[WEC] 2015 WEC Discussion

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Normally I'm more pessimistic over these things, but since we already have 11 cars at the very least confirmed for next year's non-LM events, it's not that big of a strecth really.

I have the feeling some of us are getting carried away with all the rumors, intentions and news releases of possible additions that are flying around. As ever in motorsports we'll have to wait until the start of the first race in the new year to see what all will materialize.

Strakka, RAM, Millenium (ADR-Delta) and Lotus are all examples of entrants we have (not) (yet) seen (dis)appear for various reasons this year. Similar things will probably happen in 2015.

I agree though that next season we'll more than likely see an increase in P1 cars at the start compared to this year. And that's a good development!

[ATLFalconsFAN]

Hadn't Nissan already stated an intent to run three cars at Le Mans next year?

[Deleted]

Yes but since it's only "intention" I classify it under "almost quaranteed"

Regarding the entries, the absolute worst case scenario is if none of the expansion teams materialize, no one runs third cars anywhere (yeah right) and Lotus disappears from the Earth again. In that VERY unlikely situation it would still be 10 cars, which is the highest number of LMP1s on track at the same time since Le Mans 2012 (13x).

[Deleted]

Further info on those expansions

Originally Posted by Sportscar365

***There appears to be renewed interest in the LMP1-L class for next year, with no fewer than three prospective customers in AER’s new V6 twin-turbo engine. The powerplant makes its debut this weekend in the Lotus CLM P01/01. The Lotus is joined by the pair of Rebellion R-Ones, which have been the only cars competing in the non-hybrid class to date.

***OAK Racing is another candidate to field a LMP1-L car, with a final decision on whether to green-light the program likely to coming in the next few weeks. “The project has not stopped, it’s just hanging on the arrival of partners. We are almost ready to press the button,” Jacques Nicolet told Endurance-Info.

Also

Originally Posted by Chiana

No calendar announcements this weekend

Apparently Neveu expects it to be announced at Fuji or sooner.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Apparently Neveu expects it to be announced at Fuji or sooner.

I'm glad my moaning over the schedule has made him speed up the proces!

[Coach Ep]

My positive spirits didn't last long...

More F1 cloning to endure:

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/m...tion-for-2015/

Most upsetting - almost offending - quote:

“We know that in the United States there’s not a lot of options for us and for the style of racing we have,” he said. “Historically you can say Sebring, Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca were the logical places to welcome endurance races. But we know that it’s technically impossible [now].

“In the end, Austin is a very impressive facility and the Circuit of The Americas is a top, world-standard race track in the USA. It’s exactly corresponding to the facilities we’re looking for LMP1 or very fast GT cars.

“I think it’s the place that we have to be at in the USA. The only difference is that at Sebring, IMSA has been organizing endurance events for many years and there is long [history].

The guy clearly has no sense for sportscar racing history, please deport him to the F1 tundra!

[Deleted]

"Technically impossible", "only difference"

What a piece of ****. Not that we didn't already know their so called "requirements" but spreading such nonsense publicly ain't helping

Just further proof that other than LM we will never ever see LMP1 racing on sub-F1 tracks again as long as these guys are in charge

[Deleted]

Furthermore

“Austin just started last year. If we can get better figures this year, there is no reason to stop. We have to continue and we have to be passionate and build year after year on the right base, a long-term event.”

Even if just 10 people attend the WEC race it doesn't matter as they can include the USCC attendance to that figure as well, so it's gonna be automatic 'improvement' over last year in any case...

'Year after year', same thing repeated year after year

[MagVanisher]

That's the most pathetic thing ever coming from Gerard Neveu! Most of the P1 teams are testing their cars at Sebring and they're doing just fine there. Geez...

[Coach Ep]

future WEC calenders will look this:

Sepang
Bahrain
Shanghai
Le Mans
Montreal
Silverstone
Germany?
Spa
Monza
Singapore
Fuji
Sochi
Austin
Indy?
Mexico
Interlagos?
Abu Dhabi

Schedule TBD

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

That's the most pathetic thing ever coming from Gerard Neveu! Most of the P1 teams are testing their cars at Sebring and they're doing just fine there. Geez...

P1's (including full blown factory cars) have run at Sebring, Road Atlanta, Imola, Monza, Nurburgring and many other tracks in the US, Europe and Asia until very recently. There's nothing wrong with these tracks. But it's all about opportunities i.e. commercial benefits for the FIA...

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

P1's (including full blown factory cars) have run at Sebring, Road Atlanta, Imola, Monza, Nurburgring and many other tracks in the US, Europe and Asia until very recently. There's nothing wrong with these tracks. But it's all about opportunities i.e. commercial benefits for the FIA...

Yeah, but choosing a Tilkedrome over a significantly-historic track is a crime. A Tilkedrome, whether it's design is good or bad (but mostly with the latter), would have trouble attracting spectators.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

future WEC calenders will look this:

Sepang
Bahrain
Shanghai
Le Mans
Montreal
Silverstone
Germany?
Spa
Monza
Singapore
Fuji
Sochi
Austin
Indy?
Mexico
Interlagos?
Abu Dhabi

Schedule TBD

No to cut cost it'll be

6 Hours of Abu Dhabi
6 Hours of Bahrain
6 Hours of Le Mans (Magny-Cours)
6 Hours of Silverstone
6 Hours of Buddh
6 Hours of Fuji
6 Hours of CotA
6 Hours of Mexico

Span across 11 months

[MagVanisher]

That would make WEC an endurance version of F1. How about telling those manufacturers to make a P1 car with the same design too!

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

Yeah, but choosing a Tilkedrome over a significantly-historic track is a crime. A Tilkedrome, whether it's design is good or bad (but mostly with the latter), would have trouble attracting spectators.

They don't care about spectators or history, large F1 VIP hospitality suites for corporate guests and comfortable European pit facilities are more important.

[TF110]

So he said nothing wrong in regards to Sebring, just that its got history. What outrage! Do you know what he meant by technically impossible for running Laguna, Petit? Maybe its the FIA requirements that determine the tracks, could be a number of reasons. Length, pits, etc.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Chiana

They don't care about spectators or history, large F1 VIP hospitality suites for corporate guests and comfortable European pit facilities are more important.

Yep,

“In the end, Austin is a very impressive facility and the Circuit of The Americas is a top, world-standard race track in the USA. It’s exactly corresponding to the facilities we’re looking for LMP1 or very fast GT cars.

....


Advance ticket sales are up from last year, while hospitality suites have sold out.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

So he said nothing wrong in regards to Sebring, just that its got history. What outrage! Do you know what he meant by technically impossible for running Laguna, Petit? Maybe its the FIA requirements that determine the tracks, could be a number of reasons. Length, pits, etc.

He said that it's the only difference.

And what FIA requirement? LMP are homologated for Grade 2, GTE for Grade 3 (or 4). Simple as that.

If FIA is lenient enough to allow their other world championships like WTCC at Nordschleife (first world champ there in 30 years) and previously FIA GT1 to crappy mudhole like Goldenport Circuit, then I'm pretty sure it's not really about "they can't" but "we don't wanna"

Come back ILMC

[Victor_RO]

Any other sportscar race at Sebring outside the 12 Hours would be a start-up without a major fanbase to start with. And WEC can never run there for the 12 Hours as long as IMSA runs that race, because there is no physical possibility of running that many cars together on that track (unless they resurrect the pre-1990 layout and make the track longer).

I'm sorry, but do you all want a "6 Hours of Sebring" in October or something, and then take the event apart and call it a "sacrilege" because top sportscars are not running the 12 Hours? Because that's the only possibility at the moment (unless TUSC dies, which is still rather unlikely).

I know there's still lots of reasons to be negative about WEC, TUSC et al, but it's wrong to focus ONLY on that side of things. Do we want sportscar racing to return to the state it was just after WSPC and IMSA GT collapsed?

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by TF110

So he said nothing wrong in regards to Sebring, just that its got history. What outrage! Do you know what he meant by technically impossible for running Laguna, Petit? Maybe its the FIA requirements that determine the tracks, could be a number of reasons. Length, pits, etc.

Let me repeat his quote as you seem to overlooked it:

We know that in the United States there’s not a lot of options for us and for the style of racing we have,” he said. “Historically you can say Sebring, Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca were the logical places to welcome endurance races. But we know that it’s technically impossible [now].

I highlighted not only Sebring and the phrase 'it's technically impossible' but also the word(s) 'endurance' and 'style of racing' as his quote implies that those tracks are no longer suited to longer races with prototypes and GT's. Now if he had said 'this series' it would have been a little different, don't you think?

Also, in regard to your question: in referring to those FIA requirements, it would have been useful if Neveu had summarized them (or at least point out where they can be found and downloaded so it's clear for all to see) instead of just wiping those tracks off the table with this 'almighty FIA broom'. Now, other than basically the management of Grade 1 tracks, still nobody knows.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

I highlighted not only Sebring and the phrase 'it's technically impossible' but also the word(s) 'endurance' and 'style of racing' as his quote implies that those tracks are no longer suited to longer races with prototypes and GT's. Now if he had said 'this series' it would have been a little different, don't you think?

To be fair, the racing in the WEC and the racing in TUSC are rather different in style...

[Coach Ep]

..

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

To be fair, the racing in the WEC and the racing in TUSC are rather different in style...

Nice try!

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Nice try!

Rare yellows vs no yellows, no contact vs paint swapping, competent Race Control vs shambles and penalties... okay, that's a different story entirely.

[seanyb505]

Something that's always bothered me - who says that FIA is the only organization capable of giving out "World Champion" titles? Why is the FIA the only body that governs tracks? I didn't vote for them, and strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

I mean I know they have the WEC and F1 and the resources, but what's to keep organizations from saying, uh, screw you, we're going to crown our own champions on race tracks with lava for runoff and back straights that go through the pit lane itself and long sweepers in school zones.