Corvette Racing’s Jan Magnussen believes Ford Chip Ganassi Racing was sandbagging at last weekend’s Le Mans Test Day, Motorsport reports.
Magnussen said that he’s “100 percent,” sure that CGR was sandbagging in order to gain a competitive advantage through FIA Balance of Performance changes. The Ford GT was given a 5 kg weight reduction following the test, which compounds with the 20 kg reduction the car received prior to arriving at Le Sarthe.
“Looking at the test, it’s hard to make it any closer than that,” Magnussen told Motorsport in an interview in France this week. “I think it’s a mistake making changes after the test.
“Everybody was so close, within a second and a half. So pretty much by making changes they can only mess it up.
“There’s no way to make it better.”
Magnussen’s co-driver Antonio Garcia was fastest in GTE Pro during the test with a lap of 3:55.122. The Corvette C7.R was slapped with a 0.3mm smaller air restrictor following the test, a modification that will limit power during the race.
Despite the change, Magnussen is still confident in Corvette Racing’s ability to repeat last year’s win. The Dane doesn’t believe they will be on top in regards to pace, but he knows outright speed isn’t what’s needed to win an endurance race like Le Mans.
“Honestly, I don’t think we’ll be fastest, but I think we’ll be in with a good shot at a race win,” he said. “Last year was good for the team, with the win, but it was pretty heartbraking for me on the Thursday when we realised we weren’t going to get both cars on to the starting grid.”
“The Test Day showed we are competitive, there is potential but all of us realise how tough a job it’s going to be.”
Photo via Jan Magnussen on Facebook
Comments
I believe what Jan Magnussen said about Ford sandbagging 100% and I can’t believe that who ever is issuing the fIA balance changes fail for the bullshit that Chip Ganassi is pulling . The FIA just does not what the Chevy Corvettes to win ! I wounder if they are taking money under the table from Ford . I hope that every Ford GT blows up before the race is over .
FIA just wants the competition to be as even as they can so they and keep all MFG’s involved. It is not an exact science and they do screw up often but they need more mfg’S and this is the only way they can keep them in.
My concern is that Pratt and Miller was not on their game already sandbagging themselves.
IMSA has tried the same but they did favor the Viper in attempts to keep them in the series but then they pissed on IMSA and left anyways.
The key to this series is not to go in and stink up the show. You go in and only run as fast as you need to. You keep up in the points but not put the series away in the first half of the season and then the last couple races you dominate the rest.
P&M have been at this long enough that I suspect as they point the finder at Chip they are holding back some too. I just think Chip held back too much and it shows.
What many forget is Racing is entertainment and marketing not just a sport. Fans do not come if their cars are not competitive and MFG do not come if the fans are not there and if the cost of racing gets to obscene levels like F1.
I know many of you have romantic notions of build the best car and dominate the series but that was gone decades ago. Every series has tried that and those who stuck with it are gone like Can Am and those who adapt are still around like NASCAR. Yet today the cost are ever becoming an issue for teams and fans both.
I hate Ford but I even know better they did not bribe FIA. The truth is FIA makes more money and helps secure their future with better competition and full stands. If word ever got out on a bribe it would end the series and MFG would leave in droves. I know you may want to think that but the truth is Chip and Ford does not have enough money for a bribe worth the risk.
The fact is in this race good stops and being consistent and there at the end is not easy and the fastest cars are not always there at the end.
Hell the intake restriction on the Vette will increase MPG so they may win it on less stops?
What imsa did after test day is like pulling corvette racing in on the last lap of a race while they are running in 1st place and telling them to add weight to their car.
There should be NO penalties at all to begin with but to penalize corvette racing after test day is ludechrist. Corvette racing wins alot even with imsas penalties but what is wrong with just racing as long as they are following imsa rules.
Corvette racing wins because of their sportsmanship, drivers, pit crews, doug fehan and a great car which is sold to the public. Ford hasnt sold any of their fix or repair daily cars yet.
Maybe corvette racing should just quit being gentlemen and pull porsche kind of driving and quit helping other teams except those that race corvettes.
Its to bad other car manufacturers dont have a superior car or drivers or pit crews. Let the best team win without imsa penalties.
First off get your facts correct.
IMSA does not sanction Le Mans. The race is governed and sanctioned by FIA World Endurance Championship a totally different ruling body that tries to work with IMSA to make it so cars with some changes can run in each series for the big races like Le Mans and Sebring.
The fact is the superior car the Corvette team is worried about is the WEC GTE Pro Ferrari team. They are very dominate in their new turbo cars and they were also penalized too.
No Corvette does not need crash people to win. They still will be very competitive as they were not hit that hard. Garcia said that Corvette and all the others are pretty equal. The only thing is how much were all of them sandbagging. The truth is I hope the Corvettes were sandbagging too as they are not new at this game.
One has to understand that is just part of the strategy and Jan was just mad that Ford really made it look bad but still got away with no penalty.
As for the best car win I explained that above. That has been done many times and it often kills the series. Can Ams golden era died when Porsche made the 917-30. All the other companies left and by the time they banned the 917-30 there was little left. Porsche had a flat 16 cylinder coming with 4 turbos and nearly 2000 HP. Cost were so high that few could compete or cared to compete anymore and the series golden era came to an end. Even Mclaren moved on.
I know you don’t want to hear this but I have been around this racing for a long time and know how it works or in cases like this does not work. This is business and it only functions over the long term on a level playing field.
I would not worry about Corvette. They know how to win in a 24 hour race and they have a car still more than able to win. They did it with only one car last year. Ford brought 4 because they are not sure all the bugs are out yet.
The C8 is coming and I am hearing a TT V6 may be in the mix. If so that will make them very competitive based on the rules.
I am a very solid Corvette fan and a friend of Jake. I take no prisoners so I am loyal but I also understand how this works and it will be ok. Binks and crew will do what is needed to make the cars finish and that is the first step to winning not speed as much as being efficient and being there at the end. Many of Corvettes wins at the event they were not the fastest but they were the best.
Sorry if the truth hurts but I will not lie with some partisan BS as I am not worries about Ford as much as I am Ferrari.
Please read up on the two series and understand that they are not the same series. IMSA is not involved here. There are many rules that are very different and it is interesting how well Pratt and Miller adapts to the two series with different tires and rules so well. A mark of a great team.
Expect the Ford guys being new will get penalties in the pits. It is a whole different game in the pits.
Note too that the .
Same, same, imsa, le man, they both are screwing with corvette racing. Some of your remarks are making me belive you want to see them lose.
See my comment, the first few sentinces. To add a penalty afteer test day is ludichrist.
Dont waste your time explaining your stupid comments to me as i wont read another word.
Howard I am only speaking the reality of the situation and you just can’t handle the reality.
This is not an emotional call here it is a business call to keep all the MFG’s competitive and happy and keep the fans tuning in.
As Bill France said to several people and MFG in the past you are not going to come in here and stink up my show.
I agree it sucks but Le Mans would not be here in 5 years if you failed to keep the competition close for all MFG and help control the cost of racing.
It could even be worse and they could do as Indy Car has and make everyone run the same cars with only slight changes.
You can ignore my comments as that is fine. But someone needs to explain the reality of the situation and why this has gone on and why it will continue to go on.
The truth is technology and the cost of racing has forced this to keep racing series alive and MFG’s active and competitive.
You also should consider that should another MFG comes in like Say McLaren and they decide to spent 5 times what GM is willing to spend. Then they do that for 5 years while the other MFG just could not justify the spending it would leave them the only one in the field.
Corvette did that for several years in the old American Le Mans series. GM did hang on till IMSA came in but GM spent a lot of money just racing themselves and almost closed down the Corvette team. If it had not been for their trips to France they might have.
It becomes hard to justify racing to shareholders if there is no one to race but your team mate.
As for who I want to win? I am sitting here with my Pratt and Miller Corvette Racing Team hat for the 2016 Le Mans race on right now {Damn Nice Hat by the way}.
I expect they will be there at the end and odds are very good they will be out front. I have been in and around racing for a long time and have learned you do not get emotional on these things as it usually sets you in the wrong direction.
Scott 3, I support you on just about all comments , But not this time you are totally wrong my friend .
Government motors crying again. If they’re not first, drag out the crying towel.
Well what do you know !! They accomplished what they wanted ,the Corvettes were slowed down to around 12 or 14 place ,behind the Ford GTs .