make a move to pass the other prototype by blasting past on the inside.It looked like a crazy move to me.

Yep he put the other prototype in the "chump bag" by making his move and hanging up and slowing the other prototype down and getting the pass.

But then again, I think the other prototype driver was a bit smarter and slowed down and then passed the crashing out McNish.

The other driver probably had two WFT moments...the first was WTF putting me in the chump bag and the second WTF was that pass on the Ferrari isn't going to work. LOL

I think the other prototype was a Team Audi car and McNish also put his teammate and team car at risk as well for such a stupid move so early in the race.

It would have been way cooler had it been the last lap and McNish going for the win

[TSR]

Whatever.

[Ron Hershman]

Whatever.

Yep whatever.... and if McNish hadn't made that move..... different story and outcome.

[Jacob Shiplet]

different story...same outcome lol

[TSR]

Yep whatever.... and if McNish hadn't made that move..... different story and outcome. public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif

Yes, I am sure that a Pug would have won if Allan did not encounter that the Ferrari would keep turning after he passed it.

Allan McNish does not think the pass on Anthony Beltoise that ended in his huge crash early in the Le Mans 24 Hours was over-ambitious. The Scot's Audi made contact with Beltoise's Luxury Ferrari as he lapped the GT just after the Dunlop Bridge near the end of the first hour. The Audi went into a spin then rolled through the gravel and destroyed itself against the barrier.

McNish said the incident was just a classic misunderstanding amid Le Mans traffic.

"From where I was sitting going into that corner there was not one bit of me that thought I was going to have a crash," he said. "What you see on the television camera is a very different angle to what you see in the cockpit.

"From my point of view it wasn't a risk to get into that corner. And Anthony said that he didn't see me at all. But I kept well to the right hand side so that he had as much vision as possible. I didn't stay in close tight to him, I kept well to the right hand side to come through into that gap.

"I had no plan to pass the Ferrari, I was just looking to pass one car and to me it was a safer solution than to try to squeeze in with Timo [Bernhard]. With the momentum it wasn't a problem.

"I've made that overtake many, many times before and I saw other drivers doing it in the race afterwards when I was resting. Obviously there was an accident but at that time I wasn't thinking it was like that."

He did not think either driver should be blamed for the crash.

"I think you can't blame people in these circumstances," said McNish. "It's a part of racing and it's a part of Le Mans.

"He obviously had concern about the situation. He's not new to this type of racing, he's experienced and a good driver. I don't apportion blame, and I don't think it is the right to be honest considering what could have happened and where we are I think we should be a bit more positive about it."

McNish also played down suggestions that the rule changes that had brought the prototype and GT cars' straightline performance closer together had directly caused the crash - though he admitted that traffic now had to be handled differently.

"It's definitely more tricky to overtake with less speed differential," he said.

"When you have got less speed differential on the straight you are overtaking more in the corners. You can see that the race is coming down to just tenths right now, so you know you have got to maximise advantages when you can.

"But whether it increased the chances of it I'm not sure to be honest. It definitely... if I had 100bhp more then I would definitely have overtaken him easier, but then again it might have been at a different state in the corner."

[Ron Hershman]

Yes, I am sure that a Pug would have won if Allan did not encounter that the Ferrari would keep turning after he passed it.

A Pug didn't win without Allan in the race.

[TSR]

I applaud your incredibly perceptive sense of humor.

[flem1959]

Right or wrong, those guys had to go for it.

The Audi and Peugeot were only a few seconds apart at the end.

If they lost a second every other lap being cautious lapping a slower car, they would have been way back.

[Ron Hershman]

Right or wrong, those guys had to go for it.

The Audi and Peugeot were only a few seconds apart at the end.

If they lost a second every other lap being cautious lapping a slower car, they would have been way back.

Well how many seconds or how far back was McNish's Audi at the end Flem?

If McNish had slowed up for about 5 or so seconds..... his car and team may have won at the end of 24 hours.

Instead a pile of parts ( car is a total write off )and millions lost due to his not wanting to wait a few seconds in the first hour of the race.

Two guys in the wrong place at the wrong time.... a few seconds would have made a major difference

[flem1959]

Somebody`s Got To Eat It!

[TSR]

A real loser.

[Rotorranch]

We will agree to disagree, but most authoritative and respected journalists appear to agree with me.

We can do that!

Rotor

[Steve Deiters]

When I saw the video I thought it was very aggressive driving barely one hour into a 24 hour race. The net result speaks for itself.

[Ron Hershman]

A real loser.

Who said he was a loser? Just another racer who made a "agressive" mistake.

[TSR]

Steve,
The winning Audi never put a wheel wrong, the second plce Pug never put a wheel wrong, and the Audi wins by 13 SECONDS... this is why "endurance" races today are flat-out races, or you lose...
When you have to race TWO races in one, with slower cars being moving chicanes, things can happen.
This is also why both Peugeot and Audi have THREE cars each... because things DO happen...
It only takes one.