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[EwanM]

One part of a fantastic weekend of motorsport ahead.
Who will be watching? Will Peugeot be able to win again or will Audi have sort out its problems in time for the plus to shine. I noticed they were experimenting in Spa so it may be on.

What about Gt1? Is it a year too early for BMW or will they be able to stop the Chevvies?

Eurosport's coverage has expanded again this year - fantastic commitment from the broadcaster.

It's going to be a good one!

[7UpJordan]

I'm going to attempt an all-nighter. Mansell FTW!!!

[EwanM]

The #1 Pug is going to be a tough cookie, although if things go well the Oreca-ran car may also be in the mix.

Given the inexperience of the other two line-ups, The 3-legends line-up at Audi will be expected to bring it home.

[IceManpjn]

I'm hoping to see the R15 Plus back out in front. I don't really know why exactly but I've always favored the Audis (R8, R10 TDI, and now the R15 TDI). The 908 kicked the R15's nuts last year but I'm hoping the R15 Plus will overcome the 908 this year.

[Capt. Furious]

Hey guys,1st post here. This years race will be awesome!! I really cant see anyone getting close the #1 pug, their speed over the last two years has been phenomenal & the drivers(Wurz,Gene & Davidson) are just too strong. Barring accident or mechanical failure they will win again + Audi have had abit too much success & i like seeing them get beat.

Anyway im hoping the Aston Martins pull off a clean sweep of all 4 classes.......... even though they only entered 3!!!

[EwanM]

Practice and qualifying all live on British Eurosport. Going to be geed

Anyone watched 24 minutes on Eurosport this week?

[bud]

Just watching the practice live on Eurosport, I'm impressed it's on down here! Greg Mansell looks like me!

[7UpJordan]

Just watching the practice live on Eurosport, I'm impressed it's on down here! Greg Mansell looks like me!

And sounds like his old man Nigel as well.

[EwanM]

With the free practice session ending at 20.00 the fastest times by class were:



LMP1 No 2 Peugeot 3:20.034

LMP2 No 26 HPD ARX 3:38.691

GT1 No 52 Aston Martin 3:56.839

GT2 No 64 Corvette 4:00.888



Car No 2 completed most laps (57) and Car No 19 the least - only 2 laps, after stopping early on in the session.

[EwanM]

Peugeot leads early practice running

By Stuart Codling Wednesday, June 9th 2010, 15:17 GMT


Peugeot's fleet of 908 diesels set the pace in the opening hour of practice at Le Mans while Audi stuck to a methodical working pattern, leaving the Peugeot drivers to out-do each other at the top of the timesheet.

The Peugeots were among the first to leave the pitlane and the #2 car driven by Nicolas Minassian was straight on the pace, setting a 3m35.219s on its third flying lap before returning to the garage. Anthony Davidson then took up the attack in the #1 908, hitting 3m33.000s and then 3m29.422s.

Audi made a more cautious start, sending both works cars out for installation laps before bringing them back in for close examination. Tom Kristensen emerged again 40 minutes into the session and went second fastest in the #7 R15 Plus with a time of 3m29.654s, only to be pushed down to third when Olivier Panis put the ORECA Peugeot fastest with a 3m28.450s.

Simon Pagenaud then sliced a further two seconds off the fastest time in the #3 Peugeot. At the turn of the hour Kristensen emerged again and posted a 3m27.885s, followed by Fassler in the #8 car with a 3m27.365s.

There were mixed fortunes for the petrol-powered LMP1 cars. Jean-Christophe Boullion was second fastest in the Rebellion Lola B10/60 in the early running, lapping in 3m33.469s. As the faster diesels improved their times they pushed the Rebellion car down the list, and then the two Aston Martins demoted it from the top ten. The ORECA-AIM Courage halted with a battery problem as it left the garage before essaying its first lap.

In LMP2, Danny Watts set the benchmark time in the Strakka HPD ARX.01c. His 3m40.245s fastest lap was three seconds clear of the team's nearest rival, the HPD-powered #25 RML Lola.

Christoffer Nygaard led the GT1 field for Aston Martin with a fastest time of 3m59.221s. The Ford GTs continue to circulate despite fears that their ECU programming may cause engine damage when the pitlane speed limiter is engaged; the VDS entry driven by Bas Leinders, Markus Palttala and Eric de Doncker is the fastest Ford, on 4m01.665s.

Chevrolet leads an exceptionally competitive GT2 field. Oliver Gavin brought the #64 Corvette round in 4m03.266s. Jan Magnussen set the #63 car's fastest time of 4m03.414s, just over a second quicker than Mika Salo in the AF Corse Ferrari. The Felbermayr Porsche was just under four tenths off, driven by Marc Lieb.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/84251

[scotty]

My support goes to the Mansells, the Wurz/Gene/Davidson car and Alesi/Fisi's team in GT2.

[7UpJordan]

Mansell(s)-mania all the way, it'll be like the good old days...

[scotty]

They're dropping GT1 next year, what the chuff? That's really lame!

[EwanM]

They're dropping GT1 next year, what the chuff? That's really lame!

The GT1 world championship has brought the end to the class in Le Mans. I think that they needed to do something to the GT class, i'm not sure that this was it though.

The reintroduction of the official test is a good move though.

[Capt. Furious]

Well the Mansell's are out & Nigel is on his way to hospital with a leg/both legs injured,not too many details available yet? Feel really bad for the team & the amount of work they put in to make the start, just to be retired after 10 minutes of racing...... poor guys,appently a left rear tire failure was the cause.