[WEC] 2015 WEC Discussion

[Maelochs]

Well, with the massive drawing potential of TUSC and the proven popularity of WEC at CotA ... track management had best tighten up their resumes.

[Deleted]

From TV's point of view it doesn't help that these races are held on Grade 1 football stadiums, even if they (somehow) get half decent crowd for Cota the whole place looks like deserted ghost town, while same amount of people would look pretty good at say Laguna

[bella]

it's not always cut and dried though. as an example, there's obvious additional costs to policing and providing facilities for a crowd - granted, they're not as high as they are in the uk but more people through the gate doesn't necessarily mean more money earned per head (i hesitate to call it a profit) for the circuit.

there can be a point where it's not necessarily a good idea to encourage people to turn up!

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by bella

there can be a point where it's not necessarily a good idea to encourage people to turn up!

You just unveiled the project plan for the USCC Kansas event.

[bella]

it's the elms modus operandi this season - even if you let them in for free and have decent sized billboards all over town they won't necessarily come...

[Deleted]

Did they come last year with the WSBR link-up?

Anyway LMS has hardly ever been people magnet and geared towards them, they've always been more closer to the SRO mindset which competitors first...

[MoMedic9019]

There will be no second WEC round in NA until 2016. August is a good month though...

[Deleted]

July is too...

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Chiana

July is too...

Depending on location naturally....talks are in process with a single facility in NA right now that is not a Canadian location.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Did they come last year with the WSBR link-up?

Anyway LMS has hardly ever been people magnet and geared towards them, they've always been more closer to the SRO mindset which competitors first...

yes, they came. and because the cars were in the paddock instead of the pitlane i think it was really good for both the enthusiasts and casual fans.

granted, they didn't stay right till the very end (hungary was ridiculously wet, austria was a new wsr event tho the stands were still reasonably busy and ricard was awfully dark at the end), but they saw the cars and the racing.

you're right though. and generally i don't think spectator numbers are that important when you've got live tv if you're talking just plain old visibility to mr average. sad state of affairs, but painfully true, especially in a seriously global series like wec.

[Coach Ep]

Indy in 2016 could replace CotA - going back-to-back with Montreal perhaps as part of the suggested winter schedule. Who knows???

[Richard T]

I dont think we should be surprised to see a similar calendar for the WEC for 2015 with bigger changes coming for '16.. Just my guess though

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Rcz

6 hours of Indy anyone?

I would pair FIA WEC with IndyCar in September, and move the Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational to mid May.

[lms]

wec on a roval. i want whatever you are smoking.

[Pandemonium]

This is nonsense!!!. I don´t think the drivers nor the FIA/ACO would want to race at ugly indy. No way. Montreal is the last news we had of any circuit additions. Cota is great as it is!!!. The teams love the esses at COTA.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

This is nonsense!!!. I don´t think the drivers nor the FIA/ACO would want to race at ugly indy. No way. Montreal is the last news we had of any circuit additions. Cota is great as it is!!!. The teams love the esses at COTA.

And that's about it I guess (maybe the downtown Austin nightlife and atmosphere as well but they might be too short in town to really enjoy all of that).

I don't see the problem with Indy - from an organizing point of view - Indianapolis is a magical name in racing (nobody in the PR department will emphasize the crappy roval track lay-out as opposed to the famous oval and the great heritage of the Indy 500), it's one of the racing capitals in the US, it's (relatively) close to Montreal (if that race will come to fruition as well), the brickyard can accommodate lots of spectators (who might show up if properly promoted and all) and IMS might be willing to make a better deal than CotA does.

IF the race gets scheduled in between two Tudor weekends when IMSA is in town for their North-East portion of the season in July/August, it'll provide N-A teams a similar opportunity to join the race(s) as CotA does this year (or have them run the NAEC in Tudor and do a (partial) WEC program or whatever).
Edit: the weekend after VIR at the end of August would be a good option, possibly followed by the second weekend of September for the second N-A race.

[Pandemonium]

The rounds of Spain, Italy, Germany would be a priority in my opinion. The USA has tried to modernise its racing by constructing COTA wich in my opinion is a beautifull track and americans reject it because of their old mentality. LONG LIVE COTA!!

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

The rounds of Spain, Italy, Germany would be a priority in my opinion. The USA has tried to modernise its racing by constructing COTA wich in my opinion is a beautifull track and americans reject it because of their old mentality. LONG LIVE COTA!!

Spain?

Also, I take old mentality over new any day of the week, thank ya very much

[Coach Ep]

CotA, Indy and Montreal all seem to fit FIA's track requirements so we'll see how it pans out.

Agreed on the German round however but might that replace one of the other two Euro races...?

[Bandicoot17]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Spain?

Yeah there's a F1 track in spain.

[NaBUru38]

Spain is in a deep crisis. Nobody would attend a sports car race.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Bandicoot17

Yeah there's a F1 track in spain.

Two in fact... and couple of others with 1T

But I just pointed it out as it's not really the first market area that comes to mind, especially in the current economy

[TF110]

Toyota just tested at Magny Cours and had me thinking about that track.

[Pandemonium]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

CotA, Indy and Montreal all seem to fit FIA's track requirements so we'll see how it pans out.

Agreed on the German round however but might that replace one of the other two Euro races...?

So you are comparing Europe to USA... One country with one continent!.
And of course if Europe wants a third round it would have to replace one...
Like Mou would say... Well done.

Also Spain is growing significantly right now. Germany on the other side is having problems right now.

[Flo aus N]

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

So you are comparing Europe to USA... One country with one continent!.
And of course if Europe wants a third round it would have to replace one...
Like Mou would say... Well done.

Also Spain is growing significantly right now. Germany on the other side is having problems right now.

Spain growing and Germany having more problems than spain ? I don't think thats right ;-)
From an economic point of view, Germany is in the best situation in europe.