Davidson calls for qualifiers by category

LMP1-GTE cohabitation was one of the main topics of discussion last weekend, on the occasion of the 79th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, particularly after the two terrifying accidents which marred the Le Mans classic, and which each time involved an Audi R18 TDI and a Ferrari 458 Italy. If his proposal is not the solution to avoid this type of incident in racing, Anthony Davidson, who defends the colors of Peugeot Sport, argues in favor of separate qualifications for each category. Indeed, last Thursday, we noticed that the lap times of the Audi and Peugeot drivers depended enormously on the slower cars encountered, and particularly in the third sector from the corners. Porsche to the pit straight.

“The gaps would have been even tighter if we didn't have to constantly deal with traffic, replies the Briton to a journalist from crash.net when the latter asks him his opinion on the 0??5 separating the six fastest cars at the end of qualifying. Everyone encounters traffic, and it's frustrating. This is the only frustration I have in endurance races, the fact of not being able to have a clear lap, and which in a way annihilates everyone?s efforts. I'm not complaining, it's a fact. I hope that one day this rule will change, and that each category will have its own qualifying session. It would be fairer for everyone. It?s not fair that GT drivers are forced to look in their mirrors during qualifying, and it?s not fair for us to have to deal with traffic during our qualifying laps. Qualifying must be played between the driver, the car and the timer. The fans would also benefit even more. »

Although this proposal from Anthony Davidson will certainly be studied by the ACO, it will not, however, resolve the problem of cohabitation in racing between professional drivers driving prototypes and amateurs driving GTs.

Discover in your AUTOhebdo magazine, currently on newsstands, a 42-page analysis of the 79th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans by our special correspondents in Sarthe, with a particular focus on the accidents suffered by Allan McNish and Mike Rockenfeller.