LE MANS 24 HOURS: LE MANS 2000 GUIDE by Wolf Feather/Jamie Stafford FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM Current Version: FINAL Current Version Completed: May 8, 2002 Initial Version Completed: December 19, 2001 ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== JOIN THE FEATHERGUIDES E-MAIL LIST: To be the first to know when my new and updated guides are released, join the FeatherGuides E-mail List. Go to http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=featherguides for information about the list and to subscribe for free. ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Comparison with Petit Le Mans Time Compression Suggested Car Set-ups General Tips Circuit Overview Circuit Details Information on the Web Contact ==================================== SPACING AND LENGTH For optimum readability, this driving guide should be viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier. Check for appropriate font setting by making sure the numbers and letters below line up: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ==================================== PERMISSIONS This guide may ONLY be posted on FeatherGuides, GameFAQs.com, PSXCodez.com, F1Gamers, Cheatcc.com, Absolute- PlayStation.com, InsidePS2Games.com, RedCoupe, gamesover.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com, vgstrategies.com, hellzgate, RobsGaming.com, Games Domain, ps2fantasy.com, and neoseeker.com. Permission is granted to download and print one copy of this game guide for personal use. ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== INTRODUCTION Dating back to 1923, The 24 Hours of Le Mans (Les 24 Heures du Mans) is one of the classics of auto racing. In terms of endurance racing, this is THE race to win to turn a driver's, team's, or manufacturer's name into a household name at domiciles worldwide. Le Mans 24 Hours brings the experience of a full 24-hour race at Le Mans home... and thankfully allows the player to take breaks essentially at will. While I have written a general guide covering virtually all aspects of Le Mans 24 Hours, I am submitting this race- specific game guide to delve even more into the world's pinnacle event of endurance racing. Some of the information provided herein comes from my Le Mans 24 Hours Game Guide. Also, whereas LM24H has several modes (including Quick Race and Time Trial), this guide focuses specifically on the longer, 4-hour and 24-hour races at Le Mans. ==================================== COMPARISON WITH PETIT LE MANS The Petit Le Mans, held every October at Road Atlanta, is the other major endurance race included in Le Mans 24 Hours. Personally, I far prefer Petit Le Mans for two reasons: 1.) The Road Atlanta circuit is FAR shorter, with lap times averaging about 1:10.000 in a Prototype car; 2.) Since the Road Atlanta circuit is far shorter, there is A LOT more passing involved - rarely does a lap go by without making at least one pass, and usually three or more passes are common per lap. These two points converge to make Petit Le Mans a much more intensive race on the brain, thus helping to keep focus. Le Mans 2000, on the other hand, is not nearly as intensive on the brain. At over 8 miles in length, the Le Mans circuit is so long that it is quite possible to drive for numerous consecutive laps without needing to make a single pass. Second, the first four-fifths of the circuit is constructed primarily with super-lengthy, full-throttle straightaways, lulling the mind into a state of numbness by the time you reach the highly-technical final stage of the circuit. If nothing else, a full 24-hour race at Le Mans is a test of extreme concentration. Inclement weather aside, the other major point of comparison is the psychological impact of the two races due to daytime and nighttime conditions. Petit Le Mans begins at 12:30PM and ends at 10:30PM the same day, so the amount of time spent in nighttime driving is essentially minimal. Le Mans, however, begins at 4PM on Saturday and ends at 4PM on Sunday, so a significant portion of the race (approximately 10 hours) is held at night; even though I personally prefer nighttime to daytime in the real world (I generally do the bulk of my work late at night), I find that racing through such an extended period of darkness is mentally taxing; even worse is the seemingly-interminable period of approximately 10 hours of daylight before the end of the race. Even though a trip to Pit Lane allows each race to be saved at that point, long breaks between game sessions still do not really help to alleviate the mental destruction resulting from a full race at Le Mans. Amazingly, wet weather is a great thing for the 4- and 24- hour races at Le Mans. The reason is that in dry conditions, the circuit is extremely monotonous, especially during the numerous consecutive laps without a single pass. Wet weather adds another level of challenge, both in braking and in general car control, this requiring much more mental ability which can itself help players to stay awake. ==================================== TIME COMPRESSION Players can compete in Le Mans 2000 at four different time increments: 10 minutes, 24 minutes, 240 minutes, and the full 24-hour race. At each time increment, the race begins at 4PM on Saturday and ends at 4PM on Sunday, including the appropriate transition from daylight to darkness to daylight. Except for the full 24-hour race, this means that time must be compressed. For those interested, the time compression works in this manner (if my math is correct): Interval: 10 minutes 24 minutes 240 minutes 24 hours 1 second = 14 min 24 sec 1 minute 6 seconds 1 second 1 minute = 2 hr 24 min 1 hour 6 minutes 1 minute 1 hour = N/A N/A 6 hours 1 hour ==================================== SUGGESTED CAR SET-UPS Le Mans 24 Hours provides only two car classes for Le Mans 2000: Open Prototype and GT. A suggested car set-up is provided for each car class. These suggestions are for dry- conditions racing; wet-conditions racing requires Wet or Intermediate Tires, and a raise in downforce if needed to suit your personal driving style. First, however, an explanation of the set-up options is needed. Explanations Fuel: Lower fuel loads will provide a faster overall top speed initially due to the lesser overall weight of the car. Conversely, a higher fuel load will slow the car initially while allowing the car to stay on the circuit for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, it is impossible to adjust initial fuel load for the races :-( In a four-hour race at Le Mans, a typical lap will consume approximately 8% of the fuel; a 24-hour race will have approximately 4% fuel consumption per lap. Downforce: Low downforce provides a faster top-end speed while making cornering more difficult. High downforce gives easier cornering while lowering overall top-end speed. Tires: Soft Tires provide the most grip of the pavement, but wear out faster than other tires, resulting in more trips to Pit Lane to change tires. Hard Tires provide the least grip of the dry-conditions tires while lasting the longest, resulting in fewer trips to Pit Lane. Should the track become damp or wet, 'slick' (Soft and Hard) tires quickly become useless. Wet Tires are for very wet conditions, when your car emits a 'rooster tail' of spray at high speeds. If it has been raining or has just started to rain and there is no 'rooster tail' behind your car, Intermediate Tires are a good choice; however, do not waste the time changing to and from Intermediate Tires unless your opinion of the clouds is that Intermediate Tires will be needed for more than one or two laps. Gear Ratio: An Acceleration setting will provide maximum acceleration for the car; at Le Mans, this would really only be useful in the final fifth of the circuit. Top Speed provides slower acceleration, but the car's top-end speed will be much higher. Balance is the 'middle ground' setting. Engine: A Sprint Engine will help boost your car through the field in shorter races, and can be useful in the 10-minute, 24-minute, and 4-hour Le Mans race. However, for the full 24-hour race, only an Endurance Engine will provide the long-lasting power required to finish the race. Balance is a 'middle ground' position, and is also a good choice for the 4-hour race at Le Mans. Open Prototype Class Fuel: 50% Downforce: Low Tires: Soft Gear Ratio: Top Speed Engine: Sprint for the 4-hour race; Endurance for the full 24-hour race Notes: Prototype cars are inherently faster than GT cars. The suggested settings will help to quickly pass the Open Prototype cars as well, especially when taking on only a 50% fuel load. The low downforce setting will provide excellent top-end speed on the lengthy Hunaudieres Straight (Parts I, II, and III) and the long 'straightaway' between Mulsanne Curve and Indianapolis Curve, but the chicanes and the Indianapolis-Arnage complex will be rather tricky, especially in wet conditions. The 50% initial fuel load fits well with Soft Tires, as Soft Tires will start giving out about the time you will need to return to Pit Lane to refuel anyhow. GT Class Fuel: 80% Downforce: Low Tires: Hard Gear Ratio: Top Speed Engine: Sprint for the 4-hour race; Endurance for the full 24-hour race Notes: In general, see the notes for the Open Prototype Class, above. However, I find that GT cars have better handling with more fuel, thus making the car a bit heavier. Hard Tires will then allow the car to stay on the circuit longer, as the car will begin with a heavier fuel load; however, Hard Tires provide the least amount of grip, so more care must be given early in a run, especially when cornering. Note #1: It is not impossible for a GT Class car to win a full Le Mans 2000 race outright, beating even all the Open Prototype Class cars. This will depend upon the settings selected for a GT Class car, pit strategy, and the game parameters (in terms of driving aids and AI Skill). Note #2: Both Open Prototype and GT Class cars tend to fishtail; this is especially significant in GT Class vehicles. As such, heavier fuel loads tend to reduce the fishtail effect. Unless extreme care is afforded the tires, the rear tires will wear out faster, which can itself aid the fishtailing effect. Be especially wary of fishtailing when running over rumble strips while turning (and when cornering at fast speeds, especially in wet conditions). ==================================== GENERAL TIPS After driving all night long (especially in the full 24-hour race), the transition to daylight driving (especially under clear skies) can result in poor visibility of cars far ahead of you until your eyes adjust. Be wary of your closing rate on slower, 'unseen' cars far ahead, as you can suddenly find your front bumper banging the rear end of another vehicle. Lights are used for nighttime driving and other poor visibility conditions (primarily constant rain). While the lights are great in poor visibility conditions, do not allow yourself to become too reliant upon them. Once clear visibility returns, the lights are turned off (approximately 6:30AM in the full 24-hour race if rain is not present). ALWAYS keep an eye on your fuel usage. If you run out of fuel somewhat early in a lap, you may not make it back to Pit Lane without placing yourself just right to be bumped from behind or making use of a downhill slope to help gain speed. Tire selection is extremely important at Le Mans because of the immense length of the circuit; if your tires wear out in the early portion of the circuit, you may well find yourself sliding around in corners later in the lap. Many of the turns at Le Mans can be taken at full throttle; however, the slower, tighter corners - especially the Indianapolis-Arnage complex and the final double-chicane at White House - can be absolutely brutal on tires, especially if cornering at a too- high speed for the condition of the tires. For more specific tips on tire usage, please read the full Le Mans 24 Hours Game Guide, and/or also look at my Gran Turismo 3: Tires Guide. To pass, use the draft; this is especially effective in prototype cars. The Le Mans circuit has numerous long straightaways and sections with gentle, full-throttle curves, providing plenty of opportunity to make use of a competitor's draft. On the wide public roads, CPU-controlled cars almost always straddle the center line, so this is a great place to be to make use of another car's draft as you approach. If you do not choose to qualify, you will automatically start in last place; therefore, you have nothing to lose and A LOT to gain by qualifying. If you can qualify on Pole, that can mean twenty-three FEWER passes you will need to make as a race progresses. In the longer (4-hour and 24-hour) Le Mans races, this could become a significant factor, especially in relation to Pit strategy. If you are in first place and begin lapping other cars, those cars one or more laps behind you will have blue indicators on the track map. If at all possible, do not go to Pit Lane with a pack of competitors. If there is another car directly in front of you, the CPU will slow you to a near halt while that car slots into its Pit Stall. Similarly, once your Pit Stop has been completed, if there are any cars passing your position, the CPU will hold you there until they ALL pass, even if it appears that there is plenty of room for you to slot into the line of cars. ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== CIRCUIT OVERVIEW The Le Mans circuit has seen numerous changes throughout its vast and storied history (detailed at some of the Web sites in the Information on the Web section). The current configuration is 8.454 miles in length; as such, the circuit has numerous long straightaways and sections with gentle, full-throttle curves. A small part of the circuit shares pavement with the permanent Bugatti circuit, while much of the Le Mans circuit makes use of local public roads. The potential irony of racing at this circuit is that approximately fifty seconds into a lap, racers will pass an Elf gas station on the right; if a car is low on fuel, this is simply a nasty reminder that there is still at least three minutes remaining in the lap before finding Pit Lane :-( In clear daylight, this circuit is a beauty. Much of the circuit is surrounded very closely by tall trees, which - depending on the position of the sun and the portion of the circuit you may be in at a particular moment - can produce some rather long shadows across the circuit, potentially obscuring a view of cars or pavement ahead. Fortunately, most of the tight corners have wide recovery areas lined with grass and/or sand. During a star-filled night, the Le Mans circuit can be a massive beast compared to the beauty of the sky above. While four of the corners and the immediate entrance to Pit Lane are marked by bright red lights which can be seen at a long distance, the tightest corners of the circuit are NOT lit in the same manner; the taillights of any cars ahead will certainly help to mark the corners, but intimate familiarity is required to successfully navigate these tight, unmarked corners. However, the bright red lights can also obscure your view of cars ahead, as competitors' taillights often 'disappear' into the bright red corner indicators on approach. In a rainstorm, whether during the day or at night, the circuit can quickly turn into a sheet of ice. The trick in wet conditions is to expertly regulate the use of both the brakes and the accelerator, especially in the Indianapolis- Arnage complex and the double-chicane at White House. Just as important is pit strategy to change to/from Wet or Intermediate Tires; therefore, if playing with Weather set to Random, always keep an eye on the sky, especially at the eastern and western ends of the circuit, to better anticipate how the weather may change. ==================================== CIRCUIT DETAILS This is without question the longest circuit of the game... and quite likely the reason players buy or rent this game!!! It is IMPERATIVE to learn this circuit flawlessly during daylight conditions, as visibility is unbelievably poor at night and in wet-weather conditions (although better than in the old PlayStation game Test Drive: Le Mans). Turn 1 (Dunlop Curve): This is a rather nice right-hand fade which can be taken flat-out. However, it may be a good idea to begin braking for Dunlop Chicane when exiting Dunlop Curve. An elevation change begins here. Pit Exit rejoins the main circuit at the entry to Dunlop Curve. Turns 2-4 (Dunlop Chicane): Given the continual upward slope through Dunlop Chicane, it is extremely easy to slip off the pavement on either side of the circuit... and both sides are filled with plenty of kitty litter. Braking well before entering the Dunlop Chicane is of UTMOST importance - especially in wet conditions - as the corners of the chicane are rather tight. At the beginning of a race, all the traffic can make this segment even more treacherous than it would be normally - which should be enough incentive to try to qualify on pole. Straightaway: The significant hill crests as you pass underneath the big Dunlop tire. Turns 5-6 (Red Mound S): This left-right chicane begins just after passing the Ferris Wheel (lit with bright red lights at night) on the left side of the course, and is a good reference point to use in picking your braking zone. The barriers are rather close to the pavement on both sides through the chicane, so any off-pavement excursions will certainly result in sliding along the rails; this is especially important in case you carry too much speed through this chicane. Turns 7-9 (Red Mound Curve): This is a set of three right- hand semi-corners which can usually be taken flat-out, unless you find yourself encumbered by traffic. However, keep a tight line to the apex of each of the three semi-corners, or you may find yourself with a few wheels in the sand and grass on the outside of the course. The outside of the final corner is actually paved (where public roads form the major portion of the circuit), so this can be used as a good swing- out area if necessary, and can also be used to pass a small group of cars on the inside of the corner; beware the outside barrier here as you will be likely be carrying A LOT of speed. The 'Back Stretch:' Approximately one minute, forty seconds is spent here on the back side of the circuit. This is without question the best place for drafting and passing other cars. The 'Back Stretch' (the Hunaudieres Straight) is broken by two chicanes. Straightaway (Hunaudieres Straight - Part I): This is the longest straightaway of the circuit, and very good top-end speeds can be achieved here, especially if you were able to blast your way through Red Mound Curve without even tapping the brakes. However, there is no room for error if you get involved in a three-abreast situation, as the barriers come almost directly up to the pavement. During the day, look for the distance-to-corner markers or else you will miss Motorola Chicane (flashing red lights alert you to the chicane at night and in poor-visibility conditions). All along this straightaway, make use of the draft if at all possible to increase your overall speed. Turns 10-12 (Motorola Chicane): This is the same chicane format as the Dunlop Chicane (right-left-right), but wider and without the hill. Beware the barriers. In poor visibility conditions, the first corner of the chicane is easily identifiable by the red lights; during the day, however, the chicane is very difficult to see from a distance, so be sure to look for the distance-to-corner markers. Straightaway (Hunaudieres Straight - Part II): Very good top-end speeds can be achieved here. However, there is no room for error if you get involved in a three-abreast situation, as the barriers come almost directly up to the pavement. During the day, look for the distance-to-corner markers or else you will miss Michelin Chicane (flashing red lights alert you to the chicane at night). All along this straightaway, make use of the draft if at all possible to increase your overall speed. Turns 13-15 (Michelin Chicane): This is exactly like the Motorola Chicane, but is a left-right-left combination with a tighter initial turn. In poor-visibility conditions, the first corner of the chicane is easily identifiable by the red lights; during the day, however, the chicane is very difficult to see from a distance, so be sure to look for the distance-to-corner markers. Straightaway (Hunaudieres Straight - Part III): Yet another long straightaway, but with a small fade to the right almost one-third of the way along its length. After clearing the small rise (similar to a bridge over a small country stream, about two-thirds of the way along the straightaway), look for the distance-to-corner markers for Mulsanne Curve. All along this straightaway, make use of the draft if at all possible to increase your overall speed. Mulsanne: If you can carry enough speed into Mulsanne and have sufficient tire grip, you can essentially treat both Mulsanne Hump and Mulsanne Curve as one long double-apex corner by riding up on the inside rumble strip of Mulsanne Curve. Mulsanne Hump and Mulsanne Curve together essentially form a 135-degree (double-apex) megacorner. It is very easy to go too wide exiting this megacorner, and CPU-controlled cars often will find themselves in the sand trap, so keep watch for such activity as you round Mulsanne Curve. Turn 16 (Mulsanne Hump): The distance-to-corner markers actually are for the following right-hand turn, but no one can afford to miss Mulsanne Hump, whose apex is almost exactly in line with the 100m marker and bounded on the left by a nasty barrier. Turn 17 (Mulsanne Curve): The distance-to-corner markers are actually for THIS corner. This is a ninety-degree corner requiring moderate braking and a solid, clean racing line to keep out of the sand trap. It may help to keep tight to the apex and roll the right tires up on the inside rumble strips; however, the barrier is just barely off the pavement, so do not edge TOO far toward the inside of the corner here, or your car will be bounced back across the pavement and possibly into the sand trap on the outside of Mulsanne Curve. Straightaway: This straightaway has three fades to the right along its length. All along this straightaway, make use of the draft if at all possible to increase your overall speed. At the apex of the third fade, begin braking for the Indianapolis Curve. Turn 18 (Indianapolis Curve): This left-hand right-angle corner can easily be missed, so use plenty of braking beginning at the apex of the third fade along the previous straightaway. Do not cut this corner too sharp or you will likely bang the barrier on the inside of the turn, which is set rather close to the pavement. Indianapolis Curve is marked by bright red lights. Turn 19 (Arnage Curve): After a very brief straightaway, this is a right-hand right-angle corner. The trick here is to NOT come up to full speed following the Indianapolis Curve, thus saving your brakes a little (which is extremely important in endurance races). Do not cut this corner too sharp or you will likely bang the barrier on the inside of the turn, which is set very close to the pavement. If you go wide, say 'Bonjour' (daytime) or 'Bonsoir' (evening/nighttime) to the outside barrier. Likewise, if you carry too much speed over the inside rumble strip, countersteer immediately to avoid a spin (and that still may not help). Arnage Curve is marked by bright red lights. Straightaway: This 'straightaway' has four fades (left-right- left-right). After the fourth fade, get ready for the fast- approaching Porsche Curve. 'Chicane:' This next segment essentially forms an extra-wide right-left-left-right (classic 'bus stop') chicane as it leaves the public roads. Extreme care is required here, as the pavement is extremely narrow. Turn 20 (Porsche Curve): Light braking will likely be needed here, although - with a tight racing line - experts can probably blast through here at top speed if not encumbered by traffic. An uphill rise begins here. Turn 21: The rise crests here as the course turns to the left. The barrier on the left is very close to the pavement here. Turns 22-23: The course elevation drops at Turn 22 as the circuit turns to the left, making this corner more challenging than it would at first appear. Turn 23 follows immediately, turning to the right. The left-side barrier is extremely close to the pavement through these two corners. Turns 24-27 (Prairie): There are four significant semi- corners (right-left-right-left) here. Top speed can be carried all the way through Prairie, but only with a flawless racing line, else you risk dropping a wheel in the grass and slowing yourself down. On exiting Turn 27, the single yellow line marking the Pit Entry begins on the right; often, even the computer-controlled cars which are not going to Pit Lane will be straddling or driving to the right of this Pit Lane Line. Turns 28-31 (White House): These tight left-right-left-right S-curves are the finale of a rather lengthy lap of the Le Mans circuit. The pavement here is extremely narrow, making safe passing impossible; if any passing is to be done here, it is only by ramming another car off the pavement and into the kitty litter. The entire area is surrounded by massive sand traps, so if you slip off the pavement, you will be slowed almost to a snail's crawl, losing valuable time and allowing those behind you to pass with the greatest of ease. A VERY brief straightaway separates the first left-right combination from the second. Note that to keep your time in this section to a minimum, you will need to make use of the rumble strips on the inside of each corner; however, if you come through ANY corner of White House carrying too much speed (especially in wet racing conditions), the car will bounce severely and perhaps spin or slide out into the kitty litter. Pit Entry: Just like White House, Pit Entry is a double- chicane, so severe braking is required before reaching the first corner. Pit Entry is also surrounded by sand traps, and the outside of the second corner of the double-chicane has a barrier to protect cars in Pit Entry from out-of- control cars sliding off the main circuit. ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== INFORMATION ON THE WEB For more information on The 24 Hours of Le Mans, visit these Web sites: The Official Web Site of The 24 Hours of Le Mans: http://www.24h-le-mans.com/ Automobile Club de l'Ouest (race organizers): http://www.lemans.org/ GL24H: http://www.gl24h.fr.st/ Le Mans Register: http://user.tninet.se/~aiq291w/ Maison Blanche (named after the final segment of the Le Mans circuit): http://www.maisonblanche.co.uk/ Mulsanne's Corner: http://www.mulsannescorner.com/ ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== CONTACT For rants, raves, etc., contact me at FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM; also, if you have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful to you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via PayPal (http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail address. To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2 game guides, visit FeatherGuides at http://www.angelcities.com/members/feathersites/ ==================================== ==================================== ====================================