ALMS 2011 thread

[Desertdawg]

I finally got to watch the sunday coverage... pretty disappointing. For a 10 hour race they showed less than 2 hours and half of that was commercials. I haz a sad teh Corvettes didn't win but I really don't even know how well they did due to lack of coverage.

[MOTV8]

Did you forget how to read?

[Desertdawg]

No, I was reading everything you two posted. Just wanted to see it on teh tv...

[Shifty]

ESPN2 probably has it available...

[VenomOnWheels]

The full 10 hours are available on ESPN3.com

ALMS Petite Lemans

[MOTV8]

The full 10 hours are available on ESPN3.com

ALMS Petite Lemans

Thanks and all, and I know it's a hella long thread, but it has been mentioned previously that the Dawg is unable to stream ESPN3 in the booming metropolis of Gila Bend, and as such the mention of the availability of race replays on ESPN3 is particularly chapping to the Dawgs ass.

And from a Viper owner to boot.

[Desertdawg]

Yeah, Qwest isn't on the approved espn3 provider list Thanks for rubbing it in...

[VenomOnWheels]

Is there a thread on the forum for Gila Bend jokes or is the acceptable normative culture just to disperse them throughout the threads? Sorry about the repost.

[Desertdawg]

We don't joke about Gila Bend on this forum, your admin lives there and you really don't want to piss him off...... Go ahead and start up a thread, We moved here 25 years ago and I think I've heard every Gila Bend joke out there, 5 times. My favorite, How do you tell if a man in GB is married? There's terbaccy spit running out both sides of the truck!

[MOTV8]

Racing Sim Helped Corvette Driver Tommy Milner Win Le Mans

Corvette Racing’s 2011 season could have gone a little better. Through most of the races, the team struggled, and podium finishes were hard to come by. But there was one race — that some would argue is more important than any other race of the season — where the team managed to seize victory. That race was none other than the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the winning drivers were Olivier Beretta, Tommy Milner and Antonio Garcia in the No. 73 Corvette C6.R.

Of course a race like Le Mans takes immense preparation and demands more physically and mentally than any other race on Corvette Racing’s calender, just from the sheer duration of the race. But the 24-year-old Tommy Milner developed a special way to get ready without ever having to leave his basement, all thanks to a racing sim, and a home-made rig featuring a 52-inch television screen, a Recaro racing seat yanked out of a BMW M3 race car (the team Milner used to race for), Logitech G25 wheel plus a BRD Speed 7 pedal set (that he apparently uses barefoot).

Milner honed his driving skills on the simulator by driving around 2 hours on the sim during a week he’s not racing, and increases his time to 2 hours a day during the days leading up to a race. Will this approach help you become the next Corvette Racing driver? Grab some PVC piping and some glue, there’s only one way to find out.

[Shifty]

I almost built one of them doods with teh C4 seat, but with wood instead of PVC, but Mrs.'Shifter vetoed teh idea....

[MOTV8]

Final video installment in this year's series posted, Fehan sounds bitter! "Episode 10: Petit Le Mans"

See ya's at Sebring...

[Shifty]

Any word on teh two additional race venues in 2012?

[MOTV8]

Any word on teh two additional race venues in 2012?

I have no idea, and my attention span has run it's course for the year...if you find something post it up.

Beretta Joins Larbre For Zhuhai

Corvette factory driver to team with Julien Canal and Patrick Bornhauser in GTE-Am class Corvette C6.R for Intercontinental Le Mans Cup finale...

Larbre Competition has bolstered its attack on next month's Six Hours of Zhuhai, having announced Monday that Corvette factory driver Olivier Beretta will join the French squad for the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup finale on Nov. 11-13.

The veteran Monegasque, a six-time class winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the most successful driver in American Le Mans Series history, will join team regulars Julien Canal and Patrick Bornhauser at the wheel of the Larbre's No. 50 Corvette C6.R, which competes in the GTE-Am category.

“I had the opportunity to work with Jack Leconte’s team during the Le Mans Test Day when I drove the Larbre Competition-prepared Corvette while the works cars were still in Long Beach," Beretta explained. "There have been chances to race with the team before but somehow different programs and dates have always got in the way.

"Larbre has won many global championships and do an excellent job representing GM in the ILMC. Zhuhai finally offered me the opportunity to drive for them so it was an easy decision when Jack called to ask. I also know Patrick and Julien quite well. They’re two good drivers with experience so I’ve got high hopes of challenging for victory.”

Both Beretta and the Jack Leconte-led Larbre team celebrated class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, with Corvette Racing taking top honors in GTE-Pro and Canal, Bornhauser and Gabrirle Gardel leading a 1-2 for the French privateer squad in GTE-Am.

Larbre later went on to clinch the ILMC teams' championship following a runner-up finish at Petit Le Mans.

“It’s fantastic that Olivier will be joining Larbre Competition at Zhuhai next month," Leconte said. "His level of experience with Corvette makes him the ideal candidate to bolster our driver line-up as we aim to celebrate a fine 2011 campaign by winning the final ILMC round of the year."

Corvette Racing had evaluated running a factory program in the ILMC finale this year, due to the manufacturers' large presence in China. While those aspirations never materialized, Larbre will be flying the flag for Chevrolet with its season-long Corvette entry.

“For all car manufacturers, the burgeoning Chinese market is now of huge significance," Leconte said. "That’s especially true of sportscar brands, be they Italian, German or American, with China becoming the second largest world market in terms of sales after the US.

"General Motors has therefore decided to support their only partner team in the ILMC by strengthening the No. 50 Corvette crew in Zhuhai with the addition of Olivier. It also demonstrates GM Racing’s commitment and links with Larbre Competition."

Leconte hasn't hidden his desire of fielding a second, all-pro, Corvette in the new FIA World Endurance Championship next year, potentially with factory drivers on loan.

The team's 2012 plans are expected to be finalized next month in Zhuhai.

[Shifty]

Nice....

[Shifty]

My browser's (Opera) "speed-dial" aka desktop:

[MOTV8]

Awww yeaaa boyyeeez...teh ILMC from muthafcukin Zhuhai! That's how we woll...

2011 Le Mans: The Zhuhai 6 Hours A Dream Final!

The effervescence is building up at the Zhuhai International Circuit. On Sunday, the Chinese track will host the final round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. A prestigious victory in the biggest car market in the world and the battle for the title in LM GTE are what’s at stake in the 2011 Zhuhai 6 Hours.

Just one race to go and Peugeot will be crowned 2011 ILMC manufacturers’ and teams’ champion. Mathematically speaking these two titles cannot escape the French make no matter what the result of its main rival, Audi, on Sunday at the end of the Zhuhai 6 Hours. But this race whets the appetite of the major manufacturers like almost no other: for them victory in China, now the biggest car market in the world, is of capital economic importance.

Nonetheless, neither Peugeot nor Audi, which have both entered two cars, can afford to trip up as the other entries in LM P1, Aston Martin , OAK Racing and Rebellion Racing, three teams ending their season on a high note are ready to take full advantage of any slip-ups of the part of the French and German cars.

Since Aston Martin’s return in September with its V12-engined prototype in a Lola chassis from the previous years, the British manufacturer has met with considerable success including victory at Laguna Seca (in the American Le Mans Series) followed by third place overall in the Petit Le Mans. Rebellion Racing won the Le Mans Series manufacturers’ title with its Lola-Toyota as well as scoring a telling fourth place overall at Silverstone. OAK Racing’s third and fifth places at Silverstone followed by fourth and seventh in the Petit Le Mans show the qualities of the Sarthe-based team after an unlucky start to the season. “We’ve all got great memories of this circuit,” smiles Jacques Nicolet, the OAK Racing boss who has entered three cars, two LM P1s and an LM P2, for the Chinese event. “In 2010 we finished on the topmost step of the podium in LM P2 and we clinched our ILMC title (in LM P2). It bodes well for the final round!” In addition, it is worth noting the exceptional presence of a Japanese Courage-Oreca LC70 entered by Tokai University.

Beyond the vital economic battle that will also rage in GTE, the Zhuhai 6 Hours will prove decisive for the attribution of the manufacturers’ and teams’ titles in LM GTE Pro. BMW is still in with a small chance of beating the leader, Ferrari. The German make has no choice but to go for victory as this season it has scored only one win, the Sebring 12 Hours, compared to its Italian rival’s five successes. Finishing on the podium, which BMW has done since the start of the championship, will not be enough unless it’s on the topmost steps! In the manufacturers’ classification Ferrari has a 28-point lead over its German rival, and in the teams’ ratings, AF Corse is only 14 points in front of BMW Motorsport. Dear Lord, puhleeeze let those Italian jobs win.

In LM GTE Am on the other hand, the Larbre Competition Corvette will not be under any pressure as Jack Leconte’s squad clinched the 2011 LM GTE Am Teams’ title at the Petit Le Mans. Corvette works driver Olivier Beretta will join the French team for this round, and will share the car with regulars Patrick Bornhauser and Julien Canal. The same applies to Signatech-Nissan, which also won the LM P2 championship title at Road Atlanta: its sole adversary will be the OAK Racing OAK Pescarolo.

At the end of the Zhuhai 6 Hours the curtain will fall on the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. In 2012, this series created in 2010 which has relaunched the concept of the international endurance challenge in sparkling fashion, will be replaced by the FIA World Endurance Championship, a much more detailed presentation of which will be given to the press in Zhuhai on Saturday 12th November at 12h30.

China increases its investment in motor sport even further

The Zhuhai International Circuit located right next to Macau and Hong Kong is the first track built in China for motor racing. It’s thanks to this circuit opened in 1996 that motor sport has been able to gain a foothold in the most highly-populated country in the world. The first ILMC finished in Zhuhai in 2010 with Peugeot and Ferrari winning the manufacturers’ trophies in prototypes and GT respectively. The strong local support from the government of the Guangzhou province and the Zhuhai municipality has been a major factor in the organization of the second running of this race.

Local teams will again be present in force in the 2011 Zhuhai 6 Hours. A Formula Le Mans and two Audi R8 LMSs in the GTC category in the hands of drivers from the Popular Chinese Republic, Hong Kong and Taiwan will carry Chinese colours. The GTC category will be reinforced by two more cars entered by Asian teams - the Japanese Audi R8 LMS from the Hitotsuyama squad and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 by the AMG China team. Not content to bring former F1 double champion Mika Häkkïnen out of retirement, the team has paired him up with local star, CongFu Chen, the first Chinese driver to race in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2008. China likes endurance; it is a popular branch of motor sport that is accessible to everybody as proved by the Drivers’ Parade organized for the first time in the centre of Zhuhai (1.3 million inhabitants).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

2nd Zhuhai 6 Hours, 2nd running

13th November 2011

Seventh and last round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

Circuit: Zhuhai Circuit (Guangdong, China), length 4,03 km.

Free practice: Friday 11th November from 10 h 30 to 12 h 00, then 15 h 00 to 16 h 00, Saturday 12th November from 10 h 15 to 11 h 15. A day of free practice will take place on Wednesday 9th November from 9h 00 to midday and then from 13 h 00 to 17 h 00.

Qualifying: Saturday 12th November from 14 h 15 to 15 h 10 (LM GTE Am, LM GTE Pro and GTC, 14 h 15 to 14 h 35, LM P1, LM P2 and FLM 14 h 50 to 15 h 10).

Warm-Up: Sunday 13th November from 8 h 00 to 8 h 20.

Race: Start of the Zhuhai 6 Hours, Sunday 13th November at 11 h 00.

Entries: 29 cars including 23 ILMCs.

ILMC field: 23 cars: 8 LM P1s, 2 LM P2s, 7 GTE Pros, 6 GTE Ams.

ILMC press conferences: pre race: Friday 11th November at 16 h 15, post qualifying: Saturday 12th November at 15 h 15, post race: Sunday 13th November immediately after the podium ceremony, 17 h 15 (approx).

FIA WEC press conference: Saturday 12th November at 12 h 30.

*The times given are local, seven hours ahead of France.

ILMC Classifications

(before the Zhuhai 6 Hours)

Manufacturers

LM P1: 1. Peugeot, 182 pts - 2. Audi, 108. Peugeot 2011 ILMC Champion*.

LM GTE: 1. Ferrari, 151 pts - 2. BMW, 123 - 3. Porsche, 105 etc.

Teams

LM P1: 1. Peugeot Sport Total, 97 pts - 2. Audi Sport Team Joest, 74 - 3. Team Oreca Matmut, 47 etc. Peugeot Sport Total 2011 ILMC Champion*.

LM P2: 1. Signatech Nissan, 79 pts - 2. Level 5 Motorsports, 57 - 3. OAK Racing, 50. Signatech Nissan 2011 ILMC champion*.

LM GTE Pro: 1. AF Corse, 99 pts - 2. BMW Motorsport, 85 - 3. Luxury Racing, 26 etc.

LM GTE Am: 1. Larbre Compétition, 79 pts - 2. Krohn Racing, 50 - AF Corse, 47 etc. Larbre Compétition 2011 ILMC Champion*.

*Subject to confirmation of the results by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

-Subject to deez nutz, frenchies...crown that Vette!

-and-

Peugeot dominates Intercontinental Le Mans Cup practice at Zhuhai

Friday, November 11th 2011, 11:56 GMT

Peugeot was quickest in both Friday practice sessions ahead of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup finale at Zhuhai in China.

Franck Montagny and Stephane Sarrazin led the way each time, followed by team-mates Sebastien Bourdais and Anthony Davidson.

The Audis were third and fourth, the Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish car ahead of the Timo Bernhard/Marcel Fassler entry in both sessions, although the lead Audi cut the gap to the front from 1.7 seconds in first practice to half a second later on.

Rebellion's Lola-Toyota was top petrol car in fifth.

BMW commanding the GTE-Pro class, with one-twos for Augusto Farfus/Jorg Muller and Andy Priaulx/Uwe Alzen in both sessions. The Stephane Ortelli and Frederic Makowiecki Luxury Ferrari was next up in the morning, before AF Corse's Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni took that position in the second session, despite Fisichella spinning into the gravel and causing a red flag.

The AMG China Mercedes that features Mika Hakkinen in its driver line-up led the GTC class all day, beating many of the GTE cars in the afternoon.

Practice one:

Pos Cl Drivers Team/Car Time

1. P1 Montagny/Sarrazin Peugeot 1m21.999s

2. P1 Bourdais/Davidson Peugeot 1m22.495s

3. P1 Kristensen/McNish Audi 1m23.608s

4. P1 Bernhard/Fassler Audi 1m24.312s

5. P1 Jani/Prost Rebellion Lola-Toyota 1m25.533s

6. P1 Lahaye/Moreau/Ragues Oak Pescarolo-Judd 1m25.973s

7. P1 Meyrick/Mucke/Primat AMR Lola Aston Martin 1m26.020s

8. P1 Nicolet/Premat/Pla Oak Pescarolo-Judd 1m26.324s

9. P2 Mailleux/Ordonez/Vernay Signatech -Nissan 1m30.309s

10. P2 Lafargue/da Rocha Oak Pescarolo-Judd 1m32.820s

11. P1 Shogo/Naoki Tokai Courage-ORECA 1m34.042s

12. GTE P Farfus/Muller BMW 1m34.680s

13. GTE P Priaulx/Alzen BMW 1m35.108s

14. GTE P Ortelli/Makowiecki Luxury Ferrari 1m35.519s

15. GTE A Krohn/Jonsson/Rugolo Krohn Ferrari 1m35.736s

16. FLM Chen/Shanqi PTRS FLM 1m35.814s

17. GTE P Fisichella/Bruni AF Ferrari 1m35.968s

18. GTE A Ehret/Mullen/Wills CRS Ferrari 1m36.178s

19. GTE A Giroix/Goethe Gulf Aston Martin 1m36.362s

20. GTE A Bornhauser/Canal/Beretta Larbre Corvette 1m36.370s

21. GTE A Lietz/Ried/Roda Proton Porsche 1m36.455s

22. GTE P Beltoise/Farnbacher/Firman Luxury Ferrari 1m36.631s

23. GTC Cheng/Arnold/Hakkinen AMG China Mercedes 1m36.930s

24. GTE A Cioci/Ma AF Ferrari 1m37.130s

25. GTC Tsuzuki/Kim/Van Dam Hitotsuyama Audi 1m37.167s

26. GTC Gruber/Lee/Tak Mak Race Experience Audi 1m37.473s

27. GTC Mortara/O'Young/Imperatori C Audi 1m37.616s

28. GTE P Rossiter/Mowlem/Heinemeier Jetalliance Lotus 1m38.154s

29. GTE P Slingerland/Rich/Rasmussen Jetalliance Lotus 1m39.147s

Practice two:

Pos Cl Drivers Team/Car Time

1. P1 Montagny/Sarrazin Peugeot 1m23.321s

2. P1 Bourdais/Davidson Peugeot 1m23.504s

3. P1 Kristensen/McNish Audi 1m23.860s

4. P1 Bernhard/Fassler Audi 1m24.389s

5. P1 Nicolet/Premat/Pla Oak Pescarolo-Judd 1m25.096s

6. P1 Jani/Prost Rebellion Lola-Toyota 1m25.929s

7. P1 Lahaye/Moreau/Ragues Oak Pescarolo-Judd 1m26.322s

8. P1 Meyrick/Mucke/Primat Lola Aston Martin 1m27.747s

9. P2 Mailleux/Ordonez/Vernay Signatech ORECA-Nissan 1m29.937s

10. P1 Shogo/Naoki Tokai Courage-ORECA 1m31.550s

11. P2 Lafargue/da Rocha Oak Pescarolo-Judd 1m32.522s

12. GTE P Farfus/Muller BMW 1m34.508s

13. FLM Chen/Shanqi PTRS FLM 1m34.686s

14. GTE P Priaulx/Alzen BMW 1m35.121s

15. GTE P Fisichella/Bruni AF Ferrari 1m35.716s

16. GTE A Krohn/Jonsson/Rugolo Krohn Ferrari 1m35.735s

17. GTC Cheng/Arnold/Hakkinen AMG China Mercedes 1m35.788s

18. GTE P Ortelli/Makowiecki Luxury Ferrari 1m35.971s

19. GTE A Bornhauser/Canal/Beretta Larbre Corvette 1m36.235s

20. GTE P Beltoise/Farnbacher/Firman Luxury Ferrari 1m36.315s

21. GTE A Ehret/Mullen/Wills CRS Ferrari 1m36.539s

22. GTE A Giroix/Goethe Gulf Aston Martin 1m37.003s

23. GTC Mortara/O'Young/Imperatori C Audi 1m37.255s

24. GTE A Lietz/Ried/Roda Proton Porsche 1m37.842s

25. GTE A Cioci/Ma AF Ferrari 1m38.200s

26. GTE P Rossiter/Mowlem/Heinemeier Jetalliance Lotus 1m38.296s

27. GTC Gruber/Lee/Tak Mak Race Experience Audi 1m38.988s

28. GTC Tsuzuki/Kim/Van Dam Hitotsuyama Audi 1m39.103s

29. GTE P Slingerland/Rich/Rasmussen Jetalliance Lotus 1m40.739s

-and-

FRESHLY Vadered pix, who loves you man???

This guy. No homo.

Maybe.

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/0bs02gyakK8gV/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/05pR9Nt8Nh4cU/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/08CR0Qa5I37II/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

What do you think of the Audi and the Benz? Hmmm? Hmm?!

[Shifty]

IS teh Benz going to join ALMS too?

[MOTV8]

IS teh Benz going to join ALMS too?

You can't answer a question with a question, silly wabbit.

Teh Benzo and teh little Audi normally run in euro GT3 series, but classified GTC for teh ILMC by teh ACO. QED, no ALMS, roflmfao.

[Shifty]

I'd like to see a few more marques represented in teh ALMS....

[MOTV8]

Good luck with that.

Those fcukin pricks.

Tehy really did it.

Petit Le Mans got the axe from the big boys' schedule. Le fcuk l'ACO.

Here's teh 2012 "WEC" schedule...you can click back thru some pages to read my posts explaining the WEC, it's just a new acronym jumble replacing the ILMC. Retards.

LE MANS: 2012 WEC Schedule Released

Eight-round global sportscar championship to include new rounds in Brazil, Japan and Bahrain...

Following much anticipation and speculation, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest unveiled the calendar for the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Eight rounds are on the schedule, featuring new events in Brazil, Japan and Bahrain, while Petit Le Mans is notably absent, but perhaps more importantly, conflicting with another WEC round.

The season will kick off at the 60th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March, the only shared event with the American Le Mans Series, before traveling to Spa-Francorchamps for the first of three consecutive races in Europe.

Following the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June and the Six Hours of Silverstone, moved to late August following the London Olympics, the WEC travels overseas to Brazil for the Six Hours of Sao Paulo at the famed Interlagos circuit before globe-trotting to Japan for a round at the Toyota-owned Mt. Fuji Circuit.

The biggest surprise comes with the inclusion of Bahrain, following political unrest caused the cancellation of this year's Formula One race in the Gulf region. The Oct. 20 date for Bahrain clashes with the Petit Le Mans.

The season will wrap up in China, at a yet-to-be-determined venue, either on Nov. 11 or Nov. 18. WEC director Gerard Neveau confirmed to SPEED.com that they're in negotiations between Zhuhai International Circuit, site of this weekend's ILMC finale, and the Shanghai International Circuit.

SPEED.com will have more from WEC director Gerard Neveau in today's notebook.

2012 FIA World Endurance Championship Schedule

March 17 - 60th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA)

May 5 - Six Hours of Spa (Belgium)

June 3 - Le Mans Test Day (France)

June 16-17 - 24 Hours of Le Mans (France)

Aug. 25 - Six Hours of Silverstone (UK)

Sept. 16 - Six Hours of Sao Paulo (Brazil)*

Sept. 30 - Six Hours of Mt. Fuji (Japan)

Oct. 20 - Six Hours of Bahrain (Bahrain)

Nov. 11/18 - Six Hours of China (TBA)

*Subject to confirmation

-and-

LE MANS: Peugeot Sweeps Front Row In Zhuhai

Anthony Davidson scores second consecutive ILMC pole; other class pole-sitters include Franck Mailleux (LMP2), Jorg Muller (GTE-Pro) and Tim Mullen (GTE-Am)...

Team Peugeot Total has been unbeatable since Friday's opening practice and the trend continued in qualifying, as the French Lions swept the front row for Sunday's Six Hours of Zhuhai.

Anthony Davidson claimed his third Intercontinental Le Mans Cup pole of the season, turning a 1:21.769 in his No. 7 Peugeot 908. Davidson edged out teammate Stephane Sarrazin by a mere 0.075 seconds to keep his 100 percent qualifying pole record this season.

"It was a good effort and a great challenge from my teammate," said Davidson, who will co-drive with Sebastien Bourdais. "Stephane Sarrazin did a really awesome job. I had to really fight to get back ahead of him. We've had good pace so far this weekend in our first lap performance. You could see the competition is slightly closer when it comes to race and looking after the tires. That will be a big thing tomorrow."

Audi's pair of R18 TDIs struggled to match the pace of the Peugeots all weekend, although Tom Kristensen came close to Davidson's pole time, turning a 1:22.038 that put the eight-time Le Mans winner third on the grid.

Marcel Fassler in the sister No. 1 Audi slotted in fourth, ahead of Neel Jani, quickest of the gasoline-powered LMP1s in fifth driving the No. 12 Rebellion Racing Lola B10/60 Toyota.

Franck Mailleux took his Signatech Nissan Oreca 03 Nissan to the pole in LMP2. The Frenchman laid down a best time of 1:27.929, over two seconds clear of the No. 35 OAK Racing Oak-Pescarolo Judd of Patrice Lafargue, the only other competitor in class this weekend.

Although facing limited competition, Mailleux and co-drivers JK Vernay and Lucas Ordonez will be fighting for the first outright victory of the year, despite having already clinched the ILMC class championship.

"We're still working on the setup because it's a difficult track at Zhuhai," Mailleux said. "It's now what we're used to. But I think it will be great tomorrow with a good fight. We will try to put in a really good pace."

BMW Motorsport will start Sunday from the pole in GTE-Pro, in what could be the German manufacturers' final race in full-season ILMC/WEC competition.

Jorg Muller stormed to the top of the time charts, turning a 1:34.506 lap time in his No. 55 BMW M3 GT. Winners of last year's race here, the Charly Lamm-led Schnitzer squad has clearly had the leg up all weekend thus far.

"We knew already from last year that our M3 and Dunlop tires were going to do well in China," Muller said. "I was surprised by the gap I had to the second car because Ferraris are always very close to us in practices. We can expect a really close race tomorrow. It's difficult because we really can't win the championship anymore but we'll be trying."

Gimmi Bruni made a late-session improvement to jump to second in class, denying Andy Priaulx of making it a BMW 1-2 in class. Priaulx's 1:34.992 lap time was enough for third.

Top qualifying honors in GTE-Am went to the No. 62 CRS Racing Ferrari F430 GT of Tim Mullen.

The British squad, which is competing in its final international race this weekend, edged out the No. 63 Proton Competition Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Richard Lietz by 0.050 seconds.

"We're super pleased to be on pole for the team's last race," Mullen said. "I'm really pleased for the team. It's a great start to the weekend. Hopefully we can have the same result tomorrow."

The 20-minute combined GT session saw the GTC-class Audis and Mercedes top the time charts overall, ahead of the GTE-Pro and GTE-Am class contenders. Edoardo Mortara's 1:34.777 lap time, though, held as the second quickest overall and enough for pole in the GTC class in his No. 98 Audi Sport China Racing R8 LMS.

Two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Hakkinen, no homo, making his sportscar racing debut, qualified third in class with a 1:35.296 in his Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3.

The Six Hours of Zhuhai, the grand finale of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, gets underway Sunday at 11 a.m. local (Saturday, 10 p.m. ET).

-and-

Unabated vadering....

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/0aoC27Ld3T1zo/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

[MOTV8]

LE MANS: Peugeot Dominates Zhuhai

Team Peugeot Total takes 1-2 in Intercontinental Le Mans Cup finale; other class winners include BMW Motorsport (GTE-Pro), Signatech Nissan (LMP2) and Proton Competition (GTE-AM)...

Despite facing an early race challenge from Audi, Sunday’s Intercontinental Le Mans Cup finale proved to be clear sailing for Team Peugeot Total, which scored a convincing victory in the Six Hours of Zhuhai.

The French Lions racked up another 1-2 finish, with the No. 7 Peugeot 908 of Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Bourdais taking a 38.651-second win over the sister No. 8 machine of Stephane Sarrazin and Franck Montagny in what was a race that came down to tire choice.

"We saw that the tires were not really switching on, possibly a bit of pick up," Davidson explained. "We lost a few positions early on but we didn't panic. We just changed the tires in the first stop and obviously put us out of sequence. But suddenly, the car just switched on. We were able to claw back quite a bit of time. It was very consistent throughout the rest of the race."

It was a dominant performance for Peugeot, which locked up its second consecutive ILMC title last month at Road Atlanta. But the story of the day in China came from yet another disappointing result from diesel arch rival Audi, which saw only one of its R18 TDIs finish.

Allan McNish put the No. 2 Audi out front early, but two separate incidents, both of which required stops to replace damaged bodywork, was curtailed with electrical issues that ended in retirement for McNish and co-driver Tom Kristensen with just over two hours remaining.

While the No. 1 entry of Timo Bernhard and Marcel Fassler showed reasonable pace, the duo were forced to settle for a third place finish, one lap behind the winning Peugeot.

Tires, as Fassler explains, played a significant role early on as grip levels dropped dramatically during his stint and forced him to surrender the lead to the Peugeot.

"I think the last 10 laps [of my stint] were quite frustrating for me because I could see how they could pull away. We lost too much for sure," Fassler said. "I think this was the key point. We tried something that was not working out. Unfortunately, we could not fight... for the victory."

The No. 12 Rebellion Racing Lola B10/60 Toyota of Neel Jani and Nicolas Prost ended up the best of the gasoline-powered LMP1s in fourth, ahead of the No. 24 OAK Racing Oak-Pescarolo Judd of Alexandre Premat, Olivier Pla and Jacques Nicolet, which rounded out the top-five, a further two laps back.

Signatech Nissan took an equally dominant win in LMP2, with its No. 26 Oreca 03 Nissan of JK Vernay, Franck Mailleux and Lucas Ordonez finishing 15 laps ahead of the No. 35 OAK Racing Oak-Pescarolo Judd in second, the only other competitor in class this weekend.

Both cars battled mechanical issues, a starter motor problem and broken headlight in the case of Signatech and suspension failure for OAK, but both managed to see the checkered flag. It marked Signatech's first outright victory in class, capping off its championship-winning season.

BMW Motorsport went out with a bang thanks to a 1-2 finish in GTE-Pro, but it wasn’t enough to deny AF Corse and Ferrari from taking the teams and manufacturers’ championships.

The pole-sitting No. 55 BMW M3 GT of Jorg Muller and Augusto Farfus came home one lap ahead of the Andy Priaulx and Uwe Alzen-driven No. 56 car, in what’s likely to be the final race for the Bavarian automaker in ILMC/WEC competition.

The duo drove a flawless race but battled back from a loose wheel nut during an early sop, which cost Farfus roughly 50 seconds.

"The rest of the race was a battle between the [Luxury] Ferrari and our sister car," said Muller, who notched back-to-back Zhuhai victories with the Schnitzer squad. "In the end, we were the lucky ones. We proved it in qualifying and again in the race. I had no problems in both of my stints."

After suffering brake problems in the opening hour, Giancarlo Fisichella and Gimmi Bruni soldiered home for a fifth place result in class aboard their No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia, giving them the teams’ title and Ferrari the manufacturers’ championship to go along with their titles in the European-based Le Mans Series.

The Amato Ferrari-led squad parked its F458 for most of the final hour, to ensure no incident, and rejoined with five minutes remaining to take the checkered flag.

The No. 59 Luxury Racing Ferrari of Fred Makowiecki and Stephane Ortelli was the best of the non-BMWs in third, while Lotus Jetalliance celebrated a season-high fourth with its No. 64 Lotus Evora GTE, due to AF Corse's strategic decision.

After an early battle with the No. 50 Larbre Competition Corvette C6.R, Proton Competition broke through to take the victory in GTE-Am. The No. 63 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Richard Lietz, Gianluca Roda and Christain Ried took over the point midway through and didn't look back.

Class champions Larbre Competition, featuring Corvette factory driver Olivier Beretta, came home second, ahead of the No. 57 Krohn Racing Ferrari F430 GT of Tracy Krohn, Nic Jonsson and Michele Rugolo, which completed the podium in third. It was enough for Krohn to finish second in the ILMC teams' championship.

The No. 98 Audi Sport Racing China Audi R8 LMS of Edoardo Mortara, Darryl O'Young and Alexandre Imperatori took top honors in GTC, while the PTRS Oreca FLM09, the only car competing in LMPC, recorded a 17th place finish overall.

With the international sportscar season now complete, all focus turns to the dawn of a new era next year, as the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup transforms into the FIA World Endurance Championship. The 60th annual Twelve Hours of Sebring will kick it all off on March 17, 2012.

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/01h48Wg1RdfkN/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/0aNK0up0tD1tx/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/045F19TbEn579/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/0eZdbBj9vn88o/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

[Shifty]

Nice on teh Olly...should there be a separate sticky for ILMC?

[MOTV8]

Nice on teh Olly...should there be a separate sticky for ILMC?

Nah...it's ovah. I just tacked it on here cuz of teh Olly/Larbre connection.

Maybe a WEC thread next year...if any vettes run it.

[Desertdawg]

Teh Audi looks mean, teh SLS looks ridicules with teh monster wing, but it has a nice stance... Hell even teh Lotus has a pretty damn good look too. I'm with teh "poster of teh" from Tucson, I want to see them in the ALMS too...