WEC FIA World Endurance Championship - Page 7

deggis · 8 Jun 2011, 18:29 (Ref:2893786)

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/92074

Victor_RO · 9 Jun 2011, 08:50 (Ref:2894107)

Quote:

Championnat du Monde d'Endurance 2012 : 24 Heures du Mans et 6 courses : 2 sur le continent américain, 2 en Europe et 2 en Asie

From the ACO Twitter feed.

AGD · 9 Jun 2011, 08:55 (Ref:2894109)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

From the ACO Twitter feed.

Wow, I can actually translate that into English myself!

I guess this means that there will be one North American race and one South American race. Where the South American race will be is the question I guess. Interlagos is the best bet, but are there other reasonable alternatives? Perhaps something in Mexico is a possibility?

As for Asia, I'm guessing two races in China is most likely the goal, although perhaps South Korea and India are on the radar. I don't know about Japan. I'd like to think that they will be considered, but I'm not so sure. Anyway, if there are two Asian races, will the Asian Le Mans Series return?

As for Europe, I guess that is the easiest to predict. Spa and Silverstone are my guesses.

Victor_RO · 9 Jun 2011, 09:02 (Ref:2894116)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGD

As for Europe, I guess that is the easiest to predict. Spa and Silverstone are my guesses.

Only one of them. Le Mans itself is also part of the championship as far as I'm aware.

AGD · 9 Jun 2011, 09:04 (Ref:2894118)

My interpretation is that there are six races in addition to Le Mans. Maybe not?

Victor_RO · 9 Jun 2011, 09:10 (Ref:2894127)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGD

My interpretation is that there are six races in addition to Le Mans. Maybe not?

Yeah, you're right. Wasn't reading it with full concentration. Sorry.

In that case, yeah, Spa and Silverstone would be a very good guess about the two European rounds.

DS" · 9 Jun 2011, 09:21 (Ref:2894137)

I would like to see a round in Japan, because two chinese rounds would be boring, and Japan needs some prototype racing again.

AGD · 9 Jun 2011, 09:52 (Ref:2894157)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DS"

I would like to see a round in Japan, because two chinese rounds would be boring, and Japan needs some prototype racing again.

No doubt there, but this is about money and markets. To be fair, though, the Zhuhai race last year was pretty good and the ACO has generally chosen good tracks to race at, but things may be changing.

Andy77 · 9 Jun 2011, 09:57 (Ref:2894160)

As it is going to be a FIA championship, the FIA will give away the Asian races to freshly built circuits in order to support them at getting up.

Happened a lot lately, with Istanbul the most prominent example there. And when they pull the plug circuits will be done again

AGD · 9 Jun 2011, 10:04 (Ref:2894163)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy77

As it is going to be a FIA championship, the FIA will give away the Asian races to freshly built circuits in order to support them at getting up.

I'd assume that the ACO sets the schedule. Ok, I actually assume that Peugeot sets the schedule. The FIA may try to "suggest" venues though.

Joe Taylor · 9 Jun 2011, 10:50 (Ref:2894186)

so presumably it'll be along the lines of:

March: Sebring
May: Spa
June: Le Mans
August/September: Silverstone
September/October: Petit/South America (Interlagos maybe)
October/November: China
November: Japan? Malaysia?

It seems obvious to group the Asian flyaways together. It does leave a big gap between Le Mans and Silverstone, so potentially slot in the 2nd American event then?

deggis · 9 Jun 2011, 12:45 (Ref:2894265)

Quote:

FIA, ACO reveal details of WEC

Audi, Le MansThe FIA and Le Mans organiser the Automobile Club de l'Ouest have released further details of the new World Endurance Championship.

The seven-round series for 2012, announced last week, will include the Le Mans 24 Hours plus two other rounds in Europe, two in America, and two in Asia. All races will be a minimum of six hours.

Points will be scored in the same way as Formula 1, with 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 being awarded to the top 10 finishers.

The ACO will act as the promoter of the championship, which will include constructors' and drivers' world titles.

FIA president Jean Todt, who signed the agreement with the ACO at the Le Mans press conference this morning, confirmed an endurance working group would also be set up. The group will include representatives of the ACO, the FIA, manufacturers, and private teams.

"It's several years now that the FIA and ACO have been collaborating on technical regulations and now we will collaborate more closely," said Todt, who masterminded the Peugeot wins at La Sarthe in 1992 and 1993.

"I've been attached to Le Mans for several decades and it was natural when I became president to look around. I could see a WEC was missing."

ACO president Jean-Claude Plassart added: "If Le Mans has been alive for so long [it first ran in 1923], it is on a very solid base. It is the summit of a pyramid, but you need a solid base.

"We have the ALMS and the LMS, and in the last three years we have had races in Asia, so we are developing on three continents.

"Everybody knows Jean Todt's attachment to Le Mans and we had the idea of doing something together. There have been some hectic periods [between the FIA and ACO], but over the last five years we have got used to working together."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/92082

**joeb** · 9 Jun 2011, 13:50 (Ref:2894308)

Did anybody else catch that the Le Mans Series will be aligned with the WEC next season for the European events? or was that a poor translation on my part?

NaBUru38 · 9 Jun 2011, 14:47 (Ref:2894352)

Brilliant calendar!

I'm not sure about Brazil. They've had lots of trouble with hosting national endurance GT races. Several races have been dropped because of lack of entries. Unless the GT Brasil (SRO) encourages teams to enter the race, I don't think they can fill the grid. Plus there's Olympics and World Cup filling the sports agenda, so getting political support is very tricky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGD

Wow, I can actually translate that into English myself

FIA has French as its official language, so... :P

Pandamasque · 9 Jun 2011, 15:14 (Ref:2894376)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGD

No doubt there, but this is about money and markets. To be fair, though, the Zhuhai race last year was pretty good and the ACO has generally chosen good tracks to race at, but things may be changing.

AFAIK, the participants hated Zhuhai with passion.

deggis · 9 Jun 2011, 15:29 (Ref:2894392)

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ship-launched/

More details: 3+10 year contract, LMP2 and GTE-Am trophies, Endurance Commission.

kober · 9 Jun 2011, 15:33 (Ref:2894395)

Quote:

Originally Posted by deggis

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ship-launched/

More details: 3+10 year contract, LMP2 and GTE-Am trophies, Endurance Commission.

The same, but at the source: The FIA World Endurance Championship is unveiled!

deggis · 9 Jun 2011, 16:04 (Ref:2894425)

http://youtu.be/z0DCbuUvBTs

lms · 9 Jun 2011, 16:46 (Ref:2894462)

Nice ideas at the conference, looking forward to 2012, except: "There are several options for the Le Mans Series in the future; one without LMP1 cars" I really hope that this was supposed to be some sick joke.
"one with LMP1 cars, possibly not factory efforts." that sounds more interesting. In 2009 if i remember correctly there was only 1 factory team in lmp1: A.M.R., and the absence of factory diesels (except for Spa) resulted in close racing.
"We currently have around 35 cars, the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup has 26 and I think they aim at 30-35 cars"
Those are very low numbers for LMS/ILMC. In 2009-2011 season there were like 50-60 cars in LMS
Also, no FLM class in WEC, thats great, heres hoping they will disappear from LMS too.

kurski · 9 Jun 2011, 17:12 (Ref:2894486)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Taylor

so presumably it'll be along the lines of:

March: Sebring
May: Spa
June: Le Mans
August/September: Silverstone
September/October: Petit/South America (Interlagos maybe)
October/November: China
November: Japan? Malaysia?

That seems pretty good. Hope Interlagos, should go under the name: Mil Milhas.

JAG · 9 Jun 2011, 18:27 (Ref:2894564)

Corvette interest.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/92090

AGD · 9 Jun 2011, 22:20 (Ref:2894777)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

Corvette interest.

I wonder if they are looking to place a car with a privateer team again? Or are they interested in running a factory WEC program?

The pace of the Larbre Corvette has been really disappointing so far this year. I wonder if P&M are giving Larbre everything they need to run that car 100%. Anyway, it sounds like GTE-Am teams won't score points toward the GTE manafactuers cup anyway next year. Corvette will need a Pro team (maybe themselves) if they want to win that. I know it says that any potential WEC team would work with the current program, but I hope it does not jeopardize their ALMS involvement.

Quote:

Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ World Championships will be given in LMP1, while GTE-Pro sees a Manufacturer's World Cup. The FIA LMP2 and GTE-Am trophies will be up for grabs for the highest-ranked team in each respective class, while the best privateer team, open to all categories, will be given the FIA Trophy.

Interesting. So only LMP2 and GTE-Am have team championships. I guess that makes some sense. I wonder how the FIA Trophy will work. Are they going to award it to the team who has the most points in all the categories? Obviously, LMP1 privateer teams are going to be at a disadvantage if that is the case as they won't score as many overall points in their class.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 10 Jun 2011, 17:50 (Ref:2895276)

I'm sure a lot of this has to do with Jean Todt's presidency of the FIA coming up for renewel in 18 months time. If he can pull this off with a successful inaugural WEC season in 2012, it will stand him in good stead come the election.

Gingers4Justice · 12 Jun 2011, 08:17 (Ref:2896675)

Did I dream up that Mazda representatives have sat down with the ACO this weekend to discuss the WEC? Hope I didn't...

deggis · 12 Jun 2011, 09:59 (Ref:2896795)

It was mentioned at least by Mark Cole. I think he said P2...

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