Le Mans 2022

[Brian 162]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

The #64 'Vette was looking good to win LMGTE Pro until this bit of stupid driving happened...



The #91 Porsche won the class, which was gratifying after the woman in the #51 Ferrari's garage was shown clapping as she watched the feed. The #51 was running in 2nd at the time, but went into the lead after the crash.

I saw that to and thought the same thing

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

Jeez - the guy made a mistake in the heat of a long race with the so-so vis you get in a P2 car,

Yes, but he had breaks and it is assumed he wasn't dog tired. If you're gonna race at a high level anywhere, IMO you have a massive responsibility to be on your toes and not go for such a risky pass if you're not going to be extra careful and extra aware of where you are in relation to the cars around you. He wasn't any of that. I call BS on his "I thought I was past him."

If you or Perrodo are going to cite so-so vision in the car, I'm coming back with, "well, then use your mirror to make sure you're past him." He was focused so much on not getting hit from the right, he lost perspective of where he and the 'Vette were.

And the blue car wasn't coming in on him that much, IMO... but that's easier seen from the race video than from inside his car. I still believe he panicked and over corrected while losing situational awareness.

Originally Posted by Deschodt

and upon return to the pits he immediately ran to the corvette team to apologize to each-and-every-member in person. No excuses.

It was a classy move, but I wouldn't say it qualified as "no excuses" since he was claiming he "thought" he was past the #64. That's an excuse. A very flimsy one.

And I watched that live... as he went from person to person in that garage, he dropped his gaze constantly. The fact he couldn't look them in the eye said volumes, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Deschodt

In this day and age of "it's never my fault" I applaud that

I agree. But he had to do it.

Of course, I don't know all he said to them. I'm sure he said much more than, "I'm so sorry, I thought I was past him," but I can't imagine anything else that would have been meaningful at that point, given the damage his carelessness caused.

Also, he knew his apology was being filmed. That's significant. However, I don't think it's right to refer to it as mere virtue signalling, so I won't.

I expected the 'Vette team to receive his apology with class and they did. Kudos to them for that, too.

[svandamme]

Don't forget in all this that LMP2 the Vette was like double digit laps behind the LMP2's. They are racing their own race and the LMP2's are primary , the Vette and Ferrari are blue flagged and the LMP2's are supposed to keep going .
They aren't supposed to yield to the Vette or Ferrari in their race.
Does that mean the GTEPRO should go off course to avoid em, no but the LMP2's are really not going to slow down for traffic. Doesn't happen at Le Mans.

[Deschodt]

Just before the race the stewards flat out excluded a guy who was clearly in above his head and had caused accidents... First time I see that happen (outside of the 107% rule in F1 decades back) ! Perrodo, I think, ran Le mans 10x.. He twitched when someone moved in on him, misjudged the Corvette... We could blame the other P2 also... It happens, it's a racing incident, we've seen worse in many series - I am not sure why we're fixating on this, he didn't shoot your dog ;-) On a Corvette Forum maybe? It's a bummer for Corvette but who knows if they'd have finished anyway.. Tough race... Next year should be awesome.

I was enjoying Fassbender's road to Le mans series on you tube before (highly recommended), I wonder if they'll release this new season with Le mans, it was pretty horrible for him - not all his fault but still a lot of mistakes... Having watched all his struggles, I'm kinda in awe of Patrick Dempsey now... The guy made it look easy and he was on a podium in class a few years back ! Kudos...
I'd love to do Le mans classic one year, as a bucket list item (I've done the other which was flying a WW2 fighter) - Will take some improvement in skills and some $$$ for a seat though ! A lower category, like a 356 ;-)

[450knotOffice]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

It was a classy move, but I wouldn't say it qualified as "no excuses" since he was claiming he "thought" he was past the #64. That's an excuse. A very flimsy one.

And I watched that live... as he went from person to person in that garage, he dropped his gaze constantly. The fact he couldn't look them in the eye said volumes, in my opinion.

Saying "I thought I was past the Corvette" doesn't mean he used that as an excuse. I don't take it that way at all. He simply was saying, hey, I thought I was past - an explanation of his messup. Clearly he knew he blew it and it was all his fault, hence the personal apology and the bowed head with no eye contact. I'd say he was clearly mortified and embarrassed by what he'd done, hence the averted eyes.

[Tobra]

Tough break, glad no one was badly injured.

If Il Commendatore still drew breath, I can't imagine anyone acting like that in his garage after a competitor's crash

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

I am not sure why we're fixating on this, he didn't shoot your dog ;-) On a Corvette Forum maybe? It's a bummer for Corvette but who knows if they'd have finished anyway.

No. What an insulting comment... it insults and says more about you than it does about me.

I'm a fan of safety in racing... and have been since Jackie Stewart campaigned so hard for it in F1.

If you think I'm outta line for criticizing Perrodo, you just have fun with that. The race director handed him a 3 minute stop-and-go penalty for his "mistake."

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

Saying "I thought I was past the Corvette" doesn't mean he used that as an excuse. I don't take it that way at all. He simply was saying, hey, I thought I was past - an explanation of his messup.

He's a "gentleman driver" who wasn't looking where he was in relation to the car to his left... and over corrected while looking at the blue car... and that weak (possibly untrue) "explanation" is the very definition of an excuse.

[svandamme]

Nobody denies he made a mistake. But you seem to attach a particularly heavy weight to it. Hence it seems like there is exaggerated vette bias.

Not sure why that would be insulting. Most people deem it a racing incident.. yes a mistake

But heb didnt get black flagged.. when clearly you would have and worse even since you said ban from future racing

Seriously lightn up a bit. Tilting at windmills