Le Mans Series 2010

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

Ginge? It is the usual issue, lack of publicity. If you told mug punters that LE MANS CARS ARE RACING AT SILVERSTONE, you will get bums on seats. But it never seems to happen that way, there are no op ed bits in local papers. Very little publicity at all. Even Nigel's guest appearance didn't seem to pack the place as you would expect?

I never expect a packed place anyway apart from Le Mans with sports cars, and yes, I understand it's all about publicity. As I keep saying, they are clearly doing something wrong - why on earth can they not just get some decent PR company to come along and promote the series? Surely you get bums on seats first, then the manufacturers come into the series, rather than the other way round? Its so, so very infuriating that no one turns up.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I never expect a packed place anyway apart from Le Mans with sports cars, and yes, I understand it's all about publicity. As I keep saying, they are clearly doing something wrong - why on earth can they not just get some decent PR company to come along and promote the series? Surely you get bums on seats first, then the manufacturers come into the series, rather than the other way round? Its so, so very infuriating that no one turns up.

What, you don't think that manufacturers are lining up to showcase their products in the huge market of abu dhabi next year?

[porsche91722]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

.... it's all about publicity......- why on earth can they not just get some decent PR company to come along and promote the series?

Absolutely agree, the LMS (ACO) has got one of the best products in motorsport and don't promote it properly. Live reliable streaming on the net would be a priority (and should be, for most series administrators). Get your product out there to the masses! Even a shortened highlights package would be better than nothing. The bloke who runs V8 supercars (Tony Cochrane) polarises a lot of people in Australia, but the V8's are one of the best promoted sports in the country. The ACO (and the ALMS) must get somebody on board to do something similar.

[marcush.]

it is very clear that something is wrong with the PR of the LeMans Series .
But then in the Group C days it was no different,remember a race at the Nurburgring when almost no spectators.
It was not much better with ELMS and todays races .
You just have to fork out a niche apart from F1 I guess ,this is marketing pure and just because of this the amateurish attempts in Sportscars just don´t get naticed.
Of course there is LEMANS,but why does it work? Globally it works because of
the Manufacturers want it to apear in the media ,but it is a real icon of motorsport and as such the guys from GreatBritain come over and all the other
motorsport fanatics from all over the world.

I feel today ,the leMans series should come to the fans,and as such it should distinguish itself from F1 in the form of a good quality Stream on the net.
High Tech ,lots of Drama ,incredible close racing,strategy,bif name drivers ,spectacular cars...all incredients are there but try to watch the race ....
if its not lemans you may get a few snippets on youtube or on payTV but not live....

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Well, tell that my countrymen. The turnout for the 1000k was not even remotely Le Mans-ish.
(Though I must admit, that I choose the 24h of Zolder over the 1000k as well.)

Attendance seems to be a problem with the whole LMS series. I guess my point was more that the 1000 km at the Ring is a traditional race that goes way back. I suppose all traditions go under at some point.

DK

[Subaru_WRX_STi]

the entire promotion of the Le Mans Series is...ZERO, a very bad coverage on Eurosport, while in recent years we have a full coverage on MotorsTV with the whole 1000kms Live ! now they are showing us only start/finish, and to 80% the LMP1 class only...the attendence too is very poor ! only Silverstone is doing really well, the others...! when I see the high popularity of the WTCC and DTM, with full grandstands, I am sure that Patrick Peter (not Philip) is doing nothing !

[CarolK]

Originally Posted by Subaru_WRX_STi

the entire promotion of the Le Mans Series is...ZERO, a very bad coverage on Eurosport, while in recent years we have a full coverage on MotorsTV with the whole 1000kms Live ! now they are showing us only start/finish, and to 80% the LMP1 class only...the attendence too is very poor ! only Silverstone is doing really well, the others...! when I see the high popularity of the WTCC and DTM, with full grandstands, I am sure that Patrick Peter (not Philip) is doing nothing !

It's difficult to compare WTCC and DTM full grandstands with LMS or ALMS. At these events the entire circuit is open to everyone, thus you have people all over the circuit - I would find it totally boring to have to sit in a grandstand during a ALMS or LMS race - I doubt I'd attend if that were the case.

[kingkai]

Originally Posted by CarolK

It's difficult to compare WTCC and DTM full grandstands with LMS or ALMS. At these events the entire circuit is open to everyone, thus you have people all over the circuit - I would find it totally boring to have to sit in a grandstand during a ALMS or LMS race - I doubt I'd attend if that were the case.

Indeed, because of the different categories people lose track and also because of the 6hours/1000km lms races you don't want to sit in a grandstand the full race!!

Even a event as the zolder fiagt as today I have walked a lot all day!

[Gingers4Justice]

I think the LMS should have more rounds, and rather than it being a 1000km race every round, most rounds they should have an AsiLMS style two-races-per-weekend format, which would make the races easier to get into for people who can't be bothered to watch a 6 hour event. It has to be said, sports car fans as we are, how many of us have sat in a grandstand/on a sofa for 6 hours and watched from start to finish?

The 1000km races could be the more important races, perhaps with a bit more hype added and they can pull more ad revenues and spectators. Perhaps Spa, Silverstone and the Algarve night race deserve this status.

[CarolK]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I think the LMS should have more rounds, and rather than it being a 1000km race every round, most rounds they should have an AsiLMS style two-races-per-weekend format, which would make the races easier to get into for people who can't be bothered to watch a 6 hour event. It has to be said, sports car fans as we are, how many of us have sat in a grandstand/on a sofa for 6 hours and watched from start to finish?

The 1000km races could be the more important races, perhaps with a bit more hype added and they can pull more ad revenues and spectators. Perhaps Spa, Silverstone and the Algarve night race deserve this status.

From an attendee standpoint, I much prefer the 1000km race. If I am spending disposable income to attend a sporting event then I want something indicative of "endurance racing" - not a 1.5 hour sprint ALMS race at Long Beach or short LMS race. They need to leave the format just as it is now. From your comments, it appears that you have not been to one of these races but just to the 24h - if you can't be bothered watching a 6 hour event, then perhaps some other form of racing should be considered.

[GT6]

There are many forms of racing and Endurance racing is the one I choose to watch, it should be about the ability of both man and machine to run consistantly as fast as possible for a period of time either 24 hours, 12 hours or 6 hours. If I want to watch sprint races the options are numerous and well catered for. 6 hour races are I think the shortest but happy to accept 1,000km, they might not make great live TV but most interesting motorsport is usually highlights so rather than showing the full race. TV companies can compress the race to 30 minutes of non stop action for the modern generation who have attention spans that rarely makes it past that point.

I would rather have a lower number of decent races than more races that prove nothing, also my budget can usually only run to attending 3 races a year.

[isynge]

Looks like the 2010 calendar is sort of out, courtesy of EI.

http://bit.ly/2qaqXS

Surprises include a race at Paul Ricard, two TBA tracks, and a finale in November.

[Dan Friel]

I'm guessing the November date to be Abu Dhabi..

[GT6]

Barcelona? could the first Paul Ricard revert to Spain? I do hope so as i was planning to go in 2010.

[HORNDAWG]

2010 provisional calendar

The 2010 season is taking shape. As of today, we can announce three dates and three circuits:

▪ 9, 10 and 11 April on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit
▪ 7, 8 and 9 May on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit
▪10, 11 and 12 September on the Silverstone circuit

Two additional races will be announced shortly.


Excepting last minute changes, the dates of these races will be as follows:
▪ 16, 17 and 18 July
▪ 19, 20 and 21 November

The corresponding circuits will be confirmed soon.

An official testing session will be held on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit on 7 and 8 March 2010 and will officially start the seventh season of the series.



L.P.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by CarolK

From an attendee standpoint, I much prefer the 1000km race. If I am spending disposable income to attend a sporting event then I want something indicative of "endurance racing" - not a 1.5 hour sprint ALMS race at Long Beach or short LMS race. They need to leave the format just as it is now. From your comments, it appears that you have not been to one of these races but just to the 24h - if you can't be bothered watching a 6 hour event, then perhaps some other form of racing should be considered.

If you’re the only one attending, what good is a 6 hour race? There is a balance of keeping TV time and disappearing into obscurity. This is something I think the ALMS has done a good job of balancing (say what you will about the programming) and has built large crowds at several of their events.

Not that it's my place to do it, but you have misinterpreted Ginger's comments. He was not referring to himself, but promotion and how to get more people to the track.

[m1fcf]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

▪ 19, 20 and 21 November

Abu Dhabi? Yas Marina?

Certainly somewhere warmer than Europe in November, unless they fit snow chains!!

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by m1fcf

Abu Dhabi? Yas Marina?

Certainly somewhere warmer than Europe in November, unless they fit snow chains!!

Okayama?



L.P.

[Dan Friel]

Yes, Yas Marina. They are targeting at least six major events next year. They already have F1, FIA GT1 and Aussie V8's, the LMES makes sense.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by CarolK

From an attendee standpoint, I much prefer the 1000km race. If I am spending disposable income to attend a sporting event then I want something indicative of "endurance racing" - not a 1.5 hour sprint ALMS race at Long Beach or short LMS race. They need to leave the format just as it is now. From your comments, it appears that you have not been to one of these races but just to the 24h - if you can't be bothered watching a 6 hour event, then perhaps some other form of racing should be considered.

I go the the Silverstone LMS every year, numerous other enduros around the country and such like, and I have never sat in the same spot for a 6 hour event, and I'll always need to have a "burger break". I'm not offended by such a silly subject, but I'm surprised my passion for the sport has come in to question here. I wasn't calling for two sprints anyway. Perhaps a 1 hour sprint on the Saturday to gauge ineterest in a 500 or 750 km event on the Sunday - as I say, it would be nice if the 1000km events turned into the highlights of the calendar.

[Lipp]

I am hoping for Zandvoort in 2010.

they deserve an LMS race.

Having said that, i do think that the eurosport coverage was very bad this year... Even online... I paid good money to sometimes see nothing of the race (except for silverstone)

[naughtymutt]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I go the the Silverstone LMS every year, numerous other enduros around the country and such like, and I have never sat in the same spot for a 6 hour event, and I'll always need to have a "burger break".

Same here, have managed to walk all the way around silverstone and watch from various points during the 1000km.

Booked the hotel at Le Mans yesterday, roll on June.

[Tim the Grey]

One reason I go to longer races is because I can see the whole circuit... FIA GT and LMS usually involve at least 2 laps a day! Sometimes I ain't clever enough to stay in the Press Office...

[The359]

I assume the other TBA will be Algarve.

I don't really understand running Paul Ricard though. Sure it's open to the public now, but there's still only one grandstand and not a lot of other areas you can access. How will this help attendence?

[pablocomics]

Algarve is a bad choice, the circuit is cool but nobody will go to see the race....