[WEC Race] WEC 2013 Round 1: Silverstone

[joeb]

The opening round of the 2013 WEC season is just around the corner. This year will be the first full season of WEC action for Toyota, and their battle with Audi should be intense all year. LMP2 is again full of top quality teams and will be a dogfight. GT-Pro has heated up for this year as well with the debut of the new 991 Porsche, a couple Ferrari's, and a couple Astons in the Pro category. The GT-Am category will feature the same makes, plus Corvette, and will also be worth watching.

Schedule

Entry List

Timing & Scoring

Track Map

Spotters Guide

World Times

FRC

Ten-Tenths Chat (Great during Race)

[MJones94]

Thoroughly looking forward to this, I feel that the Toyota's might well be the faster of the two factory P1 cars, in qualifying at least. It should be a cracker!

[Bandicoot17]

Really looking forward to this! Gonna be a great race

[jsTrecu]

I can't wait to see how the Porsche performs

[Simmi]

Will be interesting to see how the new qualifying format works out. Not sure how much info we'll get trackside but should be good!

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Will be interesting to see how the new qualifying format works out. Not sure how much info we'll get trackside but should be good!

How many minutes is the qualifying session for each class?

[Beetle]

In GTE-Pro, any one of those cars (except #98) could easily be a winner.

It's going to be really tight in LMP1 as well. I have a lingering feeling Audi may have the pace over the Toyotas at Silverstone, but I couldn't say for sure. The Ferraris are certainly very quick in a straight line, as well as the Aston Martins. I'm leaning towards the Aston Martins in the reliability department, but really if all cars are flawless in their pit work, staying on track, not hitting each other, etc., I really believe we could see a 1-2-3-4-5 (#97, #51, #71, #91, #92) all within 10 seconds at the end of the race. It should be a really good race... the best the WEC's seen, I think.

[Dario911]

Originally Posted by Beetle

In GTE-Pro, any one of those cars (except #98) could easily be a winner.

I really believe we could see a 1-2-3-4-5 (#97, #51, #71, #91, #92) all within 10 seconds at the end of the race. It should be a really good race... the best the WEC's seen, I think.

I hope the final sequence in GTE will be dominated by two new and flaming GT3 RSR! From the third to the last position, is just a detail!

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by Dario911

I hope the final sequence in GTE will be dominated by two new and flaming GT3 RSR! From the third to the last position, is just a detail!

It's always nice to see your positive attitude; however, I'm not yet completely convinced the 991 RSR will be really competitive until the DFI engine comes next year. I really hope that I'm wrong. (The cool temperatures expected for Silverstone will help).

Also - Even if they are very competitive at Silverstone, I'm not sure that it would be wise to show a full hand, as the BoP police will be eager to strike before Le Mans.

[Dario911]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

It's always nice to see your positive attitude; however, I'm not yet completely convinced the 991 RSR will be really competitive until the DFI engine comes next year. I really hope that I'm wrong. (The cool temperatures expected for Silverstone will help).

Also - Even if they are very competitive at Silverstone, I'm not sure that it would be wise to show a full hand, as the BoP police will be eager to strike before Le Mans.

I'm not so sure engine will be a real trouble fo Porsche, except for fuel consumption. Main problems for the old RSR were from the aero-package. The car was not fast in LM due to the inadeguate aerodynamics, and not for the engine. Power is quite the same of the opponents, with an improved aero, the car will have a lower fuel consumption, as well as better performance due to the better balancing. Porsche drivers have said to believe they'll be competitive since the first race. No one of them has spoken as if they were worried for the car performance.
Ok, we have to wait the race, but I believe numbers to win are just there!
Anyway, DFI will give another improvement to the car, of course.

[TF110]

Toyota is running their 2012 cars. But they were over a second faster than Audi last season. If Audi's 2013 car is a second faster than last year it may be close but Toyota hasn't sat still so I think they'll be faster just like last year. The main thing is race pace and fuel efficiency. Thats what won Audi the race last season, but we saw the improvement on Toyota's part in Brazil there. GTE will be hot to watch also. Kobayashi and Senna will be good to watch as well as the new 911s. I think #7 toyota wins lmp1 and #97 Aston wins gte.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by TF110

Toyota is running their 2012 cars. But they were over a second faster than Audi last season.

Over a second faster You must have looked at different data than the timing information that is available on http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/

The median lap time was:

• #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro: 1:47.496
• #2 Audi R18 ultra: 1:47.745
• #7 Toyota TS030: 1:47.185

The average of the 40 fastest lap times was:

• #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro: 1:46.627
• #2 Audi R18 ultra: 1:46.630
• #7 Toyota TS030: 1:46.048

Originally Posted by TF110

If Audi's 2013 car is a second faster than last year it may be close but Toyota hasn't sat still so I think they'll be faster just like last year. The main thing is race pace and fuel efficiency. Thats what won Audi the race last season, but we saw the improvement on Toyota's part in Brazil there.

Yes, Toyota improved their pitstops. In Silverstone they lost 5-6 sec to Audi just refueling the car. However, the fuel consumption of Toyota will still be worse and hence in normal conditions Toyota will have to do an additional fuel stop at the end of the race.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Over a second faster You must have looked at different data than the timing information that is available on http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/

The median lap time was:

• #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro: 1:47.496
• #2 Audi R18 ultra: 1:47.745
• #7 Toyota TS030: 1:47.185

The average of the 40 fastest lap times was:

• #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro: 1:46.627
• #2 Audi R18 ultra: 1:46.630
• #7 Toyota TS030: 1:46.048

Yes, Toyota improved their pitstops. In Silverstone they lost 5-6 sec to Audi just refueling the car. However, the fuel consumption of Toyota will still be worse and hence in normal conditions Toyota will have to do an additional fuel stop at the end of the race.

I said last year. Not last Silverstone. At some points in the eeason Toyota were a second faster. Sometimes .500, not saying Silverstone was that track. Who knows what the gap will be or if its an Audi gap.

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by TF110

I said last year. Not last Silverstone. At some points in the eeason Toyota were a second faster. Sometimes .500, not saying Silverstone was that track.

Because this topic deals with Silverstone, I assumed you meant "last year Silverstone".

Earlier you said that Toyota was "over a second faster than Audi" last year. Now you are saying that they were "a second faster" on some points in the season. Which metric are you using? Which track do you mean?

This is a comparison of the median lap time:

car	Silverstone	Interlagos	Bahrain	Fuji	Shanghai
Audi #1	1:47.496	1:25.702	1:49.474	1:29.959	1:51.601
Audi #2	1:47.745	1:25.601	1:49.486	1:30.723	1:51.308
Toyota #7	1:47.185	1:25.212	1:48.772	1:30.027	1:50.743
diff	-0.311	-0.389	-0.702	+0.068	-0.565

This is a comparison of the average of the 20% fastest lap times:

car	Silverstone	Interlagos	Bahrain	Fuji	Shanghai
Audi #1	1:46.581	1:24.780	1:48.359	1:29.310	1:50.840
Audi #2	1:46.588	1:24.805	1:48.504	1:29.802	1:50.580
Toyota #7	1:46.011	1:24.279	1:48.099	1:29.328	1:49.854
diff	-0.570	-0.501	-0.270	+0.018	-0.726

Note that the comparison of the Bahrain lap time is not so meaningful, since the Toyota did not finish the race.

Perhaps you are considering ultimate pace, instead of consistent race pace?

This is a comparison of the qualifying time:

car	Silverstone	Interlagos	Bahrain	Fuji	Shanghai
Audi #1	1:43.663	1:23.332	1:45.888	1:27.639	1:48.373
Audi #2	1:43.673	1:23.147	1:45.814	1:28.370	1:48.597
Toyota #7	1:44.411	1:22.363	1:46.254	1:27.499	1:48.273
diff	+0.748	-0.784	+0.440	-0.140	-0.100

This is a comparison of the fastest race lap:

car	Silverstone	Interlagos	Bahrain	Fuji	Shanghai
Audi #1	1:44.520	1:23.740	1:47.274	1:28.391	1:48.924
Audi #2	1:44.599	1:23.070	1:47.140	1:28.967	1:49.664
Toyota #7	1:44.059	1:23.419	1:47.128	1:28.088	1:48.815
diff	-0.461	+0.349	-0.012	-0.303	-0.109

[hcl123]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Because this topic deals with Silverstone, I assumed you meant "last year Silverstone".

Earlier you said that Toyota was "over a second faster than Audi" last year. Now you are saying that they were "a second faster" on some points in the season. Which metric are you using? Which track do you mean?

This is a comparison of the median lap time:
This is a comparison of the average of the 20% fastest lap times:
Note that the comparison of the Bahrain lap time is not so meaningful, since the Toyota did not finish the race.

Perhaps you are considering ultimate pace, instead of consistent race pace?

This is a comparison of the qualifying time:
This is a comparison of the fastest race lap:

Lap times depend of many factors, including chassis balance tires traffic etc...

But "top speeds" are more tell tale, in 2012 Audi had the best top speed in all circuits except LeMans (La Sathre).. meaning torque dictates, while in LeMans shows clearly that Toyota has more "power" (hp) but needs those long straits to show... Yet the Toyota didn't have the best race laps there, meaning Audi has a good chance to win this year to, because the difference of top speed is not negligible, yet happens only for short times at the end of long straits (the same this year depending on how much ACO/FIA schizophrenically decides to penalize the "diesel" engine, which clearly is only an ultra-expensive to try to compensate, part of the equation)

In compensation "NON- DISCRETIONARY" ballast penalty decided race to race (equal to everybody to prevent some team to always win) is incredible cheap, fair and rational... but that would be too much to ask to ACO/FIA i think...

The same with free fuel tank and everybody *forcible stops* no further than 12 laps (more race less stops, and non F1 like win by pit stop dictated by tank capacity), even if they have a 100 liter tank... but i think this is even worst, akin to preach to an empty desert...

[TF110]

http://lotus-lmp2.com/en/news/162-lo...lverstone.html christophe bouchut in the t128 in place of rossiter.

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by TF110

http://lotus-lmp2.com/en/news/162-lo...lverstone.html christophe bouchut in the t128 in place of rossiter.

Great to see Christophe back in an LMP2 in Europe after spending 2 years with Level-5.

DK

[rich07]

This is this weekend? Great!

Gonna be a busy one with Blancpain kicking off at Monza as well.

So will there be any official live streams? Ive got my fingers crossed for audi tv again, that was great last year.

[Dario911]

I hope Porsche will be fast and competitive since the first race. I hope they had well developed the car, to be reliable and fast, because Ferrari and Aston will not forgive!
I think there will be a great battle in GTE. Between Audi and Toyota I hope to see the same show. I don't think Audi was sitting last winter, while Toyota was developing the car! I don't think Audi will do as with Pug!

[Dario911]

According with the words of Porsche crew, new car will be competitive since the start of the WEC. I'm sure Porsche will be really competitive, more than it was in the beginnings of the 997 RSR adventure.

http://www.porschesport.com/Race%20D...911%20RSR.html

[jsTrecu]

Originally Posted by rich07

This is this weekend? Great!

Gonna be a busy one with Blancpain kicking off at Monza as well.

So will there be any official live streams? Ive got my fingers crossed for audi tv again, that was great last year.

I was wondering about streams too, I suppose it will be through WEC website with some Live Timing info, or dailymotion's official WEC channel

Originally Posted by Dario911

According with the words of Porsche crew, new car will be competitive since the start of the WEC. I'm sure Porsche will be really competitive, more than it was in the beginnings of the 997 RSR adventure.

http://www.porschesport.com/Race%20D...911%20RSR.html

Fingers crossed it is true

[zanfo zanfagni]

minutes should remain 20 and 20 in all round except le mans, i've well understood, with the new qualifying format the best qualifying lap will be given by the average laptime of the best laptimes achieved by 2 different drivers of the same line-up. So even if a driver will set the real fastest lap, it won't necessary be enough to get the pole. I don't like this but let's say that is a way to add a "team" factor to the qualifying session.

[vincegail]

As the raceresult is also an team-effort, the qualifying result will reflect the race-pace more, is the reasoning behind this change I reckon. But it won't make much difference I guess.

I won't bring my Excell sheet to calculate the standings....

[Beetle]

GTE's going to be where my eyes are this time. Here's something to chew on: all GTE Pro competitors will likely be running within or below the 2:03 range in qualifying except Paul Dalla Lana, who will probably be running 2:06s or 2:05s. Now, if the starting grid in GTE for the race is, say...

1. 97 TURNER
2. 51 BRUNI
3. 71 VILANDER
4. 92 LIEB
5. 91 BERGMEISTER
6. 99 MAKOWIECKI
7. 61 CIOCI
8. 95 SIMONSEN
9. 76 VERNAY
10. 81 PETER
11. 88 RUBERTI
12. 50 REES
13. 96 CAMPBELL-WALTER
14. 57 JONSSON

...every one of those drivers has a chance to stay with that lead pack. Darren Turner could not put a big gap of 20 seconds up in 2 laps on Bruni like he could with Tracy Krohn. If this were the starting grid, it's fair to say that after 20 minutes of racing, we'd see only about a 10 second gap from Turner to Phillip Peter. This is all hypothetical, of course, but it will inevitably lead to good racing unless it rains which doesn't look TOO likely.

[chunterer]

Great depth of driver talent on the entry, some pretty big names which coild help the profile.

Wonder how Quick Nick will faire against his Rebellion teammates?