LMS to be World Series within 5 years

[Marcel ten Caat]

But who's going to pay the bills for all the damaged cars?

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

A world series would need money.... manufacturers or sponsors....??

The LMS is fully subscribed and the Asian Series has approximately 30 entries already, many of them regular LMS runners like Pescarolo and ORECA, so I would assume the ACO/race promoters already have travel funds and incentives in place.

Moving beyond those 7 core events would need extra funding, but I doubt the series would expand so quickly unless there was a funded, high quality event, for example Montreal or China.

[dj choc ice]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

The 'London, Norwich, Northampton area' That's some 'area' - London to Norwich is 120 miles and can take about 3 hours to drive.

Silverstone may be convenient but it is hardly an inspirational venue!

hmmm, guess it was a bit tongue in cheek, but Brands is a LONG way down south, and, personally i dont think Brands is worth all the extra travelling, i like Silverstone as a venue, always have done and likely always will do, i love seeing the Prototypes and GT's stretch their legs down the hangar straight, seeing a Pescarolo, Oreca, Lola AM blast past at over 170mph is brilliant.

Personally i feel there arent any true high speed tracks anymore on the sportscar calender, im pretty sure the fastest track on the LMS calender now is a toss up between Spa and Silverstone, why the hell Monza was dropped from the calender i will never know, now that is a properly good venue for Sportscar racing

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by JAG

The LMS is fully subscribed and the Asian Series has approximately 30 entries already, many of them regular LMS runners like Pescarolo and ORECA, so I would assume the ACO/race promoters already have travel funds and incentives in place.

Moving beyond those 7 core events would need extra funding, but I doubt the series would expand so quickly unless there was a funded, high quality event, for example Montreal or China.

It proves it has funds for one trip... nothing more. Without the interest that manufacturers draw, the money won't be a draw.

Names such as ORECA and Pescarolo are not draws.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

It proves it has funds for one trip... nothing more. Without the interest that manufacturers draw, the money won't be a draw.

Names such as ORECA and Pescarolo are not draws.

The entry is for two Asian races, including Peugeot wth Pescarolo, that's all they need to justify the World series tag. This is the first season when the ACO has taken direct control of the series so they obviously see an Asian presence as crucial to Le Mans style racing, and who can blame them when you look at Japanease interest in Le Mans during the 80's and 90's and the success of Super GT (who's GT500 engine regs and technology are similar to 2011 P1).

By the time this gets off the ground I'd expect at least one Japanease manufactuer to be competing in P1 plus a couple of European manufactuers, if not they'll just continue as is with the LMS.

[deggis]

Related?

LMP1 teams urged into more series

A new award to encourage LMP1 teams to contest events in more than one sportscar championship is set to be launched by Le Mans organiser the ACO.

The Intercontinental Trophy will combine events in the American Le Mans Series, the European-based LMS, and the Asian LMS.

The trophy, which is set to launch next season, will encompass between six and eight races, though these have yet to be selected.

ACO general manager Remy Brouard said: "The 24 Hours will not be part of it, but the trophy will be for the major manufacturers or big teams. If there is a problem [for 2010] it'll happen in 2011."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76012

[AndrewF31]

very good idea!
Maybe this why there's been rumours of Audi's return, namely Kristensen recommitting himself 100% to sportscars next year?

[JAG]

So long as US teams play there part and come across to Europe.

[Speedblood]

Originally Posted by JAG

So long as US teams play there part and come across to Europe.

Just guessing but because Sebring and Petit are both out of season for the LMS regulars is that why they can attend those races. The ALMS season is longer and more spread out over the year and I think it would require schedule alterations in order for the US teams to have the time (plus money) to come over to Europe.

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by Speedblood

Just guessing but because Sebring and Petit are both out of season for the LMS regulars is that why they can attend those races. The ALMS season is longer and more spread out over the year and I think it would require schedule alterations in order for the US teams to have the time (plus money) to come over to Europe.

I agree, the only way this might work is if ALMS has a longer break around Le Mans and some of the teams could then take in an LMS race or two. Otherwise, there really is very little time to ship a car over to Europe and compete. The other option is to drop a few ALMS races and do an international series, but I thought that kind of went kaput after the World Championship died in the late 70s.

DK

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by JAG

So long as US teams play there part and come across to Europe.

What American teams? This is solely for P1 cars, right now there are two Acuras, Intersport, Corsa and Autocon. Acura is a purely American brand, Corsa is according to the bear looking for money just to do any more ALMS race and the other two are gentleman-driver operations.

Acura might do it, but this would mean a pullout from full-season ALMS and some say the series wouldn't survive this. Or would be degraded to solely being the American leg of the Intercontinental Trophy.

Oh, and dx1: The World Championship only went kaputt in 1992.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

What American teams? This is solely for P1 cars, right now there are two Acuras, Intersport, Corsa and Autocon. Acura is a purely American brand, Corsa is according to the bear looking for money just to do any more ALMS race and the other two are gentleman-driver operations.

Acura might do it, but this would mean a pullout from full-season ALMS and some say the series wouldn't survive this. Or would be degraded to solely being the American leg of the Intercontinental Trophy.

Oh, and dx1: The World Championship only went kaputt in 1992.

I don't think the ALMS will continue in it's current form and instead will form part of World Series, plus a couple of popular US only rounds.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by JAG

I don't think the ALMS will continue in it's current form and instead will form part of World Series, plus a couple of popular US only rounds.

If that is the case, it is a shame....

The LMS has the high participation of competitors, but paltry crowds at its events....

The ALMS now lacks competitors since Audi and Porsche chose not to race in P1 and P2, respectively, but their races draw great crowds....

Personally, if you read "Paying to Race" Parts 1 and 2 over at www.lastturnclub.com , those articles will tell everyone here why an "International" or "World" Series will not work....the $$$ aren't there to run domestically, let alone fly to various parts of the world to do it....

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

If that is the case, it is a shame....

The LMS has the high participation of competitors, but paltry crowds at its events....

The ALMS now lacks competitors since Audi and Porsche chose not to race in P1 and P2, respectively, but their races draw great crowds....

Personally, if you read "Paying to Race" Parts 1 and 2 over at www.lastturnclub.com , those articles will tell everyone here why an "International" or "World" Series will not work....the $$$ aren't there to run domestically, let alone fly to various parts of the world to do it....

The LMS has drawn 30k+ crowds to most events for the past two seasons.

If there's no ALMS the question is what would happen to the Panoz owned circuits of Sebring, Road Atlanta and is it Mosport?

They'll either become part of an ACO schedule, Grand Am, or an indepedent event.

[HORNDAWG]

Panoz does not own Sebring. There are other events at the facilities, they are not just for the ALMS.
I also think putting a fork in the ALMS is a little premature yet!



L.P.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Panoz does not own Sebring. There are other events at the facilities, they are not just for the ALMS.

According to a quick google and wikipedia search it looks like the Panoz Motorsports Group owns Mosport, Road Atlanta and Sebring. They would be smart to rent track time throughout the year to make money and increase the potential race pool and it looks like they do at all 3 tracks.

[Speed-King]

IIRC Sebring isn't owened by Panoz but he has a long term leasing contract for it.

[HORNDAWG]

Unless things have changed, the land that the race is run on is owned by the Sebring Airport Authority. Panoz does own the Sebring International Raceway, Corp. which holds the lease to the property that the race is run on and the exclusive rights to run the race. Sept. 2/99 entry also ref.





L.P.

[JAG]

Other events are held at these circuits but I'm more interested in what would happen to the Sebring 12hrs and PLM, events that stand by themselves like the Le Mans 24hr and Daytona 24hr.

[AndrewF31]

I'm sure that this World Series is to help keep these series alive. They'll probably have to adjust calendars in all series for this to happen so I doubt we'll have similar calendars as we had this season. Maybe ALMS will have less races (1 or 2) but there's certainly space on the calendar to move things around.
At the moment, if they were to put 6 to 8 events, I'd think they'll want to include the Asian LM events in there I'd think to promote them. That means 6 more events to choose, at least Sebring, PLM and Laguna. I think they'll want to fit Spa in there, no? Means Utah would have to be adjusted. Silverstone and Road Atlanta are other ones.

Coin flipping at the moment!

[LeMans.pt]

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

I'm sure that this World Series is to help keep these series alive. They'll probably have to adjust calendars in all series for this to happen so I doubt we'll have similar calendars as we had this season. Maybe ALMS will have less races (1 or 2) but there's certainly space on the calendar to move things around.
At the moment, if they were to put 6 to 8 events, I'd think they'll want to include the Asian LM events in there I'd think to promote them. That means 6 more events to choose, at least Sebring, PLM and Laguna. I think they'll want to fit Spa in there, no? Means Utah would have to be adjusted. Silverstone and Road Atlanta are other ones.

Coin flipping at the moment!

4 rounds in USA? With almost no LMP teams? Keep on dreaming....
It will have an equal number of rounds in both sides of the atlantic

[AndrewF31]

Originally Posted by LeMans.pt

4 rounds in USA? With almost no LMP teams? Keep on dreaming....
It will have an equal number of rounds in both sides of the atlantic

I never said they'd have all 4. They'll have PLM and Sebring for sure. And at least one of Laguna or Road Atlanta.

We have to wait and see what Audi is planning. That would affect the ALMS scenario. Acura won't stay much longer if no other teams join. But if they're way behind Audi, also, it won't be much fun.

To have 3 from Europe included which is reasonable, they'll definitely have to re-arrange the calendars since most LMS events over lap with ALMS.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

To have 3 from Europe included which is reasonable, they'll definitely have to re-arrange the calendars since most LMS events over lap with ALMS.

So?

It's virtually impossible to have no overlaps, and that's not the intention of the whole thing.


Here's what the series will most probably look like:

March: Sebring
May: Spa
August: Nürburgring
September I: Silverstone
September II: PLM
October I: Laguna Seca
October II: Okayama
November: Shanghai

If they go for 6 races instead of 8, 2 of Nürburgring, Laguna and Shanghai will be dropped.

IMO this is a nice idea for the manufacturers to race for something meaningful without having to enter a full championship and it allows privateers to go once again for the LMS-title, which might help that series as well. But it might be a disaster for the ALMS if it keeps full season factory teams (Audi comes to mind) away...
GT-eins.de said that the manufacturers lobbied to have a trophy like this, and there aren't that many manufacturers in P1 right now, so this might very well what Audi might do instead of returning to the ALMS.

[deggis]

"Intercontinental Trophy", couldn't they think of any less generic name?

(At least Autosport mentioned this name... with capital letters)

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by JAG

The LMS has drawn 30k+ crowds to most events for the past two seasons.

That pales in comparison to what all but two ALMS events draw each year...the only two races that draw about 30K or less are Lime Rock and Utah...Everything else is double the LMS figures and in a lot of cases, more than double...

FWIW