FIA WEC '14 ~ Speculation Thread

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by rich07

What are the chances of seeing the Manthey Porsches in GT AM next year albeit run by another team? IMSA perhaps?

There's only those two 991 chassis as far as I know eligible for GT AM next year.

There can be more, as long as the cars are built to 2012-spec. It's not about the age of the car itself, the car can be a brand-new build as long as it is in the previous year's specification.

[avvelenamento]

In my opinion the two existent 991 RSR chassis will be given to flying lizard in US and to felbermayr-proton for WEC/ELMS. I can't expect that a lot of other 991 RSR will be built... This year we see a lot of 2012 spec 997 GT3 RSR, but in my opinion is just a bodywork update mounted on old chassis, not really new cars.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by rich07

What are the chances of seeing the Manthey Porsches in GT AM next year albeit run by another team? IMSA perhaps?

There's only those two 991 chassis as far as I know eligible for GT AM next year.

The cars in GTE-AM don't have to be a year old - it's just the spec they're built to has to be at least a year old.

RAM Racing's Ferraris are brand new but race in AM.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by bella

alfonso (formerly of this parish, no less) is also a proper racer, and a very astute team boss who finds the best people to work with. you can be sure that if he's looking to be involved with something he's going to have a very serious go at it and not just faff about.

going back to the fia standardisation of race titles and stuff, the "six hours of..." and "three hours of.." titles bug me no end. it sounds nice in french, ie like the "24 heures du mans" but in english it sounds pants. very clumsy and difficult to align with a series for the noobs.

I agree. I much preferred '1000kms' or '1000k's'.......

[Pontlieue]

Another possible LMP2 team next year could be Krohn Racing, although Krohn fears that he might be too tall for driving an LMP2 car.

Source: http://sportscar365.net/uscr/krohn-c...-move-to-lmp2/

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I agree. I much preferred '1000kms' or '1000k's'.......

Think most of us do!

Though Paul Truswell made an excellent point during the "6 Hours of Silverstone" that due to the speeds of modern P1 cars, 6 hour distances are actually longer...

[Starfish Primer]

Originally Posted by avvelenamento

In my opinion the two existent 991 RSR chassis will be given to flying lizard in US and to felbermayr-proton for WEC/ELMS. I can't expect that a lot of other 991 RSR will be built... This year we see a lot of 2012 spec 997 GT3 RSR, but in my opinion is just a bodywork update mounted on old chassis, not really new cars.

Don´t forget Falken in the ALMS.

[morningview66]

Originally Posted by Starfish Primer

Don´t forget Falken in the ALMS.

http://www.racer.com/falken-nearing-...rticle/310338/
Falken seem to think only one Porsche 991 will be going stateside so that could be a fight and leave's what just 1 for the WEC?

Unless Porsche plan on building more cars this year and they would have to build them to 2013 spec if they were going to be run in GTE-Am.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by morningview66

http://www.racer.com/falken-nearing-...rticle/310338/
Falken seem to think only one Porsche 991 will be going stateside so that could be a fight and leave's what just 1 for the WEC?

Unless Porsche plan on building more cars this year and they would have to build them to 2013 spec if they were going to be run in GTE-Am.

I think the article said Manthey will still run 2 in WEC and there may be 1 available for north american use.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Beetle

If Silverstone is destined for the dumps in the near future.....

First I've heard of this...fact or rumour?

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

First I've heard of this...fact or rumour?

It's pretty old news, back from June this year...

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130628/f1/130629828

If anyone has any updates on this, we'd all like to hear them.



Oh, and glad to see you back, James. Let's hope you don't end up like Craig.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by joeb

I think the article said Manthey will still run 2 in WEC and there may be 1 available for north american use.

I believe the article suggested that there would be the factory entry, and one privateer car supported. That could be North America, or Europe really, for any of the three cars.

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

I believe the article suggested that there would be the factory entry, and one privateer car supported. That could be North America, or Europe really, for any of the three cars.

Well I highly doubt Manthey would drop their European effort, especially since they are now actually vying for race wins. I'd expect 2 WEC entries again next year and one North American entry. I just can't see them switching perspective like that so quickly... Europe is their main target, no?

[morningview66]

Originally Posted by Beetle

Well I highly doubt Manthey would drop their European effort, especially since they are now actually vying for race wins. I'd expect 2 WEC entries again next year and one North American entry. I just can't see them switching perspective like that so quickly... Europe is their main target, no?

I think it will likely happen, but will mean Porsche building two 2014 spec 991's and funding the Manthey effort alongside their full LMP1 effort.

Good to see Porsche putting alot of money into the WEC.

So we have the two 991 cars from 2013 with it looking likely for one to go to USCR and one to remain in WEC, both in Privateer hands.

Also still the possibility of Manthey Porsche fielding a works effort in USCR. Would this mean them building another two 991's for USCR or would they use the two they will run in the WEC and participate in a select USCR schedule?

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by morningview66

I think it will likely happen, but will mean Porsche building two 2014 spec 991's and funding the Manthey effort alongside their full LMP1 effort.

Good to see Porsche putting alot of money into the WEC.

So we have the two 991 cars from 2013 with it looking likely for one to go to USCR and one to remain in WEC, both in Privateer hands.

Also still the possibility of Manthey Porsche fielding a works effort in USCR. Would this mean them building another two 991's for USCR or would they use the two they will run in the WEC and participate in a select USCR schedule?

Probably the latter. Running a full-time, two-car, 2014-spec Porsche GTE outfit, a new full-time, two-car, 2014-spec Prototype team and a full-time, two-car, 2014-spec Porsche GTE outfit in North America would be pushing it, even by Porsche's lofty standards. I'd expect two GTE cars, two LMP1 cars, and maybe bringing those two GTE cars to Daytona, Sebring, the 6 Hours of the Glen, and Petit Le Mans.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Beetle

It's pretty old news, back from June this year...

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130628/f1/130629828

If anyone has any updates on this, we'd all like to hear them.

"For sale" sign was removed already couple of weeks ago

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/m...x-8771357.html

[deggis]

Originally Posted by bella

going back to the fia standardisation of race titles and stuff, the "six hours of..." and "three hours of.." titles bug me no end. it sounds nice in french, ie like the "24 heures du mans" but in english it sounds pants. very clumsy and difficult to align with a series for the noobs.

If your point was that "1000km" is easier for the noobs to understand than "n hours of" then I don't get your point. "Hours" format is similar to 24LM so that way it has to be immediately more understandable. I once saw a Youtube comment that was questioning whether the cars were really going 1000 km/h. And the main reason for the change was television time slots anyway, since with 1000km it is impossible to know when the race is actually going to end.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Beetle

Oh, and glad to see you back, James. Let's hope you don't end up like Craig.

What, living in Denmark?

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Beetle

It's pretty old news, back from June this year...

Ah, I now understand what you're referring to....this has been rumbling on for ages (and ages).

Panic over....

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I agree. I much preferred '1000kms' or '1000k's'.......

Sounds better, but I definitely prefer the timed six hour format. To that end, I'm perfectly comfortable with 'The Six Hours Of....'.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Sounds better, but I definitely prefer the timed six hour format. To that end, I'm perfectly comfortable with 'The Six Hours Of....'.

I've no rooted objection to referring to a time rather than distance, and having initially been skeptical think, like James, that the format is probably a better experience.

In terms of branding I think Bella has it absolutely right - it's a reflection that a lot of WEC marketing material is just a direct translation of the French, without any real consideration about how to make the message as powerful as possible in other languages, "The Silverstone 6 Hours" is inherently a stronger title than the much more passive "The 6 Hours of Silverstone".

The WEC does a lot that's good in terms of promoting itself, but there are bits which still clunk a little, and there's absolutely no excuse for complacency. If a small tweak like this can help, then why not try?

[Maelochs]

I work with a number of multi-lingual people, people of great intelligence, and it frequently amazes me that people much smarter than I cannot control their own pride enough to admit that their grasp of English idiom is less than perfect.

As I result I have seen some truly horrendous translations, things which a semi-literate 12-year-old would catch.

But "Sox Hours of" might not be a sign of that---it might be an even greater arrogance, on which says that the English-speaking market can put up of buzz off. Look at the WEC home page---"Discover, Follow, Vibrate"?

And below that "Boutique Officielle." Hmmm ... slick translation. Not quite up to Google's exacting standards, though.

"These Americans, what do they know? They don't even speak real English, and as for the English? Who cares?"

What cracks me up (and simultaneously depresses and nauseates me) is that FIA has the example of F1 to follow, if it wants to know how to market a racing series around the world.

[bella]

Originally Posted by deggis

If your point was that "1000km" is easier for the noobs to understand than "n hours of" then I don't get your point. "Hours" format is similar to 24LM so that way it has to be immediately more understandable.

it's more really what maelochs said to be honest. the "n hours of" translation is rubbish and clumsy, and yet it's a stronger part of the identity of the series than the series name. it's on the big signs behind the podium and the press conference (iirc). the only way someone can know it's an elms or wec event is by whether it's 3 or 6 hours, which is fine for us who know what the score is, but what about for everyone else? it's almost deliberately ambiguous.

on the other hand i suppose rightly it suggests that the only difference between the elms and the wec is the length of the race. i suppose that's true as a generalisation. and it does simplify things which is nice because it's about the only thing in endurance stuff that IS simple

it's (literally) semantics and totally unimportant in the scheme of things. but i guess it's something else to row about until some decent rumour fodder appears

[Victor_RO]

While we're speculating on many things, we have the second confirmed date for a WEC race next year: the race at Interlagos is scheduled for the weekend of Aug 29-31.

https://www.facebook.com/EnduranceIn...51855666655428

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Look at the WEC home page---"Discover, Follow, Vibrate"?

Stuff like that is really off putting, but the homepage has gotten a bit better, at least it now feels like someone is actually writing the news stories instead of just translating them.

Another sign of this is regularly putting a space between the last letter and exclamation mark (which is ok in French?). Like this ! It does not look professional ! Really !