[WEC] WEC 2021 season

[Mike E]

Personally, I am very happy that we will have AWD hybrids, RWD hybrids and RWD non-hybrids in the same class, with no restiction on engine size or layout. The ACO and IMSA will find a way to balance them , like they did with EoT for a V6 turbo diesel-flywheel hybrid, a V8 petrol-capacitor hybrid and a V4 turbo petrol ERS/KERS-hybrid.

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Personally, I am very happy that we will have AWD hybrids, RWD hybrids and RWD non-hybrids in the same class, with no restiction on engine size or layout. The ACO and IMSA will find a way to balance them , like they did with EoT for a V6 turbo diesel-flywheel hybrid, a V8 petrol-capacitor hybrid and a V4 turbo petrol ERS/KERS-hybrid.

Not the best comparison to me considering lmp1-h was heavily focused on developing best technologies for hybrid and fuel efficiency relying on a semi-fixed eot, while HYP main "balancing" factor is only the overall energy deployed no matter how or where this energy comes from.
Anyway this is just the prologue of 2023-2024 struggles when audi, porsche, cadillac and bmw will shout at ACO for HYP-lmdh bop changes

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by canaglia

Anyway this is just the prologue of 2023-2024 struggles when audi, porsche, cadillac and bmw will shout at ACO for HYP-lmdh bop changes

I suspect that this is true, however the ACO will have no one to blame but themselves.

Personally I have little desire to see BOP in prototype racing, but that's just the opinion of an old fart.

[S griffin]

I don't like seeing BOP in prototype racing either, especially WEC which is supposed to be top of the sportscar ladder. Have tight rules by all means, but don't punish those successful in what is supposed to be the pinnacle of sportscar racing

[canaglia]

I'm not against bop in prototypes, it's about how is used and how or if it can realistically balance car performances. In IMSA at example bop works really well for dpi cars, mazda dpi is usually lighter than cadillac and acura, letting the weight cut compensate the lack of torque.
But WEC bop aims to balance cars conceptually too different:


- a work hybrid hypercar with a clear AWD advantage

- an ICE only RWD hypercar that makes power its strong point

- a less powerful but lighter and more aero performant grandfathered lmp1 that can't even receive a larger fuel tank


to this, from 2023 add also a large number of lmdh cars that before being "bopped" with hypercars would need an internal sub-class bop first.

[J Jay]

As long as big factory dollar (well, Euros) are involved, I can't see AWD - partial or otherwise - being taken off the table or nerfed into irrelevance. It's too big a crutch for the manufacturer(s) who can afford it, as we've recently seen.

Maybe the ACO will go all TUSC and have the 007/A480 leave the GR010 for dead on pure pace, but in the race they cannot get past due to the hybrid/4WD pull out of the corners

[greenmachinets040]

Originally Posted by Napolis

The ACO clearly stated that this would be a BOP class and all
cars would be treated equally. Ask your question to Porsche and many others who
are building RWD Le Mans cars.

Obviously AWD comes with an advantage + Toyota have always been a pioneer in Hybrid technology.

I will say it again:

ACO has a fair KW and MJ per stint BoP.

Toyota went for a faster racecar, an AWD racecar=exploited all the possibilities to make the car the fastest and safest to drive and the regulations allow it. The others should have gone the same way if they wanted to be an opposition to Toyota.

Plus, Toyota is preparing for the big guys, Peugeot, Ferrari who will have AWD too.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by greenmachinets040

Obviously AWD comes with an advantage + Toyota have always been a pioneer in Hybrid technology.

I will say it again:

ACO has a fair KW and MJ per stint BoP.

Toyota went for a faster racecar, an AWD racecar=exploited all the possibilities to make the car the fastest and safest to drive and the regulations allow it. The others should have gone the same way if they wanted to be an opposition to Toyota.

Plus, Toyota is preparing for the big guys, Peugeot, Ferrari who will have AWD too.

Except for that pesky little thing called BOP and the rules. You know, other than that sure AWD would be an advantage.

And have we heard ANY details about the Ferrari car?

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Except for that pesky little thing called BOP and the rules. You know, other than that sure AWD would be an advantage.

And have we heard ANY details about the Ferrari car?

https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/compet...-mans-hypercar

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Except for that pesky little thing called BOP and the rules. You know, other than that sure AWD would be an advantage.

And have we heard ANY details about the Ferrari car?

John Elkann hinted at V6 hybrid powertrain for the Ferrari LMH, F255 is the design code.

[Mike E]

Handy marketing tie up with the 296 GTB

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...-back-v6-power

[broadrun96]

So the car itself is an actual no? Just they're building one and everyone assuming what's in it??

[Mike E]

Kubica joins High Class Racing for the Bahrain double header.

https://www.intensemans.fr/2021/10/1...=socialnetwork

[Gingers4Justice]

A thought occurred to me today - perhaps one for TWISC (ps does anyone know how to send questions in other than twitter?).

You can BOP cars, but can you - or should you - BOP teams with different levels of resource and talent on the pit wall?

In other words, if the Alpine and the Toyota were perfectly-balanced machines, would you not expect the Toyota's superior driving talent and better-resourced team to make the difference over 6 hour races?

To take this idea further, would you even expect Signatech to be able to run a private GR 010 to the same pace as the works team?

These questions got me thinking that we have next to no idea how well the Hypercar BOP process is going until we get more cars and a much larger sample size.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

A thought occurred to me today - perhaps one for TWISC (ps does anyone know how to send questions in other than twitter?).

You can BOP cars, but can you - or should you - BOP teams with different levels of resource and talent on the pit wall?

In other words, if the Alpine and the Toyota were perfectly-balanced machines, would you not expect the Toyota's superior driving talent and better-resourced team to make the difference over 6 hour races?

To take this idea further, would you even expect Signatech to be able to run a private GR 010 to the same pace as the works team?

These questions got me thinking that we have next to no idea how well the Hypercar BOP process is going until we get more cars and a much larger sample size.

I think the series takes that into consideration by not balancing solely on lap times. They collect all sorts of data on engine output and related items with the thought that each car should have the same potential for a laptime.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

These questions got me thinking that we have next to no idea how well the Hypercar BOP process is going until we get more cars and a much larger sample size.

Exactly why I refuse to get all worked up about Toyota winning. They're the only car built to the current spec out there, they could be faster than ACO goal or not, no idea. But they're paying when everyone else left so good on them

[S griffin]

Fact is Toyota have done a better job and it's not their fault others have pulled out

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

A thought occurred to me today - perhaps one for TWISC (ps does anyone know how to send questions in other than twitter?).

You can BOP cars, but can you - or should you - BOP teams with different levels of resource and talent on the pit wall?

In other words, if the Alpine and the Toyota were perfectly-balanced machines, would you not expect the Toyota's superior driving talent and better-resourced team to make the difference over 6 hour races?

To take this idea further, would you even expect Signatech to be able to run a private GR 010 to the same pace as the works team?

These questions got me thinking that we have next to no idea how well the Hypercar BOP process is going until we get more cars and a much larger sample size.

Make the more athletic mechanics wear fat suits!

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Exactly why I refuse to get all worked up about Toyota winning. They're the only car built to the current spec out there, they could be faster than ACO goal or not, no idea. But they're paying when everyone else left so good on them

The Glick car is also built to the current spec, just not the hybrid powertrain. They feel that the two formulas that the fia/aco came up with should be balanced as promised. Perhaps a better working tire for them next year will help? Perhaps they need to be given more power?

[tux]

Originally Posted by joeb

The Glick car is also built to the current spec, just not the hybrid powertrain. They feel that the two formulas that the fia/aco came up with should be balanced as promised. Perhaps a better working tire for them next year will help? Perhaps they need to be given more power?

Will we see that thing again though?

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by tux

Will we see that thing again though?

That 'thing'?

I certainly hope so. The series will be significantly poorer without it.

[GT6]

The WEC need more cars in the top classes, so lets up hope we do see it again.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by tux

Will we see that thing again though?

Sadly I think Spa and LM again only, it will be tough for them when the LMDh cars come online and they don't have the 'we're the only other car' bit to play.

But yes joeb they are the other car but appearing in under half the events isn't exactly going to challenge Toyota in any meaningful way, more power or better tires or not

[Mike E]

Some interesting names lined up for the rookie test

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...st-revealed-2/

[S griffin]

I do worry grids will be down, apart from at Le Mans, although a few should use Spa to prepare for LM. Hope I’m wrong

It’s a shame if we see less of Glick next season, but I will still support them whenever they turn up. However the main question is who will challenge Toyota? Hopefully it will be a lot more competitive at the front next year, but we’ll have to see who has done their homework first