A wee bit of a screw up at Paul Ricard

[cameraman]

We aren't allowed to see these races but the Le Mans series six hour race at Le Castellet had a bit of a problem at the start. It seems that the pace car driver seems to have forgotten to pull off the track as the field came around for the green. The lights went green but the pace car was still there so the LMPs checked up, a bit confused by it all. Unfortunately the GT field was behind a rise and and got fully up to speed before they came over the crest and found the entire LMP filed doing 60 mph. The result tore up about a dozen GTs.:shakehead

F63z6eGb6rE

Why can't someone provide that feed in the US:flame:

[Fio1]

I saw the last hour live on-line. Next time go to www.firstrowsports.eu and click motorsports for the stream. The stream was in English, very good quality, from something called Motors TV (like Speed without Nascab). It was great to see Pescarolo win and to watch Fisichella get pasted for the lead by another 458 (Rob Bell). :thumbup:

[Trevor Longman]

I saw this live (got up early and watched it online). I found a great feed with radio le mans commentary. Utter chaos. It's really a bad coincidence that just about every Porsche in the field and nothing else. It seems the crash was magnetically attracted to the 911's or something. I feel inclined to think that it was the safety car driver's fault. He drives around for 3-4 laps and gets into the habit of passing the pit entrance and going down the front straight. Just a small lapse in concentration or a miscommunication on the radio would be enough to do it. Shame that that many good cars were taken out at the start of a 6 hour race... :shakehead

[SteveH]

race control is at fault for going green with the pace car still on the track

[Trevor Longman]

The pace car should have pulled off the track but after that race control should have noticed it wasn't and called off the start. So in that respect it is their fault.

[Elmo T]

race control is at fault for going green with the pace car still on the track

Agreed - they must have (or should have) seen the car NOT turn off and then cross back over the start/finish line. :rolleyes:

[Andrew Longman]

Just curious.

I guess I am a typical litigious American, but that was a whole lot of expensive hardware torn up there. Now I know you shouldn't bring a car to a race unless you are prepared to lose it, but don't the race organizers have some responsibility to pay for that damage?

I mean there are risks and then there are risks that no one should ever be expected to anticipate and prepare for.

Pretty basic. Get off the track if you are the pace car and have turned your lights off. And If the car isn't off don't turn the green lights on.

I know, make it too expensive and no one will ever run/flag a race. Still.

Nevertheless, I'm sure some lawyer wrote something into a disclaimer or contract or are otherwise all over this.

[Fio1]

That was a major mess up. I wonder why all the corner workers were still waving the yellow flags when it was supposed to be a start? Maybe, someone said no start and asked the pace car driver to stay out and forgot to tell the guy who pushes the green lights on. Look at the video again and you'll see at lease 5 different corner workers waving yellow flags.

The problem for the teams is that crew members aren't allowed near the wall for the start, so couldn't warn their drivers that the pace car was still out.

They basically knocked 2-3 top GT cars out of contention for the title and the important invite to 2012 Le Mans 24-Hours.

[NismoZ]

Flying starts are safer!;)...and can ALSO be more "exciting!"

[Michaelhatesfans]

Autosport reporting that the decision had been made to leave the pace car out, which probably explains the waving yellows. Doesn't really address who screwed the pooch with the abysmal communication with the guy pushing the button that turns on the green lights, though...

[Andrew Longman]

Autosport reporting that the decision had been made to leave the pace car out, which probably explains the waving yellows. Doesn't really address who screwed the pooch with the abysmal communication with the guy pushing the button that turns on the green lights, though...Or why the pace car didn't turn its lights back on. That mightn't have helped the GT cars in the back but it wouldn't have made the LP take off and then check up.

[Steve99]

Autosport reporting that the decision had been made to leave the pace car out, which probably explains the waving yellows. Doesn't really address who screwed the pooch with the abysmal communication with the guy pushing the button that turns on the green lights, though...

What's the procedure for starting the race behind the safety car? I think the lights go green to indicate the official start of the race, but the waving yellow flags and SC on track indicate it is a safety car period.

[Michaelhatesfans]

What's the procedure for starting the race behind the safety car?

I have no idea. But judging from the sudden lurch of the GTPs and the full charge of the GTs, I'm assuming that they didn't know either!

[opinionated ow]

What's the procedure for starting the race behind the safety car? I think the lights go green to indicate the official start of the race, but the waving yellow flags and SC on track indicate it is a safety car period.

Single file for safety car starts. the car that was on track was officially the "pace" car. The safety car was at the back of the field with the medical car.