[WEC] FIA World Endurance Championship

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Thanks! That's a car I will be cheering on at LM!

Are you of South African origin?

Unfortunately, I think Jack is the slowest of the three. Matt Griffin and Marco Cioci were faster than half of the pros at Paul Ricard, and I'm guessing that both will dip into the 3:57s at Le Mans this year in qualifying. But I think no one can beat the Danish trio of Simonsen/Poulsen/Nygaard. Those drivers are just magic and that car should be considered Pro.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Beetle

But I think no one can beat the Danish trio of Simonsen/Poulsen/Nygaard. Those drivers are just magic and that car should be considered Pro.

Simonsen id definiatly Pro, Nygaard is an upcoming-Pro, but with all respect, Poulsen is still an amateur, and one of the best examples of an amateur driver.
His speeds are ok, but not among the very top. His profession is within the Truck world, and racing is something he do with his spare time and -change.

[Mike E]

Yep, South African. Lived in England for many years though.

[Spyderman]

Hello neighbor!

[Flag Monkey]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I hope Starworks will be there. The pessimist in me thinks they just haven't rung the ACO yet.

Sadly it seems that the Starworks call has been made to the ACO as they are no longer entered for Silverstone

http://www.fiawec.com/en/news/final-...tone_1010.html

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Hello neighbor!

[Mike E]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...ce=mostpopular

Budget troubles...

[GT6]

The withdrawl of entries seems to be increasing, will be interesting to see if they do make it to Le mans or if they are still allowed to participate

[Mike E]

Lamy, Dalla Lana, Makowiecki in one Pro Aston; Senna, Turner, Mucke in the other.

Bruni, Fisi in one Pro AF Corse; Kobayashi, Vilander in the other.

Bernhard and Dumas joining as third drivers in the Manthey 911s.

Vernay to Imsa Performance with Narac and Bourret.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...ce=mostpopular

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by GT6

The withdrawl of entries seems to be increasing, will be interesting to see if they do make it to Le mans or if they are still allowed to participate

They shouldn't be, in my opinion. If the WEC is going to be a credible series it needs to toughen up on its entrants. I know it's not the team's fault, necessarily, but the ACO and WEC at large needs to be seen as tough on this sort of thing.

If not, anyone can just enter the WEC in February, pull out at will and keep their garage spot at LM, instead of an ELMS team that turns up to every round.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

32 entries now? Wasn't it 35 or 33 last year? Can't remember, but worrying since pre-Le Mans typically has quite a few more cars than post-Le Mans when the race was last year

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

32 entries now? Wasn't it 35 or 33 last year? Can't remember, but worrying since pre-Le Mans typically has quite a few more cars than post-Le Mans when the race was last year

But by the same token, Sebring, the first round, was also a few short at the start. Spa will probably have the largest entry outside LM.

It's so frustrating that not matter when you put the opener of any Sportscar series, there is always always always someone who pulls out in the couple of weeks leading up to it.

[kurski]

FIA WEC boss Gerard Neveu told German circuit may be possible calendar in the future. He told also than Nurburgring is better choise than Hockenheim.

[Simmi]

Surprising that with the combined pool of people/contacts between Status and HVM across two continents that they couldn't pull something together.

[deggis]

I wonder why the Toyota-tailored rule of only counting the best finished car towards the manufacturers' championship was never reverted for this year. It was never mentioned in the WMSC decisions, so didn't expect it anyway, but still meh. This makes things less serious in a way.

Sporting regs (page 8).

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by GT6

The withdrawl of entries seems to be increasing, will be interesting to see if they do make it to Le mans or if they are still allowed to participate

Why would they not be allowed to participate at Le Mans ? Entry fee has been paid and excepted and the list published .

Its a sad case I agree , cars on a boat from UAE and not enough wedge from 2 teams that teams up ..... just sad !!!

[Purist]

Deggis, the rule of having only the highest-placed car counting toward the Manufacturer's Championship goes back to the very beginning of the old WSC in the 1950s.

Badger, I don't think that someone who isn't serious about actually participating in the WEC should get one of those coveted, guaranteed slots at Le Mans. They can still apply for Le Mans entry, but they should have to do so like any other one-off entry.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Purist

Deggis, the rule of having only the highest-placed car counting toward the Manufacturer's Championship goes back to the very beginning of the old WSC in the 1950s.

And what?

It was changed only after Case: Peugeot. Now that Toyota has 2-car entry, I really don't get why it wasn't reverted. The way it is now makes things a bit more forgiving since theoretically it doesn't matter even if the 2nd car DNF'd in every race.

[Purist]

I don't think the FIA/ACO want a manufacturer to be able to simply flood the grid, and thus, virtually guarantee themselves the championship. The Italians did this in the 1950s and '60s in the top categories, both Maserati and Ferrari at the very least; Fiat/Abarth did it in the little GTs. After that, Porsche did it, and still does it in GT racing.

It may not be a realistic concern in LMP1 now, but I think they would rather not re-open Pandora's Box on that one.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Purist

I don't think the FIA/ACO want a manufacturer to be able to simply flood the grid, and thus, virtually guarantee themselves the championship. The Italians did this in the 1950s and '60s in the top categories, both Maserati and Ferrari at the very least; Fiat/Abarth did it in the little GTs. After that, Porsche did it, and still does it in GT racing.

It may not be a realistic concern in LMP1 now, but I think they would rather not re-open Pandora's Box on that one.

No one is talking about flooding the grid. Simply scoring points with two cars as you'd normally expect.

[Purist]

It's not really an expectation for me though. I've studied the history, so either system has its pluses and minuses. They're just different.

[Rodger Davies]

if it ain't broke, don't fix it - this way, whoever wins most, wins; I'm OK with that.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Purist

Badger, I don't think that someone who isn't serious about actually participating in the WEC should get one of those coveted, guaranteed slots at Le Mans. They can still apply for Le Mans entry, but they should have to do so like any other one-off entry.

I agree ..... but they were entered in the full WEC , had their entry fee for Le Mans paid , had been excepted for Le Mans by the ACO and then this .

Its not the fault of the ACO ..... I guess there just isn't a way around this .

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

if it ain't broke, don't fix it - this way, whoever wins most, wins; I'm OK with that.

It wasn't broken before Case: Peugeot (similarly 2 manufacturers x 2 cars). Now, championsip-wise, basically the slower/2nd car's main point is to be as close as possible to the 1st car incase it hits problems. If both cars counted towards the championship, it would matter a lot more since all points scored by the 2nd car would be still important.

Due lack of cars in P1, there is already little competition besides the battle for the win, I don't think that needs to be highlighted.

And flooding the grid with manufacturer cars - how since the manufacturer cars and private cars are not in the same (sub-)championship(s)? (Which is another thing I don't like.)

[TF110]

Theres still the drivers title to fight for.