[WEC] 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship

[Gingers4Justice]

RAM really impressed me in 2013 - think there's a LOT to come from them.

Agree with you Beetle, they'll be competing for victories. I don't think they're the sort of team that would be there to make up the numbers...

[isynge]

Tickets for first three rounds all sorted today; which somehow sounds a bit more impressive than it feels like it should.

Spa impressively good value at under EUR30 for both days, including parking.

[Simmi]

Very impressive Ian. There must be some kind of WEC loyalty card you qualify for.

Nearer the time there must be scope to set up a few mini 10Tenths meets. Certainly a lot of people going to Silverstone.

[dj choc ice]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Alvaro Parente to RAM Racing in the Pro car for WEC alongside Matt Griffin.

On loan from McLaren. Quite a surprise.

Got a lot of time for that announcement - he's a quality addition to the WEC.

That's a cracking line-up, two of the best rising stars of GT racing. If I was any of the other GTE PRO teams I'd be keeping a close eye on RAM racing, I'm expecting them to show up the established order in 2014 and shake things up a bit.

[jasonjessica09]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

That's a cracking line-up, two of the best rising stars of GT racing. If I was any of the other GTE PRO teams I'd be keeping a close eye on RAM racing, I'm expecting them to show up the established order in 2014 and shake things up a bit.

Just with WEC GT had a tad more variety. Its just Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Porsche again just like last year. Maybe that is because GTE as a stand alone formula is going to be making way for GT3 in a year or two?

Yes what we hear is a GTE/GT3 merger but I think after its said and done it will be mostly the GT3 cars left. Which is fine by me I suppose. GT3 is great!!

[dj choc ice]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

Just with WEC GT had a tad more variety. Its just Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Porsche again just like last year. Maybe that is because GTE as a stand alone formula is going to be making way for GT3 in a year or two?

Yes what we hear is a GTE/GT3 merger but I think after its said and done it will be mostly the GT3 cars left. Which is fine by me I suppose. GT3 is great!!

You do make a good point about it just being those 3 constructors, yes it would be nice to have the likes of the new Corvette's along with the Viper's and Z4 GTE's joining the party but apart from Le Mans it probably won't happen. I think it's nice to see a strong privateer joining GTE PRO as opposed to just lumping in with everyone in the AM category.

With regards to the new GT rules, it's too far off to speculate. I just hope they court the constructors accordingly and we have a good variety of cars racing out there with lots of loud, great sounding, great looking GT racers.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

You do make a good point about it just being those 3 constructors, yes it would be nice to have the likes of the new Corvette's along with the Viper's and Z4 GTE's joining the party but apart from Le Mans it probably won't happen. I think it's nice to see a strong privateer joining GTE PRO as opposed to just lumping in with everyone in the AM category.

With regards to the new GT rules, it's too far off to speculate. I just hope they court the constructors accordingly and we have a good variety of cars racing out there with lots of loud, great sounding, great looking GT racers.

I think having a private team join the pro category is equally as big as having another manufacturer. Who knows, maybe another will join next year and when new regs show up in 2016 the class could be quite strong.

[Articus]

Anymore news on the NSX GTE?

[dj choc ice]

Originally Posted by joeb

I think having a private team join the pro category is equally as big as having another manufacturer. Who knows, maybe another will join next year and when new regs show up in 2016 the class could be quite strong.

IMO It's a bit bigger a new constructor joining but having a privateer in amid the factory teams is great news, it would be nice to possibly see a couple of the AM teams making the step up to the PRO category as well to further mix things up. I imagine with a 2014 car and another pro driver 8Star would be a formidable foe for the factory teams along with RAM racing. I certainly know that I'll be cheering RAM at Silverstone, they are certainly the underdog in the class.

I do hope so with 2015/2016 too, I would love to see Mclaren enter the MP4 and Lamborghini the Hurracan but also that we get a few privateers in GTE PRO. Not saying GTE PRO is boring with the factory teams, but there's a lot less likelihood of someone springing a surprise during the race.

[Simmi]

They are going to make us wait but hopefully the new GT regs will create a much bigger and broader range of cars in the top class.

[chernaudi]

From something that I brought up in the TUSCC thread: Would have most races on Saturday help or hinder the WEC? Just like how TUSCC has competition from NASCAR as well as the NFL and MLB on Sunday, the WEC has competition from F1 and the big Euro stick and ball sports such as Football (Soccer in North America) and Rugby.

So could having mostly Saturday races help the WEC with reaching their audience? Even COTA is now a Saturday afternoon/evening race.

[isynge]

Saturday inherently feels like a better day for them. No competition from F1 if there's a clash that weekend, logistics of getting there and back are generally easier without taking holiday, and in the UK as the main football games aren't televised on a Saturday you avoid competition in that area.

Seems like it really should be worth a try.

[Rodger Davies]

No F1 clash I understand, bit I don't think there are many key issues with other sport clashes; the only one to 'worry' about is football and, whilst I can't imagine there's much conflict there, the big matches can take place on either weekend day anyway. I prefer Saturday races though for some reason, especially with enduros it's a pain to work the next day and I would rather start the weekend early than start the week late.

[dj choc ice]

Saturday does feel better, personally it's a long schlep down to Silverstone and the thought of travelling 6 hours when there is work the following day does play on the mind sometimes but it wouldn't stop me going. If I'm honest I would rather a Saturday, have the race start a bit later and go into dusk/night to get the proper Le Mans feel. They did that in 2005 and it is still the best race I've been too, though the cars were a lot more atmospheric back then, lots more noise, more flames etc.

[isynge]

Classic case for Saturday is made by contrasting Spa WEC and Imola ELMS. One's on a Saturday, and we've often gone just for the weekend. Imola is on a Sunday and it's physically impossible to do it without taking Monday off, so I'm not going this year.

Logic seems pretty simple to me.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by isynge

Classic case for Saturday is made by contrasting Spa WEC and Imola ELMS. One's on a Saturday, and we've often gone just for the weekend. Imola is on a Sunday and it's physically impossible to do it without taking Monday off, so I'm not going this year.

Logic seems pretty simple to me.

If the Imola race was on Saturday, it would be physically impossible to do it without taking Friday off (coming from the UK) so I don't really see the difference there? And you could look at flights going in & out of Bologna, going back to the UK saves you an hour as well on the way back, making returning on Sunday night a possibility?

[isynge]

I looked into this! I could get a flight out on Friday night (BA departure at 2025 for example) and then back at any time on Sunday.

Challenge is the last flight back from Bologna on a Sunday night is 1850, which I don't think would work with race end.

Thinking about it I guess the argument could be made that ELMS is a pro-am series, so a Sat/Sun structure works for the gents paying the bills, but obviously this shouldn't be the case as much with the WEC.

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Could Congfu Cheng or Andrea Belicchi be put on #12 Rebellion? Just asking.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Alvaro Parente to RAM Racing in the Pro car for WEC alongside Matt Griffin.

On loan from McLaren. Quite a surprise.

Got a lot of time for that announcement - he's a quality addition to the WEC.

Wow. That's a very strong pair.

Awesome to see a privateer team such as Ram with a car like that. Well we have another Ferrari to harass the Volkswagens

[NelisB]

Has anyone ever been to the WEC test at Paul Ricard? I've just booked tickets and a hotel to go to the saterday test. Any tips?

[Coach Ep]

Is that even open to the public?

[bella]

Originally Posted by isynge

Classic case for Saturday is made by contrasting Spa WEC and Imola ELMS. One's on a Saturday, and we've often gone just for the weekend. Imola is on a Sunday and it's physically impossible to do it without taking Monday off, so I'm not going this year.

this sounds like a challenge... duly accepted

i bet i can do it. without flying anyone but ba (or air berlin at a push for the tier points). i will be in work by the latest monday lunchtime, and i work 90 minutes at least from lhr and lgw.

NelisB - no, but i've been to other sole-use tests there and had to have a very good excuse for being there (ie a pass). having just said that though... http://www.circuitpaulricard.com/fr/.../id/198/page/1

saturday wec races don't really appeal. as a bobblehat i like to see the qualifying and practice sessions as well as the race, and doing lots of that on a friday would seriously put me off. having the elms races on saturdays last year was really weird, especially because everything carried on as normal on sunday around them.

[Pandemonium]

I haven't been to the tests at Paul Ricard I really wanted to go. Yes you can get free passes at the circuit's web page.

[somebodysb2]

Originally Posted by TheNo1F1Fan

Could Congfu Cheng or Andrea Belicchi be put on #12 Rebellion? Just asking.

That'll depend largely on Frankie's schedule next year

Audi China driver “Franky” Cheng Congfu is scheduled to race an Audi R8 LMS ultra for BRT in European GT competitions.

http://www.audir8lmscup.com/en/conte...acing-team-brt

[NelisB]

The WEC test is open on Saturday. So I've scheduled it so I can go the whole day but I'm going to check it out on Friday after flying in and Sunday before flying out. You never know...