a short story, in 3 parts.

Audi 2012 Le Mans Victory

Cockpit de la Porsche 911 GT1 '98 de Laurent Aïello, Allan McNish et Stéphane Ortelli les vainqueurs des 24 heures du Mans 1998. Remi Dargegen. - source Porsche Museum.

who came up with this allan mcnish pizza bit this is so cringe I love it🤣

The Scottish accent on F1 TV commentary 👌

Hectic like Ive never seen before Audis Allan McNish offers glimpse into manufacturers F1 preparations

Former Grand Prix driver turned Audi motorsport chief Allan McNish has described a “very busy” but “exciting" time for the manufacturer as work continues to gather pace ahead of their Formula 1 entry. Last year, Audi announced plans to enter F1 in 2026 – when new engine regulations come into play – as a power unit supplier, before confirming that they will make Sauber their works team. READ MORE: Sauber to become Audi works F1 team from 2026 Audi will create the power unit at their factory in Neuburg, Germany, while Sauber will develop and manufacture the car at their headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland. McNish, who is now Director of Coordination for Audi Group Motorsport after a spell leading the brand’s Formula E team, spoke of the hard work being put in by employees already involved in the F1 project, and the general feeling of excitement amongst them. Audi’s show car livery was recently added to the F1 22 video game “I tell you, it’s been a very busy last 18 months, certainly… 2022 has been pretty much hectic, like I’ve never seen before. To think that ‘26 is still quite a long way away… but it’s only around the corner,” McNish told the Motor Sport Magazine Podcast. “I’ve been involved now for over 20 years with Audi, and this is part of that progression. It’s an exciting time. I don’t think there’s anybody within the company that’s not looking forward to that first race in 2026.” READ MORE: ‘It’s perfect timing due to the new rules’ – Audi boss explains why they joined F1 But McNish, who contested the 2002 F1 season with Toyota in-between three class victories at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans (including two wins for Audi), made clear that he is not underestimating the challenge ahead. Using his own career as an example, he continued: “Obviously I was with Toyota at Le Mans, and then jumping into F1 it was a completely different game. Just in terms of the personnel, [it] had to multiply by three, to be able to produce an F1 programme. McNish contested 16 of 17 races with Toyota in 2002, missing the Suzuka finale after a heavy qualifying crash “Admittedly, that was 20 years ago, that was when budgets were unlimited, engines were unlimited… you would use three engines through the course of an F1 weekend. Now, you’re looking at basically that number over the season – so there are a lot of changes. “However, what was very clear to me, was when I moved from Toyota at the end of 2002 to Renault, for the third driver – remember they had the Friday testing at that point – and also the reserve role there, my first lap in the Renault around Barcelona, my first-ever lap, was quicker than my qualifying lap in the Toyota. ANALYSIS: Why Audi chose Sauber as partner for their F1 adventure “So the difference between, I would say, people that are fighting in the middle, where I have to be honest, Toyota were towards the end of the season, at best, to where you’re fighting for race victories, is a huge gulf. I don’t think anybody can underestimate that sort of level.” For the time being, the current Sauber-operated Alfa Romeo team will enter 2023 looking to build on sixth position in the constructors’ standings, with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu continuing behind the wheel. via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

watching races on youtube means i keep getting recommended crash videos and honestly i am going to scream if i see one more even and especially of those that i know ended “well” (meaning the driver was not permanently injured). one day i will write an essay on the sensationalism of racing and crashes but not today just know i am always on the verge of yelling

Hi, whats your opinion on Susie Wolffs new position with the F1 Academy? I scrolled too far down the comments on the announcement post and am effing angry now, because i think there could not be a better person for that role, but at he same time i can understand that working on opposite sides in the same organisation as your husband can be perceived wrong. I don't really see the problem though, as a managing director of a different race series she won't have much contact with the official side of f1, won't she?

Sorry if this is unclear, not my first language ✌️

hello - thank you for the question, your english is perfect. (mine probably less so haha)

Susie is 100% the right person to lead F1 Academy; I'm only surprised they managed to convince her to take the role. that says a lot about some credible stuff behind the scenes that I haven't always credited F1 Academy with, so far.

as with Venturi, Susie doesn't do projects if she doesn't think they're right. she doesn't need to, she only puts her name to things where she believes she is the right person to do them and that there is something worth doing.

so to have her coming onboard for F1 Academy is a huge sign for the series. I don't need to tell you Susie is absurdly driven and extremely well connected, she can represent and help the girls - many of whom should be teenagers, it's an F4 series so they only need to be 15 and I don't, unfortunately, need to tell you how much the press will fucking suck about that - navigate a world that's inherently hostile to and doubtful of them.

This is from an interview I did with Susie in 2021, about how to get more women into motorsport (which she did very successfully, with Venturi, by the simple act of hiring them)

"I didn't think at all about the fact that I was a woman doing it until we had our first media call," Wolff said (with a UK newspaper, if you were wondering). "And I remember it so clearly because [when] we had the call, I remember exactly where I sitting. The first question was: 'Did your husband get you the job?' The second question was: 'What qualifies you at all?' And the third question was: 'How do you manage being a mother and a team principal?'" 

She flagged a stark comparison to the interviews done with another former driver who stepped up to a team principal role at the same time as she did. "These are the first questions I get, in my first interview as a team principal. And I know they're not saying this to Allan McNish; he's got two kids, he's an ex-racing driver. What gives you the right to think that my husband got me the job?"

It's hard to put into words how important it's gonna be to have someone who gets that putting herself in the line of fire for up-and-coming young women. their records are going to be scrutinised, their lap times will be exaggeratedly plumbed into - christ, look how shit the Formula E Gen3 is with Hankook tyres. it's literally slower than the Gen2 even though it's 100kg lighter and has 100kW more horsepower and you had the brain geniuses of Twitter explaining that actually, W Series setting different times on Hankooks to Formula Regional on Michelins just meant that girls suck.

for the record, I don't think it matters at all that her husband is the head of a team in a different series. F1 Academy is not feeding directly to F1, it's an F4 series and if, say, Merc junior Luna Fluxa wanted to get in then she'd need to find the backing same as the rest of the field. (she's currently too young)

there's only one race where F1 Academy will be on the same circuit as F1 (COTA) and the majority of the championship will be done by then. so they won't even be in the same geographical place - and if Susie pops into the Merc hospitality to use the coffee machine when they are then I don't think even the amateur cops of F1 twitter can manufacture a scandal.

also I think people need to remember Susie came up karting against Lewis and they are friends. different parts of a diversity discussion but ones that come from literally the same karting tracks.

polls acquired!

2001 Colônia - Germany 🇩🇪

Mika Salo and Allan McNish

Toyota Racing présentation.

#Formula1_classic

El Porsche 911 GT1 es un automóvil de carreras diseñado por el fabricante alemán Porsche para competir en la clase GT1 de deportivos, que también requería una versión de calle para fines de homologación. La versión de calle, producida en edición limitada, se llamó 911 GT1 Straßenversion (versión de calle). Aquí tienes toda la información existente sobre el Porsche 911 GT1:

- El 911 GT1 se presentó en 1996, como respuesta al McLaren F1 y al Ferrari F40, que dominaban la categoría GT1. Sin embargo, el 911 GT1 tenía muy poco en común con el 911 de la época, solo compartiendo los faros delanteros y traseros con el deportivo de producción. Su chasis frontal se basaba en el 911 (993), mientras que su subchasis trasero se derivaba del 962C, al igual que su motor bóxer de 6 cilindros biturbo de 3.2 litros, refrigerado por agua, que generaba unos 600 CV de potencia. El motor se montaba en posición central-trasera longitudinal, en lugar de la posición trasera habitual de los 911. El 911 GT1 debutó en las BPR Global GT Series (el predecesor del campeonato FIA) en las 4 horas de Brands Hatch, donde Hans-Joachim Stuck y Thierry Boutsen ganaron cómodamente. También ganaron en Spa y Ralf Kelleners y Emmanuel Collard triunfaron para el equipo oficial en Zhuhai. El 911 GT1 alcanzó una velocidad máxima de exactamente 330 km/h en la recta de Mulsanne durante los entrenamientos de las 24 Horas de Le Mans de 1996¹².

- En 1997, Porsche presentó una versión evolucionada del 911 GT1, llamada Evo, que tenía un aspecto más aerodinámico y una carrocería más ligera. El motor también se mejoró ligeramente, alcanzando unos 630 CV. El Evo dominó el campeonato FIA GT, ganando seis de las once carreras y logrando el título de constructores y pilotos con Stuck y Boutsen. Sin embargo, en las 24 Horas de Le Mans, el Evo sufrió varios problemas mecánicos y accidentes, y solo uno de los tres coches inscritos logró terminar la carrera, en el segundo puesto detrás del McLaren F1 GTR²³.

- En 1998, Porsche desarrolló una nueva versión del 911 GT1, llamada simplemente '98, que tenía un diseño completamente nuevo y más parecido al 911 (996) que se lanzaría ese mismo año. El motor se modificó para cumplir con las nuevas normas de la FIA, que limitaban la cilindrada a 3 litros y la potencia a unos 550 CV. El '98 también tenía un sistema antibloqueo de frenos (ABS) y un control de tracción (TC). El '98 se enfrentó a una dura competencia por parte del Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR y el Toyota GT-One, pero logró ganar las 24 Horas de Le Mans con Laurent Aïello, Allan McNish y Stéphane Ortelli al volante. Fue la última victoria de Porsche en Le Mans hasta el año 2015²⁴.

- Para poder homologar el 911 GT1 como un GT1, Porsche tuvo que producir un mínimo de 25 unidades para uso en carretera. Estas unidades se denominaron 911 GT1 Straßenversion y se vendieron a un precio de unos 900.000 dólares cada una. El Straßenversion tenía un aspecto similar al Evo de 1997, pero con algunos cambios para adaptarse a las normas legales, como faros elevados, parachoques más grandes, retrovisores exteriores más grandes, intermitentes naranjas y un alerón trasero fijo. El motor se redujo a unos 537 CV para mejorar la fiabilidad y el consumo. El Straßenversion podía acelerar de 0 a 100 km/h en unos 3.7 segundos y alcanzar una velocidad máxima de unos 310 km/h² .

Les Porsche 911 GT1 '98, la 26,1er avec Laurent Aïello, Allan McNish & Stéphane Ortelliet, et la 25, 2éme avec örg Müller, Uwe Alzen & Bob Wollek aux 24 Heures du Mans 1998 📸 Rémi Dargegen Photography. - source Porsche Museum.

2011 Audi R18 TDI

Photo Copyright Ferdi Kräling Motorsport-Bild GmbH It's only fitting that I kick off the blog with the car that basically embodies the spirit of the Le Mans 24.

A short-lived stint with the R15 led to the development of the first closed cockpit Audi prototype since the Audi R8C in 1999 (or technically the Bentley Speed 8 if you really consider it an Audi.) It featured 4 less cylinders than the previous engine with a 3.7L V6 single turbo situated at the rear, countering the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP's twin turbo setup.

Winner of the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours in stunning fashion, it gave the German marque its 11th victory thanks to Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer's stunning performance as the #2 machine held off a quartet of Peugeots, whilst the #1 and #3 cars retired both due to equally horrifying accidents.

Allan McNish and several people trackside were luckily fine after this horrifying crash.

"Rocky" recounted the incident in a haunting manner, with confusion clouding his mind once the mangled car finally settled towards the dirt over the guardrail.

Leena Gade is also of note as she was the engineer behind the #2 team, leading them to victory against all odds. She became the first female engineer to capture the coveted crown.

Happy Birthday to Alan McNish born in Dumfries December 29th 1969.

With a highly-successful career spanning karting to Formula One, including three victories at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans and winning the FIA WEC World Championship, Allan is one of the most respected and liked personalities in the dynamic and competitive world of motorsport.

Having started in karting and sealed six Scottish and three British titles, the young McNish progressed, under the watchful eyes of David Leslie Snr & Jnr, into single-seaters at Knockhill.

He won the 1988 Formula Vauxhall Lotus Championship and finished second in the 1989 British F3 Championship by three points.

McNish also gained F1 experience, with testing contracts for McLaren and Benetton, Toyota – including a full F1 World Championship race season in 2002 – and Renault.

But it was in sportscars where he proved to be a world-beater. Having first won at the world’s greatest endurance race with Porsche in 1998, McNish — with his tartan band round his race helmet — made his Le Mans debut with Audi in 2000.

Audi team orders had ensured it was the Audi driven by a German, Frank Biela, which won, despite McNish’s car being clearly faster over the closing stages.

It was another eight years before he stood on the top step at Le Mans with Audi, but three years later, in 2011, the Scot somehow miraculously walked away from one of the most explosive crashes ever seen at the La Sarthe circuit, as seen in the second photo.

Twelve months later, McNish was again left devastated when he and his Audi were nudged at high speed into the barrier in the closing stages when he was leading. McNish’s career has also racked up three American Le Mans Series titles, plus four wins in both the Sebring 12 Hours and Petit Le Mans races. He also finished second in the Daytona 24 Hours on three occasion. McNish, though, will always be associated with Le Mans.

Although he lives in Monaco and enjoys the almost permanently good weather to be found on the Cote d’Azur, Allan McNish is a proud Scotsman. He regularly wears the family tartan kilt to official engagements.

yea I love the ben edwards / allan mcnish commentary actually.