Le Mans Vs F1

[ashr]

It’s taken me a week just to get to grasp the “new” F1 scene; I am still a little cloudy on a number of areas, as I suppose are most people.
To add to this I was just looking at the Le Mans (Sebring) dates and they has stirred my curiosity.

A 12 hour race in North America? A 24 hour race in France? Really fast cars…
And I know very little about it…

Is it worth watching/keeping up to date with?
And more importantly, are there many British cars/drivers taking part in the race

Can anyone give me some information about it please?

[hakka]

If you have never watched a sportscar race, you should.

It really is worth keeping up with. Last year, after 10 events, there was still a battle for the championship in the GTS class (cars based on production examples). It came down to the last two laps of the 1000 mile race...I was there and the pass happened at the corner I was sitting at! Very exciting.

As for British Teams...this weekend at Sebring, the first race of the season, there will be a Bentley and a Lister in the LMP900 category. The LMP675 category is dominated by MG-Lolas. GTS will have british entered Prodrive Ferraris. GT has a TVR and a Morgan.

If you live on the US and get Speed Channel, I would definetly recommend watching it on Saturday.

[hakka]

btw FYI, LMP900 is the top class, with Le Mans Prototypes weighing 900kg or less. LMP675 are Le Mans Prototypes weiging less than (you guessed it!) 675kg. GTS are production based cars with heavy modifications; and GT are production cars moderately modded.

[NSX]

What does this have to do with F1?

[ashr]

Thanks hakka.

Unfortunately, I live in the UK so watching it may be a touch on the difficult side.
I however fully intend to keep as up to date as possible with news and details as possible.

Yes! I fully understand your excitement with the sport, I love F1 and Rally sports and I get the same enthusiasm!

Thanks again

[agh1]

F1 is far superior to Le Mans......in a way. Cos you get a race every fortnight with F1 but you get one really good 24h race a year with Le Mans. Le Mans cars are better but F1 dosn't get boring after the first hour espicially with the new rules.

[ashr]

How long have you been following F1? I have followed it on and off for the last few years and yes, some of it has been exciting. For me though, F1 with all of its money and politics( and new "rules") has to take a back seat i'm afraid. Dont get me wrong, I will still follow it, it's just that I think I need a bit of a change, and the Le Mans is just what i'm looking for...

[ashr]

I'm not sure if any of you guys are into onsite games/comps, but I am always on the lookout for them. I found loads of F1 comps and games but I only found 1 Le mans comp. Its on the Bentley site if anyones interested.


If any of you guys find any more, let us know.

Bentley comp

[skyliner34GT500]

careful how you define "better" sure le mans especially the GT and GTS cars may be more pleasing to the eye.. but the F1 cars kick their arses in terms of acceleration, braking, and handling.. F1 cars can experience up to 5 g's in braking, 2 + g's in acceleration and 2+ g's on turns.. no other racing league comes close to achieving these extremes in one venue

[z33guy]

cart experienced 6g's when they raced at texas, they had to cancel the race because of vertigo. I like F1 more than sportscars because the drivers are pretty much the same year to year. I hate keeping up with so many driver moves.

[vectorclub]

F-1 is better if you are into unlimted budgets and use of materials and technology that may never see mainstream production cars. F-1 races can become dull really face if one or two cars run away from the field. This is true of any race series.

Sports Car style racing, Le Mans, Grand Am, and so on, make use of technologies that are more likely to make it to mainstream automobiles.

I grew upon IMSA GTP and FIA GROUP C racing. The look and performance of those cars was impressive.

To enjoy endurance racing you have to appreciate the challenge of racing on the limit for many hours. Sometimes cars that are ten laps down can make a come back and win.

Endurance racing can be interesting to see when they have full fields with a variety of classes. Seeing the "closer to street legal" race cars getting passed by the GTP style cars is interesting watch.

F-1 cars maybe faster, but both race series pelnty of fast cars and quality drivers. Both race series offer technology that may make it to the street. Both series need to find ways to make closer competition without hurtin gthe spirit of the series. Audi has dominated Le Mans and Ferrari has dominated F-1.

I would encourage anyone to watch both series. The only racing I have found little interest in is World of Outlaws or dirt track racing. The Speed GT series and the various touring car race series are awesome if you want to see cars that come closer to what you might be able to drive on the street.