General Sportscar Chat thread - Page 28

Acid09 · 1 Oct 2015, 11:58 (Ref:3578575)

Thank god!

crooky · 1 Oct 2015, 14:27 (Ref:3578597)

Hasn't Button made some unsavoury comments regarding endurance racing in past years as well?

Acid09 · 1 Oct 2015, 15:07 (Ref:3578611)

Quote:

Originally Posted by crooky

Hasn't Button made some unsavoury comments regarding endurance racing in past years as well?

Indeed he did, lapping slower cars is beneath him, he's not interested in that.

Ephaeton · 1 Oct 2015, 15:31 (Ref:3578618)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acid09

Indeed he did, lapping slower cars is beneath him, he's not interested in that.

Stop beating him up for that comment. He obviously wants to be in the car that's being lapped.
Obviously hasn't joined WEC yet because the McLaren Honda GTE isn't finished yet.

On the up-side, he already gets to enjoy being lapped in a Mclaren Honda, albeit not a GTE.

MoMedic9019 · 1 Oct 2015, 15:36 (Ref:3578620)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ephaeton

Stop beating him up for that comment. He obviously wants to be in the car that's being lapped.
Obviously hasn't joined WEC yet because the McLaren Honda GTE isn't finished yet.

On the up-side, he already gets to enjoy being lapped in a Mclaren Honda, albeit not a GTE.

It's all about the money. Who is going to pay him the most. It has nothing to do with anything else.

Pontlieue · 1 Oct 2015, 16:02 (Ref:3578632)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acid09

Indeed he did, lapping slower cars is beneath him, he's not interested in that.

I might be wrong, but if I remember correctly, he didn't say that. I think he said that he didn't want to be in a car that was getting lapped all the time.

Acid09 · 1 Oct 2015, 16:15 (Ref:3578634)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pontlieue

I might be wrong, but if I remember correctly, he didn't say that. I think he said that he didn't want to be in a car that was getting lapped all the time.

Nope, he specifically mentioned lapping slower cars, or "dodging" as he calls it:

"You are racing with cars that are so much slower, in different categories, and dodging cars throughout the whole race is not something that I have ever got that excited about.!

"Maybe I will when I drive one of them and drive at Le Mans, because I'd love to drive around the Le Mans circuit in a sportscar, but it's just having different categories racing together that I am not keen on."

deggis · 1 Oct 2015, 17:46 (Ref:3578660)

That's an older comment (from 2013) than these are:

(Dec 2014) "I have spoken with Mark," Button revealed, "and some other drivers from WEC. Who knows what will happen. "I can't say that I have a great desire to be there, but my interest is growing. Next year there will be four LMP1 manufacturers and everything looks very exciting. "I'm not a fool. I want to race next year and so if I'm not in Formula One, it (WEC) is a strong series."

(from yesterday) Button remains enthusiastic about the race, even if it’s now off the table for the immediate future. “Every driver thinks Le Mans is exciting,” he said. “It’s a massive team effort and a massive accomplishment to win a 24-hour race. It’s basically a 24-hour Grand Prix these days, it’s flat out the whole way. There are many things I want to do in the future – but not yet.”

Acid09 · 1 Oct 2015, 18:16 (Ref:3578666)

"My interest is growing" translation "My options in F1 are dwindling".

antonylight · 2 Oct 2015, 19:03 (Ref:3578904)

According to this weeks Autosport, Mazda hope to return to Le Mans in a petrol engined P2 car in 2017 but I fail to see how they can under the new regulations?
Unless there will be some dispensation for WUSC competitors that hasn't emerged yet!

HORNDAWG · 2 Oct 2015, 19:07 (Ref:3578905)

Quote:

Originally Posted by antonylight

According to this weeks Autosport, Mazda hope to return to Le Mans in a petrol engined P2 car in 2017 but I fail to see how they can under the new regulations?
Unless there will be some dispensation for WUSC competitors that hasn't emerged yet!

Huh? Why would Mazda not be allowed back to Le Mans? Speed Source will be the team running the Mazda Powered 'P' class cars. As long as they run the original constructors body work it should be 100% legal!

L.P.

**Adam43** · 2 Oct 2015, 19:24 (Ref:3578910)

Button should go to Rallycross, the fans are more welcoming and friendly.

Victor_RO · 6 Oct 2015, 11:13 (Ref:3579934)

Marc VDS is shutting down its GT team at the end of the season.

http://www.marcvds.com/car/news/deta...m#.VhOsqROqqkp

Akrapovic · 6 Oct 2015, 11:16 (Ref:3579935)

Quote:

But this success has come at a cost; a significant cost. Racing to win in any series in the closely contested GT3 class is expensive, but when these costs are almost doubled due to financial mismanagement by those entrusted with the responsibility of running the team, it is no longer viable to continue.

Ouch.

Victor_RO · 6 Oct 2015, 11:22 (Ref:3579936)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Ouch.

Yeah, strong words. Might also explain Bas Leinders' sudden... erm... departure from the team right after the Spa 24h earlier this year.

Rodger Davies · 6 Oct 2015, 11:33 (Ref:3579938)

That VDS statement is really string. Such a shame to see this team go too, have always been one of my favourites and always strong at Spa and Nurburgring.

I really thought they'd be the semi-works team for the new M6 next year; wonder who their Pro entrants will be now? Schubert have hardly set the world alight in recent years. RBM?

J Jay · 6 Oct 2015, 12:05 (Ref:3579944)

Wowzers. No punches were pulled in that statement. He implies that multiple people within the team are to blame though. We know Bas was kicked out (and now we know why), but who else within the team was complicit?

The last couple of sentences are arguably just as telling, where Van der Stratten mentions not being able to compete in a headline event without at least nominally signing up to the accompanying series. I noticed that when Chi did the "Fantasy Team Calendar" game that most people opted for prestigious one-offs as well. Perhaps Chiana should have tripled the entrance fees for those races to make it not accurate.

And there is the small matter of a race in France that everyone wants to attend but for whom only ~30 places are guaranteed, if you have the cash. For all the manufacturer flirting the ACO engages in (which is not necessarily wrong BTW), I hope the privateers don't get too short a stick.

Rodger Davies · 6 Oct 2015, 13:50 (Ref:3579962)

Well that's obviously a jab at the SRO's recent decision and I agree with him 100%. The current "you must enter one other" rule is much better; I want to see oddball and one-off entries to make certain events 'special'.

J Jay · 6 Oct 2015, 14:45 (Ref:3579970)

And I agree with you but Ratel agrees with the bulging back pockets of Fillon. I suppose an argument of continuity could be made in SRO's favour but the big endurance races have a strong tradition of one-offs.

Looks like Schubert are in line for a lot more manufacturer backing if they want to expand.

rich07 · 6 Oct 2015, 15:46 (Ref:3579982)

I cant believe this. Im quite stunned they pulled the pin but i can see why.

A curse upon those people who have spoiled a damn good team. Not sure if Bas was involved in this hence him being fired which would explain somethings. It doesnt matter who was involved, they should be ashamed of themselves. Theres a hole in gt racing that wont be easy to fill

.

Good on him for having a crack at the SRO, he put it pretty well in saying that there should be no reason why he cant enter his home race without doing the whole series.

Coach Ep · 6 Oct 2015, 16:11 (Ref:3579991)

Maybe the so-called over spending was part of the reason why the team was so successful??

J Jay · 6 Oct 2015, 21:51 (Ref:3580091)

To add a little bit to MVdS's departure from GT racing - they are going to be Honda's semi-works squad in the MotoGP series, including getting one of the four factory-spec bikes on offer (Repsol get two and LCR get one, but the Repsol bikes get the very newest updates first). They're also running more bikes in the junior classes next year.

Those things aren't cheap, and if Marc has been pushed on the issue of cars or bikes then any mishandling on either side would make it easy to pick the other.

Miguel · 6 Oct 2015, 22:14 (Ref:3580094)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

I really thought they'd be the semi-works team for the new M6 next year; wonder who their Pro entrants will be now? Schubert have hardly set the world alight in recent years. RBM?

Here's a wild guess: What about Walkenhorst? They have already confirmed the purchase of two M6 GT3's, a big sponsor for next year, are pretty successful this season and have a strong relationship with BMW Motorsport in general. If I was BMW and I'd had to pick someone to function as my works team for the N24, I'd pick them to replace Marc VDS. But I don't know if Walkenhorst's infrastructure allows for the team to run international races.

Mal · 7 Oct 2015, 06:09 (Ref:3580147)

Sorry wrong thread

Ephaeton · 7 Oct 2015, 08:23 (Ref:3580178)

So Jean Todt defends the Le Mans / Baku clash (german).
Since when are support series events allowed to impede the main event??

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Club 100 general chat	Adie	Kart Racing	29	3 Sep 2012 10:27
GP 2012 General chat (split from volunteering thread)	Charlyw001	Marshals Forum	73	29 Oct 2011 08:13
[LM24] Chat Room - Le Mans & Sportscar Chat?	Aysedasi	24 Heures du Mans	20	26 Mar 2002 12:43