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Looked to me like Jaminet was on the edge of the track when Vanthoor got a front wheel up alongside, At most Jaminet had 3 wheels off to the contact from the other car.
Watching the race live, I wasn't really listening to the commentary because the action on the track was so good, but in watching and listening back on the video, the Pcars had 1.5 laps left in their battle. The move by LV seemed very desperate as if there was 1/2 lap left in the race. Hindsight being 20/20, if the spotter or pit wall radios to LV and tells him, he's got 1.5 laps to the checker, does it change the attack at that point in time? I'm inclined to say yes.
In looking closing at the video of them entering the bus stop, my observation is Vanthoor was committed to making an overtake (pavement or grass) and got his car along side. Jaminet was equally committed to not allow the overtake at all cost. Jaminet not only closed down all of the available pavement, but additionally drove into the grass, pushing Vanthoor further into the grass.
And being that Jaminet intentionally drove 4 wheels off, whereas Vanthoor was forced to drive 4 wheels off, I think Jaminet move was out of line.
I guess it can be argued that the right to go into the grass to make a pass does not belong exclusively to the overtaking car, but the car being overtaken has the right to go off course into the grass to prevent that from happening ???
Just Wow!!!
What no one is really highlighting is also when in the race this move happened.
No, I can't show you in the rules where you can become more aggressive in the last laps of a race but I believe there is a general feeling that in the last lap or two of a race the elbows are allowed to get much sharper.
If you don't try that move in the last laps of a race you aren't a race car driver.
IMSA ruling is based on so called “incident responsibility” per Beau Barfield, Race Director. If they can’t apportion blame to one driver predominantly over the other, then there is no penalty. These are his words at drivers meetings. You are free to race hard and fair but if there is an incident, they will look at it to see if one is more at fault. That’s all.
I've always said "the driver is the greatest variable in the racing equation."
A lot of the reason why, as the clock ticked down, the competitive mass of the GTD Pro field moved laps ahead of the same in GTD, was simply because the drivers are "shooting tighter groups" of lap times.Quicker groups, on average.
When the fast lap for GTD Pro is Laurens Vanthoor's 1:45.087 and for GTD is Jordan Pepper in the McLaren at 1:45.117, you know it ain't the cars!
Basically, the GTD Pro driver's lap time standard variation, IN TRAFFIC and WARMING UP TIRES, is far less than almost all the drivers in the Am class.
The P2 battle was intense. Deletraz was just sorry that he had to save fuel and it put him in the position to be passed by Herta (with contact). But, he's a professional, like Vanthoor.
Amazing race.
Peter, I've been thinking about this post since you put it up. Personally, I like the fact that the GTD Pro cars are similar to the amateur GTD cars as it gives apples to apples comparisons. To recap you stated these 3 things are the biggest factors that separate the pros from the amateurs and not just fastest lap time:
1. Tighter grouping of fast laps.
2. Better out laps on cold tires
3. Better in traffic
Let's give the amateurs a ton of credit in those cold temps as it wasn't easy for the pros and everyone had the same conditions.
My question for you is "What was the grouping of times between the pros and the amateurs racing at night?" Curious to see if those tighter gaps open up even a little bit with the pros at night but perhaps more with the amateurs.
I watched most of the race from the grandstand overlooking T1, and to be able to witness the last two hours of Vanthoor and Jaminet battling was incredible. I was pulling hard for LV and knew he'd pull out every tool in his tool chest to get the win, which is what he did. After they came onto the backstretch exiting T6 that last lap I knew the bus stop was the last opportunity for a pass, and man did he send it. Just glad both cars didn't get taken out.
From: Durham, NC and Virginia International Raceway
Originally Posted by multi21
Let's give the amateurs a ton of credit in those cold temps as it wasn't easy for the pros and everyone had the same conditions.
ABSOLUTELY! I was in a conversation yesterday with a Bronze driver paired with two Golds and a Platinum in one of the prototype classes (one with previous GT experience at the Rolex 24) and he said over and over how treacherous it was WITHOUT ABS and traction control. Sure, you could spin rear tires to warm up but to warm the fronts up only braking was working. To do that effectively, you had to crank in rear bias (since the fronts had no heat/traction to avoid lockup) and then work the brakes, working back the bias towards the front multiple times throughout the first two laps to get everything working. And then the cautions played havoc with tire temps... No, he wasn't in a GTD car, but it was terrific insight into a supreme challenge...
Originally Posted by multi21
My question for you is "What was the grouping of times between the pros and the amateurs racing at night?"
Curious to see if those tighter gaps open up even a little bit with the pros at night but perhaps more with the amateurs.
Yes, they did. The differential in the "tight groups" did widen at night, helped especially by the first three laps and the in lap of each driver's stint.
__________________ -Peter Krause www.peterkrause.net www.gofasternow.com
"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
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Seems to me LV got into the mist. He had a solid hour to make a clean pass and then when he couldn’t do it he started trying to bully his way through. For a factory driver risking taking out both cars seems too much. On the post race interview he said he was crying coming in afterward. Crying for losing or for the earful he was going to get for almost blowing the whole race for both cars?
The other amazing thing was the race craft of those two Porsche drivers AND the faster cars that were working their way past them WHILE they were battling like that. Wow!
The ONLY reason Jaminet drove 4 wheels of is that Vanthoor turned him off the track…..
Winders, I figured some would have that opinion. And, it is not that I have to be right and you wrong, but it just turns out that way. Here is a picture the moment before the cars come together. As you can clearly see, the Pfaff Porsche is now pointed at the grass and will go off whether or not contact is made. So yes Jaminet drove off the track intentionally no question. It is also true Vanthoor drove onto the grass to make the pass. Really the only question is is it OK to protect the lead by driving off into the grass to defend.
Winders, I figured some would have that opinion. And, it is not that I have to be right and you wrong, but it just turns out that way. Here is a picture the moment before the cars come together. As you can clearly see, the Pfaff Porsche is now pointed at the grass and will go off whether or not contact is made. So yes Jaminet drove off the track intentionally no question. It is also true Vanthoor drove onto the grass to make the pass. Really the only question is is it OK to protect the lead by driving off into the grass to defend.
In an earlier post the short video (post #33), the video shows lead car hitting the apex, getting a little air and then coming down and the natural path would put the car on the outside of the track. However, the #2 car was there on the right rear quarter panel not allowing the #9 to have use of the full track and pretty much "pit manuvering" him. Watch it in regular speed and then slow motion a couple times. It's rather clear.
02-01-2022 | 12:03 AM
Here is a picture the moment before the cars come together. As you can clearly see, the Pfaff Porsche is now pointed at the grass and will go off whether or not contact is made. So yes Jaminet drove off the track intentionally no question. It is also true Vanthoor drove onto the grass to make the pass. Really the only question is is it OK to protect the lead by driving off into the grass to defend. 
