Race Statistics and Analysis

Category: Bamber, Earl

  • Ironmen Milesi, Schumacher and Bamber

    Ironmen Milesi, Schumacher and Bamber

    All three completed over 100 laps and were fast. With Bamber consistently fastest of all.

    Let’s look at the spread of a selection of the fastest drivers from the race. the top three drivers and the rest of their crew was chosen. This includes the top two in the race and the pole winning Cadillac crew1

    Driver time and Stint management

    Looking at how these three crews and podium Alpine crew did shows some different approaches to driver and stint management.

    Interesting split of driver time in the car for the #15 and #36. Alpine specifically, despite having three drivers, let their two strongest have the bulk of the time. Schumacher in #36 (shown) started and finished the race. Milesi in the #35 had a similar high lappage count.

    In a previous post we saw the wining Porsche #6’s approach to stints. A fairly even split. It is slightly longer for the first driver. Obviously this is driven by how the race is panning out, but also has the advantage of getting the needed longer tyre stints over with early on.

    The #2 Cadillac only has two drivers. They alternated between the two through the race, with Bamber having a shorted stint at the end due to retiring 20 laps early. If he had completed these he would have completed the most laps of any driver – he was still third in this table (see below).

    This can introduce a situation where a new driver doesn’t get new tyres. Their pros so not a big issue, but it needs managing.

    It is also interesting to note he got fastest lap. Mainly because he is fast and on pole, but also this lap had the advantage of the early running. The first laps of the race have give you best opportunity to get a quick on in. That ability to nicely warm the tyres up on two controlled warm up laps is a lot nicer than leaving the pits on cold tyres and in racing conditions. No traffic certainly helps too!

    BMW have three driver’s like the winner, but look like they have a definite hierarchy in the drivers. As the race goes on the driver gets more opportunity. First driver still gets those sweet spot laps.

    Alpine tried to maximise their chances by putting their strongest driver in twice and for over 100 laps!

    Discussion on TenTenths.

    For completeness here are all the drivers:

    1. FIA WEC results ↩︎

  • Fuji Hypercar Build-Up

    Fuji Hypercar Build-Up

    Can Caddy keep their pace over a stint?

    Cadillac have grabbed pole and it was great to see. Pole isn’t everything in endurance racing (although you do get a point nowadays). They are looking for their first win and it seems that they have the pace across a stint…

    #15 BMW leads the practice lappery

    Peugeot, on the other hand…

    Their one car hasn’t got as many laps in as others. #15 BMW led the way there. Alpine with their two cars have a good combined total in that team, but as normal Porsche scores high here across several teams.

    Different ways to achieve the same lap time

    The different approaches we’ve seen all year continues. this can be confusing for those trying to decipher BoP and it remains an intriguing part of this rule set.

    The pole sitting Cadillac1 owns sector 2 and sector 3, but doesn’t have the speed trap speed.

    This is similar for Toyota. The spread of the speed trap data hints that they are using the lift and coast for energy use. As we’ve seen before they are concentrating on the race.

    Looking at lap time consistency Cadillac leads the way. Just.

    As is the way in this era it is super close. Alex Lynn said that the car was great over one lap:

    “It feels so good. This car is amazing over one lap, massive congrats to Cadillac. I just wanted to give the team a pole position this year as we’ve come close so many times. I’ve proud we’ve done it.”

    Lynn Snatches 6H Fuji Pole For Cadillac

    It is more than one lap. Fastest one lap, 10, 25, 50 averages show it is quick. Alpine up there too, with Porsche and Toyota following closely. Even Peugeot, who are slightly ahead of Lamborghini, are within one second with their fastest Top 50 lap average.

    The spread chart shows these cars all got 50 or more fast laps in. With BMW getting close to the 100 lap mark before we see slow running or in and out laps impacting this.

    Can Cadillac maintain this consistency in the race?2

    How did the teams approach practice and qualifying?

    It doesn’t look like the average above are influenced by short stints or anything. They don’t have unlimited practice, and in the context of that there is generally a good mix of long stints thrown in.

    Continuing the can the Caddy keep a good pace for a stint. It’s looking OK. The averages are good and it did a decent stint in FP2. These charts shows all the running (in order) so far. Blue lines are end of sessions, grey lines are when they pitted.

    You can see some of the difference in approaches through practice. A lot of teams went for a qualifying run at the beginning of FP2. Alpine #35 went for this at the beginning of FP3. Some did both.

    Some went for a long stint, like the BMW and Cadillac shown here.

    I don’t know if they did, but it looks like Toyota might have done pit stops and changed, but kept the same tyres on in FP2.

    For completeness here are the fastest cars from the other makes.

    1. Starting Grid ↩︎
    2. 10-10ths discussion ↩︎