WEC 2024: Round 3 - Spa-Francorchamps

[Ferrari333SP]

Official thread for the race, happening May 11th.

Live Timing: https://live.fiawec.com/

Free Practice 1 begins on Thursday May 9th at 11:30am CET

https://www.fiawec.com/en/race/show/4863

[Adam43]

Potential hydrogen class cars will be demonstrated again this year. This time with a hydrogen combustion engine from Alpine as well as the H24 fuel cell engined car (source: racecar engineering) .

[v8supes]

For me the hydrogen cars need to be better than the effort from a year or two ago. That thing while technically brilliant was slow, silent and looked hideous. Watching the hydrogen Yaris videos online from Toyotas latest efforts though fills me with hope. The engine sounds like a "normal" petrol engine, is cleaner than petrol and there is no aesthetic difference to the normal Yaris. Whether or not this translates over to motorsport is to be seen but if we can continue with the noise, performance and aesthetic aspects of the current WEC cars then whats not to like?

[flatlandsman]

You can already feel the EV world starting to fall apart if you listen closely enough!

[Adam43]

Bit early to tell, but looks normal

[veeten]

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

You can already feel the EV world starting to fall apart if you listen closely enough!

That's true... over the last couple of years, the sales of EV's have taken a big hit. Manufacturers are taking steps back from them, no matter what governments are trying to bring them back.

The one thing that has been a major problem for them in racing has been the battery: it's not quick fillable, nor "hot-swappable". This limits what EVs can do in a racing sense. This is why Hybrids have taken ahold, especially in Formula 1 and Sportscar (Hypercar).

[Adam43]

Road car forum is here: https://tentenths.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=38

Thank you.

[Adam43]

let’s get back to Spa

Last year we had the fun weather and a Ferrari that couldn’t get the tyres going. They seem better this year and could be another opportunity to practice making those crucial calls!

Last years positions:

[veeten]

Of course, we also have more teams and cars than last year, which makes it harder to determine who has an advantage coming in, even with the results of the last couple of races so far.

But, that's what we have Adam 43 for...

[tomcug]

Usually in the last few years there were some weather woes, even including snow. So who knows Just 6 days and we find out. Looking at BOP data alone Caddy should be on pole but my bets are on Ferrari. Race impossible to say what can happen.

[flatlandsman]

From what I have seen of sports coverage in Europe recently the UK has had a tricky run, I was watching a rally from only Germany recently, not sure what part and it was bone dry, dust etc, yet Belgium still seems very wet and muddy, I expect it to be on and off and that is what I as a fan want!

[Mike E]

Gounon stands in for Habsburg again

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/...rt-at-spa.html

[Coach Ep]

As we all know Spa has its own micro climate, very much like the Ring (albeit not the same one despite being in very close proximity to each other). But right now the forecast looks rather decent. I remember 1 or 2 rather warm editions of the event, 2012 comes to mind.

[Truckosaurus]

It is somewhat annoying the qualifying is on the Friday, as even us slackers have work to do.

Is there some interesting reason the meeting is Thur-Fri-Sat not Fri-Sat-Sun ?

[crooky]

Originally Posted by Truckosaurus

It is somewhat annoying the qualifying is on the Friday, as even us slackers have work to do.

Is there some interesting reason the meeting is Thur-Fri-Sat not Fri-Sat-Sun ?

I assume it's something to do with their public holiday on the Thursday called Ascension Day. I'm guessing a lot of people also book off the Friday to make a 4 day break.


https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/belgium/2024

[Truckosaurus]

Well spotted, I keep forgetting other countries have random midweek public holidays.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Truckosaurus

Well spotted, I keep forgetting other countries have random midweek public holidays.

Coincidentally I noticed that the Motorcycle 8 hr (previously 24hr) Spa round just a few weeks later in June also features qualy on Friday and the main race on Saturday. (7-8 June).

[Hedley Verity]

Originally Posted by crooky

I assume it's something to do with their public holiday on the Thursday called Ascension Day. I'm guessing a lot of people also book off the Friday to make a 4 day break.


https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/belgium/2024

Ascension Day will move with Easter presumably? Whereas Spa WEC is always a Saturday race

[tomcug]

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...n-edge-at-spa/
Last time Ferrari expected to be behind Porsche, now Toyota expects to be behind Ferrari. So... Toyota the quickest? But I really hope CGR finally has a clean race with good car setup, basically after Le Mans there wasn't a single race where Caddy showed its potential.

[v8supes]

Somebody at Ferrari messed up and didnt order enough sandbags for the
#50....

[kartman24]

No one is showing their pace, all of them will go quicker, no one was setting faster laps after the first 30 min of the session.

[RL17]

Survived an awful cold night at Camping 35 ??

Weather great now and can’t believe track rise after Eay Rouge to Raidillon.

Virtually all supermarkets were shut today - Francorchamps and Spa centres have major roadworks and got back OK as forgot toothbrush and a few other things. Also drove old bits as per Lucien Bianchi 1962 vid

Lovely place when sun out

[joeb]

No surprises Ferrari leads FP1, with Lambo and Alpine in top 5!

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/...-practice.html

[Coach Ep]

Are FP1 & 2 being aired through the WEC app/Motortrend? Or doesn't any broadcasting start until tomorrow?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Are FP1 & 2 being aired through the WEC app/Motortrend? Or doesn't any broadcasting start until tomorrow?

I don't know of any coverage today