[WEC] 2015 WEC Discussion

[ATLFalconsFAN]

Thanks for the tips on Spa isynge and GT6. Both you guys were at the meeting in Le Mans, right? Hopefully I'll recognize you both as I'd like to meet up with people again. Is there usually a 10ths meeting at Spa?

I got the okay from the Mrs. last night to add Spa to my calendar for next year. She hates Sebring and knows that I tend to get a bit rowdy and wild there, so when I told her I would trade Sebring for Spa she was happy to oblige.

I'll take the advice on renting a car, that's helpful advice.

Now I'll just have to wait on the calendar to be released so that I can book a plane flight and hotel.

Spa has been at the top of my list of tracks to visit, I'll have to come up with a new one after that. I'm thinking Monza.

[TF110]

Press conference in Bahrain late today
http://www.fiawec.com/en/news/bic-al...ular_2252.html

[GT6]

Yes Scott Ian and I were at the meeting and also enjoyed your Michelin tour, not sure at the moment that I will be at Spa in 2015 but suspect I might be, I did not this year but Ian and several others did have a meet at the circuit and this was attended by a certain Bart Hayden of Rebellion, At Spa access to everything is far easier than Le Mans and you can walk around the whole track during the race. As stated all the stands are open in both senses so if it is a wet race prepared to get a little damp, although a few of the new stands do have some cover on the F1 pit straight the rest are open to the elements. Spa is one of the worlds great tracks and a real must for all true motor racing fans

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

Press conference in Bahrain late today
http://www.fiawec.com/en/news/bic-al...ular_2252.html

Additional three years of contract made

Also, for no reason they are going to use the full F1 circuit floodlights, as if the 60% lighting levels weren't resembling daylight enough... I thought the 60% (or whatever the number was last year) was for the same reasons the 24 Hours does at Daytona, but no it seems like the plan all along was to use the ultra bright settings. Not that they were really really needed last year either, but now car headlights will be completely aesthetic like they were at GT1 Abu Dhabi

This will be the third successive year BIC will be hosting the Six Hours of Bahrain, but it will be the first time for the WEC’s competitors to under race BIC’s the all-new track lighting system, which was only partially complete when the Six Hours of Bahrain took place last year. --

-- "Last year we had an exciting race and a fantastic ambience in the paddock. In 2013 the FIA WEC was the first championship to use the floodlights on part of the circuit and this year we look forward to racing into the night with the full track lit up.

So it'll have gone from 2012


and 2013


to this

[NaBUru38]

When the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup started, I wished all races to be 1000km / 6h. But now I've learned that I can't watch 6-hour races, much less a whole season. I think that some rounds should be shortened to 3-4 hours, therefore more rounds could be added (Monza, Germany, Canada).

[vincegail]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

Now I'll just have to wait on the calendar to be released so that I can book a plane flight and hotel.

I took an educated guess and booked a gîte/holiday home 2 kms away from the track for the 1st weekend of may. Fingers crossed!

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

Spa has been at the top of my list of tracks to visit, I'll have to come up with a new one after that. I'm thinking Monza.

Make sure you visit the Ring as well!

Edit: and if you have a bit of time and come over towards the end of April you might be able to add the Zandvoort 12H on Sat, April 25th 2015 also!

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Additional three years of contract made

Also, for no reason they are going to use the full F1 circuit floodlights, as if the 60% lighting levels weren't resembling daylight enough... I thought the 60% (or whatever the number was last year) was for the same reasons the 24 Hours does at Daytona, but no it seems like the plan all along was to use the ultra bright settings. Not that they were really really needed last year either, but now car headlights will be completely aesthetic like they were at GT1 Abu Dhabi



So it'll have gone from 2012


and 2013


to this

They're asthetic for nearly every race. Id rather have bahrain than no race. Instead of being negative about it, you could take it as a good sign that theyre going to be on for 3 years, so thats a positive for the series as a whole.

[Deleted]

Why? Even if the track wasn't terrible and them being there wasn't down to cash, we all know the human rights violations the country has. And if it wasn't Bahrain it would be some other race filling the eight slot. As sort of alluded on the Motorsport Total article.

Also wouldn't call this below 2012 Bahrain backstretch visibility as aesthetic for headlights. Since they have them, use em. This ain't no V8 Supercars with tiny ad-filled lights or NASCAR with fake sticker-lights or F1 with nothing in the first place.

[jase]

Originally Posted by ATLFalconsFAN

Is there anyone on this thread that is familiar with visiting Spa as an out-of-towner who'd be willing to lend some advice on attending that race? I'm looking to visit for the first time next year and would be thrilled if someone was interested in helping out a rookie. I'd just like some tips on how to get there using public transportation, where I should consider staying and eating, and where I should plan to watch the race from. If you're game for passing on some knowledge either reply to this thread or feel free to send me a PM. I'd surely appreciate it!

I, and a lot of friends camp at the track for the WEC event, and only leave the track to get additional food/beer. It means you're not in the traffic trying to get in each day, and more time can be spent trackside.

Spa is a Friday/Saturday event. And you can get almost anywhere, bit like any track, the popular spots do get full early, but you can walk everywhere with the one pass, and unlike Le Mans, the paddock at WEC is open and you can get as close as the teams will let you.
Eau Rouge is a popular viewing point, but personally I prefer the run from Bruxelles to Double Gauche(Pouhon)
http://www.spa-francorchamps.be/en/circuit-maps.php

Depending on the schedule, you could get to do Silverstone and Spa in the one trip.

If you want to stay in a hotel, do book early, Francorchamos will fill and I presume Spa being the bigger town will have bigger hotels.

[Coach Ep]

Since the sheiks pay huge money to have the WEC in their little empire state I suspect some of that money goes into making trips to perhaps Brazil, the US and the Far East possible. No Bahrain could mean no race in one the other countries as well.

In that regard it can be viewed as a good thing Bahrain got the much expected extension to their current contract. From a sporting point of view not so much.

[Deleted]

It's not a bad argument. Would be interesting to know the exact $$$ figures

[isynge]

Originally Posted by jase

If you want to stay in a hotel, do book early, Francorchamos will fill and I presume Spa being the bigger town will have bigger hotels.

These are fairly wise words, but don't discount the possibility of booking hotels later. Some will have availability until quite late (I've managed to sort things in the past literally a couple of days before the race when I've decided to go on the spur of the moment), and if you're prepared for a bit of a longer drive staying in Liege and commuting to and from the track is perfectly feasible.

[Rodger Davies]

Often one or two in Malmedy until quite late too.

[TF110]

Lets not pretend Bahrain or Middle Eastern countries are the only nations with civil or human rights issues. Living in the U.S. I can tell you the same problem lies here but its not as prevalent. If that was the rule for grounds of terminating the race, you wouldn't be in any country. No one is a saint. Besides, I watch for the racing, not the politics.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

Lets not pretend Bahrain or Middle Eastern countries are the only nations with civil or human rights issues. Living in the U.S. I can tell you the same problem lies here but its not as prevalent. If that was the rule for grounds of terminating the race, you wouldn't be in any country. No one is a saint. Besides, I watch for the racing, not the politics.

True in a sense that we cannot say Bahrain violations are horrifying while pretending say China is innocent. However I'd say the difference is that countries such as Bahrain (in recent years) have hosted these big international events as propaganda public relation methods and thus made them fully political tools of force feeding their agenda. I doubt the US Grand Prix or whatever is doing that.

[isynge]

Adam Cooper tweeting that FIA looking at WEC cost cutting including tyre and testing limits.

A good thing?

[Deleted]

Tire limit could be a good thing (as long as it doesn't mean full Michelin spec force feed as in GTE-AM already) but testing limit would be immensely stupid. At least if they started adopting the F1 model where private testing is forbidden by default. Or even if it's cut half.

Also, if they do start limiting testing in any form then USCC & ELMS & (lolz) AsLMS & other possible guests have extra advantage for LM if they don't have to follow any limits WEC has. Unless they start limiting classes as whole... but how could you limit say what Corvette Racing does in US for their series

Beauty of sportscar racing has been the total freedom that is often missing elsewhere:
- test wherever you want whenever you want for as long as you want
- you don't have to do full seasons if you don't wanna but can pick races
- entry as many cars as you want (for most events)
- change liveries, change drivers, change models, change engines etc mid-season

[Deleted]

It's not actually being 'looked at', but decided. World Motor Sport Council decision issued today says:

Originally Posted by FIA

Introduction of cost management measures have been agreed as from 1 January 2015 including limitations of testing and tyre limitations per category. Further details will be included in the 2015 Sporting and Technical Regulations.

Thankfully it seems rather minor since they didn't highlight anything substantial but rather just referred to upcoming PDF.

There were no other news.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by isynge

Adam Cooper tweeting that FIA looking at WEC cost cutting including tyre and testing limits.

A good thing?

Tyres? Absolutely not. It completely goes against the philosophy of first-class endurance racing.

Testing limits are different. This is a true manufacturer sport and the racing is the testing...they're called prototypes for a reason. At least, that was how it all began in the post-war period.

Not to mention the fact that Lotus, Rebellion or any other privateer can not compete on the testing front. It's been said time and time again by the privateers that they want to be able to capitalise when the manufacturers encounter trouble - well, reduce testing, and that's far more likely to happen.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Tyres? Absolutely not. It completely goes against the philosophy of first-class endurance racing.

Testing limits are different. This is a true manufacturer sport and the racing is the testing...they're called prototypes for a reason. At least, that was how it all began in the post-war period.

Not to mention the fact that Lotus, Rebellion or any other privateer can not compete on the testing front. It's been said time and time again by the privateers that they want to be able to capitalise when the manufacturers encounter trouble - well, reduce testing, and that's far more likely to happen.

There are many ways of interpreting what that 'tire limit' means, it doesn't necessarily mean limiting tires during race (and most certainly not Le Mans).

Reduce testing is the single biggest mistake F1 has made in the past decade.

Also, artificially trying to create unreliability for LMP1 so that few privateers can possibly have a chance? What a strange argument.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Tyres? Absolutely not. It completely goes against the philosophy of first-class endurance racing.

Testing limits are different. This is a true manufacturer sport and the racing is the testing...they're called prototypes for a reason. At least, that was how it all began in the post-war period.

Not to mention the fact that Lotus, Rebellion or any other privateer can not compete on the testing front. It's been said time and time again by the privateers that they want to be able to capitalise when the manufacturers encounter trouble - well, reduce testing, and that's far more likely to happen.

I'll be interested to see what the tyre restrictions look like - if it's a case of a reasonably high upper limit on the number used during a season then okay, but if it's a move towards a control tyre then I think I'd be a touch unimpressed. It's also perhaps worth mentioning that at no stage during the Michelin visit at Le Mans this year did I get the slightest impression that they were worried about the level of effort involved in supplying tyres, and conversely they came across as very much enjoying how WEC racing encouraged tyre development and that there was essentially a level playing field through everyone getting the same tyres already.

Testing restrictions? I suspect so long as it's implemented with a degree of common sense then it seems sensible, indeed if we're faced with another long summer break in 2015 then having an officially organised couple of tests might help both amortise the costs of testing and create a bit of interest in an otherwise dry season.

So, guarded optimism about what this all might mean? Is that fair?

[Coach Ep]

I was under the impression that tires get multiple stinted quite a bit and so how can any kind of tire limitations have a cost saving influence on that?

Testing limitations sounds a bit more logical but lots of pro and cons on that subject too. I like the idea of having an official testing weekend to fill any kind of summer break - an extra race would be far better though!

Edit: bit disappointed not to see any hints at next year's full calendar, hopefully they reveal something at CotA.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

I was under the impression that tires get multiple stinted quite a bit and so how can any kind of tire limitations have a cost saving influence on that?

Testing limitations sounds a bit more logical but lots of pro and cons on that subject too. I like the idea of having an official testing weekend to fill any kind of summer break - an extra race would be far better though!

Edit: bit disappointed not to see any hints at next year's full calendar, hopefully they reveal something at CotA.

Indeed, with the F1 and WRC calendars being announced, it might have been nice for the WEC one to come out too.

Obviously we can do a bit of working out with deconflicting with the F1 dates, but I suspect that's not quite enough to base travel plans etc around.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by isynge

Obviously we can do a bit of working out with deconflicting with the F1 dates, but I suspect that's not quite enough to base travel plans etc around.

Far from it I suppose as we've seen quite a few overlaps this year as well. I guess Silverstone on April 20th or something seems likely and Spa on the first Saturday in May is pretty much a given but the rest of the regular races?

Not really first class from a World Championship series, the required budgets to run the season are huge and timely announced calendars are vital to sponsorship hunters! Let's hope they won't wait until the next WMSC meeting early December.