[WEC Race] WEC 2024: Round 7 - 6 Hours of Fuji

[Adam43]

The championship is hotting up. Everyone is up for it.

Entrant threads: Including how we love/hate the color of the cars (generally hate)
Alpine
BMW
Cadillac
Ferrari
Lamborghini
Peugeot
Porsche
Toyota

Feel free to start other team threads for LMP2 or GT.
Corvette
Ferrari
Porsche

Useful threads:
How on Earth do I watch a WEC race?
WEC penalties. Is there an answer?
BoP. Brilliant or Pants.
The ACO's Safety Car 'Overhaul'

Blast from the past: 2016 Fuji

Series website: www.fiawec.com
Timing: live.fiawec.com

Local time:

FP1	11h00 September 13th
FP2	15h30 September 13th
FP3	10h20 September 14th
Q - LMGT3	14h20 September 14th
H - LMGT3	14h40 September 14th
Q - HYPER	15h00 September 14th
H - HYPER	15h20 September 14th
R	11h00 September 15th

Free practice starts in 1h 38 minutes!

[Ferrari333SP]

Very excited for this one; feels like a track that should suit the Alpines, and potentially the Peugeot as well.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Adam43

The championship is hotting up. Everyone is up for it.

[B]Entrant threads: Including how we love/hate the color of the cars (generally hate)

How dare you, all corporate liveries are excellent and will be remembered fondly in 40 years when EVERYTHING is a corporate livery like Gulf was for a bit there


And to prempt others, Hyundai gonna bring the Gulf like sky blue back again with the N cars running it EVERYWHERE on the street. So at least maybe not red, black, silver and white

[Ferrari333SP]

Looks like live timing is bugging out for FP1; not showing any times

[Adam43]

Yeah, still last race showing?

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Ferrari333SP

Very excited for this one; feels like a track that should suit the Alpines, and potentially the Peugeot as well.

Ha?

[Adam43]

First things first - who is getting the laps in.

Like last race it is BMW and they bag the fastest time so far. As we will see they are Toyota like in their performance as it isn't top speed.

Peugeot, again, didn't do as many laps as others. No mention of any problems - is this just their approach?

[Adam43]

What about the average lap times? BMW - Porsche - Cadillac - Ferrari - Toyota are the top 5 on single fastest.

They've done enough laps to average Top 20 and some Top 40. These times are arranged by Top 20.

Alpine are up there! Cadillac super close. Most others really close. Even Peugeot and Lamborghini are close - within 1s.

[Adam43]

Top Speeds look like there are. These are about 7kph higher than COTA.

As usual Ferrari are top.

BMW who were fastest overall were mid pack. Alpine generally too, but they had a little more consistency.

It should be noted that I am showing the best Top 20 average of each make on the chart and these aren't necessarily the same as the Top 20 in lap times.

There are hints are little set-up differences across cars. I seem to recall #83 and #12 often being faster here than there factory friends.

Toyota at the bottom. As usual.

It continues to be clear that within the performance window there is a range of choices of car design here.

[Articus]

The 35 Alpine looks very strong on long running. The Porsche returns to form as expected (smooth track).

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Articus

The 35 Alpine looks very strong on long running. The Porsche returns to form as expected (smooth track).

I think you are right about the smooth track. The times combined with comments from Jota make it look that way.

On different car strengths we have found Peugeots! It is S1 Fuji!

Here are sector times (Top 20 average).

Other things to note - the Cadillac and Alpine are super strong in the twisty bits. Again, especially with Cadillac, traits we saw in COTA.

Although S2 and S3 while both with corners, they are a different style. So good for them.

Ferrari despite the top speed don't claim S1, but are up there.

[S griffin]

I like Fuji, has an interesting character to it. Expect to see some surprises. Good to see Peugeot up there

Due to the mixture of fast corners, technical corners and the long straight cars will be at different strengths at different parts, meaning no one is likely to dominate

[tomcug]

Not the first time the 9X8 seems ok in FP1 and FP2, only to fall down massively in Q and in the race. I wouldn't expect much.

[Adam43]

In terms of lap time positions it doesn’t look great in FP1 and poor in FP2. Of course not that bad in lap time, but it is so close they are low on the lists where you look at fastest or average times.

Being quick in one sector isn’t doing it for me. Although interesting.

And they tend to do less laps.

Not seen that many quotes and updates from the teams in how things have gone.

[TF110]

I think this is going to be Porsche's race to lose. They were strong here last year and they have a good bop level for this race. Toyota is going to have to work hard to make it 10 wins at Fuji. I see BMW doing well, but they along with Cadillac always seem to stumble as the race progresses. I look forward to this race and Spa more than any other non-Le Mans round. The long straight, the fast sector 2 and the twisty sector 3 makes for a great variety of strengths and weaknesses for the cars.

[Articus]

Originally Posted by TF110

I think this is going to be Porsche's race to lose. They were strong here last year and they have a good bop level for this race.

Is that you David Floury?

Porsche was only stronger than everyone except Toyota last year. Toyota was still much faster than them while running at 1080kg BOP weight.

Toyota will still be there this weekend. You can see it in the data. If anything, it's the Alpine long run that should catch the attention of the rest of the paddock. Porsche seems okay but it's not any kind of pace shown yet that would crown them favorites. If they win, to me it would only come from consistency. I think they might actually lack a bit of outright pace compared to Alpine and BMW this weekend but nowhere near as bad as COTA. Only a tenth in it.

[tomcug]

Looking at the data so far I'd rather say this is Alpine's race to lose. But let's be honest, it's post Le Mans and it's in Japan so beating Toyota will be very hard. They know the track better than others (I think they even own it), they have the best car by a mile, they have the best team, etc.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by tomcug

They know the track better than others (I think they even own it), they have the best car by a mile, they have the best team, etc.

Pride and honor. Not forgetting an hotel room on the circuit.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Articus

Is that you David Floury?

Porsche was only stronger than everyone except Toyota last year. Toyota was still much faster than them while running at 1080kg BOP weight.

Toyota will still be there this weekend. You can see it in the data. If anything, it's the Alpine long run that should catch the attention of the rest of the paddock. Porsche seems okay but it's not any kind of pace shown yet that would crown them favorites. If they win, to me it would only come from consistency. I think they might actually lack a bit of outright pace compared to Alpine and BMW this weekend but nowhere near as bad as COTA. Only a tenth in it.

Porsche is much stronger than last year. Plus the relative bop is better now than recent races. They were in the lead for at least a good quarter of the race last year. Thats why it's probably their race imo.

[Gerard C]

I find strange the speed trap stats of the Toyotas. They aint fast ATM. Same applies to the Caddy. Lets see during Q.

[tomcug]

Big power cut out of final corner surely doesn't help but I think they weren't really pushing that hard so far. Just take a look at this onboard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YErQe11gIHA
Buemi tops at 311 kph despite lifting long before the braking zone.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by tomcug

Big power cut out of final corner surely doesn't help but I think they weren't really pushing that hard so far. Just take a look at this onboard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YErQe11gIHA
Buemi tops at 311 kph despite lifting long before the braking zone.

I appreciate to have one reader on here! Thanks. Really. Strange that the graphs disappear at the end of the vid (1'40" if I'm right). I wonder how teams can cope with turns at 90 kph and the long straight. The traffic will be a factor for sure. Very interesting race. Some YT links quote CoTA track though but its a mistake.

[tomcug]

Yes, they put wrong labels on those new videos. YT channel admin forgot it's new track for this week it seems. And people in the comments ofc complained quickly

[Gerard C]

Ha yes? TBH when I have a look to the chat I sometimes wonder why some people bother to watch and post. But when it comes to historics, like was the case of Goodwood last weekend, I just switch off! Its too much for me.

[Gerard C]

So, how many laps for the first stint do you think? Its comes before the end of the first hour in general, teams secure the fuel management. 37 may be?