FIA WEC 2017 Championship

MagicBoy · 19 Jun 2017 at 20:20

That's a bit harsh, even if it's the letter of the law. I guess the rules are intended to prevent non-homologated bodywork being fitted mid race for an advantage.

In this case if they removed the bodywork to smack the starter motor then they were obliged under the pit rules to stop and restart the engine again with the bodywork fitted again. Which it wouldn't. That or take a series of stop/go penalties each time they stopped. Catch 22.

timmeh · 19 Jun 2017 at 20:25

pacegod said:
Never understood why tv directors seem to think viewers want to see inside the pit garage when there's some good racing going on. I couldn't care less what C list celebrity is in the garage.

Yeah the director seemed to spend more time looking at mechanics, the crowd or the leading Porsche during that epic GT Pro battle.

The commentators were saying that Toyota had put in hundreds of millions of Euros into their LMP1 project. I can't see that being too attractive to manufacturers. It'd be great to see Mercedes and Ferrari back in the top tier of endurance racing.

MagicBoy · 19 Jun 2017 at 20:27

I can kinda see the point - it's marketing and R&D rolled into one. My Dad's comment yesterday after I mentioned I'd watched the race was, "How did Toyota do, they run a similar system to that on my car". He owns a Toyota Hybrid.

Ceryndrion · 19 Jun 2017 at 22:46

just got back from the circuit, spent most of the weekend in the campsite bar, too hot to do much else to be honest, will try and sort out photos later in the week..

Alibaba99 · 20 Jun 2017 at 09:24

Ryan-3 said:
The 2020 P1 regulations will surely drive the big manufacturers away from the LMP1-H category, especially if they're spending hundreds of millions now and this is happening at the biggest race, not only of their racing calendar, but Motorsports calendar. It's a massive sum of money for people to see their cars stranded at the side of the road.

But... come on Jackie Chan racing.

Gutted for Toyota though. I went to bed once the second car gave up the ghost. So close to the pits, yet so far.

The current LMP1-H regulations haven't been attracting the major manufacturers to WEC either. The combined spend of Audi and Porsche was rumoured to be around $500M which is huge for the amount of exposure that the teams get.

MagicBoy said:
It's worth the teams keeping the cars running where possible as it's WEC class points. 22nd overall and 10 laps down will still be 2nd in LMP1 , with lots of points towards the championship.

Once the non championship cars are removed from the standings the teams and drivers only receive points for the actual finishing position, not their position in class. This is a change from last year.

rodenal · 20 Jun 2017 at 12:49

Porsche must have a significant amount invested in it even outside of running the cars too - they have their own VIP centre, assumedly free invites and probably accomodation to go with it, lots of track branding and a whole series of shuttle cars around the track etc

JRS · 20 Jun 2017 at 16:47

If this is genuinely what did for the Toyota #7 then you've really got to feel for them.

Ceryndrion · 22 Jun 2017 at 18:36

Finally uploaded the main part of the photos from my trip, not so much of the race itself, too hot for that..

https://www.flickr.com/gp/ceryndrion/QS0XBW

Flibster · 22 Jun 2017 at 21:14

JRS said:
If this is genuinely what did for the Toyota #7 then you've really got to feel for them.

Damn... I'm not surprised he moved off with that guy giving him the thumbs up. Glad that chap got fined tbh.

Alex_6n2 · 13 Jul 2017 at 10:59

Ceryndrion said:
Finally uploaded the main part of the photos from my trip, not so much of the race itself, too hot for that..

https://www.flickr.com/gp/ceryndrion/QS0XBW

_ST_7533 ..... lol

rodenal · 21 Jul 2017 at 10:18

So what's going to happen with Lmp1 and WEC in a wider sense then? It's not looking good for the next couple of years even if Porsche don't pull out.

Given it doesn't seem like the WEC attracts large TV audiences even including Le Mans (let's face it it wouldn't be on Eurosport if there was a lot of interest) it feels like lack of Lmp1 would really hurt attendances on top of sponsorships etc.

Feels like it's in real trouble to me

Marvin · 22 Jul 2017 at 12:10

LMP1-H certainly looks a bit precarious, but LMP1-Privateer has new regulations coming in 2018 to improve their performance to closer to the H levels. SMP Racing are producing a car, and Ginetta is working on an LMP1 chassis which they apparently have multiple clients for.

As there are only a couple of actual manufacturer teams in the WEC, in some ways they would be better off without LMP1-H and manufacturer whims and politics. LMP1 could be a more unlimited version of LMP2 (entrants can build their own chassis, choose their own engine etc) with fuel flow limits etc as exist already.

rodenal · 22 Jul 2017 at 14:41

I honestly think the manufacturer draw is huge though, LMP2 is a bit of a lost class - impressive rmachinery but nobody seems to really care about it because they want to see Aston, Ford, Ferrari and Corvette racing or Audi/Porsche/Toyota/Nissan.

It's hard to see a real strong marketable appeal for cars that can never carry manufacturer liveries (for those who aren't physically there).

I hope you're right and that it just steadies itself for a couple.of years / the ACO are forced to wake up - I can't stand the thought of formula E becoming ever more popular whilst the WEC dies

Alibaba99 · 23 Jul 2017 at 08:24

rodenal said:
So what's going to happen with Lmp1 and WEC in a wider sense then? It's not looking good for the next couple of years even if Porsche don't pull out.

Given it doesn't seem like the WEC attracts large TV audiences even including Le Mans (let's face it it wouldn't be on Eurosport if there was a lot of interest) it feels like lack of Lmp1 would really hurt attendances on top of sponsorships etc.

Feels like it's in real trouble to me

By that logic there is no interest in the Olympics then.

WEC is only on Eurosport because of Peugeot as they wanted a bigger broadcaster than Motors TV, and then they pulled out.

Marvin said:
LMP1-H certainly looks a bit precarious, but LMP1-Privateer has new regulations coming in 2018 to improve their performance to closer to the H levels. SMP Racing are producing a car, and Ginetta is working on an LMP1 chassis which they apparently have multiple clients for.

As there are only a couple of actual manufacturer teams in the WEC, in some ways they would be better off without LMP1-H and manufacturer whims and politics. LMP1 could be a more unlimited version of LMP2 (entrants can build their own chassis, choose their own engine etc) with fuel flow limits etc as exist already.

It isn't really possible for the LMP1-L (or privateer) cars to really compete with the manufacturers as they just cannot do the aero. When one of the Audis lost its hybrid system last year, it was disconnected and the car sent back out. Despite more weight and being down on power it managed to lap around 5secs a lap quicker than the LMP1-L cars.

LMP2 has only just moved away from a free chassis / engine formula to its new variant this year.

Marvin · 23 Jul 2017 at 10:45

Yes, but the 2018 LMP1 privateer regulations are supposed to close the gap to the hybrids (more power and movable aero - essentially DRS but not just when following another car), probably not fully, but certainly significantly closer. With LMP2 now semi spec, the idea is that LMP1 will be the constructors championship as opposed to the teams championships in LMP2 and GTE.

Unless something major has changed since the last time I checked.

Housey · 27 Jul 2017 at 20:21

I think you'll find that hybrids will be gone...

Marvin · 27 Jul 2017 at 20:53

It's looking increasingly likely. In some ways, I don't mind. Car manufacturers often ruin motorsport by taking everything far too seriously (spending insane budgets along the way) and are notoriously fickle, whilst independent teams tend to stay for the long term.

Housey · 27 Jul 2017 at 21:33

Marvin said:
It's looking increasingly likely. In some ways, I don't mind. Car manufacturers often ruin motorsport by taking everything far too seriously (spending insane budgets along the way) and are notoriously fickle, whilst independent teams tend to stay for the long term.

Agree. Motorsport is worse when built to support the whims of manufacturers. I have been saying this for years and I have never moved from this view. Build something great and they will come, they will never miss out on opportunity for limelight. However, they are corporations so give them too much control and they will ruin your championship without a care in the world. Porsche and Toyota will be out of LMP1 end of this season.

JRS · 28 Jul 2017 at 01:04

Housey said:
Porsche and Toyota will be out of LMP1 end of this season.

R&T are pretty sure that Porsche are going, certainly,

Marvin · 28 Jul 2017 at 08:02

Porsche have announced they're leaving LMP1 at the end of 2017 to join Formula E and to focus more on GT.

Toyota are now considering their position.

The WEC is now concerned about its world championship status.

I guess that's the end of LMP1H then.

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