[WEC] 2018-2019 WEC Super Season

[TF110]

I don't see an issue with changing tires and refueling. It's done in other series without huge issues so what's it matter in the wec/Le Mans? Rules change. It wasn't done the way it is currently until the mid 90s. I'm all for faster stops and there's plenty of time to change 4 or however many tires while the car refuels. If they change it or not I don't care either way, it's not really a big deal to me.

As for Rebellion, I hope they do lmp1. If they want their own car and Oreca is the way they go, they may be a ways behind. They don't "run Toyota" btw, just help out in terms of staff and operations (like testing at Ricard). But Oreca have definitely gotten a lot better over the past 5 years so I would be confident in their product coming good. Plus the season starts a month later and there's no prologue you have to attend. That's actually 2 months later if you wanna get technical!

[Coach Ep]

Isn't the test weekend mid April '18? Or is that just ELMS?

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Isn't the test weekend mid April '18? Or is that just ELMS?

Is it mandatory? I'm not sure. Even if it was, they aren't going to turn down Rebellion entering lmp1 because they couldn't show up in time.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Chiana

It's just bizarre how slow they are with LMP1, I mean sure they have lots of other things going on in lower categories as well as running Toyota but c'mon. If people come asking product from you, offer it.

Not sure it's quite that simple mate. If they are already working at capacity, it's not always possible to reassign/divert personnel and resources to a new project. Consider also that they would want the right people assigned to the project, because their reputation is at stake. They will either want to do it properly, or not at all, and that's understandable. Just my 2p

[Irie]

Points system will be tweaked for 2018/19:
1.5x Points for Le Mans
1.25x points for Sebring

Additionaly there will be a LMP1 teams world championship.
https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/1...points-in-2018

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by TF110

They don't "run Toyota" btw, just help out in terms of staff and operations (like testing at Ricard). But Oreca have definitely gotten a lot better over the past 5 years so I would be confident in their product coming good. Plus the season starts a month later and there's no prologue you have to attend. That's actually 2 months later if you wanna get technical!

Yeah I know, it was bit of a simplification but they are still there helping.

I'm sure that the Prologue will be mandatory just like it (and the Test Day) has been for some time now, but obviously force majeure like "car not being ready" have always been options for not taking part.

But since it's a "free" 36 hour test with everybody else around you I certainly think it's something team like Rebellion very much would love to do! IMO it's even more important than making the first race...

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Not sure it's quite that simple mate. If they are already working at capacity, it's not always possible to reassign/divert personnel and resources to a new project. Consider also that they would want the right people assigned to the project, because their reputation is at stake. They will either want to do it properly, or not at all, and that's understandable. Just my 2p

Yes for Oreca's "capacity", I wrote this couple of years ago already
http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....&postcount=543

They are working so over capacity now (especially now that since that post they've been given de facto monopoly in LMP2 too) that they hardly have time for everything.

The AER modding to the 04/R-One probably wouldn't have taken so long were they not so preoccupied everywhere else already - and this is why I think their projected/prospected LMP1 2018 is in such a so-so stage while other marquees are jumping in. Well except for their French sister Onroak which are similarly over-busied with supplying quasi spec categories

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Irie

Points system will be tweaked for 2018/19:
1.5x Points for Le Mans
1.25x points for Sebring

Additionaly there will be a LMP1 teams world championship.
https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/1...points-in-2018

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/t...nts-reduction/
It’s understood a further proposal has been made to potentially alter the points offered for the season-ending Le Mans race in 2019, at a different ratio than the 2018 race, although representatives from the FIA and ACO have declined comment on any matters to the sporting regulations until the final WMSC approval on Dec. 6.

If this were to happen they really would be totally clueless idiots

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by Chiana

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/t...nts-reduction/
It’s understood a further proposal has been made to potentially alter the points offered for the season-ending Le Mans race in 2019, at a different ratio than the 2018 race, although representatives from the FIA and ACO have declined comment on any matters to the sporting regulations until the final WMSC approval on Dec. 6.

If this were to happen they really would be totally clueless idiots

agree.... maybe they should follow IMSA route... just an unique point scoring system regardless of race lenght

[Adam43]

There are arguments either way, but this is an OK compromise.

I’d have the two LMs the same points though. If they do otherwise I’ll get all worked up and cry.

[Deleted]

Have they made indication whether Sebring will be "strictly 1500 miles" or "1500 miles or X Hours, whichever comes first" . I assume the latter, just like the old 1000 mile distance at Petit had alternative 10 hours. Either way that'll mean the strategy (for the lower classes) in terms of fuel won't be clear until the final stages

Also if it indeed still starts at midnight or little after, the sunrise won't be until 07.33 on Sun morning so the darkness-light ratio will be very interesting

Hopefully the upcoming updated sporting regs would clarify things

[TF110]

Haven't saw anything different than 1500 miles. If they go at record pace equal to that in 2009 (which covered over 1400 miles) It'd be done in less than 13 hours, close to 12 hours and 45 minutes.

[Mike E]

Pretty sure I heard it was actually 12 hours. Don't remember where.

[Mike E]

Whatever
http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/ver...mp1f1-en-2021/

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by TF110

Haven't saw anything different than 1500 miles. If they go at record pace equal to that in 2009 (which covered over 1400 miles) It'd be done in less than 13 hours, close to 12 hours and 45 minutes.

Could happen because the LMP1 cars are fast obviously. The field size should be just the full season WEC teams I imagine so no more than 35 cars. Also they don't have the crazy safety car stuff that IMSA shows.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Could happen because the LMP1 cars are fast obviously. The field size should be just the full season WEC teams I imagine so no more than 35 cars. Also they don't have the crazy safety car stuff that IMSA shows.

So you think the LMP1 cars will actually finish the race? New privateer cars and fragile Toyotas will have a hard time at Sebring, I'm betting on a LMP2 win

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

So you think the LMP1 cars will actually finish the race? New privateer cars and fragile Toyotas will have a hard time at Sebring, I'm betting on a LMP2 win

Sebring is a year into the season (weird sentence that one!) so reliability for the privateers should be sorted.

[Deleted]

Yes we can say that it's the 6th race of a season and everyone will have things sorted out by that time more or less HOWEVER let's be honest here. There's four month gap between the last 2018 race and Sebring, that's the regular winter break length we used to have... things happen between breaks. It is effectively another season at that point even if the old points and stuff carry on, people are starting to prepare for LM like it's the regular start for a new year. Which it is...

Having said that, while it won't be as predictable and sterile as the results in the 6 hour races, it also almost certainly won't provide a shocker like LM either. It's the toughest track they're ever gonna visit by far but the traffic density will be very low if you only have the (assumed) regular micro grid there, and so the chances of accidents and whatever will be lower too.

I guess 2011 Oreca Pug level of "surprise" might be in the cards at maximum

[GasperG]

Well you probably can't show up with the whole new car before LeMans, there are certain restrictions what you can modify mid season on the car.

I think we will see some (over)competitive pace for privateers at LM 2018, but endurance, stint length, tyre management won't be on their side. At LM 2019 EOT will be corrected down for privateers, I'm certain.

[HORNDAWG]

Ford to retain driver lineup in '18 ...






ANNOUNCEMENT! You need four super drivers for a @FIAWEC super season so we’re delighted to say that @andypriaulx @HarryTincknell @StefanMuecke007 and @olivierpla are staying with the team for 2018/19. #FordWEC #GoLikeHell




https://twitter.com/FordPerformance/...54331108875509





L.P.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Ford to retain driver lineup in '18 ...






ANNOUNCEMENT! You need four super drivers for a @FIAWEC super season so we’re delighted to say that @andypriaulx @HarryTincknell @StefanMuecke007 and @olivierpla are staying with the team for 2018/19. #FordWEC #GoLikeHell


https://twitter.com/FordPerformance/...54331108875509





L.P.

I guess best hope now is for a 3rd car at Daytona. 4th seems to be out now. Cool that Ford stuck with this line up. They are good. I think Pla could do better though. 2017 was not his best season considering what he is capable of.

[S griffin]

Well if you have a winning combination why change it? I look forward to more success for them in 2018

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by GasperG

Well you probably can't show up with the whole new car before LeMans, there are certain restrictions what you can modify mid season on the car.

But we don't really know yet what constitutes for what.

LM 2018 and 2019, given that there's no "official off season" between them, surely they will have to allow some kind of changes to occur and not freeze everything completely.

And as for later seasons, assuming the future "off-season" will only be like 3-4 months during the summer if the new season starts in September or whatever, will they really be restricting all major development for the next years LM ~9 months in advance?

Let's not kid ourselves, the real goal of everyone is and has always been LM, the rest is just small bonus and/or practice on the side. There will be some sorry faces if program X is possibly doomed year in advance already... ESPECIALLY if you have major 4 month winter gaps in your calendar when nothing occurs, like we have now (I know that the original plan for 18-19 was to have race in January, but that too would've constituted in gap during fall instead)

[Purist]

It will certainly be interesting to see how that stuff is handled in the technical regs and in actual practice.

I think Spa and Fuji still ave a bit of the old magic, but yes, Le Mans is the goal.

And while I support having a British round, Silverstone and the Nurburgring have changed so much that they're hardly recognizable, due to the shadow cast by the Nirdschleife for one, and the fact that Silverstone didn't even join the old WSC until 1976, with Group 6 not arriving until 1979.

The Championship was a different story back when they picked several of the top, existing events to fill out the calendar. You had Le Mans, Sebring (and later Daytona also), Buenos Aires, Nurburgring (on the Nordschleife), the TT (at Dundrod, Goodwood, and then Oulton Park), the Mille Miglia followed by the Targa Florio, plus a few oddballs tossed in from time to time, like Kristianstad, Caracas, and Pescara. Spa and Monza became regulars around the time Daytona showed up on the slate.

Hopefully they get it all sorted and this re-work, well, works out.

[Damian Baldi]

Originally Posted by Purist

The Championship was a different story back when they picked several of the top, existing events to fill out the calendar. You had Le Mans, Sebring (and later Daytona also), Buenos Aires, Nurburgring (on the Nordschleife), the TT (at Dundrod, Goodwood, and then Oulton Park), the Mille Miglia followed by the Targa Florio, plus a few oddballs tossed in from time to time, like Kristianstad, Caracas, and Pescara. Spa and Monza became regulars around the time Daytona showed up on the slate.

It would be so good to have WEC in Buenos Aires, but it needs lots of things get aligned. First, Brazil - Argentina are so close that could reduce costs. But the economic situation here is still difficult. It would need Lopez presence on the Toyota, and last, the circuit is just being resurrected this year after almost being sold and close.

Not bad if we think about costs and logistics, Sebring, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, from north to south, but four races in 45 days I think is too much.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Damian Baldi

It would be so good to have WEC in Buenos Aires, but it needs lots of things get aligned. First, Brazil - Argentina are so close that could reduce costs. But the economic situation here is still difficult. It would need Lopez presence on the Toyota, and last, the circuit is just being resurrected this year after almost being sold and close.

Not bad if we think about costs and logistics, Sebring, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, from north to south, but four races in 45 days I think is too much.

I still want them to go to Potero de los Funes They should skip a few chicanes too! If Lopez is in the car still, that would definitely put people in the seats in Argentina.