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9 Apr 2011, 17:40 (Ref:2860941) | #1 | ||
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Rise of the ILMC
After watching the 12 Hours of Sebring and then looking at the entry lists for the ALMS and LMS it has become clear which direction the sport is headed in. Does anyone see the day in the next two years when the ALMS and LMS die off and merge into the ILMC. Looking at the grids for the three series it is pretty obvious where the big boys want to play (aside from Corvette Racing). If you put together a schedule of 5 NA Rounds, 5 European rounds, and 3-4 rounds elsewhere (Mid East, SA, Asia) and a good viewing package it is something I would definitely support.
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9 Apr 2011, 17:46 (Ref:2860946) | #2 | ||
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Be great if it turned into a world series ..... but then with the world comes the Fia ..... dont like the sound of it , true world series would be cool .
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9 Apr 2011, 18:18 (Ref:2860958) | #3 | ||
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It's a shame the LMS won't run with ILMC next year. Stupid move really, one which I can only see will be bad for the LMS. You're completely right when you say ILMC is the future. Poor car counts in the ALMS and LMS are clear evidence.
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9 Apr 2011, 18:27 (Ref:2860961) | #4 | ||
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maybe the best solution would be to leave ALMS, and LMS and develop them into GTE championships, an Use 4 race from each series in the ILMC, during witch we would have prototypes. that way you would get the media attention for ILMC, and a better media platform for local(ALMS,LMS) event, because insted off the coverage being focused on small useless lmp feilds, but on the action packed GTE class.
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9 Apr 2011, 18:46 (Ref:2860969) | #5 | |
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^ LMS has always had good prototype fields - especially compared to it's American counterpart - and privateer teams won't fancy an expensive, worldwide championship.
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9 Apr 2011, 19:17 (Ref:2860984) | #6 | |||
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9 Apr 2011, 20:14 (Ref:2861000) | #7 | ||
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As for how the three series stand now and in the future, the LMS was already moving towards banning factories and choosing less costly venues rather than those of historical significance, now they can remove P1 altogether and bring in P3/GT3. The ALMS is an entirely different prospect, there'll be manufacturers and teams who'll focus on NA, others with duel programs but I don't see many switching straight from ALMS to ILMC. |
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9 Apr 2011, 20:21 (Ref:2861004) | #8 | |
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Just merge the series, but try to somehow help the teams that wouldn't be able to travel globally otherwise.
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9 Apr 2011, 20:22 (Ref:2861005) | #9 | |||
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NA gets two, Europe gets two, Asia gets two... and then another, maybe South America. Is ILMC interesting, or sustainable with mid-twenties in entries, for the enduros? This whole concept is ill-conceived, by people who are too short-term in thinking. |
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9 Apr 2011, 20:33 (Ref:2861012) | #10 | ||
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Indeed.
I fear the day the short attention spanned Manufacturers grow tired of Le Mans racing and decide to jump ship to F1 our Touring Cars or something like that. They're always looking to change sceneries to refresh their marketing image. The question is if someone else would jump in to take over the vacancies left. Not a certainty. |
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9 Apr 2011, 20:52 (Ref:2861019) | #11 | |
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The ILMC is the descendant of the WSC which attracted grids of 35+ prototypes before being cynically wiped out by an envious FIA.
After twenty years the great majority of manufacturers and team owners are eager for the sport to be back on the world stage, if we want to see big budget programs and major sponsors they need a more significant platform than one race per year, no matter how big that may be. When this wasn't in place in the late '90's they left for series that offered such a platform and forced the ACO to take things into their own hands. A few exceptions aside NA teams compete in NA series due to it being a massive continent and market, it's little different for European teams traveling across the world in everything from single-seaters to rallying. Within a few years I'd be very suprised if the ILMC didn't t have approx. 10 rounds. Last edited by JAG; 9 Apr 2011 at 20:59. |
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9 Apr 2011, 20:55 (Ref:2861023) | #12 | |
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The problem with the ILMC in terms of North America is that companies like Peugeot have no interest in racing in the United States. The ILMC never would have happened without Peugeot. Thus, they have a pretty strong pull on the direction the ILMC goes and I don't think they want more than a couple of races in the United States.
Second, who knows if we would even get TV/Internet coverage of the ILMC. I can't see any TV network signing up to do 10+ live endurance races. TV coverage for the ILMC is very weak even in Europe compared to the non-ILMC LMS races. We'd be lucky to even get highlight shows. Will the ILMC buy airtime on major networks like the ALMS is willing to do in the US? I think there is still room for the ALMS and LMS, but those series may need to change their rules so they are not as manufacturer dependent. I think the LMS is considering going in that direction. |
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9 Apr 2011, 20:56 (Ref:2861025) | #13 | |||
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Who are all these manufacturers? Peugeot and Audi? Aston, a boutique manufacturer... and? Corvette? |
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9 Apr 2011, 21:22 (Ref:2861032) | #14 | |
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Audi and Peugeot alone can make or break a series, even Le Mans itself, and Aston were welcomed into the ALMS when they gave Corvette some competiton.
Two decades back manufacturers and teams were competing across the world, the absence of a world series is the exception not the rule. It was correct to start with a European LMS but when the next step was ready to be taken in 2008 the series' reach was too limited and manufacturers entered one-off events on both sides of the Atlantic. Last weeks events at Ricard highlight how that series is geared towards competitors rather than commercial aspects, it's a great stepping stone but both manufacturers and major privateers like ORECA, OAK, Rebellion, Strakka and Pescarolo are ready for a greater challenge, I'd rather that challenge be in ACO sportscars than elsewhere. Last edited by JAG; 9 Apr 2011 at 21:34. |
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9 Apr 2011, 22:55 (Ref:2861053) | #16 | |||||
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The LMS will continue on it's own path with great racing and developing teams and drivers, while I would hope as the ALMS provides such a great product and is the only series that has an increasingly important relevance to road car developments it will gather more support. Two years back Peugeot and Honda were rumoured to be off with Audi apparently joining F1 with Prodrive Aston. Today all of the major manufactuers are back with bigger programs, the likes of Toyota and Porsche are taking a keen interest and GT racing looks well balanced to cater for manufactuers and privateers. Last edited by JAG; 9 Apr 2011 at 23:23. |
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9 Apr 2011, 23:46 (Ref:2861076) | #17 | ||||||
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[quote]The LMS will continue on it's own path with great racing and developing teams and drivers, while I would hope as the ALMS provides such a great product and is the only series that has an increasingly important relevance to road car developments it will gather more support.[quote] Really? So, the LMS is a development league? The ALMS would provide such a great product? Are you paying attention to what is happening in North America? Quote:
Porsche is, and has almost always been interested in generating profits in selling cars. Can you please link me to where Porsche stated they were taking a keen interest in Protos? BMW is highly likely in their last season supporting this genre. Toyota is surely testing things with Rebellion... think they are happy so far? This isn't Field of Dreams, they require business reasons. I admire the optimism though. There isn't much point in trying to point out the failings in the Field of Dreams thinking in the future though. |
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10 Apr 2011, 01:12 (Ref:2861093) | #18 | |
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The field of dreams you speak of is not some future wishlist, this season will go down as one of the best in the sports history. 62 entries at Spa but the real telling point is the strength in depth, in addition there are a plethora of teams learning the ropes in strong national series.
The ALMS maybe going through a shaky time but the sport as a whole is in a very healthy state. http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Se...Le-Mans-teams/ |
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10 Apr 2011, 02:09 (Ref:2861100) | #19 | ||
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I suppose some would also suggest that the record highs of the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones on October 9, 2007 were signs of economic strength too. Of course some could see through that, just as they can see through what is going on now. I'll leave it alone now.
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10 Apr 2011, 05:11 (Ref:2861121) | #20 | ||
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Ive always been a critic of Ratel and his regulations, but I cannot deny that GT3 is on the rise. Sure the LM24 is the arguably the biggest race in the world (in my opinion it is), but if you can bring your car (or modified versions) to the Bathurst 12 hour, Dubai 24 hour, Spa 24 hour, Nurburgring 24 Hour, and possibly next year the Daytona 24 hour, along with the many popular championships that involve or center their rules on FIA GT3, then looking from a team owners point of view, or even a car company or sponsor, wouldnt that be more attractive than the ILMC?
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10 Apr 2011, 13:11 (Ref:2861343) | #21 | |
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Anyone who followed WSC '91/'92 or FIA GT '97/'98 will be aware of boom and bust, both had clear failings with illogical regs and little thought for the differing needs of manufacturers and privateers. Today there is clear differentiation and a ladder to build teams to World Championship level.
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11 Apr 2011, 11:28 (Ref:2861831) | #22 | ||
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I would take that Porsche article with a pinch of salt.
Here is a statement from Matthias Muller from an interview printed in the latest official Porsche magazine Christophorus. Is there already a concrete road map for racing? At the moment everything is still under discussion. The important thing is that we continue to promote our customer and amateur racing and thus meet the needs of our customers. In the process, Porsche can always gain new knowledge to develop the sports features of our vehicles. And we’ll take top-level racing as it comes. |
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11 Apr 2011, 13:51 (Ref:2861898) | #23 | ||
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This is all very well and good, but where's the media coverage?
Sports car racing needs more press coverage. A lot more. Having a few races live on Eurosport and Motors TV is poor. How is Joe Public meant to get in to the sport?
I'd say the ILMC, seen as its a world championship, is more likely to get something closer to the coverage it deserves. But its the ACO. It will still fall short. You go on to Autosport or Dailymotion, and you know when the FIA GTs are on! And the quality of coverage on the streams are second to none; the best non-F1 coverage I've watched of a motor race. So why can't the ACO get together? My point is this: the ILMC is a great idea. But it's not going to really take off and feel big until the ACO gets serious about promoting it. And I mean parts of races live on Sky or ESPN over here and highlights on National television - even if its a saturday morning. Sort that out and everything else WILL follow. Win the race on the Sunday, and sell cars on the Monday, the old saying goes. Well you can't sell any cars on the Monday if nobody even heard there was a race on the Sunday. |
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11 Apr 2011, 13:56 (Ref:2861900) | #24 | ||
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I have seen more sportcars in the last few years on TV and being used in media than for a long time, I agree the ACO have to maybe think farther than their pockets on this one. |
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11 Apr 2011, 14:01 (Ref:2861905) | #25 | |||
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As AGD said, endurance racing is bound to be shown on specialist channels. That's not bad for this type of world championships. |
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