As the excitement builds towards the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, fans of endurance racing will have a chance to make their voice heard about the sport. Photo by: Motorsport.com Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), Le Mans Endurance Management, promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and Motorsport Network today launched the 2023 Global FIA WEC Fan Survey, aimed at capturing the views of racing fans around the world towards the sport. The survey will operate in 11 languages across Motorsport Network ’s flagship Motorsport.com website, with data analysis from motorsport data specialist Iris Sport. Announcing the global fan survey in Le Mans, FIA WEC CEO Frédéric Lequien , said, “The fans around the world make our sport what it is. On this historic race weekend, as we celebrate 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and welcome the new Hypercar era, we want to understand what our fans think and how they value the WEC. It is … [Read more...] about FIA WEC and Motorsport Network team up to launch Global WEC Fan Survey
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What are LMH and LMDh? The top Le Mans 24 Hours series explained
That’s two different rulebooks to which a manufacturer can build a car for the top category of the series. So on the 16-stong Hypercar entry for Le Mans this year there are nine LMHs and six LMDhs. What is LMH and LMDh? LMH stands for Le Mans Hypercar, a rulebook that has been in force in the WEC since 2021. LMDh is new for 2023, but you’ll never see the name written out, it’s not officially an acronym. But it is easy to guess what the letters mean given that the class was formulated by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest at Le Mans and IMSA based at Daytona in the USA. That little ‘h’ on the end refers to the fact that these cars, like their LMH rivals, incorporate hybrid technology. The two types of car are very different in some respects, but actually very similar in others. What’s the difference? LMH allows a manufacturer to design and develop its own car from top to tail - or rather from the nose to the tail. That includes all elements of the hybrid system, which, if … [Read more...] about What are LMH and LMDh? The top Le Mans 24 Hours series explained
Honda Dio H-Smart Priced At Rs 77,712 – Bookings Open
Home Two wheelers oi-Dennis Abraham James By Dennis Abraham James Published: Thursday, June 8, 2023, 20:11 [IST] Japanese two-wheeler giant Honda has revealed the price of the all-new Dio H-Smart on its website while also opening bookings for the scooter. The Honda Dio H-Smart is priced at Rs 77,712 (ex-showroom). The leaked prices on the Japanese firm's website also revealed that Honda had raised the prices for the base 'Standard' and 'Deluxe' variants of its sporty 110cc scooter offering. The increase in prices is due to the fact that the updated Honda Dio is compliant with the new OBD-2 emission norms. The new norms came into effect in April. The new Honda Dio lineup starts at Rs 70,211 for the Standard variant while the Deluxe is priced at Rs 74,212. Prices for both variants have risen by Rs 1,586 (variant prices mentioned are ex-showroom). The new H-Smart variant of the Dio is expected to follow in the footsteps … [Read more...] about Honda Dio H-Smart Priced At Rs 77,712 – Bookings Open
Ferrari locks out front row on its return to the top flight at Le Mans · RaceFans
Ferrari secured a front row lock-out in hyperpole qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hours, claiming their first pole in the famous race in half a century. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The number 50 Ferrari shared by Antonio Fuoco – who drove the pole-winning lap – Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen will start famous 24-hour endurance race from the front of the field, ahead of their team mates in the number 51 car. Toyota will start third on the grid with the number eight car, ahead of the number 75 Porsche Penske. The half-hour hyperpole session, unlike other rounds of the World Endurance Championship, saw all classes on the track at the same time. After Wednesday’s qualifying session, the eight hypercars participating included both Toyotas, both Ferraris, two Cadillacs – the number two and number three – and two Porsche Penskes, the number five car and number 75. The Toyotas were the first cars over the line to begin their first flying laps of the session … [Read more...] about Ferrari locks out front row on its return to the top flight at Le Mans · RaceFans
Le Mans 24h: Ferrari locks out 1-2 ahead of Toyota in third practice
Toyota had seemed set to return to the top of the Le Mans timesheets for the first time since opening practice on Wednesday with Kamui Kobayashi heading the majority of the session. However, a late 3m26.579s from Antonio Fuoco in the #50 499P LMH smashed Kobayashi's best by almost a second. And, with eight minutes to go, Alessandro Pier Guidi set a 3m27.013s lap to go second, despite the #51 Ferrari having spent the first half of the three-hour session in the pits. The Toyota GR010 HYBRIDs were denied the chance to respond as a late full-course yellow, when Manuel Maldonado went off, hampered any further late improvements. Instead, Kobayashi had to settle for third in the #7 Toyota. Mathieu Jaminet in the #75 Porsche 963 LMDh was the initial pacesetter on a 3m28.454s but was soon usurped by the two Toyotas. Kobayashi claimed top spot with a 3m27.822s in the #7 car, before Sebastien Buemi went second in the sister #8 machine on 3m27.879s. However, Kobayashi … [Read more...] about Le Mans 24h: Ferrari locks out 1-2 ahead of Toyota in third practice
Le Mans 24h: Ferrari locks out front row, Cadillac suffers fire
Fuoco paced the 30-minute session, featuring the fastest eight cars from Wednesday's first qualifying, with a best time of 3m22.982s at the wheel of the 499P he shares with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen . Both of the Ferrari LMHs jumped to the top of the timesheets early on, with Alessandro Pier Guidi initially leading the way on a 3m23.987s in the #51 car ahead of Fuoco in the sister #50 entry. Pier Guidi then improved to a 3m23.478s, which was scrubbed for a track limits infringement, before Fuoco upped the ante by posting the first sub-3m23s effort of the week so far, outpacing his team-mate by 0.773s despite getting baulked by a GTE Am Ferrari exiting Indianapolis. That time remained the benchmark when the session was red-flagged with five minutes left on the clock as a result of Cadillac driver Sebastien Bourdais stopping at the first chicane after suffering a dramatic fire. Bourdais was able to escape the smouldering #3 Cadillac V.Series-R unscathed, having … [Read more...] about Le Mans 24h: Ferrari locks out front row, Cadillac suffers fire
Le Mans 2023 starting grid: What is the grid order for the iconic 24 hour race?
The drivers have all put in their best efforts over one lap, and the grid for Le Mans 2023 has now officially been set as the world’s most iconic endurance race celebrates its 100th anniversary. Qualifying on Wednesday saw the top eight cars in each class qualify for Hyperpole on Thursday night, which set up the battle for pole in each category for Le Mans 2023 ahead of the Centenary running of the legendary 24-hour race. In Hypercars, the long-dominant Toyota team, piloted by ex-F1 drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Brendon Hartley in qualifying, have got a serious challenge on their hands if they are to retain their stranglehold on the race this year. Ferrari, on their factory return to the top class after over 50 years away, qualified first and second for the big race, and by a healthy margin. The race itself will begin on Saturday 10 June at 4pm local time at the Circuit de la Sarthe (3pm BST). PlanetF1.com recommends Le Mans 24 Hours: The 18 ex-Formula 1 drivers to look out … [Read more...] about Le Mans 2023 starting grid: What is the grid order for the iconic 24 hour race?
WEC 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours starting grid · RaceFans
Ferrari will lead the grid for the 100th anniversary Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend with its pair of 499P prototypes. Here is the full grid following the qualifying and hyperpole sessions. Pos No. Class Team Car Drivers Time 1 50 Hypercar (H) Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P Antonio Fuoco/Miguel Molina/Nicklas Nielsen 3’22.982 2 51 Hypercar (H) Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P Alessandro Pier Guidi/James Calado/ Antonio Giovinazzi 3’23.755 3 8 Hypercar (H) Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 Sebastien Buemi / Brendon Hartley /Ryo Hirakawa 3’24.451 4 75 Hypercar (H) Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 Felipe Nasr /Mathieu Jaminet/Nicholas Tandy 3’24.531 5 7 Hypercar (H) Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 Mike Conway/ Kamui Kobayashi /Jose Maria Lopez 3’24.933 6 2 Hypercar (H) Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R Earl Bamber/Alex Lynn/Richard Westbrook 3’25.170 7 5 … [Read more...] about WEC 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours starting grid · RaceFans
In-season testing to return in 2014 · RaceFans
In the round-up: In-season testing is set to to return in 2014. Links Your daily digest of F1 news, views, features and more. Four in season test sessions return in expanded 2014 F1 calendar (James Allen on F1) “The package envisages the end of the Young Drivers test session, a reduction in straight line aerodynamic test days from eight to two, while promotional days are also cut to two. In their place, the F1 teams will remain in place for a two day test with one car after four European Grands Prix. Barcelona and Silverstone will be two of the venues. Eight of the eleven teams voted for the new measures which meant that it had the majority required to pass.” Hamilton admits braking affected race (Autosport) “We haven’t cured anything. It has been a long period of time since Barcelona where there was big trouble there. We have picked up a couple of techniques and worked on it, which helps.” Title fight wide open – Red Bull (BBC) “While the points look … [Read more...] about In-season testing to return in 2014 · RaceFans