[WEC] New rules. New manufacturers. The 2021 and beyond positivity thread!

[broadrun96]

Yeah, MB better get their graph paper and slide rules out quick to make that AMG-One in to a hypercar

[veeten]

If I'm Mercedes, I'm thinking long and hard about this. Formula 1 is limiting themselves, while sportscar, especially prototype, is just growing by leaps and bounds. More manufacturers are coming on over to our side, as the rules are just too good to resist.

[broadrun96]

Only if your goal is to be in sportscars, if you want to be in pinnacle motorsport you're in F1, full stop. Chassis and engine is far more advanced and they appear to want to be in front of more eyes for practice than WEC draws for a race

[Matador]

Originally Posted by J Jay

I think now is the right time to say that I'm ambivalent about Aston in LMH, after the in-and-out they pulled at the onset of the regulation discussions.

But another car is never a bad thing. Gives me a team to firmly root against at least!

This exactly.

[Adam43]

Mess around at the beginning and then join in the fifth year, say. That would be quite annoying, I agree. I’ve certainly had some scathing observations on their interactions at the start of this era.

But it’s a great looking car, another one to join the grids. It’ll be fun to see it out there. The rest is water under the bridge. And a team that runs it will capture people’s hearts.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Only if your goal is to be in sportscars, if you want to be in pinnacle motorsport you're in F1, full stop. Chassis and engine is far more advanced and they appear to want to be in front of more eyes for practice than WEC draws for a race

Yeah, let's not blow too much smoke up hypercar exhausts. Remember all the gloating about LMP1-H's prowess compared to F1 at the time and how that ended? Long may sportscars be in rude health, but inventing a fight with F1 for attention/resources does nobody any favours.

Rather, given the natural crossover between the disciplines, hopefully more manufacturers see hypercar dovetailing naturally with any F1 effort already in place.

Originally Posted by Adam43

It’s not making your heart race?

Honestly? No. I can see the appeal, but for me it doesn't outweigh the bad feeling over Aston's shoddy treatment of pretty much everyone involved the first time round. I'm getting strong Darren Cox-era Nissan vibes about it all.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Yeah, let's not blow too much smoke up hypercar exhausts. Remember all the gloating about LMP1-H's prowess compared to F1 at the time and how that ended? Long may sportscars be in rude health, but inventing a fight with F1 for attention/resources does nobody any favours.

Rather, given the natural crossover between the disciplines, hopefully more manufacturers see hypercar dovetailing naturally with any F1 effort already in place.

But you cannot argue the mention of motorsport to the average person aware but not follower, F1 is known, WEC may be but household name?? I would say not so much. It's not a matter of which is better, more open, more competitive but rather a boardroom money guy discussion, F1 has the prestige for now

[PascaLM]

From racer.com, an update about the "next wave" :

https://racer.com/2023/10/05/how-the...ir-wec-debuts/

[veeten]

So, McLaren is working with Dallara, that's a good deal considering what they're doing with Cadillac & BMW. My question is the ICE, which will they choose: an in-house unit, Mercedes, or Toyota. Stand by to see what the car will look like, and when it will run.

[tomcug]

The article mentions this:

With the future of the brand’s automotive arm receiving significant investment this year and its future now more secure, a program is beginning to look more likely, though not before 2026.

That's going to be close to next-gen regulations I believe...

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by tomcug

The article mentions this:

That's going to be close to next-gen regulations I believe...

Next Gen in F1 too so that will take money and add distractions

[veeten]

Well, we have a great movement in racing going, and yet there's something missing...

Yes, Aston Martin is coming, and that's great, but... what we need is something special, something spectacular. We need...

"The Big Cat"... that's right, Jaguar. These rules were " tailor made" for them, an entry in either IMSA or WEC would be fantastic. And Le Mans, well that's just buttercream icing on the cake, now isn't it. C'mon guys, we know you've been watching things play out since '21, make that move.

In the words of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr ( and the Crystal Method), "Now is the time..."

[Adam43]

Love the enthusiasm for this, but unfortunately I very much doubt this. I’d be surprised if they are even looking. The history fits, the current range, marketing and financial position does not.

Aston has a car that someone wants to race at Le Mans. Jaguar are a million miles away from that. It’d have to be LMDh. Who’d pay for that?

More chance of another VW brand Bentley than Jaguar.

[veeten]

Too true, unfortunately....

When they returned to racing back in the '80's, it was the impetus of Bob Tulius and Group44, culminating with their GTP racer. It was later when Jaguar worked with Walkinshaw Racing and built the Group B racer that we really got to see them take it to Porsche and Lancia. Even the 2nd gen car was more than a match for Sauber/Mercedes.

I'm more than certain that those in the UK can do this, if given the means, materials, and a reasonable budget. It wouldn't hurt to try...

[Adam43]

Bob Tulius’s first and second shop are still around. Then and now.
The XJRs weren’t built there, that was in Winchester.

[veeten]

Meant to say Group C, Group B was rally championship.

[Adam43]

Yeah, I knew what you meant

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Love the enthusiasm for this, but unfortunately I very much doubt this. I’d be surprised if they are even looking. The history fits, the current range, marketing and financial position does not.

More chance of another VW brand Bentley than Jaguar.

I think both have tied their future to electric so until we see silent racing in sportscars I think both are out from the boardroom mission

[Coach Ep]

As this is the positivity thread:

Does anyone else read the same things between the McLaren lines? With all the announced intentions (WEC) and increased involvement (IMSA), it almost sounds like Woking is closing in on a Hypercar announcement. Probably with United as factory partner to run the program in WEC (and possibly Pfaff in IMSA?).

[veeten]

Hey guys, just watched How it's Made: Dream Cars. They had the Jaguar F-type convertible. Wondering if it is still in production.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by veeten

Hey guys, just watched How it's Made: Dream Cars. They had the Jaguar F-type convertible. Wondering if it is still in production.

I believe it is still in production but for 2024 it will have a special edition model and then be phased out during the back end of '24. That is for both coupe and convertible.

[veeten]

Which would mean the V6 could be a worthy engine for an outside source to build a possible twin turbo powerplant. Hmmmm...

[veeten]

Thank you, Graham. This is exactly what I've been saying, in different words, about the difference between "our sport" and F1, especially in the last couple of years.

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...osed-shop.html

[hondafan37]

HYUNDAI IN THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS: A DECISION BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR?

https://endurancemag.fr/hyundai-aux-24-heures-du-mans/

[TF110]

Preferably not an e-v but that's looking likely. We'll see. Hyundai would be a great addition to the grid.