[WEC] FIA World Endurance Championship

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by werner

Would it be an idea to make Le Mans the finale of the WEC-season wich runs over the winter?

It's a bad idea to me. What happens if a team wins the race and another the championship?

To make the championship more relevant, the final race must be held much later than Le Mans. November is perfect to me.

[FstrthnU]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108341

Dun dun dun, G-Drive #26 is excluded from Le Mans results because its fuel tank size was over the regulation

[deggis]

Lets put this here too:

FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

In order to preserve the historic date of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which this year celebrated its 90th edition, the date of 14/15 June 2014 has been retained to ensure that a Formula One Grand Prix is not hosted the same weekend.

http://www.fia.com/news/world-motor-sport-council-1

[joeb]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108341

Dun dun dun, G-Drive #26 is excluded from Le Mans results because its fuel tank size was over the regulation

I wonder how much it was over? The team claims they received no advantage from this and are appealing.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by joeb

I wonder how much it was over? The team claims they received no advantage from this and are appealing.

FIA published the stewards' decision on their website, fuel tank capacity was found to be 75.4 liters with a maximum of 75 allowed in the rules.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

FIA published the stewards' decision on their website, fuel tank capacity was found to be 75.4 liters with a maximum of 75 allowed in the rules.

ouch, that is a tough one.

[Starfish Primer]

Have they checked all the Orecas or just the #26? I´m curious if maybe is a Oreca factory error or a fuel tank amendment made by G-Drive.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by werner

I always have the feeling that the races after Le Mans are seen as almost irrelevant to the greater public. If I'm correct, then maybe a thought outside the box could be interesting.
Would it be an idea to make Le Mans the finale of the WEC-season wich runs over the winter?

Oktober: Road Atlanta
November: Fuji
December: Bahrein
Februari: Interlagos (or Potreros de los Funes if possible!)
March: Sebring
April: Silverstone
May: Spa
June: Le Mans

If Monza is really a good opportunity Silverstone could be the opener in September, and Monza in April.
Yes, I know Sebring will be hard to arrange, but honestly, it really should be in the WEC.

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I've suggested this before. It makes so much sense to me. A1GP got a lot more attention than it otherwise would have done due to being on in the winter months...

More drivers would also be available in the winter months with fewer clashes. Le Mans would come as a super climax to the season!

Interesting. If you look at this year's schedule, you get 1 race within a 4 month period (Le Mans). If you could incorporate the post-Le Mans break into the new season break, you could get a much tighter schedule.

[aneesh99]

Originally Posted by Starfish Primer

Have they checked all the Orecas or just the #26? I´m curious if maybe is a Oreca factory error or a fuel tank amendment made by G-Drive.

Graham Goodwin (I think) mentioned something about them needed a new fuel tank at some point, I'll have to go and find his quote...

Edit: No, it was Nick Daman:
'Interesting, I'm pretty sure the 26 car had to do an "emergency" tank change on Test day morning - must have forgotten to test it afterwards for compliance!'

Not sure how relevant it may or may not be though!

[airbusA346]

Originally Posted by zanfo zanfagni

Don't know if is this the reason also because in 2 last years europeans cars running for the ILMC were shipped to sebring via air cargo just 2 weeks before the event. Brazil race is in september, I don't think that cars will be shipped for brazil before mid-august. This year DHL is a partner sponsor of WEC, so travels should be also more facilitated.

They are sending the cars via sea freight to reduce the transport costs, compared to last year, because everything was shipped using air freight in 2012, and as you can imagine that gets very expensive.

And DHL handled all the transport last year too.

[TF110]

Does it really take two or three months to ship? I doubt it. All this makes is for an uninteresting gap they need to fill imo.

[trickyd]

Originally Posted by TF110

Does it really take two or three months to ship? I doubt it. All this makes is for an uninteresting gap they need to fill imo.

I agree. If they could manage to get cars to Sebring, Venezuela and Mexico in the fifties then we can get to Brazil and back now in under a quarter of a year!

[airbusA346]

Midweek Motorsport‏ @specutainment
Toyota to run only one TS-030 for rest of #fiawec season #7 car will complete the year.

[trickyd]

I'm starting to think this whole finish the WEC at Le Mans idea might have something to it. It is the natural climax to any Sportscar season and it being the season finale would justify a 2 month break after it. Also, when you get 1 of only 2 works LMP teams halving their involvement following Le Mans, it makes the rest of the season seem a bit pointless. I think the WEC also is suffering from a shortage of big name races that manufacturers actually want to, or would benefit from, winning. They decided not to have Petit Le Mans as part of the series, and now they have lost it altogether to the dark side along with Sebring. So there isn't much they can do in that regard.
With all that in mind, how about a calendar that looked something like:
1. Austin 12 Hours (August)
2. Sao Paulo 6 Hours (September)
3. Fuji 6 Hours (October)
4. Shanghai 6 Hours (November)
5. Sepang 6 Hours (December)
6. Dubai 6/12 Hours (February)
7. Monza 6 Hours (April)
8. Silverstone 6 Hours (May)
9. Spa 6 Hours (May)
10 Le Mans 24 Hours (June)

I threw Sepang in there because I was struggling to think of anywhere warm enough to race in December without going back to South America, which lacks another decent track and would be logistically tricky. I'd start in America, Sportscar racing has a good base of fans there and they can put on a decent 'show', and have put in a Christmas break and a re start in Dubai where the weather will be pleasant in February, rather than blindingly hot. Packing all the European races in before Le Mans even has a bit of historical tradition to it as up until about 1971 or so that was the way it was.

[Salamus]

Originally Posted by trickyd

I'm starting to think this whole finish the WEC at Le Mans idea might have something to it. It is the natural climax to any Sportscar season and it being the season finale would justify a 2 month break after it. Also, when you get 1 of only 2 works LMP teams halving their involvement following Le Mans, it makes the rest of the season seem a bit pointless. I think the WEC also is suffering from a shortage of big name races that manufacturers actually want to, or would benefit from, winning. They decided not to have Petit Le Mans as part of the series, and now they have lost it altogether to the dark side along with Sebring. So there isn't much they can do in that regard.
With all that in mind, how about a calendar that looked something like:
1. Austin 12 Hours (August)
2. Sao Paulo 6 Hours (September)
3. Fuji 6 Hours (October)
4. Shanghai 6 Hours (November)
5. Sepang 6 Hours (December)
6. Dubai 6/12 Hours (February)
7. Monza 6 Hours (April)
8. Silverstone 6 Hours (May)
9. Spa 6 Hours (May)
10 Le Mans 24 Hours (June)

I threw Sepang in there because I was struggling to think of anywhere warm enough to race in December without going back to South America, which lacks another decent track and would be logistically tricky. I'd start in America, Sportscar racing has a good base of fans there and they can put on a decent 'show', and have put in a Christmas break and a re start in Dubai where the weather will be pleasant in February, rather than blindingly hot. Packing all the European races in before Le Mans even has a bit of historical tradition to it as up until about 1971 or so that was the way it was.

A 1-2 month off season is too short. And I don't like ending the season with Le Mans. However, it would be better if more races were before Le Mans then after.

[dxk1]

Not sure you really want to do Austin in mid August!! Probably April or early May would be much better for Austin.

DK

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by trickyd

I'm starting to think this whole finish the WEC at Le Mans idea might have something to it. It is the natural climax to any Sportscar season and it being the season finale would justify a 2 month break after it. Also, when you get 1 of only 2 works LMP teams halving their involvement following Le Mans, it makes the rest of the season seem a bit pointless. I think the WEC also is suffering from a shortage of big name races that manufacturers actually want to, or would benefit from, winning. They decided not to have Petit Le Mans as part of the series, and now they have lost it altogether to the dark side along with Sebring. So there isn't much they can do in that regard.
With all that in mind, how about a calendar that looked something like:
1. Austin 12 Hours (August)
2. Sao Paulo 6 Hours (September)
3. Fuji 6 Hours (October)
4. Shanghai 6 Hours (November)
5. Sepang 6 Hours (December)
6. Dubai 6/12 Hours (February)
7. Monza 6 Hours (April)
8. Silverstone 6 Hours (May)
9. Spa 6 Hours (May)
10 Le Mans 24 Hours (June)

I threw Sepang in there because I was struggling to think of anywhere warm enough to race in December without going back to South America, which lacks another decent track and would be logistically tricky. I'd start in America, Sportscar racing has a good base of fans there and they can put on a decent 'show', and have put in a Christmas break and a re start in Dubai where the weather will be pleasant in February, rather than blindingly hot. Packing all the European races in before Le Mans even has a bit of historical tradition to it as up until about 1971 or so that was the way it was.

But then you'd have to move the month of June further towards the end of the year.

[Purist]

No other suitable venues in South America? Potrero de los Funes is fully certified to a Grade 2 standard, which is what would be needed for anything other than F1.

(I'm also trying to find a bit more information about Termas de Rio Hondo, as that one may have Grade 2 licensure, and it appears, will have FIM Grade A certification for next season.)

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by Purist

No other suitable venues in South America? Potrero de los Funes is fully certified to a Grade 2 standard, which is what would be needed for anything other than F1.

(I'm also trying to find a bit more information about Termas de Rio Hondo, as that one may have Grade 2 licensure, and it appears, will have FIM Grade A certification for next season.)

In this year the WTCC will race in Termas de Rio Hondo and in the next year will race Moto GP. In this week Moto GT will do practice days in Termas
http://www.largaron.com/noticias.php?articulo_id=12511
http://www.termasderiohondo.com/Autodromo/

Potrero de los Funes have Grade 2 FIA. Potrero is more beatiful than Termas and is very good circuit. http://www.deportes.sanluis.gov.ar/a...los-funes.html
There were some rumors that Potrero wanted to bring another international category, somebody said Indy cars but nothing was confirmed.

[TF110]

That was one of the highlights in FIA GT1. Always liked that track since I first saw it in that series.

[Purist]

You'll get no argument from me about the aesthetics of Potrero versus the setting of Rio Hondo.

We'll just have to see if Potrero de los Funes can get another international event, regardless of the class of car, together at some stage here.

And yes, Austin in August would be a bad idea; it's about as bad as F1 doing Dallas in July, or Phoenix in June.

[wewantourdarbyback]

Portrero is a stunning circuit, those GT races were fantastic to watch, how often is it used now. I think it's only had national series on it since GT1 went bust.

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by wewantourdarbyback

Portrero is a stunning circuit, those GT races were fantastic to watch, how often is it used now. I think it's only had national series on it since GT1 went bust.

In 2012 was used only one weekend in the end of November for the Super TC 2000.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igGWZ0ri1Sc

In 2013 the TOP RACE will Race 28 of July and the Super TC 2000 will race 25 of November.

[helgi]

I don't know if it was already mentioned but Strakka halt their racing program in FIA WEC http://www.lemanslive.com/News/WEC-S...car-for-Toyota .

[Gingers4Justice]

Extremely disappointing.

Let's finish the WEC season at Le Mans in June please, this is getting a little tiresome.

Anyone know if Audi are taking any safety cars to the remainder of the WEC?