[WEC] FIA WEC calendar

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Yep, and they are willing to pay so much more precisely because they know money is the only bargaining chip they have.



Bahrain & Qatar are necessarily evils, so to speak. But if we can have two ME races, there should be scope for a second NA round when the time is right.



Monkey's paw: The second NA round is Penske-bankrolled Indianapolis.

I think the only way we're getting a second US round is Indy and I'd rather have the income of ME round over that course. Could they get Montreal or Mexico City, maybe and better options. Don't think any of the IMSA options would be accepted, Road America or Atlanta could be good but won't be considered. Given the schedule it's likely to be a late summer or fall race so both would be very close to their IMSA event, R America is August and Petit October. Laguna Seca could be tough with scheduling and the state. COTA just makes the most FIA officials needs with garages, hotels, etc but dreary to watch

[flatlandsman]

Could you ever run Daytona as WEC?

[Adam43]

Daytona actually don’t care about WEC. They don’t have to. And there is the obvious thing - IMSA NASCAR Daytona. They like the unified approach but for their series.

Maybe a shorter race on the Friday! Or during Roar!

Also there is no way the WEC lot could warm their tires on a cold January night

[broadrun96]

Yeah, there are multiple issues with it. WEC ain't gonna run second fiddle at all event any more or they would have stayed at Sebring. And the crashes that would occur at 2 am on cold cold rocks and a bit of damp, F1 refugees couldn't handle it like AMs seem to. Finally can't add to a field that has to limit entries as it is

[PhilipR]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Daytona actually don’t care about WEC. They don’t have to. And there is the obvious thing - IMSA NASCAR Daytona. They like the unified approach but for their series.

Maybe a shorter race on the Friday! Or during Roar!

Also there is no way the WEC lot could warm their tires on a cold January night

Depends! If you did not have the billion get out of jail card safety crs in IMSA we would probably see more cold tires crashes in IMSA too. But since a safety car is most likely to happen and bring you back to the front there is no need to take extra risks with cold tires

Now in WEC, losing 5-10 seconds everytime you change tires could mean you never make that time back so can see drivers taking more risks to minimise time loss

[Akrapovic]

WEC shouldn't run at Daytona because it's an IMSA event. WEC needs its own events.

WEC COTA just feels bland - no different to Bahrain or Qatar. It doesn't feel like a big American endurance race. You could run Daytona, Sebring or Road Atlanta at another time of year but it's still not really the same.

Road America is the absolutely ideal circuit for it. It's super old school American and a fan favourite, and doesn't exist as an IMSA endurance event. Yes the facilities aren't up to COTA standards, but neither was Sebring and they ran their successfully (ignoring the overloaded timetable issues). Imagine an 8 hours of Road America WEC race. That'd be up there with Le Mans and Spa as the favourite events.

[flatlandsman]

I was suggesting it as other than Sebring it is the only other event that could in theory have the space and time to run it, there is plenty of time to do so, but obviously the issues are about ownership and series rights, but if they want two rounds in the USA perhaps this is an option seeing as though Sebring has been knocked on the head.

[Sodemo]

I think I’d always choose Sebring for a US event, although the US is awash with great old school circuits, Laguna Seca, Road America, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen, I think any of those would be better than COTA.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Monkey's paw: The second NA round is Penske-bankrolled Indianapolis.

Wash your mouth out

[veeten]

Well, there is another of the old style American circuits that could do so.

West coast, Napa Valley... you know the rest.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by PhilipR

Depends! If you did not have the billion get out of jail card safety crs in IMSA we would probably see more cold tires crashes in IMSA too. But since a safety car is most likely to happen and bring you back to the front there is no need to take extra risks with cold tires

Now in WEC, losing 5-10 seconds everytime you change tires could mean you never make that time back so can see drivers taking more risks to minimise time loss

You shoe horned that in. it’s like Mornington Crescent, the entire purpose of any sportscar discussion is to get to SC and how bad it is. The nearest station to Mornington Cresent is how we are amazing for not liking F1.

More SC means generally cooler tires, but they cope with all those restarts. Track position is key, when things are close the tenths of a second count more.

[TF110]

Road America would be my first choice for a race in the US. I doubt that ever happens sadly.

[Adam43]

Winchester Speedway would be my choice. Could they ever run it?

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Winchester Speedway would be my choice. Could they ever run it?

Only backwards I think. Is it still dirt or did they stupidly pave it?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Only backwards I think. Is it still dirt or did they stupidly pave it?

Still dirt. I wore the track T-Shirt (wrong thread sorry) at Le Mans so the ACO know about it.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Imagine an 8 hours of Road America WEC race. That'd be up there with Le Mans and Spa as the favourite events.

Don't do that. Don't give me hope.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Still dirt. I wore the track T-Shirt (wrong thread sorry) at Le Mans so the ACO know about it.

Good grassroots marketing strategy sir

[Aysedasi]

Hey Broadrun, I wore my Glickenhaus t-shirt at Le Mans again this year...... Does that count for anything?

[Adam43]

I look forward to seeing the ACO invite Glickenhaus back and them racing at Winchester. Glickenhaus have a good chance there as they do vehicles that might be suitable dirt vehicles. Although so do most of them. Ferrari can just appeal the result after.