British-Cars.org

Welcome to the DMR Site for British Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite General - McNish Accident at Le Mans

For those of you not yet at Midget 50, this is a huge accident at Le Mans, involving Allan McNish

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/11062011/58/11062011212849.html
Dave O'Neill 2

I saw it on the news,,,,insane, I cant belive the guy got out and just scrugged it off,,,,not so much as a broken finger nail.

Prop
Prop

Nearly as bad a shunt yesterday evening involving another Audi, massive impact at over 200mph. Driver ok though.

Great race to the wire this year by the look of it.
One Audi being chased down by three Peugeots.
SR Smith 1

That'll be Rocky. Prob a worse crash but at night so nothing to see...
Toby Anscombe

Shows how strong and safe cars are these days. Was more worried about all the debris and flying wheels hitting people behind the barriers!

Cheers,
Malcolm
M Le Chevalier

The Audis are reported to be doing 220mph at this point of the circuit, driver got out on his own and jumped over the barrier! Amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UULKExSNK-I&feature=related

Carl
C Bintcliffe

Well done to Audi, won by 20 secs over the Peugeot. Remarkable effort after losing 2 cars to horrific shunts.



Must get back there next year!
SR Smith 1

2nd hand Audi - may need a bit of T-cutting to bring back the shine!

Amazing safety cell design!
Guy

We always decry that safety catch fencing at the circuit

Well I always did, next time I may be a bit less critical, the flying debris from that was as horrifying as the actual crash. The people in the service lane were blimmin lucky. I have often watched from behind that piece of fence on the Saturday afternoon around that area.

He is a very lucky guy, what was his name again? Hamilton was it, looked to be storming in where the red Thingyrari would be putting himself for the curve

How on earth didn't he go over that wall, phew

I am glad he's OK what a shunt

Thanks for posting this Dave, not quite as good as being there this year but I got a flavour of it

Bill 1

The worlds greatest motor race, F1 is just a sprint circus event these days. 300,000 spectators, most of them brits, can't be wrong.


Pity it gets so little coverage on mainstream TV cpmpared to the 50's and 60's. Thank goodnesss for Eurosport.


Been lots of times in the Midget and even snapped a half-shaft a few years ago rounding the roundabout at the first chicane on the Mulsanne straight!



A must attend event for any true motorsport enthusiast, though imo it's lost some of the laissez-faire ambience it had when I first started going in the early 80's.
Not the samne since the funfair was moved and watered down a few years ago.


Must go next year.

SR Smith 1

Hi SR

After being a regular for a number of years I got bored of the event around 2000.

I was encouraged to return 2 years ago and realised why I was bored with it.

It is a great weekend ruined by a motor race.! and I am a full motorsport fan for 50 years.

I love France and I love the french people. I try to stay with some french friends when going so generally do not do the get pissed story, but I do enjoy the whole experience.

Please explain to me how lap after lap of the same thing for 24 hours is enjoyable?

However the rest of the weekend is great! :)

Well done Audi for building an extremely safe car.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Bob

I'm afraid that if you have to ask what the fun is, you'll probably never understand! I've been for the last 13 consecutive years and love the race more and more.

Listening to Radio Le Mans keeps you up to speed with the action, and there's loads. A lot of the exciting bit is following the teams battling to keep these cars running for the full 24 hours of racing. You never get that level of insight in F1. The teams, drivers and owners are candid, honest and the interviews are FAR more technically proficient and interesting (anyone hearing Dave Richards (Prodrive/Aston Martin) discussing the engine failures will testify to that).

The cars are awesome..they look different, sound amazing (diesels apart) and I could watch them for days. Engines screaming down the mulsanne at night with headlights lighting the poplars as they dissapear..enough to make a grown man cry!


LM is an endurance event, the on track racing is just one element, the whole team effort to race that hard, that long is, to me and the other 90,000 brits that go, enough to keep going back.

I could go on, clearly I'm a big fan of the race..it really is far more than an excuse to get leathered on the campsites. Yes, I love the social side, I go with great mates, great cars and can't imagine not being there.

I'll get off my high horse now! It is, after all, horses for courses.
Robin Cohen

Yes I accept that Robin it is an endurance event and I really enjoyed the radio a couple of years ago, but I think the viewing at the circuit is poor considering the length and I may not have the stamina to watch ultimate endurance. As you say horses for courses.

Actually friends have insisted I go again next year and I probably will but I will enjoy the French people and not so much the race. :)
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Hiya Bob,


Have to agree with Robin, if you have been and didn't enjoy it, maybe it's just not for you. Lots of other virages (viewing areas) to spectate from though Bob, and lots of the 24hr circuit is on public roads not a purpose designed antiseptic autodrome that the F1 circus uses now.


Having been involved with running a C-type and a Lister-jaguar in Classic Le-Mans I take my hat off to those guys pit crewing. Our cars only ran for 3x45 minute sessions in the 24hrs and take it from me it was a mission keeping them going for that short time!


These days its flat out from the start to the finish, the drivers and pit crew are bloody supermen.


I would concede its not quite as spectacular as it was the 80's, these diesels are so bloody quiet. Got great pics of long sheets of flame from the Porsche 956's as they backed off for the Mulsanne corner. The noisiest race car I ever heard was the Mazda rotary that won in '91, you could here that coming for ages b4 it came up the pit straight!


F1 just doesn't do it for me anymore I'm afraid.


Anyone thinking of going, don't hesitate, the whole weekend is magic.
SR Smith 1

The Mazda rotary was there again this year doing some laps all on its own and it's still as loud as ever although I wonder if it's been detuned a bit as it was spittinmg less flames than before.
The Corvettes still make up for the lack of sound coming from the Audis but I do miss the thunder of the Panos and Saleens which were both missing. The best sound (in my opinion)was from last year's Aston 12 cylinder.
Gary & Gaps

oi you, stoppit!!!!

you just had to rub it in didn't you

he he

see you tomorrow, tell me all about it
Bill 1

Hi Gary,

Did they let Johny Herbert drive the Mazda? I know he was there cos I saw him interviewed on Eurosport.


Missed the legends race in the morning, but the 2 cars I have involvement featured. The C-type finished second in class, but the Lister's bonnet came loose on the Mulsanne and the driver (Julian Broson) decided that maybe an air brake at 160+ mph was not a good idea.


Pity the Astons didn't last longer, I heard it was an engine damper/vibration problem. They always say it takes 3 years to win at Le Mans with a new car.


Hope you enjoyed the weekend.
SR Smith 1

"They always say it takes 3 years to win at Le Mans with a new car."

Someone forgot to tell Audi :)
OrangeSpyderMan

I've been for the last 9 or so years but couldn't this year. I always enjoy the weekend away - in latter years taking the Midget across and having a few hundred miles of uncrowded French back roads and the social side of a boys weekend is a huge part of that enjoyment without doubt.

Some years I've been hanging on every bit of on track action - and some years the race itself hasn't hugely engaged me. Especially when the hugely efficient Audis romp away with the win.

But strangely this year being at home - I was completely hooked by the race again. Combination of RLM, eurosport, twitter etc - I think I knew far far more of what was happening than I ever have at the circuit and really enjoyed it - obviously helped because it was so so tight throughout and the genuine competition between Peugeot and Audi.

Already started the debate amongst my friends to ensure we go again next year. Main question is the main event or the Classic...hmmm..... Loved the classic last year - but that would mean 3 years without seeing the main event. (and no - I cant get pass outs to do both)
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

Haven't seen or read anything about this.

Was there a mechanical failure, or did McNish have a bit of a moment? Because I don't think he was going to make that bend, whatever happened.
Nick

Anthony Beltoise turned in on him as he was trying (a little enthusiastically, perhaps) to get past Beltoise's slower GTE-Pro car.
OrangeSpyderMan

>>> Anthony Beltoise turned in on him as he was trying (a little enthusiastically, perhaps) to get past Beltoise's slower GTE-Pro car. <<<

Right, there was contact and they both left the circuit. Beltoise definitely came out better, however.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

This thread was discussed between 11/06/2011 and 14/06/2011

MG Midget and Sprite General index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now