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

[Gerard C]

Corner slower? Its not obvious. May be an example of a car not flipping is the Caddy at Spa. Still in the case of the Aston at LM, I think a fin could have done nothing to prevent the flipping.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

Then how come GT cars (thank goodness) don't have shark fins then?

Because GT cars are different to Hypercars.

It’s a different class of vehicle. Both figuratively and literally.

I suppose the Hypercar manufacturers could choose to make their cars like GT cars to achieve the same thing, but then they would be slow.

Hypercars achieve their speed in different way and are much more aero sensitive to flipping. Hence the need.

There is a good explanation in one of the homologation specials in racecar engineering. IIRC it is the one about Toyota, but possibly the others too. They looked to have no fin, but it was so much easier to achieve the same thing with it that they ended up there.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Probably because they're heavier, less aerodynamic, and corner slower?

I would add the way air moves under the vehicle as well.

[flatlandsman]

The Ford GT was about as close to a prototype as GT cars can ever get I would suggest, and was pretty much a step too far really.

[chernaudi]

You do seem to be forgetting (though it's ancient compared to the last iteration of the Ford GT) the Toyota GT-One. It was basically a LMP900 car with a closed cockpit in all but name, and was largely responsible (along with Mercedes-Benz and Porsche also exploiting the rules to nearly the same degree) for the FIA killing off the original GT1 class (though the Toyota never raced there), and the ACO re-branding the class into LM GTP.

[GT3_Fan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ejAWUjLTg8

GT1 Sports Club video from N'Ring this week. Now this is what I thought hypercar should have been like. This is what the WEC advertised to us back when they first announced Hypercars in 2018/2019 time period. But the actual product all have LMP shark fins and rear wings. Imagine some of the LMH cars or the Cadillac without those things. Just like the car at 2:39 in the video. The Pragra Bohema

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

The Ford GT was about as close to a prototype as GT cars can ever get I would suggest, and was pretty much a step too far really.

More of them were built than the V8 Z4, or the not supercharged GT, or the mid-engined 911, etc etc. It was not this one-off magical exception WELL outside the regs everyone seems to think it was

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ejAWUjLTg8

GT1 Sports Club video from N'Ring this week. Now this is what I thought hypercar should have been like. This is what the WEC advertised to us back when they first announced Hypercars in 2018/2019 time period. But the actual product all have LMP shark fins and rear wings. Imagine some of the LMH cars or the Cadillac without those things. Just like the car at 2:39 in the video. The Pragra Bohema

Everyone’s a winner then!

There is the option of watching cars great cars without fins, while the ACO are happy they’ve reduced the chance of serious accidents on the Mulsanne and elsewhere.

Further, the adverting standards authority could potentially pick up some extra work.

What a world we live in.

[chernaudi]

And why complain about the LMH/GTP cars looking like enlarged (2000mm wide and 5100mm long) last gen LMP1 cars when in reality we all probably knew that's how it was going to go? First gen LMP1 and LMP2 cars largely looked like LMP900 and LMP675 cars updated to the new aero regs.


It's not like the designers are going to forget what they've learned and find ways to apply it. Not to mention that LMH/GTP cars are basically the outright successor to LMP1 and DPI in all but name.


The fin and the wheelarch holes are kind of here to stay, because they've proven to be reasonably effective, and they're probably simple and inexpensive to implement.


IMO, to expect that the LMH cars, especially after convergence with IMSA regs for their GTP class, to look like high end road going hypercars is far fetched. Even the road legal AM Valkyrie gives me some serious LMP/GTP vibes.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ejAWUjLTg8

GT1 Sports Club video from N'Ring this week. Now this is what I thought hypercar should have been like. This is what the WEC advertised to us back when they first announced Hypercars in 2018/2019 time period. But the actual product all have LMP shark fins and rear wings. Imagine some of the LMH cars or the Cadillac without those things. Just like the car at 2:39 in the video. The Pragra Bohema

If any of those manufacturers in GT1 Sports club wanted to take their car to hypercar could they have? crash test, wind tunnel balancing, power balancing. that is what it takes right? I'm guessing crash test would not be kind to any of those.

I'm not sure the Hypercar class was ever intended to be a GT class, but left the window open for GT type cars to enter if them met the criteria.

[chernaudi]

I do believe that LMH/GTP crash test regs are identical to or are at least based on LMP1 crash regs?

[Ferrari333SP]

JOTA to Cadillac confirmed

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...fort-for-2025/

[TF110]

I hope they stay Gold! This is a test for Cadillac because JOTA are more than capable of winning. So now it's on the manufacturers side imo.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by TF110

I hope they stay Gold! This is a test for Cadillac because JOTA are more than capable of winning. So now it's on the manufacturers side imo.

As long as the Hertz sponsorship remains I don't see why they won't still be gold.

JOTA keep going from strength to strength. As for their 963s, Proton could do with a spare tub or two.

[flatlandsman]

Think Derani may well drop into that team,cant see Button staying

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by J Jay

As long as the Hertz sponsorship remains I don't see why they won't still be gold.



JOTA keep going from strength to strength. As for their 963s, Proton could do with a spare tub or two.

Team name will be Cadillac Hertz Team Jota so sounds like they're staying on board. Apparently the Racer comments crew think it's still not possible because Jota has Singer on the cars so obviously this is fake

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Team name will be Cadillac Hertz Team Jota so sounds like they're staying on board. Apparently the Racer comments crew think it's still not possible because Jota has Singer on the cars so obviously this is fake

Perhaps Singer can branch out and start working on one of these babies!

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by joeb

Perhaps Singer can branch out and start working on one of these babies!

Haha brilliant!

Eldorado or bust?!

[broadrun96]

Singer grossly underestimates how much they could make on one of those making it modern if they don't. Make a Caddy badged C10 or square body and you're easily in the 150k range for their quality

[flatlandsman]

Is Hertz not an American brand so it makes sense in a way, maybe they might have a presence in IMSA as well, I can for sure see them doing Daytona and Sebring in at least one car. m

[veeten]

Yes, it's a rental car company, same as AVIS or National. In the past, they rented Ford vehicles, including the Mustang. Their biggest claim to fame were their commercials/adverts and their specials, including the famous " rent a Shelby" program, where you could rent a 350GT-H (H for Hertz). In either black/gold or white/gold, it was the best rental car offers ever devised.

It was only later that most rental companies stopped being tied to a specific manufacturer and diversified their offerings.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by joeb

Perhaps Singer can branch out and start working on one of these babies!

Honestly. This did cross my mind, albeit not that particular model. Singer really could diversify and make a mint indeed.

[broadrun96]

Course as good as Singer is and as bad as Caddies of that era were it would be mostly new parts

[veeten]

In the end, Singer ain't having anything to do with that. It's Porsche, and only that. Classic 911's, refreshed or remade from newer stock.

This Cadillac stuff is just a running gag, to entertain folks while waiting for the next bit of news.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by veeten

In the end, Singer ain't having anything to do with that. It's Porsche, and only that. Classic 911's, refreshed or remade from newer stock.

This Cadillac stuff is just a running gag, to entertain folks while waiting for the next bit of news.

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