rec.autos.simulators

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

Simon Willi

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Simon Willi » Sun, 13 Jun 1999 04:00:00

another one of their cars flipped in a horrendously spectacular arcade game
style accident - it is being reported that the driver, Peter Dumbreck, is OK
and luckily it was in an unspectatored area

but a bad decision by the team to run IMO and they were just lucky the
consequences weren't far worse

sa
w

Swindell

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Swindell » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

Absolutly! But that Merc was so fantastic. It looked stunning. I fear this
typre of accident will become common place if the FIA don't do something about
it...

Rob

Oh, I don't know! Does anyone actually read these sig's anyway!?
"You will respect my awforataaaay!"

Toni Lassi

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Toni Lassi » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

Nothing new in cars flipping, been happening for years. Last car I saw
do it was a Porsche GT1 at Homestead. The car flipped over it's back,
and landed on four wheels like Christian Fittipaldi.

SAW

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by SAW » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

agree, but the situation here was that one car had flipped in qualifying and
then again yesterday morning - they had attempted some sort of quick fix
solution and raced when their tragic history at Le Mans should really have
made them withdraw if there was any doubt

sa
w

ddjhenri

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by ddjhenri » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

  Just when you think you seen it all, a blowover like
that occurs...Kinda reminds me of the Unlimited
Hyrdoplane boats we have here in the States.
  One other Le Mans note..
Toyota Driver Katiyama,  does he EVER BLINK?
those incar shots...man he stared and stared, I
can't think of a single time I saw him blink..
btw THANKs SPEEDVISION
(this is the golden age of racing coverage)
dave henrie
--
  On May 17, 1999 A Whale was killed off the coast of
Washington State.  The Whale was killed in the name of
Tradition.....I say....
   %&#& Tradition!

>agree, but the situation here was that one car had flipped in qualifying
and
>then again yesterday morning - they had attempted some sort of quick fix
>solution and raced when their tragic history at Le Mans should really have
>made them withdraw if there was any doubt

>sa
>w

>> Nothing new in cars flipping, been happening for years. Last car I saw
>> do it was a Porsche GT1 at Homestead. The car flipped over it's back,
>> and landed on four wheels like Christian Fittipaldi.

Mark Seer

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Mark Seer » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

Imagine the pressure they were under to run. Millions have been spent on
research and development, There were sponsors to please and simply pulling
out could have had a very damaging effect on corporate image. Also consider
the fact that all 3 cars had passed scrutineering, which is a very stringent
process. Modifications were made to the car in an effort to cure the problem
and upon consultation, the drivers were all for running the race.

As always, it is easy to make judgements in retrospect. How many of you
remember 1988 when Mercedes pulled out at the last minute because they had
worries about the Mitchelin tyres they were running on. They were absolutely
slated and branded as cowards form many quarters. Motorsport will always be
a calculated risk in terms of the levels of safety. I only thank god that
the driver was not badly hurt and that we did not have a 1955 scenario
unfold in front of out eyes. Let's not stand in judgement when we are not
qualified to do so.

Regards

Mark

In retrospect, it is easy

Justin Dio

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Justin Dio » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

A toast to Speedvision, I couldn't make it for all 20 hours that they showed,
but I got all the big stuff.  Also, a nod of agreement on the "golden age"
comment.  We racing fans can watch qualifying, and also final practice for
nearly all the major American racing series and F1, many Euro touring car
races, many GT races, SuperBike races, etc.  This is really fabulous.

I didn't see what happened to start the filp (did he just catch air coming over
a hill??), nor did I see the practice blowover, but what I did see was
disgusting.  He was incredibly lucky he didn't hit that bridge, and everyone
else was lucky that he drifted off the track before landing.  Regardless, I
think we are in for a FIA crackdown similar to the death of the GTP cars here
is the States earlier this decade.

After all that ranting, this was still one of the best Le Mans races in recent
memory.  Until the Toyota lost the tire there, it looke like there might
actually be a RACE at the end, with passing and everything!!  :)

Justin

Dan Belch

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Dan Belch » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

Does anyone know when the accident might be re-shown?  I'm kinda interested in
seeing this one!

Dan Belcher
Team Racing Unlimited

SAW

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by SAW » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

normally i'd agree with you but you didn't need to be a Mercedes
aerodynamicist/engineer/team manager, whatever, to realise that if a car
flips twice in two days that there is something fundamentally wrong.

there's a difference between the inherent dangers in motorsport and what i
would call calculated stupidity (rather than risk) driven by corporate
pressure

we saw another example of a similar thing today - World Superbike race 1
from Nurburgring today when someone wasn't brave enough to stop the race and
again rider safety was put on the line, one feels, for the sake of the show

how much worse to Mercedes' image can a somersaulting car be than
anything else they could have done?

sa
w

Rick Baumhaue

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Rick Baumhaue » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00


>how much worse to Mercedes' image can a somersaulting car be than
>anything else they could have done?

>sa
>w

Yeah, but now they can use it to show how SAFE their cars are.........once
they get launched like an aircraft.........

Rick

Ken Bear

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Ken Bear » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

"Mercedes - engineered like no other airborne car in the world..."

I was thinking too, that the new LeMans game can have damn near anything in
it for crashes, and it'll be realistic.  My first thought seeing that replay
was that it was something you'd see either in an arcade game, or in
hydroplane racing.  Scary, at least that was nowhere near spectators, that
could've been horrific somewhere else on the circuit.

--
Ken's Sig 3.0

"Who is the more foolish?  The fool, or the fool who follows him?" - Obi-Wan
Kenobi

Go #43 and #44!

volksy (at) geocities (dot) com
volksy (at) yahoo (dot) com



>>how much worse to Mercedes' image can a somersaulting car be than
>>anything else they could have done?

>>sa
>>w

>Yeah, but now they can use it to show how SAFE their cars are.........once
>they get launched like an aircraft.........

>Rick

Woodie

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Woodie » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

I saw about 18 hours of it, and boy, am I goofy tired now.  I also agree about
the incredible amount of programming available, I might have to quit my job to
watch it all.  The only problem is, Speedvision only seems to have about six
commercials.  And there's a commericial break every eight minutes.  I'm a
little burned out on those six commercials, believe me.

Don McCorkle
Libertarian Motorsports

Jet Jagu

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Jet Jagu » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00


I saw it on Sportscenter on ESPN this morning.  I imagine RPM Tonight
or some other sports recap-type show would have it.

---
Jet Jaguar
I have a spam blocking address.  Replying to me is like pulling teeth.
Visit my crappy home page at http://home.att.net/~chmilnir/
MSTie #54297

The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.

Mark Seer

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Mark Seer » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

.

did you ever see the guy drive a F1 car? He used to be called the nodding
dog. His head was never still and always looked as though it was about to
roll right off his shoulders!

Mark

Jerry Moreloc

Mercedes withdraw from Le Mans (too late)

by Jerry Moreloc » Mon, 14 Jun 1999 04:00:00

Yeah, you need to see that one.  Damndest thing I've *ever* seen.  I shudder
to think what it would have been like if it had happened near any stands.
Some of the stuff that's happened at racing events the past few months is
downright scary.

Jerry Morelock



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