WEC FIA World Endurance Championship - Page 45

Purist · 30 Nov 2011, 00:25 (Ref:2993244)

Pretty much. Bernie can basically dictate that for these countries to get their precious prestige symbol (a.k.a. their Grand Prix), it would be in their best interest to treat other "major" series that use those same circuits as "second class".

Bernie has made power plays for decades, even though it seems like he shouldn't be able to make them. In 1990-91 or so, I think the courts finally said that the FIA and FOM couldn't be one and the same. That hasn't stopped Bernie from making a royal mess of many things since then though. For instance, in response to Nigel Mansell going to CART for 1993, Bernie pushed for much heavier restrictions on being able to get a competition license to race in CART.

DeathOrGlory · 30 Nov 2011, 01:07 (Ref:2993261)

Sepang is a good track for protos, it works well with Super GT for starters, or they can upgrade the existing Merdeka 12 Hour endurance event to WEC status.

FstrthnU · 30 Nov 2011, 03:22 (Ref:2993293)

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...g-lmp2-return/
This really belongs in the entries thread more, but I wanted to post this link because of some of the comments made by Level 5. They're committing to the ALMS over the WEC because the WEC doesn't have a driver's championship, and they're worried about the logistics for a global championship.

Fogelhund · 30 Nov 2011, 08:09 (Ref:2993360)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...g-lmp2-return/
This really belongs in the entries thread more, but I wanted to post this link because of some of the comments made by Level 5. They're committing to the ALMS over the WEC because the WEC doesn't have a driver's championship, and they're worried about the logistics for a global championship.

As I've mentioned in the other threads, that isn't what is said in the articles.

mikenunn-78 · 30 Nov 2011, 08:46 (Ref:2993369)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Yes, Sebring + Spa + Silverstone races will be on Saturdays (don´t know about Bahrain/Fuji/China), schedules most probably same as Spa last year: free practices on Thursday + Friday morning, Quali Friday afternoon, warm up + race on Saturday. Would be nice to see 1 or 2 races running into the evening (other than Sebring obviously).

Thanks for that, I was hoping that I was wrong....

deggis · 30 Nov 2011, 22:13 (Ref:2993694)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purist

Moscow Raceway and Smolensk Ring are too tight and twisty to really be suitable for Le Mans type racing. Smolensk Ring is fairly short, and though it has a few quicker corners, the infield is way too tight and cramped. Moscow Raceway is longer, but only has the one long straight, and has rather few high-speed corners. And I can see the one meandering "straight" there being a traffic nightmare, with misjudgments on which side the LMP will take causing a heap of incidents.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sochi_Olympic_Park_Circuit

Probably not ready for 2013 though.

Purist · 30 Nov 2011, 23:21 (Ref:2993718)

Yeah, I doubt it would be ready in 2013, and running an event there even if it was would probably be too disruptive to the other construction going on around it.

Also, it would be a one and done deal, unless they could get two race weekends a year sorted for 2014 and beyond, because Bernie will NOT allow the WEC to take any of the limelight at HIS F1 party in Russia.

Simmi · 4 Dec 2011, 13:49 (Ref:2995063)

More fuel on the fire for Bahrain. If I were Petit I'd keep their current date.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-16023475

**bjohnsonsmith** · 4 Dec 2011, 14:20 (Ref:2995073)

It would make sense to remove Bahrain from the calendar for the forseeable future.

FordCosworthPanoz · 4 Dec 2011, 14:48 (Ref:2995079)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmi

More fuel on the fire for Bahrain. If I were Petit I'd keep their current date.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-16023475

Wow, the 6 Hours of Bahrain is shaping up to be a massive success.

FordCosworthPanoz · 4 Dec 2011, 14:51 (Ref:2995080)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

It would make sense to remove Bahrain from the calendar for the forseeable future.

Which means the FIA and ACO probably won't do what you just said...

Simmi · 4 Dec 2011, 15:10 (Ref:2995086)

Still a long time until the race but it just shows that things are still going down, as a lot of people suspected. April for the F1 is a lot sooner.

Acid09 · 4 Dec 2011, 15:55 (Ref:2995096)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Wow, the 6 Hours of Bahrain is shaping up to be a massive success.

What does the race have to do with the politic stuff there? Sorry, but all this pro-PLM crying and whining has become rather hysteric.

It's not the WEC's responsibility what goes on in Bahrain, it's not like motorsports haven't raced in countries like that before. Formula One raced in South Africa during Apartheid and nobody cared...

I have a feeling that the outrage wouldn't be quite as big if the PLM wasn't involved. Just get over it already, jesus.

The Badger · 4 Dec 2011, 16:19 (Ref:2995101)

While I feel that America gets its WEC race , Sebring , it is sad to loose the prestige of the PLM . Perhaps if there was more manufacturer or team support from within , it should earn the right again . There is only so many races , and they need to be shared around . Theres nothin stoppin ALMS making a big event of it , is there ?

On saying that , I object to Bahrain being run , on 2 personal accounts .

(1) I think the antics of their Government is wrong . Democracy my ass !!! Those people need to grow up and stop ruling like 1200 years ago .

(2) Quite frankly , I think the track is **** , and has no charactar .

FordCosworthPanoz · 4 Dec 2011, 16:21 (Ref:2995102)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acid09

What does the race have to do with the politic stuff there? Sorry, but all this pro-PLM crying and whining has become rather hysteric.

It's not the WEC's responsibility what goes on in Bahrain, it's not like motorsports haven't raced in countries like that before. Formula One raced in South Africa during Apartheid and nobody cared...

I have a feeling that the outrage wouldn't be quite as big if the PLM wasn't involved. Just get over it already, jesus.

Apparently Renault, Ligier, Lola, Marlboro, Barclay, Beatrice and the Brazilian, French, Finnish and Swedish governments did when civil unrest was near it's highest in 1985. So nobody cared?

AndrewF31 · 4 Dec 2011, 16:37 (Ref:2995105)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Wow, the 6 Hours of Bahrain is shaping up to be a massive success.

Wonder why they don't just race in Kandahar.

Acid09 · 4 Dec 2011, 16:39 (Ref:2995106)

Say what you want, I take a WEC round anywhere over a ALMS-only PLM any day.

In the end, the cars provide the show, not the track. The greatest track in the world is useless without proper competitors racing on it.

And the WEC has the field to make pretty much every track work.

FordCosworthPanoz · 4 Dec 2011, 16:42 (Ref:2995107)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acid09

What does the race have to do with the politic stuff there? Sorry, but all this pro-PLM crying and whining has become rather hysteric.

It's not the WEC's responsibility what goes on in Bahrain, it's not like motorsports haven't raced in countries like that before. Formula One raced in South Africa during Apartheid and nobody cared...

I have a feeling that the outrage wouldn't be quite as big if the PLM wasn't involved. Just get over it already, jesus.

The same reason the F1 race was postponed, reinstated and then cancelled this year.

FordCosworthPanoz · 4 Dec 2011, 16:45 (Ref:2995108)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

Wonder why they don't just race in Kandahar.

I'm willing to bet my two houses, car, job, and entire bank account that if the local Kandahar government built a racetrack and paid the FIA and ACO to come, the WEC would be there in the blink of an eye.

The Badger · 4 Dec 2011, 16:50 (Ref:2995110)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acid09

And the WEC has the field to make pretty much every track work.

Nope , your wrong .

Acid09 · 4 Dec 2011, 16:52 (Ref:2995112)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Nope , your wrong .

So which track did Audi and Peugeot ever raced against each other on that provided a boring show? I can't recall any, and they raced on some rather boring tracks like Barcelona.

The Bahrain 24hr race back in 2006 was fun, I don't really see why everybody thinks this track can't provide good racing.

Simmi · 4 Dec 2011, 16:54 (Ref:2995113)

I really fail to see how people can write off a track for a world-class endurance race before any event has been run. You simply can't. I agree with Acid09 on this one.

All of this isn't even really the point. Nor is the PLM issue. It's just a case of monitoring the political situation/violence to ensure it's safe to hold a race there come next Autumn.

Rodger Davies · 4 Dec 2011, 17:03 (Ref:2995118)

I got nothing against the track, I prefer it to the Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai options, and I'll try and stay out of the national political arguments.

I'm all about how they've shafted PLM and the series' that have kept the ACO relevant for the last decade.

Victor_RO · 4 Dec 2011, 17:10 (Ref:2995121)

Aren't we forgetting the fact that Road Atlanta was cramped enough this year with 53 cars of combined ILMC and ALMS, and that getting all the ILMC cars into the show meant kicking some of the ALMS entrants out? With some prospects of over 60 cars in a combined WEC/ALMS field, that would have meant even more entrants to kick out to reduce it to the maximum allowed starting number for the track itself. I'd have loved to have seen it in a mad fantasy, but the truth is... that amount of cars on a track the length of Road Atlanta is just begging for a disaster. You're basically putting the whole Le Mans field on a track that's somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 the size of Le Mans.

No WEC is probably bad for the big boys who wanted to compete with the WEC teams, the WEC would have meant disaster for the minnows who couldn't make it into the field due to track limitations on the field size.

(And no, I don't like the idea of Bahrain on the WEC, but there are reasons why Road Atlanta probably isn't quite suitable for a WEC/ALMS combined event)

The Badger · 4 Dec 2011, 17:41 (Ref:2995131)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acid09

So which track did Audi and Peugeot ever raced against each other on that provided a boring show? I can't recall any, and they raced on some rather boring tracks like Barcelona.

The Bahrain 24hr race back in 2006 was fun, I don't really see why everybody thinks this track can't provide good racing.

I didnt say they put on a boring show . I dont enjoy some of the series choices for tracks .

You said : And the WEC has the field to make pretty much every track work.

I think some tracks dont , and never will work , for me . Bahrain being one .

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
[WEC] World Endurance Championship - A New Proposal	Beetle	ACO Regulated Series	19	8 Jan 2013 08:12
World Endurance Championship - TV Coverage?	tje23	Sportscar & GT Racing	54	7 Mar 2012 15:02
FIA GT1 World Championship is go	Dhoon Boy	Sportscar & GT Racing	254	29 Sep 2009 07:42