ILMC 2011 Discussion

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by AGD

What is an Asian series? The AsLMS is dead or at least on hold as far as I can tell

Thats news to me ..... source please .

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Its an Asian series , not a Chinese one . We need one in Australia to drum up interest .

It's all about manufacturers wanting to sell cars... China is important.... Australia isn't so much.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

It's all about manufacturers wanting to sell cars... China is important.... Australia isn't so much.

Exactly, and that is the exact reason why they also want an Indian round.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Thats news to me ..... source please .

There have been almost zero references to the Asian Le Mans Series this year. The ACO website does not even list the AsLMS series. To that extent, I think the AsLMS has gone on an unpublicized hiatus or death.

On the other hand, the sporting regs do say that the AsLMS class champions get auto invites to the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans.

I'm sure someone can provide more definitive answers. The AsLMS isn't much of a "series" even if it does still exist.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Exactly, and that is the exact reason why they also want an Indian round.

The'll want a Pakistani round next !!!

[JAG]

Originally Posted by AGD

I'm sure Peugeot and Audi are the ones who are driving the ACO toward China. I'm not so sure if those two are interested in racing in Japan. I think we know Peugeot isn't interested in racing in the US. It's all about following the money. The manufacturers could care less about the quality of the tracks.

Looking back Peugeot have raced in the US far more often than would have beeen expected at the start of the program. True they were seeking competition, but Sebring and PLM are stand-out events in ACO racing, and receive more coverage in Europe than a lesser event in their own backyard.

Brazils an interesting one, I assume people in that part of the world buy European models from the likes of Peugeot, Renault, Nissan, Ford etc., then again in the US I see they are pushing models like the Focus and Fiesta. If they race in Brazil could that be a double header with the ALMS?

Some info on the Indian F1 circuit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaypee_Group_Circuit

[JAG]

Speed article.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...rtscars-510/P1

[Simmi]

If Toyota enters the fray watch it all shift once again. Seems like it will end up like F1. I give the Imola event one year. Fingers crossed Silverstone isn't cast aside for a second race in China with 17 people in attendance.

[AGD]

I'm certainly not an expert on the Chinese auto industry, but I'm sure the Japanese companies want to sell cars in China as well. Perhaps the tire companies and other major sponsors want in China as well. Doesn't Michelin have a major operation in China?

Brazil is interesting. Again, that is another market that I'm sure Peugeot and others want in. What is the weather and track availability status at Brazilian tracks around the time of Sebring and Petit Le Mans?

I wonder if there is any possibility for an ILMC (or ALMS) race in Mexico. I don't know if Mexico is a market that the manufactures are excited about, but PSA and Renault sell cars in Mexico and VW is a major player in Mexico. I have some interest in the Mexican auto industry because I occasionally see cars from Mexico here particularly on the south side of the city. It's interesting to see SEATs, Chevrolet-badged Opels, Lupos, brand new 4th gen VW Jettas (Mexicans seem to love to buy new ancient VWs), Nissan-badged Dacia Logans, Peugeots, Renaults, and other European oddballs in the US. Yep, we have Romanian cars on US roads. Kind of.

[alexkiller8]

the "expansion" of racing is determined by economic interests of cars companies, as you see in f1, more asian/middle east races are going to replace european ones. If more manufacter's official teams will join the competition, i think that the same will happen in ILMC (hoping that this champ will have a future) so don't be surprised to see in the next years something like... the 1000km of abu dhabi, the 6 hours of dubai etc....

[Pandamasque]

Why would manufacturers want to go to Middle East? F1 goes there just to harvest new money.

[NaBUru38]

Peugeot may have little interest in racing in the richer Middle East countries, but sports car and luxury car manufacturers like Porsche, Audi, Ferrari and Aston Martin sell a lot in those places.

Brazil is very realistic. I wonder if they could run with the Stock Car and WTCC. The ALMS should do a sub-2h race at the Anhembi together with the IndyCar, I believe.

Originally Posted by ILMC director Henry-Biabaud

It’s possible that one of the three regular season European races - Spa, Imola and Silverstone - could be dropped in favor of a new event.

IMHO it should. Europe should have three ILMC races - the 24 Hours and two out of Spa, Silverstone and Italy. That way, European privateers would be encouraged to run at the LMS.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

Why would manufacturers want to go to Middle East? F1 goes there just to harvest new money.

In the WRC Citroen boss, Olivier Quesnel, says they sell few cars in that part of the world, and spectator numbers on WRC events are small, so as you say I'm not sure Middle East events are on the radar.

From what I've read, China and India are emerging markets for both high end and budget models, so Audi, Porsche, Toyota, Peugeot etc. all have a stake.

[The Badger]

I would like to see an Indian round ..... be a great excuse to go sample my favourite food too ..... a nice big bag of Bajhi's and a rogan josh & garlic naan beside the track , lovely .

[Spyderman]

I'll have the vindaloo please.

[Mike_Wooshy]

Dont forget the bottle of King Cobra, Ice cold of course Badger!!!

I do agree that an Indian Race makes sense for the ILMC. Infact along with a Brazilian Race and a race in Japan, with tracks we already have would make a perfect world championship.

[chernaudi]

What is a good number of rounds for the ILMC? According to the Speed article, most teams think that 7-8 races, including LM, is a good number.

I certianly don't see the ILMC growing to much more than 9-10 races. The old WSC had at most on average about 8-10 rounds a year, the LMS has usually had 5-6, and the ALMS has rarely had more than 9-10 races per year.

For an event in the middle east to happen, it would have to be in a relatively stable country--Turkey might fit the bill, but they've had attendance issues with DTM and F1 races, and the LMS round there was one and done. India and Japan, maybe Austrailia might round things out, but I feel that unless the races are significant (IE, big endurance rounds), I don't think that any country needs more than 1, maybe 2 races per year. The only country that fits the exception is the US, as Sebring and PLM are races that teams seem to want to go to and are big time endurance races (12 hours and 10 hours/1000 miles respectively).

Speaking of which, outside of Sebring, PLM and Le Mans, do there need to be more endurance races? Or shorter sprint races like is customary for the ALMS?

And should Le Mans be a stand alone no-points race, or a championship round? This goes back to the Audi R18 thread where I questioned if Audi and Peugeot have been willing to give up wins at Sebring and Spa if it helps them win Le Mans.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

I certianly don't see the ILMC growing to much more than 9-10 races. The old WSC had at most on average about 8-10 rounds a year, the LMS has usually had 5-6, and the ALMS has rarely had more than 9-10 races per year.

9 is too much for an endurance championship. These races are long, in other words hard to televise. They should stick to 6 or 7 depending on non-NA-EU candidates.

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Speaking of which, outside of Sebring, PLM and Le Mans, do there need to be more endurance races? Or shorter sprint races like is customary for the ALMS?

I'd stick to proper 6-hour endurance races, so SRO doesn't interfere at all.

Originally Posted by chernaudi

And should Le Mans be a stand alone no-points race, or a championship round?

I'm fine with it in.

[alexkiller8]

my ideal ILMC champ calendar is

- 1000km fuji on march
- 12h sebring (double points) on end march
- 1000km silverstone on april
- 1000km spa on may
- 24h le mans (double points) on june
- 1000km nurburgring (or 1000km monza) on august
- 6 hour laguna seca on beginning september
- petit le mans (double points) on end september
- 1000km shangai on mid-october
- 1000km abu dhabi on mid-november

but i think this will be just a dream... the only possibility to make this become real is an international TV interest coverage

[AGD]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Speaking of which, outside of Sebring, PLM and Le Mans, do there need to be more endurance races? Or shorter sprint races like is customary for the ALMS?

And should Le Mans be a stand alone no-points race, or a championship round? This goes back to the Audi R18 thread where I questioned if Audi and Peugeot have been willing to give up wins at Sebring and Spa if it helps them win Le Mans.

I think 6 hours should be the minimum for all ILMC races.

As for Le Mans being part of the championship, I say it depends. If the ILMC car counts are high, don't make Le Mans part of the championship. If ILMC car counts are low, make it part of the championship.

I say this because I don't want all of the Le Mans entries being reserved for full-time ILMC teams. That makes it difficult for ALMS, LMS, Asian teams, and other odd balls to make the race. Not all good teams have the budget or desire to do the ILMC and some manufacturers (Corvette it seems) are not interested in an international championship. On the other hand, if car counts are low to begin win, Le Mans can be used as incentive to to get more teams to do the full ILMC.

[NaBUru38]

Standings after Le Mans:

LMP1 Manufacturers:

1. Peugeot, 103
2. Audi, 69
3. Aston Martin, 0

LMGTE Manufacturers:

1. Corvette, 84
2. Ferrari, 72
3. BMW, 72
4. Porsche, 46
5. Lotus, 13
6. Aston Martin, 8

LMP1 Teams:

1. Audi, 50
2. Peugeot, 49
3. Oreca, 34
4. Rebellion, 26
5. Oak, 0
5. Hope, 0
5. Aston Martin, 0

LMP2 Teams:
1. Signatech, 49
2. Level 5, 31
3. Oak, 30

LMGTE Pro Teams:
1. AF Corse, 53
2. BMW, 49
3. Lotus, 16
4. Luxury, 5

LMGTE Am Teams:
1. Larbre, 41
2. Proton, 24
3. Krohn, 21
4. AF Corse, 16
5. CRS, 8
6. AMR Middle East, 0

I wonder why Corvette didn't enter the ILMC GTE teams championship. They could have scored a lot of points. On the other hand, Porsche would be placed very low.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

I wonder why Corvette didn't enter the ILMC GTE teams championship. They could have scored a lot of points. On the other hand, Porsche would be placed very low.

Although the factory Corvette Racing team is doing a lot of the ILMC rounds (Sebring, LM, Petit), they aren't doing all of them. The ACO isn't allowing partial season ILMC teams. Teams either have to do all the rounds or face fines.

EDIT: I assume your listing is for after Le Mans and not Spa, right?

[deggis]

http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24h/u...rack_4269.html

Zhuhai was confirmed during the weekend.

[NaBUru38]

That's the cherry on the pie. The Chinese were surely invited to the race.

The release seems to have been translated from Chinese

[vyselegend]

I'm not unhappy about this chinese race, but I feel Zhuhai circuit is really the lowest track on the championship in terms of the quality of the layout (straight, hairpin, straight, hairpin, straight...), of the location (no points of interest in this zone appart from the circuit himself, plus quite a big pollution fog), and seems quite poor on the quality of installations. I believe it is all right on the safety side, but there are no wonder the choice of this track over Shangai is only a question of money... (not that I find Shangai exceptional though).

Not really on topic, but I just realised some trivial facts in the Audi VS Peugeot cars:

Since 2006, and up to 2010, every Audi and Pug contenders had won their first race. And now again, both 2011 cars have had the exact same debut (3rd for their first race then win for their second). I know it has no relevance to the championship, but statistics are funny sometimes...