The new LMP1 regulations require a 25-30% reduction in fuel consumption to the levels used by the LMP1 cars last year and, for some, the concern was that this would mean a much slower pace and much less exciting ‘show’.
The track action yesterday, particularly in qualifying, proved conclusively that that isn’t the case. The new breed of LMP1s are super quick, almost matching the times seen with the 2013 cars last year on pace even though the track was not quite fully dry, and the final (and fastest) laps were being turned in near full darkness.
With a mix of aerodynamic solutions employed by the teams, the speed trap figures varied dramatically from the full Le Mans aero specification being used by the No.14 Porsche 919 Hybrid - which saw a top speed in free practice of 311 km/h (193 mph) before the braking point for Les Combes - down to the slowest of the factory cars in a straight line, the No.2 Audi at 284 kmh.
One of the talking points in the paddock and further afield is the dramatic difference between the way that the cars extract very similar lap times. The Porsches are massively fast in a straight line here, at times over a second faster in the first sector, but the Audis are grabbing all of that time back, and more at times, in the tighter, twistier sections in sector two of the 7km track.
Rapidly changing track conditions saw a bewitching combination of fast cars, clever teams and truly great driving produce a qualifying session to match anything seen anywhere in the sport. Marc Lieb’s last gasp effort with a lap of 2:00.334 snatched the advantage back from the Toyotas which had, until then, been dominant.
With bright sunshine greeting the teams on race morning, the pace for this afternoon’s race is set to be quick. Efficiency might be the watchword for the rules but, thanks to the genius of the engineering teams behind the new breed of super sportscar hybrids, the racing is set to be as fiercely contested as ever.
Graham Goodwin
