Lemans Crash=Audi/Ferrari

[So Cal Mark]

any see the crash in the opening hour of LeMans? Here's the vid;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODevp10c3RA

[ga.spyder]

I saw it Mark.The Ferrari did nothing wrong.Mc Nish had been driving extremely hard from the drop of the flag,and was at fault for that one.The accident later between the other Audi and the Ferrari was a lot worse.Rockenfeller is fortunate to not have been killed in that one!! Even though he was flashing his lights,the Ferrari driver acted as if he didnt see him.The driver of that 430 is a amateur businessman friend of Michael Waltrip,and probably shouldt have been out there.The speed diff between those classes is amazing.

[So Cal Mark]

I saw both crashes also and thought the Audi driver was pretty reckless to dive inside on a corner in the first hr of a 24hr race. The 2nd Audi crash was bad also and Rockenfeller is lucky to have survived.
I just saw an interview with Robert Kaufmann who was the driver in the 2nd crash. He said the rule at LeMans is that you hold your racing line and the prototypes will go around you. The organizer did ask Kaufmann not to continue driving but the car could continue with the other drivers.
The speed of those prototypes is amazing and they overtake the slower cars so quickly I'm surprised there aren't more incidents

[Redline]

Yes, here he is holding his line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmn2YgPJEUE

[maytag]

Yes, here he is holding his line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmn2YgPJEUE

He is clearly NOT holding his line. He crosses the dotted-line just as he is being overtaken. that s most certainly NOT holding your line. Particularly with the lights being flashed, there was no excuse for that

[ga.spyder]

As much as we all wish we had deep enough pockets(like Robert Kaufman!)to buy a ride at LeMans,that doesnt mean you are qualified.That is no place for an inexperienced driver.Apparently the fact that he is wealthy,and Mike Waltrips business partner,was enough to get him a Ferrari ride!!

[Redline]

Yes, here he is holding his line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmn2YgPJEUE

He is clearly NOT holding his line. He crosses the dotted-line just as he is being overtaken. that s most certainly NOT holding your line. Particularly with the lights being flashed, there was no excuse for that

My post was meant to be ironic, in response to the bald-faced lie given in the interview. Should have added a smiley.

[maytag]

Yes, here he is holding his line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmn2YgPJEUE

He is clearly NOT holding his line. He crosses the dotted-line just as he is being overtaken. that s most certainly NOT holding your line. Particularly with the lights being flashed, there was no excuse for that

My post was meant to be ironic, in response to the bald-faced lie given in the interview. Should have added a smiley.

I wondered when I responded us that was what you meant. But I too was responding to my wariness that somebody might actually believe him!!

[So Cal Mark]

I gotta disagree with you guys. Holding your line means the racing line, not a designated lane on a public hwy.

[maytag]

I gotta disagree with you guys. Holding your line means the racing line, not a designated lane on a public hwy.

No, it specifically means to "hold your line". said another way: "the line you are on right now". Agreed, not necessariy a designated spot with regards to lanes of traffic. But it quite specifically does NOT mean to move over and change track position unnannounced.

The rule is "hold YOUR line"... not "hold the RACING line".

I'm by no means the final authority on racing rules, but this one is worded quite specifically for a reason.

[engineerted]

Both drivers are at fault, the Ferrari for not providing a signal to the approaching car buy pulling sharply to the left and the Audi for not recognizing that the Ferrari did not provide any signal that he was approaching. The overtaking driver has just as much responsibility to compete the pass as do the one being overtaken. Forcing one self into the inside on an approaching corner just because you are flashing your lights does not give you the free pass. This is not X-Box or NASCAR!

Ted

[maytag]

Both drivers are at fault, the Ferrari for not providing a signal to the approaching car buy pulling sharply to the left and the Audi for not recognizing that the Ferrari did not provide any signal that he was approaching. The overtaking driver has just as much responsibility to compete the pass as do the one being overtaken. Forcing one self into the inside on an approaching corner just because you are flashing your lights does not give you the free pass. This is not X-Box or NASCAR!

Ted

I guess I could live with that.
Hypothetically-speaking: if the blue-flag had been visible (in the dark!) how would that impact your theoretical distribution of fault?
I've never done any night-time racing, personally. But I would think that the rule-book must cover the overtaking / blue-flag situation for night-time conditions? what does it say? Does it rely on situational awareness, and the slower driver being aware of the flashing lights? probably not. (why don't they implement a blu-light at flagging stations? )

[engineerted]

I don't know about the blue flags at night or even if they have them, I will have to say that corner workers are your best friend, many times i have been warned that a faster car is approching, as sure as sh#%t where did that guy come from. Us budget racers do not have some one talking in your ear, but you have to beleive that the spotter should have warned the ferrari driver that he was comming?

Ted