Sea change in world racing.

[chunder]

Now then ladies.

Ignore the username for a moment and listen.

I watched it, enjoyed the qually, and the early parts of the race, went away to do something else, and once the result (for me) was a foregone went away to do other things. But I did enjoy what I watched.

Can't argue with what they are doing with rules, can't argue with what they are doing for FANS. It sounds like they are making a massive effort.

My point though is this.

Nico wins. It is rumoured Nando was prevented from coming. Webber clearly loving it.

Is this potentially the single most significant thing to happen in motorsport for decades, that a current F1 driver comes to LM?

Not only that, he wins.

Is this DRIVERS starting to call the shots in motorsport finally, Not Bernie, not FIA, not sponsors, but guys like Nico, Mark and Nando saying, "we have had enough of this drivel we are being asked to drive".

Fair play to Vijay, and to Porsche and to Nico for having the guts to do it.

I sincerely hope this is as significant as I think it might be. It will do everyone good, and surely this is now as pivotal a time in the highest echelons of motorsport as we have known for decades.

[deggis]

Wasn't sure what to expect after the thread title.

[Stefvh]

don't dream too much, next year Canadian GP will be on the evening of Le Mans.

[Salamus]

Is this potentially the single most significant thing to happen in motorsport for decades, that a current F1 driver comes to LM?

Yes and no.

Formula One drivers have expressed their displeasure with the series for how long now? But all of them stay year after year. If they really wanted to race at Le Mans, they could have quit F1 and signed with a manufacturer.

Secondly, there was a movement that predated what Nico did. That movement was drivers who had tons of talent but never got their opportunity in F1. All of them have P1 or P2 drives now. WEC is just as good a destination as F1 now.

Will more F1 drivers be allowed to do double duty? I doubt it. But I think more drivers will be willing to quit F1 early to get a shot at endurance racing due to the interest and competition.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Stefvh

don't dream too much, next year Canadian GP will be on the evening of Le Mans.

Last time there was a chance of clash always evil FIA blocked it.

In order to preserve the historic date of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which this year celebrated its 90th edition, the date of 14/15 June 2014 has been retained to ensure that a Formula One Grand Prix is not hosted the same weekend.

http://www.fia.com/news/world-motor-sport-council-1

That was after the 2013 date mess, not sure if I remember correctly but it got moved back or forward by a week from the initial date to avoid other GPs after the cancellation of New Jersey GP which caused calendar changes, but then when the European replacement GP was being looked at the only open date in June was the LM date.

[FIRE]

If Hulk would drive for a front running F1 team he would not be at Le Mans.

[J Jay]

Between Salamus and FIRE my point has been made for me - Hulkenberg taking part in and winning Le Mans isn't a major shift in the power balance of F1 or the WEC, but it does open some people's eyes to the alternative that exists to the single seater ladder and/or that multiple events can be raced as long as they don't clash.

[Adam43]

One driver up for LMP:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119530

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by FIRE

If Hulk would drive for a front running F1 team he would not be at Le Mans.

I'll put it differently: he wouldn't have as much power to call the shots. But given his value and the financial health of Force India (which is shaky at best), he can probably do whatever the hell he wants.

Another thing altogether is the availability of professional career options in sportscar racing vs. F1, which is swinging wildly towards the former.

[chunder]

I do think long term, as F1 continues to alienate itself from fans and drivers it appears, WEC wil start becoming an attractive option for acreer drivers.

We all know the series that did in the past like DTM, were you only did it coz you got paid a fortune and might just might get a test drive in a Merc one day. But not likely.

Same as GT racing a few years back really.

But the prototype classes, if they continue to grow and more teams getting involved, the clamour for te best driving talent will come too.

[Giba]

Sadly I still think top F1 teams will not risk there drivers racing in other series as it wasn't that long ago that Kubica had his accident while rallying that effectively ending his promising F1 career

[Deleted]

Quite bit of Le Mans talk at Austrian GP drivers press conference. Not only from NH when they asked the typical questions but in particular Ricciardo seemed enthuastic, "watched about 18 hours -- I'm a fan" Alonso said the same 'maybe next year I don't know' thing, but surely Dennis and Honda will block it again.

That was the first and last bit of F1 media I've watched this year

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Chiana

but surely Dennis and Honda will block it again.

Considering their performance issues, he may have a better case for it next year...

[deggis]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119558

(http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119557)

[WMUCarGuy]

Could the mindset of your post backfire?

We'd like to think an F1 driver coming to Le Mans and winning would bode well for the promotion of sports cars, but given that it was an F1 driver from a backmarker team, couldn't it give off the mentality of "we sent one of our lowliest drivers and he kicked all of your asses"?

[deggis]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

Could the mindset of your post backfire?

We'd like to think an F1 driver coming to Le Mans and winning would bode well for the promotion of sports cars, but given that it was an F1 driver from a backmarker team, couldn't it give off the mentality of "we sent one of our lowliest drivers and he kicked all of your asses"?

Maybe in internet commentary (in fact, already saw a comment or two like that), drivers and teams themselves have to more realistic about this... and Hulk may be in a backmarker/midfield team but he has always been regarded as a driver that deserves a better seat.

On the other hand, this should be a definitive proof that F1 driver can adapt to the category easily if there was still some doubt about that.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by deggis

Considering their performance issues, he may have a better case for it next year...

Agree with this and I genuinely think Alonso has more driver power in the negotiation stakes then people give him credit for.

I do agree with chunder's OP that, while it can't yet be described as a sea change, it's certainly something significant. The stories out of the F1 paddock today were dominated by Le Mans talk.

That cannot sit well with Bernie. So I'd be interested to see what, if anything, he does to counter the momentum in terms of scheduling. Hulk showed that doing GP - Test Day - GP - Le Mans - GP - isn't an issue. It's just whether some schedule conflicts are engineered.

It's also worth noting - this week's Autosport has an entire cover dedicated to Le Mans (never seen that before) and 20 pages of reportage from the race. They've they've massively upped their coverage and that seems to be reflected in the amount of F1/motorsport journos at the race too.

[chunder]

I simply think that as someone who takes a passing interest in WEC, and this year tried to really GET the French race, the over-riding thing I came away from afterwards was of an F1 driver really enjoying what he did and one at the peak of his powers in a single seater, not at the end of his career or young enough to try anything.

OK he was in the best car, a very good team. But he would not have driven for anyone else other than Audi I expect.

A while back you had Lotterer taking a chance with an F1 ride, I can't think back in the 00's that would happen much.

But what DID happen before then was F1 guys doing LM, or guys around F1 doing it. Weidler, Herbert, Martini, Patrese and Alboreto in Lancia, Brundle and Blundell, Bailey.

All these guys were still capable of being in F1 and took factory WEC rides to compensate, and it was good for the series in the mid and late 90's.

It might be now that with the significance of WEC getting bigger, a few guys on the periphary like a Palmer, da Costa, Chilton will rather take a good WEC ride instead of test driver roles or FR3.5. And with regard to ladies racing, surely it would be better for a Wolff or some of the other ladies to get experience here instead of hanging around a pit garage in full knowledge that cameras are going to focus on them eventually as they are women. (Lotus shame on you).

That is the sea change I mean, not full time drivers as that will never happen I imagine. But I do seriously think you might get a few top line drivers asking for LM dispensation in contract negotiations in the future. As as well as being fun, it would be a big pay day.