Radio Le Mans 2007

[monkey]

Shortly after the worlds greatest motor race last year there was considerable debate with regard to Radio Le Mans. A huge amount of that debate was really constructive. The thread certainly served to demonstrate just how passionately everybody felt about the station and what an important part it was to the very fabric of the event. It also highlighted some potential concerns, namely the lack of succinct update information and a tendency to concentrate on providing entertainment to those not lucky enough to be at the event at the expense of track commentary. At the risk of being banished for life from this fine site, I thought it might be worth raising the subject again just to bring it ‘front of mind’ as we all move into the ‘its nearly time to pack the tent mode’

So my wish then and now is:

Hourly - to the point, non interrupted non ramble updates that tell us the top five cars of each category, and the distance they are away from their nearest rival. I.e. ‘In LMP2, first place is car number 14 which is one lap ahead of car number 15 which is 30 seconds ahead of…’…..etc etc.  Not great radio I know, but brilliant for catching up when you have been away from the circuit for an hour or two.
 

[oldtimer]

I completely agree with you Monkey.

[Paddy_NL]

All fine by me, as long as they keep using She Sells Sanctuary as opening tune for the updates!

[Papa Lazarou]

All fine by me, as long as they keep using She Sells Sanctuary as opening tune for the updates!

Agreed, although I fell asleep listening to this on a continuous loop all night on the Friday night last year - I had some weird dreams that night, I can tell you!

[fagey]

I agree with the sentiments.. they used to be much more informative in the late 80's than they are now.. you never seemed to be able to find out what was going on..and they used to be the perfik hosts with the plonk too.. plenty of sore heads after a radio LM session!!

[Paddy_NL]

All fine by me, as long as they keep using She Sells Sanctuary as opening tune for the updates!

Agreed, although I fell asleep listening to this on a continuous loop all night on the Friday night last year - I had some weird dreams that night, I can tell you!

Hmm, maybe you want to lend my i-pod. I have about 27 CDs of the Cult on that.

Sweet dreams

[geoffd]

Trouble with only announcing the top 5 in each class is that if your favourite car or team isn’t in the top 5 you won’t have a clue what is going on!  And a lot of us follow the smaller teams.  With 55 starters you are immediately ignoring 35 cars! More than half the field, I know that they won’t all survive the full distance, but for the first few hours at least they will get ignored.  The top 5 in LMP1 is going to be the 3 Audi’s and Two Pugs (Until 1 or more hits trouble), so if like me you are a Rollcentre fan then you won’t know where they are unless you can get to a timing screen.

Personally I’d rather see a full rundown of each class but at different times,  say on the hour for LMP1, ¼ past the hour for LMP2, ½ past the hour for GT1 and ¼ to the hour for GT2, that way everything gets covered and if you are interested in a team then you know what time to tune in and listen (presupposing you’re not listening for the full 24hrs that is!)

[nickliv]

I've got all of last years broadcast as MP3, and have listened to it 3 or 4 times in the last year.

The coverage was great, don't get me wrong, but I think GeoffD's idea is a viable good one. There was a little bit of a tendency last year to get 'sidetracked' a little bit from time to time.

But it's got to be better than the excitable local on day release who gets let loose with a microphone during the race. TOOOOM KRISTIEENNSSSEEEENNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oldtimer]

Trouble with only announcing the top 5 in each class is that if your favourite car or team isn’t in the top 5 you won’t have a clue what is going on!  And a lot of us follow the smaller teams.  With 55 starters you are immediately ignoring 35 cars! More than half the field, I know that they won’t all survive the full distance, but for the first few hours at least they will get ignored.  The top 5 in LMP1 is going to be the 3 Audi’s and Two Pugs (Until 1 or more hits trouble), so if like me you are a Rollcentre fan then you won’t know where they are unless you can get to a timing screen.

Personally I’d rather see a full rundown of each class but at different times,  say on the hour for LMP1, ¼ past the hour for LMP2, ½ past the hour for GT1 and ¼ to the hour for GT2, that way everything gets covered and if you are interested in a team then you know what time to tune in and listen (presupposing you’re not listening for the full 24hrs that is!)

That sounds like a good idea...

[Werner]

I think above posts show clearly what many people (including me) have missed last year and it looks like everybody has missed the same thing: Clear reports about the current positions.

I would vote for a full hourly run-down of all positions. Without any chitchat it shouldn't take longer than 5-6 minutes, even less time at the end of the race

[termietermite]

I recently e-mailed Hindy after Sebring. I told him that I was really impressed with the coverage from there as this was exactly what was done : proper (every 20 mins or so) runs-down on the leader board. It was invaluable there as the public information system away from the main drag was non-existant.  He replied and it seems that last year's comments actually have been taken on board judging by what the same team did in the US.  Let's hope so.  His commentary on that final lap was pretty memorable too.  Good for them for not talking about the race winners when there was still such a battle going on in GT2.

[monkey]

Trouble with only announcing the top 5 in each class is that if your favourite car or team isn’t in the top 5 you won’t have a clue what is going on!  And a lot of us follow the smaller teams.  With 55 starters you are immediately ignoring 35 cars! More than half the field, I know that they won’t all survive the full distance, but for the first few hours at least they will get ignored.  The top 5 in LMP1 is going to be the 3 Audi’s and Two Pugs (Until 1 or more hits trouble), so if like me you are a Rollcentre fan then you won’t know where they are unless you can get to a timing screen.

Personally I’d rather see a full rundown of each class but at different times,  say on the hour for LMP1, ¼ past the hour for LMP2, ½ past the hour for GT1 and ¼ to the hour for GT2, that way everything gets covered and if you are interested in a team then you know what time to tune in and listen (presupposing you’re not listening for the full 24hrs that is!)

Geoff, I agree with you entirely. I only mentioned the top five as I thought this would be a 'step in the right direction' if they could do the entire field, then even better.

[termietermite]

At Sebring it was top 10 and top 3 in other classes (not exactly stressed in LMP1 or GT1 though, were they?).

[Lawnmower Man]

Like many people I think the general coverage has moved away from the "Here to help those that have taken the Journey" to a "We'll take Le Mans to the world via the Internet" type of thing. 

As for the hourly updates well IMHO thats a tough one.   Personaly I get very frustrated by the format of that.  I hear it as a sort of.

In the lead is Car X of team Y driven by Any body, A.N. Other and Someone Else.  A.N. Other is currently driving.  In the last hour the car has had problems and is using oil and is also haveing gear box problems.
In second place is Car A of Team B driven by Rag, Tag and Bobtail.   Bobtail is in the car at the moment but is was been driven by Rag who did a double stint and has pull the car up from 5^th.

And so on.

I'd rather they did a   "First No X, Second No H, Third No A".  Then go on to tell us whats happend in the last hour.
I think I would find that easier to take in.

Of course we can't remember every number and driver for every car.  But for sure you know the nubers and drivers of the cars your following and their near rivals.   So just the Position and Car number would be great.   

To me the advantage of splitting the Run down of  positions from the what has happen in the last hour has teh advantage that some significant event happening lower down the order can be early in the list of happenings.

t.

[Werner]

I'd rather they did a   "First No X, Second No H, Third No A". 

I would add the  gap between the cars and then it could be done in a few  minutes