Button to race at Le Mans 2018

[McSwede]

This makes me happy. He's a class act and I think he'd be superb in WEC.

[Zonda_]

Cool, what's he driving?

[McSwede]

"Jenson Button will race for Russian outfit SMP Racing in the World Endurance Championship 'superseason'. The 2009 Formula 1 champion will race alongside Mikhail Aleshin and Vitaly Petrov in the LMP1 class.

Button's first race will be the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16-17.

"My team-mates for this year will be Mikhail Aleshin and Vitaly Petrov whom I know very well from his racing in Formula 1, and Mikhail obviously from his IndyCar exploits," said Button.

"I think with those two and the experience we all have from different types of racing and the team’s fantastic experience in endurance racing we have a great chance to fight at the front and fight for the win and I can’t wait to get going.”

SMP Racing founder Boris Rotenberg added that he was "delighted," and said that his team-mates will be SMP's "strongest drivers.

"This car was designed with the most advanced motor sport technologies by the best specialists of the Russian company BR Engineering and Italian concern Dallara. We’re sure our line-up is one of the best and most competitive in the FIA WEC."

SMP will run two cars: Button, Petrov and Aleshin in no11, Egor Orudzev, Matevos Isaakyan, Stephane Sarrazin in no17. "

[McSwede]

[GG.]

Woah that's not a looker

[Mito Man]

Petrov?! That car won’t finish the race with him behind the wheel!

[GG.]

That car doesn't look like it would finish an endurance race anyway - it looks like it was nailed together in a shed.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Is that someone's Lego interpretation of the car?

[PaulJ]

Is that someone's Lego interpretation of the car?

Lego will not be amused!

[ZedLeg]

I take it I'm the only one that thinks it looks like pretty much every other LMP1 car then?

[PaulJ]

I take it I'm the only one that thinks it looks like pretty much every other LMP1 car then?

You are right. They all look equally awful these days - as do F1 cars. (Maybe It's my age...)

[speedingfine]

I take it I'm the only one that thinks it looks like pretty much every other LMP1 car then?

You are right. They all look equally awful these days - as do F1 cars. (Maybe It's my age...)

I thought Porsche's efforts since 2014 have all looked pretty tasty

[Mr Pish]

I take it I'm the only one that thinks it looks like pretty much every other LMP1 car then?

You are right. They all look equally awful these days - as do F1 cars. (Maybe It's my age...)

yep

but probably an age thing

https://jalopnik.com/here-are-all-of-th ... 1822067563

[ilmostro]

Yep ugly as sin.

It was entirely possible to have a load of downforce and have a good looking car.

[GG.]

Where is this good looking car you speak of?

[Marv]

Can we take bets on whose car will break down first then, Button's or Alonso's?

[GG.]

I take it I'm the only one that thinks it looks like pretty much every other LMP1 car then?

You are right. They all look equally awful these days - as do F1 cars. (Maybe It's my age...)

I thought Porsche's efforts since 2014 have all looked pretty tasty

Let's just say I don't think their LM winning cars have improved in looks over the last 20 years:



Versus

[ZedLeg]

different rules though innit, The GT1 only looked the way it did because they were bending the rules of the class to breaking point. It is a shame that there's no equivalent these days though.

[GG.]

Historic non-silhouette racers with decent aero still looked way better:



But hey - now LMP1 is effectively dead, let's go back to silhouette racers.

[ilmostro]

Still like the look of the 98 GT1 911