The end of LMP1 as we know it?

[Mal]

The ACO needs to free up the rules as per its original hype and allow manufacturers to bring what they like - I definitely like the idea of a lightweight alternative, and also other types of power other than hybrid

[Starfish Primer]

We have to stop the sportscar fan hysteria every time something happens, the end of the world and the apocalypse is behind every corner and every past time was better than now.

Things never last forever, there are highs and there are lows, if all the LMP1 are gone we can have a absolutely mad LMP2 race with 22 cars that could win.

It would be much worse to me a split like the Cart in the 90s.

[chernaudi]

A split can be worse, but the rising costs can lead to a split, or at least a ton of people will become disinterested because of cost or rules placing an incentive on doing things one way to get the best result. Dieselgate didn't kill the Audi LMP1 program, it was the current rules and future rules not favoring diesel, and there not being a level playing field for Audi to pursue their own hybrid tech, even with a gasoline engine.

If it weren't for the ACO whipping out the ERS incentive at almost the last minute, we'd have a lot more variety in LMP1, and probably at a more sane financial price. Even if Audi could financially afford to continue on, the return on that investment was dwindling to not being worth it.

We're also seeing that with the conditions on Peugeot and BWM entering. And I'm betting that if Porsche and Toyota want to stay beyond 2017, they're asking for similar cost cuts, let alone getting Audi back into the series short term. The same thing has lead to F1 being what it is now, too.

[AndreasDavour]

Originally Posted by Starfish Primer

We have to stop the sportscar fan hysteria every time something happens, the end of the world and the apocalypse is behind every corner and every past time was better than now.

Things never last forever, there are highs and there are lows, if all the LMP1 are gone we can have a absolutely mad LMP2 race with 22 cars that could win.

It would be much worse to me a split like the Cart in the 90s.

*chuckle*


Whatever happens, we will have some really good racing ahead, indeed!

[MagVanisher]

Making a split won't make good racing in the long run should two entities screwed their own series, much like how Grand-Am and ALMS, plus CART and IRL in the past.

Cost containment is okay, as long as technology is still being shown. Of course, balancing between costs and technology is a tricky tightrope.