Quote:
Originally Posted by canaglia
2 mazdas
2 acuras
1 AXR (with sponsor development second possible)
1 WTR
2 JDC
jdc is however a paying drivers business team, their program is about how much and if will be funded by drivers... that basically is the same reason why AXR will field only #31 since barbosa and fittipaldi will retire. AXR is losing both team owner funding, Mr France is cutting back AND Mustang Sampling is cutting back. It has ZERO to do with their retiring from racing. MP reported Mustang Sampling and Barbosa may be back with a smaller program at another team.
About WTR doubt jordan taylor ever received a salary to drive for his father team, likely he got a % from team revenue... now it's just about to know if wayne taylor will have a 2 hired pro drivers or not for the future.
Acura penske and mazda joest are basically backed work teams, but I don't expect to see mazdas or acuras in private hands. Likely you will see one Mazda for an enduro program for the privateer, unless they can only fund a TCR program to support the new Mazda 3 TCR
A huge step behind for the class at all, making the dp-lmp2 class split even sillier
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The class at its most subscribed is not significantly larger than it is now, the losses have been balanced by the newer teams joining. It was never going to be a 30 car field, 5-10 cars was likely the maximum consistent number. I love how everyone wants sportscars to be faster, quicker, more expensive and all out but then don't comprehend there's NO money out there for it. ESM-funded by rich guy and company he ran
Core-funded by rich guy and company he owned
JDC-funded by rich guys and companies they own
Juncos-funded by rich guy and assuming pay drivers without any exterior sponsor markings
WTR-funded by contacts rich guy has with minimal sponsorship
Penske Acura and Multimatic Mazda-fully funded by factory with minimal/zero non-factory markings
Leaves us AXR with Whelen and Mustang Sampling. Sonny Whelen has sponsored various forms of racing for YEARS and has connections with a few drivers and Mr France, team owner. Mustang Sampling apparently had a discounted rate with some team owner money contributed, both have cut back so it couldn't continue in current form.
Previous DP and LMP2/ALMS teams weren't any better with funding. Dyson used companies owned by Dyson family, Audi almost exclusively used Audi branding after the R8, Porsche had Penske's role in bringing in DHL, various team owner business or small contract sections of cars scattered through remaining cars. The biggest sponsor anything has run is Coke on the RSRs and Porsche would fund that team regardless of costs to run.