Le Mans Series 2010

[AndrewF31]

Originally Posted by Subaru_WRX_STi

we are going off topic, with the SBK at Portimao, but it is usually the season finale (where Ben Spied was crowned World Champion), but its clear that the Superbike promoters are stronger than Mr. Peter staff

How many times do we need to repeat it: "High season" - Summer = high accommodation fees + high air fares
Add into that the economy with a number of teams even having trouble getting to Budapest. The ILMC is a good idea but it might be coming at the wrong time. The little money people have right now is being squeezed even more so they can fly to US and Asia when they normally wouldn't have done so last season so they end up dropping the races that are quite a bit away from their homes.... Portugal and Hungary.

The market for events is also smaller over here than in central europe. There's 10 million Portuguese plus a few million Spanish. In the summer most people already are in money trouble organizing their regular 2 week trips to the beach for a nice tan.... they aren't exactly thinking about spending 30+ euros on a race.
Compare that to circuits like Silverstone and Spa, that have a higher mass of people in a close radius, and or easily and quickly accessible by car, train, bus, etc, and you have a much easier time garnering fans.

2009 wasn't a brilliant success for Portimão's race with some issues but don't expect a perfect race the first time a championship goes. Or have you already forgotten the blackout in Spa, or the race stoppage at Petit Le Mans last year because of the rain? 2 very experienced tracks, and they also have their problems.

[LeMans.pt]

Originally Posted by Subaru_WRX_STi

the facts are, only Spa and Silverstone have good crowd and large entry lists (...)

Facts?

Where are the numbers? Are you speaking of the large number of free tickets Audi and Peugeot gave in 2008 for Silverstone?

Bring Audi and Peugeot to Portimão, like in Spa, and them we will talk again about crowds...

Originally Posted by Subaru_WRX_STi

(...) sorry but last year event at Algarve again was a failure, maybe for you at the track is was great, but watching the race on Eurosport with all the grandstands empty and a very poor TV coverage, no one can claim that it was a success !?

Failure?

Look... probably i can give you a more complete list of thing that are wrong in the Portimão race, than. Most probably, i know allot more flaws in the promotion and organizations than you, but saying that it was a failure because of the crowd and the poor TV coverage, got to be a very bad joke.

TV coverage is an responsibility of the LMEO not from the track promoters. TV coverage is poor in ALL LMS races, not only Portimão.

It was as much failure as Monza or Nurburgring... don't see you complaining about that!

Originally Posted by Subaru_WRX_STi

I have a question, why the Superbike at Portimao have a VERY good crowd and not the LMS ?

The answer to that question is given, but ill underline it. SBK race is not at Algarve high season. Do you even imagine how much do you have to spend on a trip and hotel to Algarve in the summer?

Did you ever went to Portimão to watch the SBK? More than half the crowd is spanish...

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

How many times do we need to repeat it: "High season" - Summer = high accommodation fees + high air fares

One time is enough if some one really cares to listen or read.... has we can see, some don't!

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

The market for events is also smaller over here than in central europe. There's 10 million Portuguese plus a few million Spanish. In the summer most people already are in money trouble organizing their regular 2 week trips to the beach for a nice tan.... they aren't exactly thinking about spending 30+ euros on a race.
Compare that to circuits like Silverstone and Spa, that have a higher mass of people in a close radius, and or easily and quickly accessible by car, train, bus, etc, and you have a much easier time garnering fans.

One of the biggest problems with this new racetrack is that it was build away of the biggest population center. Most of the Portuguese people live in the North and center, and near the sea. Half of the population live around Lisbon and Oporto

WTCC at Boavista Urban Circuit (Oporto) had 50.000 people watching it. Vila Real Urban Circuit, with national races and some classics races (70's endurance cars) had 70.000...

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

Or have you already forgotten the blackout in Spa...

Nah... Its Spa... that is a huge success, and not a total lack of professionalism...

[gwyllion]

There were rumors that Lamy would do Portimao with Oreca, but that is not the case. Instead Sarrazin will do the 3 next LMS races wit Oreca: http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-4780.html