TORA 24 Hours of Le Mans - Driver's Briefing and Track Limits

While there are other 24 hour endurance races around the world, none of them are nearly as famous nor infamous as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  This races dates back to 1922, when the secretary of the ACO, Georges Durand, received an unexpected offer of 100,000 francs from the French subsidiary of the Rudge Whitworth wheels company.  The first 24 hours of Le Mans took place on May 26, 1923 with a field of 33 cars of 18 different manufactures.  The rest, as they say, is history. 

As far as TORA's 24 hours of Le Mans, this will be the 8th time we have hosted this race.  Sportscar racing is very much in the DNA of TORA and we are glad to be bring this race to the community again.   

Qualifying - This will be the typical 1-Hour Endurance Qualifying.  Drivers will have 45 minutes to set their fastest clean lap.  We will be adding the best qualifying results from each team, so remember that more than one driver has to take part in qualifying.  To sign up for qualifying, please use THE QUALIFYING THREAD.  Remember that drivers should be/appear online 15 minutes prior to qualifying start, and should keep in-lobby chat to a minimal.  

Race - This is a 24 hour Endurance race.  Drivers will be competing in 12 stints of two hours each.  However, drivers are reminded that the stint actually only lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes. Drivers are reminded that they are to use THE STINT THREAD to assign stints to each of their drivers.  You can see the stint schedule on the stint thread.  Drivers are expected to be familiar with the rules and regulations come race time, so please review them before June 23rd.  Drivers are also reminded that they cannot have a driver double stint between stint 6 & 7 and stint 11 & 12.  

Pit Stops - There are required numbers of pit stops for this race.  For LMP1, that will be 6 stops and for GT that will be 3 stops.  Remember that drivers will not be permitted to drive on the track back to the pit entrance once they pass it.  If they miss the pit entrance, drivers will have to drive around the track again to get back to the pit entrance.  



Stint Starting Procedures - Stint 1 will begin with a full warm up lap behind the safety car, at 80 MPH, concluding with the safety car entering the pit lane, and the field proceeding 2x2 at 80 MPH for a standard start. All other lobbies are instructed to start with a typical 80 mph 2x2 Rolling Start.  Stint 2 through 12 will be a single file start at 80 MPH, starting as cars pass under the Dunlop Bridge as shown below.  Remember that drivers are not to accelerate to race pace until THEY pass the designated start point.  



Good luck, and I will see you all on track.

Pit Lane

All drivers are expected to adhere to the pit entrance line, remain on the paved area in the lead up to the pit entrance, and to observe the blend line when exiting the pits. For an example of the correct lines, see this video:


Failure to adhere to any facet of the pit guidelines will incur an instant 5000 ft penalty.

Track Limits



Qualifying

"Forza clean" will be the standard for qualifying. Please look in the Race section for certain corners where the typical racing line will dirty a lap. If a corner cut is clean, it will be allowed for qualifying only.

Race

Unless otherwise noted, "Forza clean" lines will be expected for the race.

Ralentisseur Dunlop

This is the "Dunlop Chicane", leading up to the famous Dunlop Bridge. Drivers are expected to keep the outside wheels on the white lines for both corners in the chicane.



"S" du Tertre Rouge

Note that while you are only required to keep two wheels on track through this section, it is likely to dirty your lap.



Virage du Tertre Rouge

Drivers are permitted to use the entire curb on entrance and exit, but this will dirty your lap.




1er y 2e Ralentisseur

These are the chicanes on the back straight. On entrance to each chicane, you can put two wheels on the curb and maintain a clean lap. For the race, drivers are expected to keep at least 2 wheels within the standard track surface.

edit: This means no more than 2 wheels over the curbs.



At the exit of the second chicane, going outside the white line will dirty your lap. This is fine for the race, but not qualifying, so long as wheels remain on the standard track surface.



Virage d'Arnage

At the exit of Arnage, there is a poorly placed tire wall. Please do not hit it.



Virage Ford & Virage du Raccordement

These are the final corners on track. Drivers are expected to keep 2 wheels on the painted line for the race.

That's all! If you see another tire wall likely to cause issues, please let staff know and we will update this guide if appropriate.

May your qualifying laps be clean and your races be crash-free!

The tire wall on the inside of Mulsanne corner...its practically invisable at night and is still a hazard during the day

Windcharger8199 wrote:The tire wall on the inside of Mulsanne corner...its practically invisable at night and is still a hazard during the day

If you hit the inside of Mulsanne then something's up!

It's the exit of Arnage that is the killer

Windcharger8199 wrote:The tire wall on the inside of Mulsanne corner...its practically invisable at night and is still a hazard during the day

If you hit that wall you've cut the corner.

Think you don't really have to cut to hit that tbh. In the day you can avoid it very well. In the night it's a bit of a hazard. When you brake a bit too early for Mulsanne, and thus turn in a bit too early for the corner itself. It's very easy to hit it.

Also. If you hit the tyre wall at Arnage (straight on, not rub the side of it). You've probably extended the corner. But that doesn't make the tyre wall any less dangerous...

Is the limit for exiting Porsche Curves the same as exiting Tertre Rouge?

TLR Law wrote:Is the limit for exiting Porsche Curves the same as exiting Tertre Rouge?

Try to keep 2 wheels on track. We know it's easy to run wide there, but if we see blatant cutting with no redress there will be penalties handed out like candy.

I will amend the track limits post to mention the Porsche Curves specifically.

SFM Darkzer wrote:

Windcharger8199 wrote:The tire wall on the inside of Mulsanne corner...its practically invisable at night and is still a hazard during the day

If you hit that wall you've cut the corner.

Was only giving a friendly heads up. because if someone hits that all there is a chance they get spun into the racing line...a buddy of mine did that while helping me test and i had no where to go.

Windcharger8199 wrote:

SFM Darkzer wrote:

Windcharger8199 wrote:The tire wall on the inside of Mulsanne corner...its practically invisable at night and is still a hazard during the day

If you hit that wall you've cut the corner.

Was only giving a friendly heads up.  because if someone hits that all there is a chance they get spun into the racing line...a buddy of mine did that while helping me test and i had no where to go.

the charm of motorsport

Also should point out that you cannot run wide and use the green on the exit of the Dunlop Chicane in the race. It is Forza clean but not TORA clean.

HCR Motorhead wrote:Also should point out that you cannot run wide and use the green on the exit of the Dunlop Chicane in the race. It is Forza clean but not TORA clean.

As in, 2 tires should stay on track or 2 tires should stay on the curb?

Koenigsegg R wrote:

HCR Motorhead wrote:Also should point out that you cannot run wide and use the green on the exit of the Dunlop Chicane in the race. It is Forza clean but not TORA clean.

As in, 2 tires should stay on track or 2 tires should stay on the curb?

White lines.