General Sportscar Chat thread

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Accident

Edit: Also, slightly off-topic: What was the name of that weird endurance race that took place on a closed section of freeway and had on-ramps and an overpass (if I remember right?) on the layout? We had a thread about it around here a fair while back. I wanna say it was somewhat Eastern-European but I can't remember for sure.

Palanga 1000km in Lithuania.

[Deleted]

Thanks for playing RD, interesting choices especially as I'm too more into "single events" than actual series (as I have told quite few times here too!), but in my case I had to go more traditional way since if one wants to run LMP1 in this day and age, cherry picking isn't really an option :/

And yeah the reason I limited the game to strictly ACO was to keep it more simple (if possible ), also the cheap pricing for GT(3)s would not have made sense if zillion options for them had been included

Anyway, just to play nice, if anyone does want to bring their 1,25mil GT3 elsewhere, I'm offering the option to run it in 12 non-ACO standalone events:

One-off prices for GT3 / entry
- Nurburgring 24 Hours 0,75 Million
- Spa 24 Hours 0,75 Million
- Bathurst 12 Hours 0,6 Million
- Dubai 24 Hours 0,4 Million
- Sepang 12 Hours 0,3 Million
- Zandvoort 12 Hours 0,2 Million
- Mugello 12 Hours 0,2 Million
- Barcelona 24 Hours 0,2 Million
- Abu Dhabi 12 Hours 0,2 Million
- Paul Ricard 24 Hours 0,2 Million
- Thunderhill 25 Hours 0,2 Million
- Portimao 32 Hours 0,2 Million
- Suzuka 1000KM 0,4 Million (in secondary class)
- Macau FIA GT World Cup [Sprint Event] 0,3 Million
- Brno 12 Hours 0,2 Million- Suzuka 1000KM 0,4 Million (in secondary class)
- Macau FIA GT World Cup [Sprint Event] 0,3 Million
- Brno 12 Hours 0,2 Million

Alternative your existing LMGTE can also be entered for Nurburgring 24 Hours only (not the other events even if some technically possible), but it will cost you 0,8 million per entry instead of 0,75, and the chances for success are likely much lower due to it not being in SP9 and politics.

[Deleted]

Was gonna edit the previous post but the stupid time limit came up, so three more events for that GT3-only list to bring it up to 15:

- Suzuka 1000KM 0,4 Million (in secondary class)
- Macau FIA GT World Cup [Sprint Event] 0,3 Million
- Brno 12 Hours 0,2 Million

Also if you have existing JAF-GT300 that could enter Suzuka -only for the slightly cheapened price of 0,3 Million.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Was gonna edit the previous post but the stupid time limit came up.....

I'll do that for you.....

I like this - hopefully more will get involved - if so, it might be an idea to give it it's own thread....? Your call.

[Deleted]

Maybe if more people participate but until then probably best to keep it here, this isn't exactly the first 'game' I've placed on this particular thread if you keep digging it down...

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Maybe if more people participate but until then probably best to keep it here, this isn't exactly the first 'game' I've placed on this particular thread if you keep digging it down...

Perhaps if it get's it's own thread people will remember it better, and it won't be drowned in the general chat

[Aysedasi]

See how it goes.....

[Deleted]

I don't know, when I for example did this there were like 10 responses within 24 hours and more afterwards, and that one got quite quick answers too, yet after few days this one has got 1 answer so far (+1 maybe one upcoming) so I know people are following this thread but this particular one isn't catching on so greatly. Maybe it's more complicated or something.

I don't know, again . I guess it could be moved if some mod wants so. You decide.

[Accident]

2x GT3 car = $2.5

Will go with a pair of the new Mercedes, painted in plain silver with black wheels and fluoro mirrors in a throwback to the silver Saubers. Full pro cars (or as close to full pro as the driver requirements allow). Mercedes seems like a fairly safe pick to piggyback off of their big manufacturer status and hopefully not get shafted by BoP.

Nurburgring = $1.5
Spa = $1.5
Bathurst = $1.2
Zandvoort = $0.4
Mugello = $0.4
Barcelona = $0.4
Macau = $0.6
Dubai = $0.8
Abu Dhabi = $0.4
Paul Ricard = $0.4
Brno = $0.4
Thunderhill = $0.4
Portimao = $0.4
Total for races = $8.8

Total car and races = $11.3 million

Going with GT3 because it has the most options to run at and a much busier schedule is possible compared to a few of the others. Also, full pro-lineups are often allowed.

Plans were just for the team to run the big races, but after seeing that we would run several of the Creventic races and still have plenty of budget left, I went ahead and added the others so that the team can go for the Creventic overall championship. Also will hit the Macau GT cup to witness the carnage first-hand, and head to Thunderhill as an interesting stop on home soil. Portimao 32 hour thing will be just for the sake of saying we did it, and of course it provides valuable experience from running time. With pro lineup and fresh cars, goal will be to compete at the front of the field.

Alternatively considered a US P2 program. The P2 regs may be lame but at least there the competition will have some different sounds and looks (hopefully), and it has a nice busy schedule and full pro lineups are allowed.

Don't actually know if the Creventic series allows full pro lineups? I see there is an "A6 Pro" class but I can't find anywhere in the regs where it specifically states what driver ratings are allowed or etc.

Also, thanks Speed-King, that's the one. Had a thread here where it was called Lenktynes.

[Deleted]

:P

With your leftover budget you could still just about afford one car entry for PLM, or some other one-off(s), but of course that could be bit of a stretch off for team already doing billion 12/24/25/32 hour races

[BullMan]

I've "purchased" a GT3 Aston and a GTE Viper.
Running both full-time in TUSC and the Viper in GTE-Am at Le Mans. I'll run the WEC COTA round too. Then, I'll run N24, Spa 24, Bathurst, and Thunderhill in the GT car. Total spent, $11.3 mil. I'd take a competitive hit driving the Viper myself in TUSC against the pros but I'd rather race here than in Europe.

[rich07]

I like the sound of this, I'll post me up in the next day or so when I've sorted it out as I'm busy with work.

Nice idea Chiana

[Ephaeton]

now all we need is additional limited resources (amount of chassis, drivers with varying skills, capped entries for the races, gotta bribe to get in etc.), and an actual simulation of the season including simulation of the exposure / ROI generated, having to fill your bottomed out wallet from some mother company or sugar-daddy-tv-doctor, ...

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Chiana

I don't know, when I for example did this there were like 10 responses within 24 hours and more afterwards, and that one got quite quick answers too, yet after few days this one has got 1 answer so far (+1 maybe one upcoming) so I know people are following this thread but this particular one isn't catching on so greatly. Maybe it's more complicated or something.

I don't know, again . I guess it could be moved if some mod wants so. You decide.

Let it run for a few more days here, if it takes off (even more) then we'll have another think.....

[J Jay]

Wait a second - If I'm reading this right (which I doubt), LMP1-H cars, by virtue of being hybrids, can only place 3rd at best in the WEC? Errrrrr, who's going to come 1st & 2nd then, because for any semblance of realism it won't be the non-hybrids.

With this clarified I'll put my season up, I've had quite the quandry over what I would choose.

[Deleted]

It's a privateer team running hybrid (either own or customer car)

Works teams would win.

[Coach Ep]

Much like Rodger Davies I'd rather race at famous venues or events than in some 'high regarded' championship or series.

So to go with one of my longtime slogans "Since money is not an issue, we can't afford it" I've decided against a prototype effort and go with a GT or two instead and what better weapon of choice than the new Ford GT! We won't beat the Ganassi boys but how cool would an all Ford podium be at a race on home ground?! And since this is a game I took the liberty of adding the first Ford GT GT3 to my stable!

Here's the projected program:

1x GTE-Pro 1,5
full US 2,25 (Sebring, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, Mosport, Road America, VIR and Road Atlanta are a must! Daytona is good exercise but we'll possibly skip Long Beach and CotA.)
LM 24 1,25
3x ELMS races (Imola, Red Bull Ring and Estoril. Don't care about Silverstone and Paul Ricard) 1,2
WEC Spa 0,5
Ring 24 (let's see if we can beat that Glickenhaus Special!) 0,8
total 7,5

1x GT3 1,25
Ring 24 0,75
Spa 24 0,75
Sebring 0,75
Petit 0,6 (won it over Bathurst since the GTE car is already there)
Zandvoort 12 ('back to my roots') 0,2
Mugello 12 (another Italian pearl) 0,2
total 4,5

All in all makes 12.

Bathurst and possibly Macau + Brno have to wait until next year. Same with a couple of PWC rounds (Mid-Ohio, perhaps Barber).

There's no way I would be driving any of my cars, I would need years and years of training (probably close to a decade or so!) to make it up the ranks and I don't wanna risk my health or even my life by trying to master a car I jump straight in! So who to hire?

[J Jay]

Gotcha. That changes things a bit, here's what I would do...

LMP1-H Non-Hybrid Own Construct Car - 2.25m
WEC Full C/ship (incl. LM24) - 2.5m

LMP2 2017 US Spec Customer Car -1.6m
NAEC-Only US C/ship - 1.6m

GT3 Customer Car - 1.25m
Nurburgring 24 Hours - 0.75m
Spa 24 Hours - 0.75m
Bathurst 12 Hours - 0.6m
Suzuka 1000km - 0.4m
Macau FIA GT World Cup - 0.3m

Total Season Cost - 12.0m

TL;DR Get to the big races, do well, get a reputation for being a privateer that brings their A-game to the A-list events. This paradigm drives my P2 & GT3 choices, where my cars will be going for overall wins apart from the Suzuka 1000km, which is a personal bucket list choice. The Macau GT also makes it in despite being a sprint race because it's the end of the year so why not.

My LMP1 plans take a slightly different tack; I'm riding the ACO's coattails to every Tilkedrome they care to fawn over. I can see the resurgence in sportscars emanating from the works hybrids and I want to be involved for as long as it lasts. However, competing directly against the factories is a fool's game, so to distance my team and hopefully get some airtime/interviews/articles all of my own I'm going non-hybrid.

Basically I'm trying to make a name for myself and my team by doing whatever I think provides the most recognition for my buck.

[Deleted]

Coach: You know I was just going to come and say "well that's a carefully calculated twelve mil out there", but upon more careful checking looks like your LMGTE chassis purchase falls 0,25 mil short of 1,5 million and you are bit over the budget

Anyway interesting lists you, and Jay, and everyone. Different approaches are fun, as can cherry pickings be when for once you've got the chance for such :P

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Coach: You know I was just going to come and say "well that's a carefully calculated twelve mil out there", but upon more careful checking looks like your LMGTE chassis purchase falls 0,25 mil short of 1,5 million and you are bit over the budget

typo, just like the US full series - should be 2.25. Still fits in the budget according to the calculator I used (not my head, I tend to rest my tired brain as much as possible these days!)

[Deleted]

Alrighty, could've checked the sum-ups myself too before mentioning

[Deleted]

Back to something else

You know despite me being quite active figure here and touching many areas of the sport in my posts, dare I admit a secret - these are actually the only events (in all of racing) I've watched in any form this year so far

Daytona 24 Hours (USCC+CTSCC)
Silverstone 6+4 Hours (WEC+ELMS)
Spa 6 Hours (WEC)
Nurburgring 24 Hours (N24+WTCC+PC)
Le Mans 24 Hours (LM24+LEG)

Yeah. Can many here 'beat' that?

Don't really have much planned for the rest either, PLM and odd WEC round and 1000 maybe

Substantial downsizing (minimalism?) has worked

[Ephaeton]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Yeah. Can many here 'beat' that?

'beat' as in have a higher post / watched race ratio than you (only those who watched > 0 races qualify, obviously) ?

[Akrapovic]

I planed to watch a lot more this year, but with F1 being abysmal, I dropped that, and GP2 and GP3 along with it. I dropped PWC after the opening rounds are an unwatchable mess. I dropped TUSCC when it became clear it was just NASCAR in an IMSA jacket.

So this year, I've only watched Blancpain Endurance, ELMS and WEC full time.

[Miguel]

Watched as in actually being there or watch on tv?