[WEC] FIA World Endurance Championship

[Pandemonium]

Sebring? Have you seen how it looks? chernobyl´s asphalt is better. No accidents doesn´t mean safety. Its all concrete walls and very little run off area. The FIA coudl´t care less of traditional american circuits. Except for the F1 circuits they all are a bunch of crappy asphalt and leveled grass. You know how to tell you are watching regional soccer on tv? It´s easy they are playing on a crappy field with almost no grandstands. You are calling shanghai or Cota not beautifull? No way they are amazingly pretty just because of their edge design and amazing buildings and colors not just grey and green. Haven´t you heard of Hindy talking about how much the drivers loved the esses at COTA???. We are no longer talking about a poor organised championship sir we are talkign about the FIA.

[Maelochs]

I have been to Sebring several times---not for the scenery, but for the racing.

I only pointed out that not every Grade One circuit was necessarily beautiful.

Furthermore, what does the beauty of a circuit matter, when WEC can race in front of a crowd of .... thousands? More people show up on Wedenesday for Sebrign than on race day at Shanghail, CotA, and Bahrain combined.

Of course, at Shanghai they can't see the circuit because of the toxic smog ... but that has nothing to do with racing, that is a separate issue.

I did point out, and will again, that the oh-so-precious FIA (widely denounced as a hotbed of corruption, by the way, in the Balestre-Mosley eras in particular) was completely happy to race at Daytona and Sebring for forty and sixty years. Apparently the scenery was not so important.

Let us also acknowledge that there are only two Grade-One track in the U.S. ... and yeah, Indy is a really beautiful track with a rich racing history.

If CotA can't work out its problems, WEC can race at a lot of other tracks which offer good scenery (which seems to matter more than racing or tradition to some of you) and also tradition and good layouts---I mentioned Road America and Watkins Glen specifically.

Further, FIA is apparently considering Road America. Please tell them how stupid they are not to respect FIA.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by TF110

True, but college is not equal to baseball + professional football + Nascar. Dallas had a home game the same day which draws huge numbers from all over Texas, the Texas Rangers were in the playoff race, Sunday is Nascar day as well and it was race 2 of the chase. Lots of venues to go up against. And one of them was another form of racing. We will see how popular it is next year. I dont think Texas is the best state to hold a WEC Sportscar race in tbh.

I understand if we are talking about TV ratings, but since it isn't on TV here (which I think we all can agree is the biggest hurdle for the WEC), we are just talking attendance... In Texas, the Southeast, and parts of the mid-west college football crushes all. For whatever reason, most of the TX schools were playing each other that weekend as well. I bet there was well over 200k in attendance at games within two hours of COTA. F1 didn't seem to have issues and they were going against the Nascar finale.

We're overall on the same page... they have to have the support of USCC to make it.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

Sebring? Have you seen how it looks? chernobyl´s asphalt is better. No accidents doesn´t mean safety. Its all concrete walls and very little run off area. The FIA coudl´t care less of traditional american circuits. Except for the F1 circuits they all are a bunch of crappy asphalt and leveled grass. You know how to tell you are watching regional soccer on tv? It´s easy they are playing on a crappy field with almost no grandstands. You are calling shanghai or Cota not beautifull? No way they are amazingly pretty just because of their edge design and amazing buildings and colors not just grey and green. Haven´t you heard of Hindy talking about how much the drivers loved the esses at COTA???. We are no longer talking about a poor organised championship sir we are talkign about the FIA.

Is Shanghai beautiful? I can't tell through the smog.

Also, grandstands suck.

[1969MGCGTdriver]

Originally Posted by Pandemonium

Sebring? Have you seen how it looks? chernobyl´s asphalt is better. No accidents doesn´t mean safety. Its all concrete walls and very little run off area. The FIA coudl´t care less of traditional american circuits. Except for the F1 circuits they all are a bunch of crappy asphalt and leveled grass. You know how to tell you are watching regional soccer on tv? It´s easy they are playing on a crappy field with almost no grandstands. You are calling shanghai or Cota not beautifull? No way they are amazingly pretty just because of their edge design and amazing buildings and colors not just grey and green. Haven´t you heard of Hindy talking about how much the drivers loved the esses at COTA???. We are no longer talking about a poor organised championship sir we are talkign about the FIA.

Wow...we have found the one person that likes the Tilkedomes.

To me the Tilke designed tracks are boring and uninspired. I would rather see the WEC race on the classic tracks even of they have (in your words) crappy asphalt and leveled grass rather than the sanitized F1 tracks. Perfect asphalt with huuuge paved run-offs provide no penalty for stupid or careless driving.

[FstrthnU]

http://sportscar365.com/wec/greaves-...-season-entry/
Greaves only gives a 50/50 chance of staying in the WEC, will concentrate on ELMS next year

[TheMightyM]

I’m an economist by training, and the John Dagys article on Greaves’ plans highlights an important point: TUSC, WEC, ELMS, and other sports car series are all competing against each other for the limited supply of gentlemen driver dollars out there. Now obviously, each series proves a distinct (unique) set of features (number of races, location, dates, race length, various regulations etc.) but that does not mean that they aren’t to a degree substitutes.

Drivers I’m talking about would include Chris Dyson, Tracy Krohn, Paul Dalla Lana, and David Heinemeier Hansson.

And a quote from the Dagys article:

The team’s WEC program is also up in the air, with Greaves giving a less than 50/50 chance of it continuing into next year.

Instead, the majority of their focus will likely come in the European Le Mans Series, which expands to a four-hour race format for 2014.

“It’s a shame but we can only go where our customers and sponsors take us,” Greaves said. “We had a good deal lined up for WEC which fell through last week. It might come back, you never know. But there’s a lot of interest for the European Le Mans Series.”

So it seems that the change in ELMS format (an extra hour of race time) is a feature that drivers in the market Greaves is targeting appreciate.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

I think some of us sports car fans are in love with the WEC because it's trying to recreate the wsc.it isn't what it once was, it doesn't represent nothing right now but audis playground.it has the potential to get better,but right now it's not all that great.

to me it doesn't carry any prestige, just because it's a "world championship" doesn't cut it.only two manufactures in the top class with only three cars and one privateer the majority of the season isn't prestigious, Le Mans? That's prestigious.

Yes some of the the tracks look nice and have beautiful painted run offs and buildings.but the cars race on the track not under the fancy grand stands or in the pretty run offs.also some of the most beautiful iconic sports car pictures have been taken at sebring and Daytona as the sun is setting not at silverstone or Shanghai.

Since the WEC is following the F1 circus and it's tracks, and want spectators in the U.S. Why not race at long beach. f1 runs on street circuits, why not wec?cant boast a world championship prestige without a street race like F1

[TF110]

I think Toyota has come closer than anyone bar Peugeot at taking Audi down (at LeMans). Theyre obviously way down on power and rely on their hybrid to catch a break. We were robbed of a mostly clean LeMans this year with the rain bringing caution after caution. And the untimely death of Simonsen. They at least challenged Audi and have won races against them. Now new rules come in and hopefully makers like Nissan will follow.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

I sure hope Nissan can come in full force like Toyota and Porsche.and not trying to over extend the garage 56 program and publicity.

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

I sure hope Nissan can come in full force like Toyota and Porsche.and not trying to over extend the garage 56 program and publicity.

There are rumours that in exchange for their second G56 entry in 3 years that the ACO asked for a 2015 LMP1 commitment from Nissan. The one that baffles me is Honda. If their two main Japanese rivals are there surely they'll have to come out and play? Apparently their 2014 LMP1 engine solution was based in England and not from HPD in Santa Clarita. Could be nothing or are there things going on behind the scenes?

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by 1969MGCGTdriver

I would rather see the WEC race on the classic tracks even of they have (in your words) crappy asphalt and leveled grass.

Agreed.

I for one, would find the WEC a lot more interesting if the series ran at circuits with more character and historic significance.
One of the things that made the ALMS great, was the tracks that they raced on.

[Lanky Turtle]

I think COTA is the best of the newer F1 tracks and I'd like to see the WEC return there. But I'd also be happy with any of the classic U.S. roadcourses. VIR would be magnificent. Laguna, Rd.Am, Rd. Atl, the Glen.

And I hope they can work things out and have a weekend with IMSA because for me personally, I would pay to travel to see a WEC/IMSA double header anywhere in the U.S. but probably would not go see WEC or IMSA alone (other than Daytona, Sebring, Rd. Atlanta).

Maybe WEC could run Lime Rock since they usually have pretty small fields. Or maybe the parking lot of the Moreno Valley Mall.

[TF110]

COTA has a cool layout, but the (lack of) scenery is my gripe.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

Agreed.

I for one, would find the WEC a lot more interesting if the series ran at circuits with more character and historic significance.
One of the things that made the ALMS great, was the tracks that they raced on.

I think most would tbh. But FIA just cant understand that. Luckily ACO does and thats why (I hope) LeMans will never be turned into a tilkedrome.

[JacobP]

If ACO cares about WEC popularity in the USA, may be, first, they should cut some kind of deal for a reasonable TV coverage of all WEC races. Right now we get something like a month delayed one-hour summary of each race. Why would anyone care? At very least, the COTA race should have been broadcasted live and without editing.

[Mal]

Make COTA the last race of the season, turn it into a festival and make it an 18 hour race for double points, invite the P and GTE class from TUSCC to join in and let the PC and GT-AM have a support race in the morning, you almost guarantee that most titles will be decided there. you could run the race from 6pm on Saturday until midday on Sunday - give people a reason to bring their RV and camp for the weekend call it the Texan Le Mans or some other catchy brand. ALMS proved you can create a classic from scratch with PLM so why not do it again

[Brake dust]

I still believe 8 races on the calendar are too few. Hard to gain interest when the casual fan forgets about a series. WEC needs a race earlier in the year and another race in Europe after Le Mans. They need to find a good support race to share the weekend with as well. Maybe touring cars?

[Mr Pink]

Originally Posted by Mal

Make COTA the last race of the season, turn it into a festival and make it an 18 hour race for double points, invite the P and GTE class from TUSCC to join in and let the PC and GT-AM have a support race in the morning, you almost guarantee that most titles will be decided there. you could run the race from 6pm on Saturday until midday on Sunday - give people a reason to bring their RV and camp for the weekend call it the Texan Le Mans or some other catchy brand. ALMS proved you can create a classic from scratch with PLM so why not do it again

I fully agree with this. The WEC is to thin with Le Mans being the only event carrying any weight on it's own. Since the WEC didn't manage to get any of the US classics I think they really need to create a couple of their own, 18 hours of COTA (or Road America) would be nice as would say 8 hours of Suzuka(or Fuji), Mil Milhas or something like a 12 hour race of Potrero.

Please note I don't think the race lenght is very important in it self but it's an easy and clear way of making the event stand out from the "gray mass" that's the calender ATM.

[Mike E]

Ye gods! €800,000 for a customer 991. But at least there could be a few more out there.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111700

[Rodger Davies]

And that's why we call GT3 'cheap'! Everything's relative...

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

I fully agree with this. The WEC is to thin with Le Mans being the only event carrying any weight on it's own. Since the WEC didn't manage to get any of the US classics I think they really need to create a couple of their own, 18 hours of COTA (or Road America) would be nice as would say 8 hours of Suzuka(or Fuji), Mil Milhas or something like a 12 hour race of Potrero.

Please note I don't think the race lenght is very important in it self but it's an easy and clear way of making the event stand out from the "gray mass" that's the calender ATM.

Good point.
Right now the ENTIRE calendar (except Le Mans) is six-hour races. It sort of feels like watching the same race over and over, even if the outcome is different.

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by Brake dust

I still believe 8 races on the calendar are too few. Hard to gain interest when the casual fan forgets about a series. WEC needs a race earlier in the year and another race in Europe after Le Mans. They need to find a good support race to share the weekend with as well. Maybe touring cars?

I totally agree but budgets are already tough enough to raise with calendar as it is. Don't forget, it's not only the number of races but also the hours of track time. At this level many parts have a life of hours. Brakes, tires, engines, suspension components add up very quickly as these cars use bespoke, low production, high cost parts.

[Pandemonium]

The series needs more causal fans (coming soon). The public from F1 is used to racing in these prestine tracks. If these formula one guys, or Moto GP guys catch a bit of WEC racing in the conditions that Road America might provide, (little grandstands, old asphalt) they will not want to know what is this that they are watching. It is hard to get this in the head of mostly americans in this thread (no offense intended, God bless the USA). If you go over to the F1 threads it is mostly europeans. They couldn´t care less about...hmmm... say Corvette Racing for example. There are many drivers in the WEC right know that are ex formula one drivers. They raced covered in cotton and will definetly not enjoy bumpy tracks. Remember while the ACO might enjoy these american tracks the FIA is now in control and their partnership with the ACO is mostly due to the fact that they own La Sarthe. I am sure Montreal is in their head prior to these tracks.

Remember that even though mulsanne´s straight asphalt was not that bad, it got new paviment last year. Plus if the series eventually seriously grows circuits like Road America would need more grandstands.

[Gingers4Justice]

That's an interesting point of view to say the least. I'm not sure there's much of a correlation between bumpiness of circuits and the participation of ex-Formula One drivers and the attention of casual viewers.