WEC FIA World Endurance Championship - Page 111

Simmi · 17 Jan 2013, 10:33 (Ref:3190436)

JRM confirm they have put in an entry for Le Mans:

http://www.jrm-group.com/jrm-racing-...s-of-le-mans--

No plans to contest WEC, but seemingly open to a few rounds - probably depending on whether their entry is accepted.

Surely they'll get the nod even though they are just entering the big show. The ACO can't afford to turn away top P1 privateers like this.

TF110 · 17 Jan 2013, 10:48 (Ref:3190447)

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...nce-15316.html says they'll contest Silverstone and Spa.

rich07 · 17 Jan 2013, 10:53 (Ref:3190454)

So JRM at Le Mans without Brabs (as he is looking for a seat elsewhere apparently), seems kind of odd...

lms · 17 Jan 2013, 11:01 (Ref:3190457)

I hope entries will be given to more deserving teams who entered the full season for wec or other championships.

Simmi · 17 Jan 2013, 11:15 (Ref:3190464)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lms

I hope entries will be given to more deserving teams who entered the full season for wec or other championships.

This is the question the ACO has to ask. I tend to agree with you but at the same time I'd still prefer to see a one-off P1.

By adding a couple of rounds before Le Mans teams are trying to sweeten the deal. They speak long-term about Le Mans being a priority so I don't think you can leave them at home.

Rebellion are basically trying the same thing with their second car. But at least they are also in the WEC and ALMS full-time with one car.

Coach Ep · 17 Jan 2013, 12:09 (Ref:3190485)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TF110

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...nce-15316.html says they'll contest Silverstone and Spa.

No, it says that we can clearly expect them to be there (which is not as firm as an announcement from the team itself).

Fogelhund · 17 Jan 2013, 12:37 (Ref:3190500)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmi

This is the question the ACO has to ask. I tend to agree with you but at the same time I'd still prefer to see a one-off P1.

By adding a couple of rounds before Le Mans teams are trying to sweeten the deal. They speak long-term about Le Mans being a priority so I don't think you can leave them at home.

Rebellion are basically trying the same thing with their second car. But at least they are also in the WEC and ALMS full-time with one car.

Rebellion full-time in the WEC doesn't seem so certain.

Motors TV ‏@MotorsTV
Rebellion will focus on ALMS, may not run a full-time LMP1 entry; Pescarolo have gone bust; no word from Strakka or OAK. Uh-oh.
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2h Motors TV ‏@MotorsTV
JRM does not currently plan to enter the full 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship. Bad news for the series - LMP1 will be sparse.

Fogelhund · 17 Jan 2013, 12:39 (Ref:3190501)

Don't know who is most up to date MWM or Motors. They posted this a couple of hours ago.

Motors TV ‏@MotorsTV
Rebellion will focus on ALMS, may not run a full-time LMP1 entry; Pescarolo have gone bust; no word from Strakka or OAK. Uh-oh.

2h Motors TV ‏@MotorsTV
JRM does not currently plan to enter the full 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship. Bad news for the series - LMP1 will be sparse.

Also note, it appears as though there will be just one Toyota for the WEC as well.

http://www.motorsport-total.com/wec/..._13011701.html

Mal · 17 Jan 2013, 13:16 (Ref:3190511)

According to Motors TV

Lotus (Colin Kolles version) will run the full FIA WEC this year with two LMP2 cars. Thomas Holzer and Kevin Weeda confirmed as drivers.

Coach Ep · 17 Jan 2013, 13:25 (Ref:3190519)

@mods: can you move the latest posts (3117-3123) to the FIA WEC topic perhaps? Seem more appropriate over there.

TheMightyM · 17 Jan 2013, 13:26 (Ref:3190520)

JRM and OAK did not make full-season entries. So then apparently only five full-season P1 entries:

2 Audi
1 Toyota
1 Strakka
1 Rebellion

With more for Spa and Le Mans, maybe Silverstone.

Privateer information from Autosport.com here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105159

Simmi · 17 Jan 2013, 13:30 (Ref:3190522)

Just one Toyota would actually be unbelievable. Can't believe they would p**s away such a competitive opportunity.

Truly hope it isn't true. Say what you want about budgets and 'it's nice just to have them here' - it is - but they can't be that fussed about winning things.

Fogelhund · 17 Jan 2013, 13:30 (Ref:3190523)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

JRM and OAK did not make full-season entries. So then apparently only five full-season P1 entries:

2 Audi
1 Toyota
1 Strakka
1 Rebellion

With more for Spa and Le Mans, maybe Silverstone.

Privateer information from Autosport.com here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105159

Motors seems to disagree with Autosport, no idea who is more accurate at this time.

So it seems as though we have;

2 Audi
1 Toyota
1 Strakka

Maybe 1 Rebellion.

Kind of sad when it is a legitimate question as to who will have more LMP1 entries for the year, ALMS or WEC.

Simmi · 17 Jan 2013, 13:35 (Ref:3190527)

Autosport and DSC both reporting Rebellion will have one full season car and a second for rounds leading up to and including Le Mans.

TheMightyM · 17 Jan 2013, 13:51 (Ref:3190538)

Three points I'm taking away from the P1 situation:

1. Le Mans and the run up to it matters. The WEC after Le Mans not so much. Which is to say the incremental benefit of racing post Le Mans isn’t worth the additional cost to several teams — and that’s a very bad sign for the WEC.

2. Toyota just does not place that much value on winning the WEC.

3. Given how weak P1 numbers are looking for WEC this year, it makes me wonder what 2014 will look like. Will we see any privateer P1s then?

Lorenzo S · 17 Jan 2013, 14:01 (Ref:3190544)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

Three points I'm taking away from the P1 situation:

1. Le Mans and the run up to it matters. The WEC after Le Mans not so much. Which is to say the incremental benefit of racing post Le Mans isn’t worth the additional cost to several teams — and that’s a very bad sign for the WEC.

2. Toyota just does not place that much value on winning the WEC.

3. Given how weak P1 numbers are looking for WEC this year, it makes me wonder what 2014 will look like. Will we see any privateer P1s then?

All good points. Your last point concerns me the most though. If pre-2014 P1's aren't grandfathered and if privateers can't get within 1 or 2% of the factories, then I expect Porsche to be racing itself. This year being the last we will see of both Audi and Toyota.

It's a pity P2 can't be made the main category...

Simmi · 17 Jan 2013, 14:20 (Ref:3190550)

It's also I think partly to do with the whopping fine you get if you miss a round.

If you're a privateer team on the fringes you might hope to piece together a programme. Maybe a good result somewhere helps get you that extra funding.

But you aren't going to take the plunge knowing you'll be fined into oblivion by the FIA if you ultimately do end up missing rounds.

Nigma · 17 Jan 2013, 14:35 (Ref:3190554)

This annoys and saddens me greatly. I have no doubt now that Sarrazin will end up racing with 8Star when he isn't in the Toyota. He belongs in P1, not P2 (or at least in my opinion he does!).

Coopz21 x · 17 Jan 2013, 14:37 (Ref:3190555)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigma

This annoys and saddens me greatly. I have no doubt now that Sarrazin will end up racing with 8Star when he isn't in the Toyota. He belongs in P1, not P2 (or at least in my opinion he does!).

GTE-Am driver tbh..

Gingers4Justice · 17 Jan 2013, 16:02 (Ref:3190600)

You can't seem to drum-up post Le Mans interest but Le Mans has to be in June. So why not move the start of the season?

How about an October-June season, or November-June, like A1GP?

Coach Ep · 17 Jan 2013, 16:06 (Ref:3190602)

confirmation of Toyota´s 2013 assault, 1 full- + 1 part-time car:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105168

Lorenzo S · 17 Jan 2013, 16:07 (Ref:3190604)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

You can't seem to drum-up post Le Mans interest but Le Mans has to be in June. So why not move the start of the season?

How about an October-June season, or November-June, like A1GP?

Don't think that would make any difference really. The teams would merely skip the start of the season, do one or two warm up rounds before Le Mans and then stop in June. Until the WEC itself becomes something to covet then it will always be in the shadow of Le Mans. Forcing teams to participate wont work either, the FIA tried that back in 1991/2 and that killed Group C.

Purist · 17 Jan 2013, 16:41 (Ref:3190622)

Enforcing the 3.5-litre formula had MUCH more to do with the 1991-93 collapse. At the very least, you should have to participate in one of the regional series full-time to get a Le Mans invite.

If the uniform GT rules come about, then maybe you could have a certain (small) number of spots available for entries from the Blancpain Series, but I'm getting ahead of things with that.

(Maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world if the Le Mans field shrank a bit, for a time, if it resulted in a core of teams that, even if they are "gentlemen" efforts, are run in a very professional manner. Getting that strong foundation of well-run teams, that participate year-in, year-out for the long haul, could do wonders for the stability and viability of the sport.)

Simmi · 17 Jan 2013, 16:44 (Ref:3190624)

If Toyota are already going to be there with one car - how hard would it really have been to go to Silverstone? Especially given it's a pre-Le Mans race this year. Give the drivers some more seat-time. Get in a wet weather test

Despite everything they did to step in and help the WEC last year, this latest snub honestly makes me less inclined to route for them as a team.

The Badger · 17 Jan 2013, 17:26 (Ref:3190636)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

confirmation of Toyota´s 2013 assault, 1 full- + 1 part-time car:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105168

Unless they pay these drivers a reserve , they wont hang around either .

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