[WEC] FIA World Endurance Championship

[TheMightyM]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Maybe not that good after all?

From John Dagys on Twitter:

The bold part ties in nicely with Mister Baron's recent observations on P2 running costs...

Dagys' Twitter certainly is interesting.

You can look at the P2 situation another way — WEC isn't (yet) generating enough additional sponsorship money to make the championship doable for more teams.

Will be very interested to see the car counts for both WEC and ELMS. And could Le Mans interest in having some DPs race there be a reflection of low WEC/ELMS car counts?

[ArnageWRC]

I think actually the Dagys Twitter feed was quite honest and trueful. Yes, we want more LMP1 Manufacturers, but it's too expensive. What are these Manufacturers getting back? Where are all the sponsors? Apart from from F1, and possibly NASCAR, all other series are chasing after TV deals, sponsorship...and not being very successful.

In how many countres is the WEC, or even Le Mans mainstream? I doubt it's many at all.

[Simmi]

To be honest with so many reg changes on the horizon I don't think it's that realistic to expect huge growth in 2013. Consolidation isn't such a bad thing during times of such difficulty in motor racing.

I'm wondering whether this means that the likes of 8Star and Starworks are backtracking on the WEC now. Certainly I think a lot of the proposed two car P2 squads will just be one and might try to get a second into the 24.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Quality, not quantity. I don't let things like this bother me. If they're running the races, I'm watching them, and if I'm watching them, I may as well enjoy them, with this being entertainment and little more to me as a spectator.

I also don't think 17-20 full-time LMP1/2s is unhealthy, but that's just an opinion.

[Starfish Primer]

If you take a look at the F1 many cars don´t have important sponsorship deals. Sauber, Toro Rosso, Marussia, Williams come to my mind and let´s see McLaren next year. A Marketing analist once told me that publicity works when the market is growing. The economic situation in Europe and USA is not good, this means shrinking markets and this means no publicity-sponsorship.

I always wondered from where many teams get the budget. JRM or Flying Lizards don´t have sponsors and running those teams could be more than 2 million per year. I understand there are rich people who need something to get entertained but putting 1 to 3 million each year in racing team is prohibitive.

[TF110]

4 Factory P1's, 4 or 5 privateers. 8/9 LMP1. 10(?) LMP2. 6 Pro GTE's, 5 or 6 AM. 11/12 GTE. 33 cars?

[Jacques Rabbit]

Are we 100% sure there couldn't be a second OAK LMP2?

I only bring it up because they recalled the Morgan LMP2 chassis from Conquest, given that it was best used outside North America. Perhaps that will be an ELMS or Asian Le Mans car, or strictly a second car at Le Mans, but I can't write it off yet (unless there's confirmation that I missed). They took a chassis back, and if they had David Heinemeier Hansson, some funding would be there.

Maybe it's just wishful thinking.

[Victor_RO]

The "exciting announcement" regarding the WEC race at Silverstone: the race will count as the Tourist Trophy.


EDIT: And in other news, IMSA Performance Matmut's "pro" driver in GTE-Am will be Jean-Karl Vernay.

[GT6]

To me TT Means the isle of man rather than this type of racing

[Simmi]

No surprise at all to see Vernay pop up. He's being groomed for a P1 seat by Porsche so some form of experience in the WEC and Le Mans was a must this year.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by GT6

To me TT Means the isle of man rather than this type of racing

The Tourist Trophy has a lot of history in sportscar racing, perhaps not as much as the Isle of Man TT, but the RAC TT isn't something we should give up because of that IMO.

[GT3.14]

Editor of EI just tweeted that it JRM may not be in the 2013 WEC. https://twitter.com/LaurentMercier2/...75353491238912

[Simmi]

No JRM would be a blow. That entry has been looking a bit shaky. A few rumours about going to the ALMS were around but who knows.

It's funny that within the space of a few months you can read stories about them expanding to two cars and then a couple of months later parking the whole thing.

[isynge]

Tourist Trophy being at Silverstone is all a bit "meh" from my perspective. I know about the history, but ultimately those two characters are all about the Isle of Man and motorbikes (and, dare I say it, George Formby, having, for my sins, watched "No Limit" this evening?).

I'd have been a little happier with it being the Empire Trophy, which has a little more of a sportscar pedigree. That said, looking back over the swathe of sportscar history, names seem to matter little in comparison to the event. It's the Silverstone 6 Hours, which just sounds right, much in the way that Spa feels as though it should be a 1,000 km.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Simmi

No JRM would be a blow. That entry has been looking a bit shaky. A few rumours about going to the ALMS were around but who knows.

It's funny that within the space of a few months you can read stories about them expanding to two cars and then a couple of months later parking the whole thing.

Echo all of that absolutely.

That said, throughout 2012 I felt they were a little anonymous as an entry, not really doing much to capture imagination in the way the rest of the private LMP1 grid did, which surprised, in particular given the magnificent personalities they had on the driving front.

[The Badger]

Id be delighted to see JRM and Strakka head to the ALMS ..... good chance of a championship win there , bolster up their championship , and perhaps point out to the rule makers that their rules are not exactly fair to the privateer , unless there is a privateer championship up for grabs .

It must be soul destroying to spend that kinda cash for not much return .

[joeb]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Id be delighted to see JRM and Strakka head to the ALMS ..... good chance of a championship win there , bolster up their championship , and perhaps point out to the rule makers that their rules are not exactly fair to the privateer , unless there is a privateer championship up for grabs .

It must be soul destroying to spend that kinda cash for not much return .

I agree it would be awesome to see one or both of those teams stateside, but I think it would be a tough championship battle. They have same equipment as Pickett but they don't have the experience at the tracks. Also I think Rebellion will be tough. That being said, yes their chances are better than going up against Audi and Toyota.

[Coach Ep]

According to DSC Brabs is looking for a ride at Le Mans, preferably LMP2 or GTE. That would imply no drive with JRM - or at least not in the WEC.

Could leave the door open for JRM for an ALMS season - or focus on the Nissan GT3 car (in Blancpain Endurance Series or British GT for example) - or nothing at all...???

[Simmi]

Really not looking forward to seeing how low the Le Mans P1 entry is. Be lucky to get into double figures.

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

According to DSC Brabs is looking for a ride at Le Mans, preferably LMP2 or GTE. That would imply no drive with JRM - or at least not in the WEC.

Could leave the door open for JRM for an ALMS season - or focus on the Nissan GT3 car (in Blancpain Endurance Series or British GT for example) - or nothing at all...???

Didn't someone post an interview with Chandok from India saying they were doing a partial season in the ALMS? Not sure if it was here? It would be a welcome addition if it comes to be.

[pach233]

DSC tweeted recently of a team looking to do a full season British GT program that would be another blow to a major series. Wonder if its not JRM foregoing WEC to focus on running the GT3.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by GT6

To me TT Means the isle of man rather than this type of racing

Rudolf Caracciola, Tazio Nuvolari, Stirling Moss, Carroll Shelby, Graham Hill, Denny Hulme, Jochen Mass, Derek Bell, Tom Walkinshaw and Andy Rouse the RAC Tourist Trophy.

[Steptoe]

I agree only if you put IOM infront of TT do I think bikes. If someone says Tourist Trophy 'Dundrod' springs to mind and latterly Silverstone.

[Purist]

I think it was also at Oulton Park after Dundrod, but before it went to Silverstone.

[KA]

Isle of Man 1905-22, Ards 1928-37, Donington 1937-8, Dundrod 1950-55, Goodwood 1958-64, Oulton 1965-69, Silverstone 1970-88, Donington 1994 & 1997-8 then back to Silverstone 2005-

Supposed to be the oldest trophy in motorsport, as it pre-dates the Indy 500 by 5 or 6 years, although it's had quite a few spells when it wasn't awarded, and IIRC it's always been a sportscar or touring car race.
I really like the idea of awarding it for the Silverstone WEC race- it's a pretty significant part of the history of sportscar racing in the UK. During the Dundrod/Goodwood period, it was quite often a round of the World Championship