[WEC] 2016 WEC Discussion

[bobec]

Originally Posted by Artur

Maybe one of the brands will leave WEC(Audi, as Porsche really seems to be committed for quite a few more years)

I think they should leave the DTM instead, even if temporarily. I suppose the budget doesn't compare, but they should start from there. Or stop developing the car and start relying more on private teams. And team orders. Apparently that's how you get ahead in the DTM, you get everyone to sacrifice their races, except the one designated champion

[Deleted]

Is the DTM team ordering as bad as it was in WTCC back in the day, with factory SEATs and Bimmers throwing their dozens of entries out the way to protect desired outcomes? I recall some amazing backing down sessions, Schumacher and Barrichello were childsplay in comparison

[Mal]

Worryingly for the WEC the new VW boss has been saying that there will be a painful process of cuts and that anything not absolutely necessary will be cut..... including sponsorships and motorsport.

Lets hope the hybrid P1 programmes are considered essential R & D work, otherwise the ACO would be wise to be desperately fishing round for some new P1 manufacturers.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-new...-an-explainer/

[TF110]

Could happen, but the motorsport cuts was a suggestion by the story's Author. I thought the proposed cuts were highlighted as future projects in the pipeline. Maybe things like autonomous cars, not things theyre already involved in like wec or wrc. We'll see soon!

[bobec]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Is the DTM team ordering as bad as it was in WTCC back in the day, with factory SEATs and Bimmers throwing their dozens of entries out the way to protect desired outcomes? I recall some amazing backing down sessions, Schumacher and Barrichello were childsplay in comparison

I'm not very familiar with the WTCC, but your descriptions sounds about right. Yeah, a lot worse than some of F1's moments.

I never thought I would use the Schumacher era of dominance as a positive example of what good teamwork should look like. Rory Byrne designs the car, Ferrari make the engine, Ross Brawn plans the race and brings in Schummi at the right time, the pit crew refuel and change the tires faster than the others. Not to mention non-Schumacher examples, like when Patrese passed Mansell at Monza 1991 to harass Senna and make him wear out his tires, so that Mansell can eventually win. Much nicer than having the future champion escorted by a bunch of Mercedeses that will block anyone who tries to get near him, as if they are security.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Is the DTM team ordering as bad as it was in WTCC back in the day, with factory SEATs and Bimmers throwing their dozens of entries out the way to protect desired outcomes? I recall some amazing backing down sessions, Schumacher and Barrichello were childsplay in comparison

Oh yes, just look at the last DTM race at Nurburgring... Mercedes seems to be playing that game very hard this year, everywhere they can. And its sadly working.

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by TF110

Could happen, but the motorsport cuts was a suggestion by the story's Author. I thought the proposed cuts were highlighted as future projects in the pipeline. Maybe things like autonomous cars, not things theyre already involved in like wec or wrc. We'll see soon!

That's how I read it too.

Someone (dont remember who) said that in a "crisis" like this a company should just continue to do business as usual and not draw any attention to itself like in this case cancel motorsport programs.

[GingerPixel]

Aren't the DTM teams all in a standoff about leaving anyway, because they all want to but if one does it essentially breaks the whole thing. Stalemate.

Would anyone notice if they did?

VAG are one of the few manufacturers that make something out of motorsport R&D so I can't see them pulling out personally.

[Spyderman]

Well Porsche have just confirmed two works car for the USC in 2016

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by DistortedSmile

lol what? Mexico City is not even remotely a hot place, you're going to be sorely disappointed if you expect sunny tropical weather akin to Barbados.

Interesting. The temps in Mexico City aren't anywhere near the highs for Austin, TX even though it's close to a 1.000 miles south of it. Must be the altitude. How much of a factor is the smog?

MXC
http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/l/MXDF0132:1:MX

AUS
http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/l/USTX0057:1:US

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Interesting. The temps in Mexico City aren't anywhere near the highs for Austin, TX even though it's close to a 1.000 miles south of it. Must be the altitude. How much of a factor is the smog?

MXC
http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/l/MXDF0132:1:MX

AUS
http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/l/USTX0057:1:US

Sort of funny that it is located in a "valley" that is still over 2,200 meters above sea level!

[Deleted]

Mexico City's air quality was long labelled as the most polluted and disgusting in the entire world, but allegedly it's been getting less worse nowadays. China likely now has the worst in it's urban and industrial centres, followed by it's neighbouring nation cities

[bckf]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Interesting. The temps in Mexico City aren't anywhere near the highs for Austin, TX even though it's close to a 1.000 miles south of it. Must be the altitude. How much of a factor is the smog?

MXC
http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/l/MXDF0132:1:MX

AUS
http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/l/USTX0057:1:US

The altitude alone can account for the lower temperatures. Also, being in the tropics, Mexico City doesn't really have anything like summer, as opposed to Austin.
That massive elevation will also be enough of a factor in power loss for naturally aspirated engines. Shouldn't be a problem for any of the LMP1-H teams, but we will have turbo vs. NA in GTE.

[DistortedSmile]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Interesting. The temps in Mexico City aren't anywhere near the highs for Austin, TX even though it's close to a 1.000 miles south of it. Must be the altitude. How much of a factor is the smog?

MXC
http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/l/MXDF0132:1:MX

AUS
http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/l/USTX0057:1:US

I think the biggest factor might be altitude, IIRC the reason Mazda never sold their rotary cars in Mexico is because the altitude of Mexico City really screwed with the engine.

Originally Posted by Chiana

Mexico City's air quality was long labelled as the most polluted and disgusting in the entire world, but allegedly it's been getting less worse nowadays. China likely now has the worst in it's urban and industrial centres, followed by it's neighbouring nation cities

From what I've been told it was pretty bad in the 90's and early 00's, I've not think it's been much worse than any other big city I've been in since I moved here.

[Deleted]

When WTCC raced at Puebla, another track in high altitude Mexico, the supercharged diesel SEATs made petrol Chevys and BMWs rather low life. That sorta thing?

[DistortedSmile]

Originally Posted by Chiana

When WTCC raced at Puebla, another track in high altitude Mexico, the supercharged diesel SEATs made petrol Chevys and BMWs rather low life. That sorta thing?

I can't say I've ever followed WTCC close enough to say the altitude was what caused that, but probably a factor, yes.

[Artur]

Originally Posted by bckf

The altitude alone can account for the lower temperatures. Also, being in the tropics, Mexico City doesn't really have anything like summer, as opposed to Austin.
That massive elevation will also be enough of a factor in power loss for naturally aspirated engines. Shouldn't be a problem for any of the LMP1-H teams, but we will have turbo vs. NA in GTE.

Being in the tropics means it would have summer all year long, instead

The altitude is the sole reason for Mexico City not to be that hot. Just take the World Cup in South Africa as an example.

There was a match on Johannesburg where temp was 0ºC and feeling like -10ºC, and that city is on the north of the country, much closer to the equator than Cape Town, which is a city on the very south, where the match's temps were always much higher. Latitude-wise, Cape Town should be much colder, but the reality is exactly the opposite. The reason for it is that while Cape Town on at sea level, Johannesburg is at 1,7km above that. (Record low temp in Johannesburg is -8ºC while in Cape Town it's -4)

After so many time without watching F1, I guess I'll bother to follow some minutes of some FP of the Mexican GP to check if the circuit is crap now.

[DistortedSmile]

Originally Posted by Artur

After so many time without watching F1, I guess I'll bother to follow some minutes of some FP of the Mexican GP to check if the circuit is crap now.

It is.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Artur

Being in the tropics means it would have summer all year long, instead

The altitude is the sole reason for Mexico City not to be that hot. Just take the World Cup in South Africa as an example.

There was a match on Johannesburg where temp was 0ºC and feeling like -10ºC, and that city is on the north of the country, much closer to the equator than Cape Town, which is a city on the very south, where the match's temps were always much higher. Latitude-wise, Cape Town should be much colder, but the reality is exactly the opposite. The reason for it is that while Cape Town on at sea level, Johannesburg is at 1,7km above that. (Record low temp in Johannesburg is -8ºC while in Cape Town it's -4)

After so many time without watching F1, I guess I'll bother to follow some minutes of some FP of the Mexican GP to check if the circuit is crap now.

The rarity of snow on the African continent, gotta love it! I always wanted to go there, maybe one day wec will hit it off at Kyalami?

[Deleted]

With Porsche backing, location and the recent rumor mills it probably is the only non LM grade 2 track ever having any chance of making to the WEC calendar in the next 20 years or however long the series stays alive. So I guess that's something to theoretically look forward to, it is an exotic location after all. If NASCAR at some point magically gives up Sebring and/or PLM like they did with AMA, I suppose there could be slight chance for them to return as headliner events, but even then FIA would likely start demanding million dollar trendy upgrades before they'd darebto step in

[TF110]

Thoughts on the expanded calendar from sc365. Interesting to hear the lmp1 guys say they thought an additional race was coming for 2017 but not next year. Patron obviously is thrilled being located in Mexico.

[Coach Ep]

The budget figures by the big 3 are staggering and I'm guessing the VAG brothers are good for at least 3/4 of that number. Suddenly, cutting one of those programs makes all the sense in the world, especially if you're an employee.

[TF110]

At least 150 million a piece.

[Artur]

Who was the source for Audi and Porsche spending $200m each?

Dagys does not say who's estimative that is, but, if it is close to the actual value, would contradict the previous claim.

[TF110]

Racer.com said 200 million for Audi.