Enduro: Meo and Nambotin renewed their titles / Meo et Nambotin à nouveau titrés

Two months prior the final round of the 2013 World Enduro Championship in France, Antoine Meo (KTM) and Christophe Nambotin (KTM) both renewed their titles by winning the E1 and E3 class in Greece. Matthew Philips (Husqvarna Michelin) and Alex Salvini (Honda) will have to wait the French GP in St Flour, but both are leading their respective Junior and E2 class quite easily to be confident before the last round.

Avant même la finale du championnat du Monde d’enduro prévue dans deux mois en France, Antoine Meo (KTM) et Christophe Nambotin (KTM) ont tous deux reconduit leurs titres Mondiaux en s’imposant en Grèce dans les catégories E1 et E3. Pour Matthew Philips (Husqvarna Michelin) et Alex Salvini (Honda), il faudra patienter jusqu’à St Flour, une épreuve qu’ils aborderont nantis d’une confortable avance en Junior et en E2.

Antoine Meo (KTM) didn’t need to win again to secure his fourth consecutive title, but the Frenchman wanted to get this title with panache and claimed his fifth double win of the season in Greece! With a total of eleven on twelve possible wins, Antoine is stronger than ever and leads the Enduro scene. He beats twice in Greece his teammate Cristobal Guerrero (KTM), while Juha Salminen and Matti Seistola (Husqvarna Michelin) had both a tough weekend; twice fourth Matti is only two points behind Juha in the standings, and the final round in France will be open between the Finn riders.

Alex Salvini (Honda) is closer to his first ever World title, as he equalled reigning E2 champion this weekend and beats all his other rivals. Winner on Saturday for the second time this year, Pierre Alexandre Renet (Husaberg Michelin) lost the win on Sunday for three tenths of a second! Runner up and then winner, Salvini is now strongly leading his closest rival by thirty three points before the French round; Renet is the new runner up, as Ivan Cervantes finished only eighth on Saturday. We’ll have great racing in France for the runner up position, as Renet, Cervantes and Johnny Aubert (KTM) are tight within eleven points.

Winner of all the races since the third GP in Spain, Christophe Nambotin (KTM) also secured his title with a double win this weekend. The Frenchman got some help from fellow countrymen Mathias Bellino (Husaberg Michelin) and Fabien Planet (Sherco Michelin) very fast this weekend; Mathias got two other podium results with a third and a second position, while Fabien did his best performance this season with a second and a fifth place on his 300 Sherco. In their battle for the second position in the series, Aigar Leok (TM) beats Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg Michelin) and has now ten points more than the Swedish rider.

In the junior class Matthew Philips (Husqvarna Michelin) increase his leadership over Giacomo Redondi (KTM), but had to share the top results with Loic Larrieu (Husaberg Michelin) who got his first ever win during his sixth attempt in the WEC.

The final round of the series will take place in St Flour (France) on September 7^th and 8^th.

Antoine Meo (KTM) n’avait pas forcément besoin de victoires pour décrocher son quatrième titre consécutif, mais le Sudiste a tenu à y mettre la manière en signant son cinquième doublé de la saison ! Vainqueur de onze des douze journées, Antoine est au sommet de son art et règne sur l’enduro Mondial avec brio. Il s’est imposé en Grèce à son équipier Cristobal Guerrero (KTM) par deux fois son dauphin, Juha Salminen et Matti Seistola (Husqvarna Michelin) connaissant une baisse de rendement ; deux fois quatrième Matti n’est plus qu’à deux points de Juha qui n’a pu entrer dans le top cinq ce weekend, et la finale s’annonce âpre entre les deux Finlandais.

Alex Salvini (Honda) a fait un grand pas vers son premier titre en E2, en faisant jeu égal avec le champion du Monde en titre. Vainqueur samedi pour la seconde fois cette année, Pierre Alexandre Renet (Husaberg Michelin) a raté le doublé pour trois dixièmes de seconde dimanche ! Second puis vainqueur, Salvini aborde l’ultime ligne droite avec trente trois points d’avance sur Renet qui a profité de la contre performance d’Ivan Cervantes pour accéder à la seconde place du Mondial. La finale s’annonce disputée pour la place de vice champion, Renet, Cervantes et Johnny Aubert (KTM) n’étant séparés que par onze points.

Intouchable depuis le troisième GP de l’année en Espagne, Christophe Nambotin (KTM) a enchainé avec un quatrième doublé ce weekend et a donc reconduit son titre E3. Le Français a bénéficié d’un sérieux coup de main de ses compatriotes Mathias Bellino (Husaberg Michelin) et Fabien Planet (Sherco Michelin) très en verve ce weekend ; Mathias monte à deux reprises sur le podium avec une troisième et une seconde place, alors que Fabien réalise sa meilleure performance de l’année avec une seconde et une cinquième place sur la 300 Sherco. Dans leur duel pour la place de vice champion, Aigar Leok (TM) a pris l’ascendant sur Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg Michelin) et abordera la finale avec dix points d’avance.

Chez les juniors Matthew Philips (Husqvarna Michelin) a consolidé son leadership face à Giacomo Redondi (KTM), tout en partageant les honneurs avec Loic Larrieu (Husaberg Michelin) qui a signé son premier succès en Mondial dès son sixième enduro.

La finale du Mondial se jouera à St Flour (France) les 7 et 8 septembre prochains.

Classements provisoires :

E1 : 1.Meo (FRA, KTM), 231 (champion); 2.Salminen (FIN, Husqvarna Michelin), 169 ; 3.Seistola (FIN, Husqvarna Michelin), 167 ; 4.Remes (FIN, TM), 143 ; 5.Guerrero (ESP, KTM), 124….8.Boissière (FRA, Sherco Michelin), 94…10.Oldrati (ITA, Husaberg Michelin), 85 ; etc…

E2 : 1.Salvini (ITA, Honda), 223 ; 2.Renet (FRA, Husaberg Michelin), 190 ; 3.Cervantes (ESP, KTM), 183 ; 4.Aubert (FRA, KTM), 179 ; 5.Guerrero (ESP, KTM), 121 ; 6.Mena (ESP, Husaberg Michelin), 116 ; 7.Santolino (ESP, Husqvarna Michelin), 108 ; etc…

E3 : 1.Nambotin (FRA, KTM), 230 (champion) ; 2.Leok (EST, TM), 171 ; 3.Ljunggren (SUE, Husaberg Michelin), 161 ; 4.Correia (POR, Beta), 143 ; 5.Bellino (FRA, Husaberg Michelin), 113….7.Planet (FRA, Sherco Michelin), 99 ; etc…

Juniors : 1.Philips (AUS, Husqvarna Michelin), 215 ; 2.Redondi (ITA, KTM), 186 ; 3.McCanney (GBR, Gas Gas), 151 ; 4.Roman (ESP, Husaberg Michelin), 149 ; 5.Larrieu (FRA, Husaberg Michelin), 134 ; etc….

Vidéos :

Jour 1 :

Jour 2 :

Lotus to make C-01 motorcycle with 200hp engine

from TWOWHEESBLOG

British automaker Lotus is officially getting into the motorcycle business. The company famous for its racing cars and luxury automobiles has teamed up with former Volkswagen Group designer Daniel Simon, Germany’s Holzer Group and auto racing team Kodewa to form Lotus Motorcycles.

The compay was established to design and build the first motorcycle of the iconic car manufacturer. The bike will be named Lotus C-01 and according to the press release, it will reflect a combination of lifestyle, design and high end technology and manufactured with materials like carbon, titanium and aerospace quality steel (produced by RPC GmbH) and feature a 200 horsepower engine.

The Lotus C-01 will be designed by Daniel Simon. Simon, is a former designer for Bugatti Automobiles, has lately been responsible for some of the most sophisticated concept vehicles in Hollywood film history.

Amongst his most recognizable contributions are the ‘Lightcycle’ in the 2010 Disney motion picture ‘Tron: Legacy’ and the ‘Bubbleship’ used by Tom Cruise in the recent Universal Sci-Fi hit ‘Oblivion’. The German was also designing the famous black and gold livery of the Lotus LMP2 sports cars.

The designer says: “With the Lotus C-01, we have only one ambition: to create a unique state-of-the-art machine that carries its brutal forces with elegance and style, a high-tech monster in a tailored suit. The C-01, with all its top notch components and materials, is first and foremost emotional, heartbreaking, at times playfully retro, and always clearly a Lotus. Lotus is a glamorous name with a rich history, and the C-01 celebrates it proudly: the shapes of the marvelous Lotus 49 were a main inspiration, and all color schemes pay homage to iconic Lotus racing liveries, such as the dashing black and gold. The intersection of past and future never fails to fascinate, and so does the unique idea of the C-01.”

In the next few weeks, images of Lotus Motorcycles will be released and will give a first insight into what to expect from the new Lotus C-01.

And we can expect that the C-01 will be very, very expensive …

SUZUKI GN400 CUSTOM

By James McBride | Silodrome

This 1981 Suzuki GN400 is one of those increasingly rare custom motorcycles that was built for under $1,000—without actually looking like it was built for under $1,000. The donor bike was an old GN400 thumper that old friends Chris Errecart and Adam Bendig found on Craigslist; it wasn’t running, but it looked to be in salvageable condition. So they bought it for 200 clams and loaded it into the minivan.

Once the bike was back in the garage, the ten-week build process began. As with most customs, the first step was to strip the bike back to its bare essentials and toss anything that wasn’t needed. The frame was then detabbed and painted with Dupli-Color Bed Armor, a water-based, rubberized polyurethane coating designed to protect truck beds.

The engine was tweaked and the stock airbox was discarded in favour of a pod filter (which required the re-tuning of the carburetor). The front forks were internally lowered 3.5 inches and raised up the triple-tree to allow the addition of clip-on handlebars.

The seat unit was hand-made using sheet metal from Lowes, which was then padded with five layers of yoga mat and upholstered in a classic diamond pattern. The stock rear shocks were replaced with one-inch longer all-black units from MikesXS, and the stock instrument cluster was replaced with a 2.5-inch unit from Drag Specialties.

The tires were then added with a Firestone ANS 5.0-16 at the back and a Dunlop K70 4.5-18 up front. All of the electrics are now mounted to the underside of the seat pan, and the battery was replaced with a very small, sealed lead acid unit to keep the minimalist look.

It’s great to see sub-$1,000 custom bikes being built in enthusiasts’ garages—with the staggering number of cheap old motorcycles still available on Craigslist and eBay, low cost bikes are something I’d love to see catch on.

The finished GN400 is ridden almost daily by Adam and he has some road trips planned that will test the mettle of that yoga-mat saddle. He says that the bike is as reliable as gravity and he’s out on the B-roads whenever his understanding wife and three kids will allow.

All of the images here were taken by the remarkably talented Adam Bendig. He also shoots cars, motorcycle races, mountain bike races and just about everything else you can imagine. If you’d like to see more of his work, his website is worth a visit.

James McBride runs Silodrome, a website focussed on Gasoline Culture—covering cars, motorcycles, boats, gear, clothing, tools, films, gadgets and much more.

fromBIKEEXIF

FINAL REPORT DESAFIO RUTA 40 RALLY

KTM’s American rider Kurt Caselli on Saturday won the final stage of the Desafio Ruta 40 Rally in Argentina to clinch the overall victory. His factory teammates Chaleco Lopez of Chile and Marc Coma of Spain finished 2-3 to give KTm a clean sweep of the podium .

After more than 18 hours of competitive riding the winning margin between Caselli and Lopez, who led going into the final leg, was a mere 43 seconds. Caselli is a relatively new recruit to the KTM Factory Rally Team but is a very experienced offroad and Baja competitor for KTM USA. He was drafted in to the Dakar 2013 team when it became clear that title defender Marc Coma was unable to ride because of a lingering injury. His performance this week in what has been at times trying conditions underlined he has the skills and the speed to match the world’s best.

Lopez too was a very strong contender. He won stage five and had the job of opening the track on Saturday for what was a shorter timed special of just over one and a half hours in a loop track in and out of San Juan.

Coma, who lost a bundle of time in Stage Three due to a small technical problem, did well to salvage podium third. He finished 10.53 behind the leader on the overall standings to add valuable points to his world championship bid in 2013.

KTM Factory Team Manager Alex Doringer was thrilled with the outcome, saying: “The team did an amazing job, Marc fought back very hard and I am super pumped about how smart Caselli contested the Rally! With Chaleco on the podium, we see once more that a rally is always decided in the last days and there’s no point in celebrating until our riders are all across the finish line. I’m Very happy and we have made a big move toward victory in the World Rally Championship! We again proved who it is that is number one in this sport!

Photos by Rallyzone

In general it has been a tough outing for competitors with a number of weather-related delays and cancellations of parts of the timed specials and riders also encountered extremely cold conditions in the more than 3000km covered in the six stages.

The rally was not only part of the Dakar Challenge Series but also the fourth leg of the six round-FIM World Cross Countries Championship of which Coma is not only the title holder but has also won the first three rallies. He now has 73 championship points from a possible 120. The other two legs are in the Dos Sertoes in Brazil and the Pharaohs Rally in Egypt

Stage 6 Results
1, Kurt Caselli, USA, KTM, 1.31.17
2, Francisco Lopez, Chile, KTM, 1.32.35
3, Paulo Goncalves, Portugal, Speedbrain, 1.33.56
4, Javier Pizzolito, Argentina, Honda, 1.38.35
5, Marc Coma, Spain, KTM, 1.38.47
6, Pablo Quintanilla, KTM, 1.39.44
7, David Casteu, France, Yamaha, 1.42.03
8, Daniel Gouet, KTM, 1.42.34
9, Juan C. Salvatierra, Speedbrain, 1.46.08
9, Willie van Wessel, Honda, 1.46.08

Final Overall Results
1, Caselli, KTM, 18.10.20 (first international rally victory)
2, Lopez, KTM, 18.11.03
3, Coma, KTM, 18.21.13
4, Pizzolito 18.23.22
5, Casteu 18.26.01
6, Goncalves 18.28.06
7, Claudio Rodriguez, Honda, 19.19.14
8, Quintanilla 19.19.19
9, Salvatierra, 19.23.54

- See more at: http://blog.derestricted.com/racing/final-report-desafio-ruta-40-rally/#sthash.ofUxQyFO.dpuf

VESPALOGY

It's not an advertising, it's a graphic & groovy retrospective of Vespas from 1943 to 2013.
This is our tribute to Vespa. Just because we love Vespa.
Enjoy it! ;)

VESPALOGY from Nomoon on >Vimeo.

BMW R1200GS LC Conversion by Hornig

A German company Hornig announced a special upgrade kit new travel enduro BMW R1200GS 2013 for bike lovers. The official presentation of the motorcycle conversion was held by Hornig on July 5-7 to the BMW Motorrad riders at the “BMW Motorrad Days 2013″ in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. However, a few weeks before the premiere, the company decided to introduce a few photos and a fairly detailed video.

First of all, conversion Hornig aimed at improving the safety and comfort of the rider: corporate whistle Hornig Nautilus, the arc to protect virtually all of the key components of the motorcycle, wide mirrors, protecting propeller shaft, thoughtful mount GPS on the speedometer (Garmin or TomTom) and other useful details ( including Remus HexaCone Titanium exhaust with removable db-Eater).

via BIKEGLAM

MOBY 1 Compact / Cycle Teardrop Trailer

The C2 is our compact/cycle trailer, perfect behind a bike or small cars too!  We are currently re-engineering this model to be even better.  It is a short body trailer at 80″ long with the body the full length of the mattress.  It’s light weight provides all the joys and fun that are embodied in teardrop trailers.  Starting less than 300lbs, its low curb weight makes it perfect for a motorcycle or even a sub-compact car.  The C2 pulls so fantastic behind a motorcycle you won’t even notice it is there.  Your weaves and carves will be just as smooth and effortless as before but with the comfort and protection of a hard sided trailer and a convenient galley.

We have two widths available, 40″ and 48″. This model has a half galley with cabinets and a countertop workspace for cooking and cleanup, and interior cabinets in the cabin for storage of clothing and gear. The C2 has rim sizes available from 12″ to 15″ and available with low profile tires for a sporty let’s go attitude.

As with all our models we will custom fit your trailer to your needs and desires.

Prices starting at $6,500

Moby1 Expedition Trailers

Porsche and Le Mans – past, present and future / Porsche au Mans : passé, présent et avenir

With a score of 16 victories to its name, Porsche boasts the best winning record at Le Mans. For the 90th anniversary race, the German make is back as a factory team, and will return with an LMP1 car in 2014, 16 years after its most recent success.

Avec 16 victoires aux 24 Heures du Mans, Porsche est le constructeur le plus titré dans la Sarthe. Pour le 90e anniversaire de la course mancelle, Porsche est officiellement de retour, avant de revenir en catégorie LMP1 en 2014, 16 ans après son dernier succès.

In addition to 16 wins, 50 podium finishes, 16 pole positions and 14 fastest race laps, Porsche holds other records at Le Mans, like the fastest average lap speed (251.815kph, Stuck, 1985, Porsche 962), plus the qualifying records in LMP2 and LMGTE Am round the current track.

Porsche has also been represented at the French race for an unbroken spell of 62 years since 1951, by 753 cars, 367 of which (49%) were at the finish. In 1971, 33 of the 49 cars on the grid were Porsches and, in 1983, the firm enjoyed an unrivalled top-eight finish! In 1982, it won every class!

Since 1951, 57* different models have taken class victories, and Porsche was also the first to race a flat-six engine at Le Mans (in 1965), a flat-12 engine (1969), a mixed petrol/ethanol engine (1980), a turbocharged engine (1974) and all-wheel drive (1986).

Since the triumph of the Porsche 356 of Veuillet/Mouche in the 751cc/1,100cc class in 1951, Porsche’s name has been intimately linked with that of Le Mans. In 1970, Ferry Porsche, son of founder Ferdinand Porsche, was invited to be official race-starter, the year the make secured its first victory in La Sarthe.

Its most recent victory (a one-two, in fact) dates back to 1998 (Porsche GT1/Michelin, McNish/Aiello/Ortelli). Fifteen years later, the German carmaker is back in an official capacity with two new Porsche 911 RSR/Michelins which will allow the team to train ahead of its entry with a hybrid prototype in 2014. The car made its track debut recently in Weissach, Germany. “It’s definitely a Porsche,” says Romain Dumas, one of the two drivers already confirmed for next year. “Its finish is impeccable but I can’t say any more than that for the moment. This weekend, our mission is to win the LMGTE Pro battle.”

This year, the make is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of its signature model, the Porsche 911. To mark the occasion, a number of international Porsche owner clubs have made the pilgrimage to Le Mans. There are 75 ‘official’ clubs worldwide (in partnership with Michelin) incorporating some 181,000 members.

Outre ses 16 victoires, 50 podiums, 16 poles et 14 meilleurs tours en course, Porsche détient différents records aux 24 Heures du Mans, comme celui de la meilleure vitesse moyenne au tour (251,815 km/h, Stuck en 1985 sur Porsche 962), deux records en qualif (catégorie LMP2 et LMGTE Am) sur le circuit actuel…

Porsche est aussi le constructeur le plus assidu des 24 Heures avec 62 années de présence ininterrompues depuis 1951, 753 voitures engagées pour 367 à l’arrivée (49%). En 1971, 33 des 49 voitures au départ étaient des Porsche. En 1983, Porsche a réussi un octuplé au Mans, du jamais vu ! En 1982, Porsche a carrément remporté toutes les catégories !

Depuis 1951, on a recensé 57* modèles différents ayant remporté leurs catégories. Porsche fut également un pionnier au Mans avec la 1^ère victoire d’un moteur 6 cylindres à plat (1965), d’un moteur 12 cylindres à plat (1969), d’un moteur alimenté en carburant mixte essence/éthanol (1980), d’un moteur turbo-compressé (1974), d’une transmission intégrale (1986).

Depuis la victoire de la Porsche 356 de Veuillet/Mouche en catégorie 751-1100cm³ en 1951, l’histoire sportive de Porsche s’est écrite aux 24 Heures du Mans. En 1970, Ferry Porsche, fils de Ferdinand Porsche fondateur de la marque, a eu le privilège de donner le départ de l’épreuve. De bon augure puisque cette année-là, Porsche a remporté la course mancelle pour la première fois.

La dernière victoire (doublé) au général remonte à 1998 avec la Porsche GT1/Michelin de McNish/Aiello/Ortelli. Quinze ans plus tard, Porsche est officiellement de retour dans la Sarthe. L’engagement de deux nouvelles Porsche 911 RSR/Michelin doit permettre à l’équipe de se roder pour 2014 et le retour de la marque avec un prototype hybride qui vient d’effectuer sa première sortie sur la piste privée de Weissach. « C’est bien une Porsche » reconnaît Romain Dumas, un des deux pilotes désignés pour la piloter en 2014. « Tout est bien pensé dans les moindres détails, la finition est impeccable… Mais je n’en dirais pas plus aujourd’hui. Pour l’instant, on a pour mission de gagner en LMGTE Pro. »

Le retour de Porsche au Mans ce week-end coïncide également avec le 50^e anniversaire de la Porsche 911, modèle phare de la marque. A propos des « Porschistes », différents clubs Porsche internationaux se retrouvent traditionnellement aux 24 Heures du Mans. Porsche compte 75 clubs « officiels » (en partenariat avec Michelin) et quelque 181 000 membres à travers le monde.

(*) class-winning Porsche models at Le Mans:

Porsche 356 - 550 - RS 550 A - RSK - 1600 GS - 965 GS - RS61 - 718/8 - 904 GTS - 904/6 - 906/6 - 911 S - 906 LH - 906 - 907/6 - 907/8 - 911 T - 908 - 910 - 908/02 - 917 K - 914/6 - 917 LH - 907 - 917 K - 917 S - Carrera RSR - Carrera Turbo - Carrera RS - Carrera S - 936 - 935 - Carrera - 934 - 936/78 - 935 K3 - 911SC - 936/81 - 924GTR - 924 GTP LM - 956 - 934T - 924 GTR - 930 - 962 C - 961 - 962 LM - TWR WSC 95 - 911 GT1 - 911GT2 - 911 GT1 98 - 996 GT3 - 911GT3 R - 911 GT3 RS - 996 GT3 RSR - 911 (997) GT3 RSR - RS Spyder.

RM to sell Laidlaw's Le Mans Legends in London

Now in its seventh year, RM’s London auction is one of the largest and finest in Europe. This year’s sale will see the inclusion of no fewer than three 1960s Le Mans entries, all sourced from the highly respected Laidlaw competition car collection.

---

1965 Porsche 904/6

Their popularity as collection centrepieces mean classic Porsches with racing histories are becoming increasingly rare in the market. As a factory car, this 904/6 is more significant still; it not only competed in the 1965 Le Mans race, but also took sixth in the Nürburgring 1000km of the same year. Come auction weekend (7-8 September), we expect authenticity and history will once again prove invaluable when the hammer drops. 

---

1960 Maserati Tipo 61 'Birdcage'

Thanks to its rarity, giant-killing competition history and the revolutionary tubular construction which gave it the ‘Birdcage’ nickname, the little Maserati Tipo 61 can consider the likes of D-types and Testa Rossas as its peers. This ex-Scuderia Camoradi car competed in the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hours, having placed fifth in the Nürburgring 1000km a month earlier in the talented hands of Masten Gregory and Gino Munaron.

---

1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Berlinetta Competizione by Scaglietti

Of this trio of Le Mans cars, the ex-Ecurie Francorchamps Ferrari 275 GTB/C enjoyed the most success at La Sarthe, placing 10th overall in the 1966 race and winning the Mont Ventoux Hillclimb that same year. Opportunities to acquire genuine Le Mans Ferraris come few and far between, so expect some lively bidding in Battersea come September.

Related Links A preliminary list of the lots at RM's sale in Battersea, London can be found atrmauctions.com.

Text: Joe Breeze (Classic Driver)
Photos: RM Auctions

Le Mans in 2023

In 10 years’ time, the world’s greatest endurance race will celebrate its centenary edition. What sort of grid can we look forward to in 2023? We put the question to a number of Le Mans personalities.

Can you imagine magnetic levitation prototypes through the Porsche Curves? Or solar-powered GT cars having to settle for a slow top-speed down the Mulsanne Straight in the hours of darkness? None of the people we quizzed at the circuit mentioned either of these solutions…

We started by speaking to the ACO’s president, Pierre Fillon: “Good question. I think we will see a mix of GT cars and prototypes, of course, because that’s a Le Mans tradition we don’t want to lose. I also believe we will see some advanced technology as the engineers use their skill and foresight to extract the most from the 2014 regulations which have been developed to encourage innovation. No doubt we will see new hybrid systems. I think the next seven or eight years will be dominated by hybrid powertrains and, in 10 years’ time, maybe we will see a fuel cell car capable of winning Le Mans…”

Allan McNish says that the future is now: “In the space of seven years, we have seen the arrival of diesel technology, then diesel/electric and petrol/electric hybrids, and there’s an electric car due next year. Things are moving faster and faster. Perhaps the race will be quieter and greener, with increasingly energy-efficient cars. We will also see a simulator-generation of drivers. Tom and I will obviously have joined Dindo in retirement! Things will change for the spectators, too. The older fans will continue to make the pilgrimage, but the youngsters will love the race and its technology, too. My son will be 18 and I’m sure he will be very interested in hybrid, electric and fuel cell technologies.”

“I just want lots of power, whether it comes from electricity or a hybrid engine; I want to be there for the first sub-three minute lap at Le Mans,” quipped Alexander Wurz.

“It will probably be very quiet,” added his Toyota team-mate Anthony Davidson. “I suppose I will be able to hear the spectators crack open their beer cans at the start! Seriously, I think we will see five or six manufacturers challenging for victory in a bid to showcase their technologies.”

The engineers took their time before answering: “Yes: hybrids, plug-in systems, fuel cells, as well as biomass gas. Respect for the environment will be a big parameter. In 2003, we were already looking at diesel engines, but we certainly weren’t thinking in terms of hybrid technology at that time at Audi,” said Audi’s Technical Director Dr Martin Mühlmeier.

Toyota Racing boss Pascal Vasselon doesn’t believe in 100% electricity: “I think endurance racing will be the last discipline where electric cars will be able to rival with other types of car. That said, I think we will see some very advanced hybrid cars, or even fuel cell vehicles.”

In a way, the ACO Sports Director Vincent Beaumesnil could influence the trend: “Globally, the classes will be what they are today, and as they were in 2003. We will have LMP1s, LMP2s, plus ‘pro’ and ‘privateer’ GT cars. We are looking for a certain stability with regard to the chassis. The 2014 regulations, which are intended to cover a period of at least three years, leave scope for real technological evolutions. Electric technologies, fuel cell hybrids will develop very quickly. The manufacturers appreciate this opportunity and some will be prepared to take risks. After all, diesel/electric hybrids were little more than an abstract concept just five years ago…”

“The ACO has a clear, intelligent vision. This event has a great past and a fine future. Races will be decided by tiny details. They will be closer, more intense and more popular than ever. High technology will not detract from the spirit of Le Mans. On the contrary,” concluded Tom ‘Mr Le Mans’ Kristensen.

good night