Thread: ***F1 Meltdown***

With the recent feuding over future F1 rules and the major manufacturers seriously considering withdrawing from future competition COMBINED with current global economics, the ACO has presented an awesome offer:


Le Mans invites F1 manufacturers

Source: Autosport.

The organisers of the Le Mans 24 Hours have thrown the door open for any of Formula 1's manufacturers to compete in the French classic - and they have even been offered the chance to help shape future regulations.

F1 teams are due to meet with FIA president Max Mosley today in an attempt to reach a last-minute agreement ahead of the publication of the entry list for 2010 tomorrow morning.

Several of the manufacturers have been linked to sportscar programmes if they go through with their threats not to enter Formula 1 next year.

Piero Ferrari, son of marque founder Enzo, has mentioned Le Mans as a potential avenue for the team, and Toyota is also believed to be interested in a return to the 24 Hours 10 years after its last appearance at the event with its GT-One car.

ACO general manager Remy Brouard says Le Mans would welcome F1 manufacturers returning to sportscar racing and insists that Le Mans' governing body is open to suggestions from manufacturers on future regulations.

When asked about the number of manufacturers involved in the 24 Hours, Brouard said: "There is no ideal figure, the more the better. They [the Formula 1 teams] are welcome here. If they want to make proposals, we will listen."

Brouard would not comment on which manufacturers, if any, had been in contact with the ACO about possible entry to the event.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo will be the official starter of this year's race on Saturday, and former double world champion Fernando Alonso is also due to attend after admitting his interest in competing in the event in the future.

Renault and BMW have also had success as past winners of the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1978 and 1999 respectively. End.


I say let the fun begin. Who wants to follow a neutered version of F1?
I would much rather watch all the current F1 manufacturers compete in Sports Car endurance competition!

Agreed. That would be very cool.

I'd like to see those guys compete. Maybe they will make it over for some ALMS events...

Sad to see Max single handedly ruin an entire motorsport.

But it would be awesome to see them all running 24 hour races.

^^^ Of the current F1 teams, BMW had a series of successful LMP cars in the 90s. Who could forget the McLaren F1 GTR - Le Mans winner. Ferrari competed with sports prototypes in the 60s and 70s. The three F50 GT1s were built for no other purpose (not even subsequent races) than the 24 hour of Le Mans. The project was cancelled as consumming too many engineering resources from the F1 program. Toyota had the GT One. Renault competed in the 70s and early 80s. Mercedes had the CLK GTR.

Originally Posted by anon

Sad to see Max single handedly ruin an entire motorsport.

But it would be awesome to see them all running 24 hour races.

+1. I used to think Bernie was "the bad guy" but over the last 10 years it has become readily apparent that Max is a fooking short sighted idiot, and Bernie has been at odds with him many times. And you're right, its sad to see the worlds largest motorsport get dismantled piece by piece - bad decission after bad decission.

As much as I love F1 it certainly is losing its edginess and appeal. I can only imagine some of the machines that could come out of a switch to Le Mans. Thanks for the info.

Originally Posted by anon

Sad to see Max single handedly ruin an entire motorsport.

But it would be awesome to see them all running 24 hour races.

Originally Posted by Challenge It

+1. I used to think Bernie was "the bad guy" but over the last 10 years it has become readily apparent that Max is a fooking short sighted idiot, and Bernie has been at odds with him many times. And you're right, its sad to see the worlds largest motorsport get dismantled piece by piece - bad decission after bad decission.

What's been going on that's caused this decline? I'm sorry but I just don't follow it enough (certainly fun to watch when it's on TV though!). Can I please get a CliffNotes version of why & what this Max guy is doing "bad"/wrong?

I have to admit, I would love to see the F1 guys competing in the sportscar scene. LeMans would be incredible.

I think it would be great to see a lot of the manufacturers from F1 back into sports car racing.

We shall see tomorrow the fate of F1 vs. FOTA