IMSA And another thing. Driving standards right now are poor.

[GT3_Fan]

https://racer.com/2024/08/09/beyond-...ngs-profile/2/

Puff pieces don't have to lie. And this one certainly is telling the truth. But you can also leave out information too. Glad Doonan says they are not contempt. They should not be

1. Driving standards right now are poor
2. Safety car procedures still suck.

Those two points concern me more than BoP by a long way. Even though BoP gets most of the discussion on here.

[belt driven]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Not sure there is a driving standards one, but maybe it is a good topic to start.

Not reeeally wanting to open a whole 'nother can of worms; but I've thought driver rating system was bogus since maybe '07(?) China GP when Hambone stayed on slicks showing white cord until rain came. Then he slid into gravel on pit in.

Is it flashes of virtuosity divided by subjective judging of bonehead moves?

[Adam43]

In case you get distracted by the article here is the North American Sportscar Media Thread. SC and BoP are here.

[GT3_Fan]

Originally Posted by Adam43

In case you get distracted by the article here is the North American Sportscar Media Thread. SC and BoP are here.

It will be hard to have threads for everything. All of these topics do overlap. Driving standards in IMSA was very good in 2018/2019 time frame if you recall. The quality and depth of the driver pool was at its peak here. Very few "what were you thinking" type crashes in the late 2010s.

[Adam43]

This one is so important it deserves its spotlight. I was worried that someone might get distracted by the media part of the link and ruin this. Which would be a shame

I have to admit I can’t remember 2018/19 being exceptional one way or the other, but I’ll take your word for it. It is probably more I don’t know how it can be judged and I worry the mind plays tricks on me here.

Comedy theory, but are we here because it is more competitive now? But I recall IMSA was pretty competitive back then too.

[GT3_Fan]

Originally Posted by Adam43

This one is so important it deserves its spotlight. I was worried that someone might get distracted by the media part of the link and ruin this. Which would be a shame

I have to admit I can’t remember 2018/19 being exceptional one way or the other, but I’ll take your word for it. It is probably more I don’t know how it can be judged and I worry the mind plays tricks on me here.

Comedy theory, but are we here because it is more competitive now? But I recall IMSA was pretty competitive back then too.

I was probably the world's #1 GTLM fan. So that is why I recall is so well..he he. A bunch of races went with no or few safety car periods at the time.

[broadrun96]

I think there's a LOT of rose colored glasses looking back here. I seen to recall a lot of 'professional' drivers in GT and prototypes using other cars to make the corners

[seanyb505]

Point #2: Have you read the responses supplied on this forum, or potentially looked at the insurance and legal landscape of USA in 2024?

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by seanyb505

Point #2: Have you read the responses supplied on this forum, or potentially looked at the insurance and legal landscape of USA in 2024?

No, and No. Most try to play the well (insert random series) uses Code 60 so why can't IMSA. Clubs and smaller series can somewhat get away with it with the entry regulations but major series with US insurance and registration, no chance. But it's like yelling in to the void sometimes

[Articus]

I like the contrast between IMSA racing and WEC racing. Take it for what it is. We get to enjoy both championships. The important thing in IMSA racing is consistency. All the drivers know that anything goes and they all take advantage of it. Over a 10 round championship, those who dish out elbows also receive elbows. It balances out in the end.

[tomcug]

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/g...-heavy-racing/
The included video fits the article perfectly

[joeb]

Originally Posted by tomcug

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/g...-heavy-racing/
The included video fits the article perfectly

That was a bonkers sequence. And I think I have said this before, but it is probably a symptom of the GT3 formula at the moment with cars balanced so closely there isn't much room to make a pass unless you really force the issue.

[flatlandsman]

No I think it is egos, and overly aggressive driving from most, you can pass but the cars are all so close now that you have to do it quickly or very hard or it never sticks, a bad consequence of BoP.

A lot of these men are very well off and not used to losing, some can accept, some really can not. Ego as I say

[NaBUru38]

Grand-Am is back, baby!

[J Jay]

Driving standards have dipped in most series to be fair; it isn't just an American thing. Partly due to every series having more cars, which drives more fierce competition, and therefore more risk-taking from professional and amateur drivers alike.

[Adam43]

So same standards, but more pressure?

[J Jay]

I'd say so, yes. Not in all cases obviously, but grids have increased compared to pre-COVID. And the new entrants are high-quality teams who have driven up the competition.

[flatlandsman]

I would say there are multiple problems/

GT3 cars are easy to drive to a certain limit, but to get the best needs a very good AM or most Pros, they can brake very well and have decent speed and cornering ability, they are not wallowy old Hectors like they were.

Combine this with very differing driving standards in the Ams, very rich men who like winning and are used to getting their own way, why else are they there? And then add in a very professional driver in a Hypercar which are seemingly tricky on the limit, quicker reactions, all sorts of stuff going on in the car and a driver who is very good in an AM but perhaps does not doing things the same as a Pro would, and this is why.

I would also suggest certainly in WEC track choice is an issue Qatar is a venue totally and utterly unsuited to WEC as is Bahrain, we all know why they are there. Other tracks it works better.

COTA will be funny as there are a lot of sections where Pros will need huge patience before they can pass, but will lose seconds a lap doing so, it is the recipe for a perfect storm really. And the IMSA tracks are not as bad for me, they are more old school, flowing tracks so it is an issue but I only ever really saw it as one with LMP3 there aswell, not sop much LMP2