[WEC] 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

The wec transports the cars. They scheduled the rounds with that in mind, not manufacturers. Silverstone to Spa is not a far travel. Then next month in France for LM. The (too) big summer break gives teams the chance to recover and get ready for the 'flyaway' races.

In old ALMS and (now USCC) the gap between LM and next round is usually 2-3 weeks - you know to transport cars back across the ocean, repair damage and get ready. Even ILMC Imola was at the beginning of July. And ELMS and AsLMS kick off in Summer too.

Are we saying that the series which has FAR bigger budgeted teams than regional series need 10 times longer time to "recover" in the light of that?

[TF110]

Whats your point directed at, or what are you trying to say? I thought you were saying the race schedule is what it is to cater to manufacturers. I'd guess they are the last ones that would need a 3 month break. But the races and dates are actually put together pretty smart. I dont think anyone needs a huge break after LM, though. Two months max imo.

[deggis]

Additional explanation for the gap is that they've been planning an European round but plans have not materialized and/or keeping a spot open for one. If another race was put there now and then an European round came, there's a clash and constant date changing (by several months) is probably not very stabilizing.

Air freight might cost, but how much is the series and teams (sponsors) losing in total when people forget the series' existence during the break?

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

Whats your point directed at, or what are you trying to say? I thought you were saying the race schedule is what it is to cater to manufacturers. I'd guess they are the last ones that would need a 3 month break. But the races and dates are actually put together pretty smart. I dont think anyone needs a huge break after LM, though. Two months max imo.

One month max IMO...

I'd say the venues and countries are well catered for manufacturers. I don't agree with the choices myself but I can see Audi/Toyota/Porsche upper managements being relatively happy with the represented market areas and that is why they are there.

However the positioning and dates of these races are just terrible. Sorry I can't sugarcoat it any better. But they just are.

I have a big list of "what's wrong with WEC" and the calendar (& race formats) is without a doubt my number one issue with it, always has been from the very first days. Even above the marketing and classes and regulations and and and. It has always bothered me. It looks unattractive, sterile and weirdly put together. You people have been right when I complain of split starts and minor details, they aren't really anything but chitchat to pass the time.

As I said earlier with the ILMC vs WEC - instead of being "events" they feel like rounds of the championship held somewhere. And that's not what sportscar racing is for me. ILMC races felt like proper events, as did ALMS.

Jusy my two cents... I just really, really, really dislike the calendar.

[carbon_titanium]

Repeat, in my opinion ACO and FIA should try the "reverse" season = start from september and end at june... easier shipping and organization, less calendar holes and teams will stay focus until the end because of LM double points

- ship to NA during summer

early-mid sept. COTA
early oct. INTERLAGOS or MONTREAL (other race in NA)

- ship to asia

early nov. FUJI
mid-late nov. SHANGAI
early dec. BAHREIN

- ship to europe

mid march. test at paul ricard (would be great an extra european round)
mid april SILVERSTONE
early may SPA
mid june LE MANS

[TF110]

I dont care about the dates. But the scheduling isnt terrible. Silverstone-Spa-Le Mans, Fuji-Shanghai etc. Keeping it on the same continent instead of going to oddball places in the middle of the 'European season'. Maybe the races are when they are because of F1? You shouldnt try to compete with that series and the FIA surely realizes this. Id love to see Imola or Monza or Nurburgring! Obviously its not easy or they dont have money enough.

[Deleted]

I don't think they've ever gone oddball in that sense... like MotoGP used to do with Indianapolis-Europeanround-Laguna. WTF?

But yeah I even prefer the ever intriguing series' GTE BoP wars over that calendar

[Articus]

Are this years LMP1 cars faster than last years? If Spa laps are anything to go by the Audi is around 1-2 seconds slower than last year in race in high downforce trim.

[GT6]

Well considering the engines are new and the hybrid system has changed would expect them to be faster

[FstrthnU]

Also, since the cars are narrower this year we can expect less drag than even last year's low-downforce configurations. So on a speed track like Le Mans that will be a huge payoff.

[deggis]

2014 spa
1:59.887 fp+q porsche
2:01.327 race toyota

2013 spa
1:58.934 fp+q audi
2:00.435 race audi

2014 silverstone
1:42.477 fp+q audi
1:44.217 race audi

2013 silverstone
1:43.217 fp+q audi (conditions?)
1:42.767 race audi

Only took fastest times per session(s), average lap times might be another way to compare.

I'd expect them to get faster, if not this year but eventually when the cars get more sorted out. That's what always happens.

http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com

[Beetle]

I'm going to throw my hat in the ring and make up a mock calendar:

Winter series
Fuji, September
Shanghai, October
Bahrain, November
Interlagos, January
Austin, February
Silverstone, April
Spa, May
Le Mans, June

Makes sense shipping-wise and calendar wise. Possibility for another European round in March (Spielberg, Hungaroring, Nurburgring, Catalunya) and East Asian round in late summer-early autumn (Sepang, Yeongam, Buriram, Buddh...)

[Articus]

The Porsche did a 1:59.8?? Marc Lieb is fASt!

[TF110]

Purple sector 1 and 3. Porsche were speedy!

[bernard b]

Originally Posted by Beetle

I'm going to throw my hat in the ring and make up a mock calendar:

Winter series
Fuji, September
Shanghai, October
Bahrain, November
Interlagos, January
Austin, February
Silverstone, April
Spa, May
Le Mans, June

Makes sense shipping-wise and calendar wise. Possibility for another European round in March (Spielberg, Hungaroring, Nurburgring, Catalunya) and East Asian round in late summer-early autumn (Sepang, Yeongam, Buriram, Buddh...)

That could be seen as ideal, for me at least. Where can we vote for it?

[Deleted]

Nothing really new on here about the upcoming GTE BoP tests, just that they balance every aspect of the GTEs (aero, restrictors, weight etc) and that will be determined by the data external FIA designated driver produces, as in GT3
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/d...mans-bop-test/

However it does make for pretty hilarious reading (compare to my sig again)

While GTE BoP adjustments were previously only allowed at incremental periods, and to specific requirements, the FIA Endurance Committee can now make changes at their discretion.

“Before we were saying that after two races, the [cars] had to be within 0.5 percent of performance and it was really something bad,” Beaumesnil told Sportscar365 at Spa.

“Now, we’re doing complete analysis and have many guys working after each race. When we consider it’s time to make some decisions, we make the decisions.

Why don't they just rename the category GT3 already? Because that's what it is, pure BoP class with zero room for anything else anymore, only BoP (and waivers). No technical competition allowed. Hindy doesn't have to say we cannot have GT3 for Le Mans anymore because we already have it with different name (have had for 3-4 years, but now it's rather official). The only thing missing are those 15 GT3 models...

It says final week of May so they'll BoP everything before Test Day and presumably after it again

As GTE-AM has different BoP, I guess they "only" get adjustments after the Test Day

[Spyderman]

Regulators on steroids! No longer worth watching for me.

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by bernard b

That could be seen as ideal, for me at least. Where can we vote for it?

I wish I could send in the suggestions! Except in January, you are catching Brazil at monsoon time, when you can see 9.4 in. (230+ mm.) of precipitation in just the month of January. Plus, 18 average days of rain. But it could be worth it!

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by werner

I think the WEC should be a full-pro championship

They could fill the grid by adding regional championships to the grid. Why have seperate races for WEC and ELMS at silverstone, with the same catergories of cars running? Just ad the ELMS at Silverstone and Spa, and the pacific championship at Barain, Sjanghai and Fuji, and recruit some Tudor-teams for Austin, and you have a proper race.

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

There once was a championship like that.... oh wait, it was only 3 years ago and called the ILMC!

Back to the future?

Yes, please!

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by deggis

Let's replace Shangai, Fuji and Bahrain with Monza, Suzuka and Nurburgring. Better?

Yes, please!

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

Repeat, in my opinion ACO and FIA should try the "reverse" season = start from september and end at june...

Hell no! The point of having Le Mans in the middle of the season is that the championship finale decides the champions. If Le Mans was the last race, the focus would be on race winners and not on champions.

[carbon_titanium]

suzuka could be in calendar only if honda will step officially in lmp1, fuji has a round in WEC because of toyota. It would be great to have 2 japanese races like in WSC years

[carbon_titanium]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Hell no! The point of having Le Mans in the middle of the season is that the championship finale decides the champions. If Le Mans was the last race, the focus would be on race winners and not on champions.

yes but with le mans as last race with double points will keep the championship open until the very end! in this way all full season teams will be forced to take part all the season long. Do you remember teams like luxury racing, pescarolo, strakka, gulf middle east (and in my opinion ram racing this year) that left WEC after just after le mans?

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Regulators on steroids! No longer worth watching for me.

Yes GTE has become absolutely worthless to me, at LM I will only follow it to see how the Corvettes and Dempsey are doing.

How long does pre-season GT3 BoP tests with FIA designated driver take? Because performance balancing four GTE models for four days on private track sounds like they're gonna tweak every single bit on them...

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Hell no! The point of having Le Mans in the middle of the season is that the championship finale decides the champions. If Le Mans was the last race, the focus would be on race winners and not on champions.

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

yes but with le mans as last race with double points will keep the championship open until the very end! in this way all full season teams will be forced to take part all the season long. Do you remember teams like luxury racing, pescarolo, strakka, gulf middle east (and in my opinion ram racing this year) that left WEC after just after le mans?

Le Mans should have never been part of the calendar in the first place.

[Salamus]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

yes but with le mans as last race with double points will keep the championship open until the very end! in this way all full season teams will be forced to take part all the season long. Do you remember teams like luxury racing, pescarolo, strakka, gulf middle east (and in my opinion ram racing this year) that left WEC after just after le mans?

Doesn't matter if the championship is open till the last race, all the spotlight will be on the Le Mans winners...which is bad for WEC publicity.

Teams drop from the WEC after Le Mans because they know they do not have the proper funds for the entire season. Pushing Le Mans back to the season finale won't fix that. Instead, teams won't enter the WEC at all. And this time, the ACO cannot reject entries, the grid is small enough as is.

As you can tell, I don't like this "Winter" season reshuffle.