<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.break.com/Mjk3OTI5"></param><embed src="http://embed.break.com/Mjk3OTI5" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br><font size=1><a href="http://break.com/watch/297929/mercedes_at_le_mans_/">mercedes at le mans </a>
Houston, we have ...
- Thread starter ALSWEL
- Start date
Holy lift off, Batman!! What would cause it to do that?
Lack of downforce in the front, more than likely too much lift created under the undercarriage, when it came over that hill, while the rear wing created downforce. Eventually the front will lift and hence the summersault. This video is old, its from circa 1999, still amazing to watch.
Clarification: Film clip was from the Inaugural Petit Le Mans race in 1998 at Road Atlanta. Porsche GT1.
Yannick Dalmas (F1 race driver and 24 Hours @ Le Mans winner) was driving the Porsche GT1 at the time of the mishap.
Yannick was one of the drivers in the winning BMW V12 LMR the following year at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1999).
A similar (but more tragic consequences of front lift) occured years before that with the Mercedes prototype class race cars at Le Mans. That was in 1995.
Yannick Dalmas (F1 race driver and 24 Hours @ Le Mans winner) was driving the Porsche GT1 at the time of the mishap.
Yannick was one of the drivers in the winning BMW V12 LMR the following year at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1999).
A similar (but more tragic consequences of front lift) occured years before that with the Mercedes prototype class race cars at Le Mans. That was in 1995.
That video is old but it is truely impressive. It shows you how much the aerodynamics play a role in these cars. As you watch it in slow motion, you see the car get light as it crests the small hill. Luckily - the driver was fine.
Btw, the MB crash was even more spetacular. Unfortunately, it had a more tragic outcome.
Btw, the MB crash was even more spetacular. Unfortunately, it had a more tragic outcome.
