[ELMS] ELMS Discussion

[gert]

Paul Loup Chatin has tested positive on Covid19 and will not be at Monza.
Replacement driver TBD.

https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/el...f-au-covid-19/

[TheMightyM]

The 2021 ELMS schedule is out:

Apr. 12-13 – Official Test (Barcelona)
Apr. 17-18 – 4H Barcelona
May. 15-16 – 4H Red Bull Ring
Jul. 10-11 – 4H Monza
Aug. 28-29 – 4H Le Castellet
Sep. 18-19 – 4H Spa-Francorchamps
Oct. 23-24 – 4H Portimao

No Silverstone date (!). Brexit fallout?

[Akrapovic]

ACO have wanted rid of it for ages, but it'll come under the whole COVID situation. Despite Spain being as big a warzone as here, etc etc.

[S griffin]

Yeah it's not even on the WEC calendar

[peebee2]

Treat people like **** long enough and they won’t want to come back to your ‘famous’ facility. Doubtless the management will be nonplussed.

And the disastrous split pit/paddock layout also plays a big part.

I’m also sure Brexit must play a part too.

[gert]

Originally Posted by gert

Paul Loup Chatin has tested positive on Covid19 and will not be at Monza.
Replacement driver TBD.

https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/el...f-au-covid-19/

Minassian will drive the car.

https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/el...ez-idec-sport/

[Aysedasi]

Great to see him back in a race car.....

[gert]

As already posted in the WEC 2021 topic.
https://tentenths.com/forum/showthre...154739&page=13

The new driver pairing regulations will also have an impact on the LMS LMP2 field.

Of the 15 LMS LMP2 runners currently at Monza

5 would be good-to-go under 2021 regulations:
* #25 Algarve Pro: Falb (B) - Trummer (G) - Aubry (G)
* #27 Dragonspeed: Hedman (B) - Hanley (G) - Milesi (S)
* #34 Inter Europol: Smiechowski (S) - Binder (S) - Isaakyan (G)
* #37 Cool: Lapierre (P) - Borga (S) - Coigny (B)
* #50 Richard Mille: Calderon (S) - Floersch (S) - Visser (S)

3 would be OK if they add an extra driver:
* #20 High Class: Fjordbach (S) - Andersen (B) -> can add any category
* #22 United: Hanson (S) - Albuquerque (P) -> needs a silver or bronze
* #35 BHK: Dracone (S) - Campana (G) -> needs a silver or bronze

7 would have to change at least one driver:
* #24 Algarve Pro: Enqvist (S) - Lancaster (G) - Maini (G)
* #26 G-Drive: Rusinov (G) - Jensen (S) - Vergne (P)
* #28 IDEC: Lafargue (S) - Chatin (G) - Bradley (G)
* #30 Duqueine: Gommendy (P) - Hirschi (G) - Tereschenko (S)
* #31 Panis: Canal (S) - Jamin (G) - Stevens (P)
* #32 United: Owen (S) - Brundle (G) - Van Uitert (G)
* #39 Graff: Allen (G) - Laurent (G) - Cougnaud (S)

This now disappeared entry would also be outlawed:
#21 Dragonspeed: Rojas (G) - Hanley (G) - Buret (S)

[Graham Goodwin]

The 'proposed' LMP2 driver line-up change is not happening

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...-line-ups.html

[gert]

The decision has already been reversed

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...-line-ups.html

That clarification comes after an evening of anger and upset expressed by teams and drivers following the publication of the latest FIA World Motorsport Council communique

What a surprise :/


Instead, a Pro-Am subclass will be created with a separate podium and trophies.

[tux]

Maybe if we kick up the same fuss they will bring back Silverstone and scrap GTE for GT3?

[Adam43]

The difference is we’re not an entrant.

[Graham Goodwin]

Podcast incoming from Gerard Neveu where he explains exactly why Silverstone is dropped

[GT6]

Well i hope they have a good reason for dropping silverstone, always enjoyed the race on the weekend of the main WEC race

[Aysedasi]

On a lighter note, did anyone catch the Le Mans Cup race this afternoon? Cracking watch. Three safety cars and plenty of good scrapping, particularly in the GT3 lead battle. If you don't watch the cup, those 2 hour races are great fun, particularly if you're a fan of LMP3s, which I am.

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by GT6

Well i hope they have a good reason for dropping silverstone, always enjoyed the race on the weekend of the main WEC race

Judge for yourself

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...u-podcast.html

[gert]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

On a lighter note, did anyone catch the Le Mans Cup race this afternoon? Cracking watch. Three safety cars and plenty of good scrapping, particularly in the GT3 lead battle. If you don't watch the cup, those 2 hour races are great fun, particularly if you're a fan of LMP3s, which I am.

I did.

It was very good, apart from maybe the first 40-something minutes. Not much racing and too many stupid accidents.
The last 80 minutes were great to watch though.

Excellent move by Hörr on Cauhaupe for the lead, and with great championship implications as well.
Superb battle between Andlauer and Schiro in GT as well.

Great fightback from Kapadia after falling back from 2nd to dead last (due to a puncture?) after a first lap pitstop.
A shame that car retired on the out lap for the 2nd driver.

[gert]

Lap 1 and Rusinve is beached on the curb and goes a lap down, Hanson in the gravel and down to 13th

Safety car, and Jamin hits Hirschi.

Jamin takes the lead and immediately pits


Fjordbach is flying and goes from 5th to 1st in one lap and a half.

[tux]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

Judge for yourself

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...u-podcast.html

Thanks for posting the link Graham much appreciated. Sad to hear,didn’t sound optimistic about coming back for a while.

[gert]

Dragonspeed has been disqualified, High Class Racing now takes 3rd after a very good drive from both Fjordbach and Andersen that had them leading 71 of the 135 laps.

Fjordbach had the 7th fastest lap of the entire race, faster than Van Uitert, Brundle, Stevens, Hanley, Laurent, Owen, Bradley, Gommendy, Lancaster and many others.
Not too bad for a silver driver.
(OK, Jensen en Hanson are also silver and were even faster)

[TheMightyM]

Originally Posted by gert

Dragonspeed has been disqualified, High Class Racing now takes 3rd after a very good drive from both Fjordbach and Andersen that had them leading 71 of the 135 laps.

Fjordbach had the 7th fastest lap of the entire race, faster than Van Uitert, Brundle, Stevens, Hanley, Laurent, Owen, Bradley, Gommendy, Lancaster and many others.
Not too bad for a silver driver.
(OK, Jensen en Hanson are also silver and were even faster)

It wouldn’t be an ACO race without a disqualification…

[Deleted]

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...c-in-2021.html
The very final exception finally leaves the Oreca Le Mans class, most likely meaning every entry next year has the same spec car, same spec engine, and same spec tires. It's like Formula 2, finally! Only with fake silver drivers, sub category for non-fake-silver-bronzes, more disqualifications, glorious clone chassis rebrandings such as Aurus, and lowered performance levels. And at least F2/GP2 sort of warms up the atmosphere before Grand Prix.

[gert]

https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/el...s-2021-part-1/
https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/334458-2/

Endurance-Info suggest for 2021:

United Autosports:
will be back with at least 1 , probably 2 LMP2s. Probably some new drivers since Albuquerque is looking at WEC+IMSA, and there have been tensions between the 2 driver lineups. At least 1, probably 2 LMP3s.

G-Drive/TDS:
Are heading for a divorce. TDS is looking to be back in LMP3 and will see what can be done for LMP2

Panis:
1 LMP2 expected. A second is possible, but in conjuction with another team/structure.

Graff:
1 LMP2 likely, 1 or 2 LMP3s. Extra car with SRT41 likely for the 2 races preceding Le Mans.

Duqueine:
looking at WEC, ELMS or maybe even both

Cool:
status quo: ELMS with same drivers. LMP3 car possible with maybe current MLMC drivers. End of WEC programme

High Class:
WEC or ELMS? Would like to hold on to Kenta Yamashita. Huge fine for missing Bahrain is ****ing them off. May look at IMSA for select races, or instead of European programme.

IDEC:
hoping to be back with LMP2. LMP3 likely for MLMC. Nothing decided as of yet.

Richard Mille:
will continues, most likely in ELMS and not WEC

Algarve Pro:
favorites to land G-Drive programme. Will likely include Mehri. 2nd car targeted for Falb.

Inter Europol:
LMP2 programme moves to WEC. Probaly 2 LMP3s in ELMS

Dragonspeed:
1 LMP2 in WEC. No news for ELMS or IMSA programmes

BHK:
1 LMP2 planned + 1 LMP3 likely

Carlin:
not expected to be back

Phoenix:
may add ELMS to planned Asian LMS programme

[gert]

Anyone knows what is (or was) going on at United Autosports?
There were some rumours before that there have been some tensions between the driver crews.

Lately in some French media there was speculation that there has been a major fallout. Not everyone seemed to be happy that everything in United evolves around Phil Hanson, and now there are reports that only Hanson will return and all others will not.
Albuquerque is off to IMSA, so maybe he cannot combine both.
But also Van Uitert, Brundle and Owen would be out, then?

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by gert

Anyone knows what is (or was) going on at United Autosports?
There were some rumours before that there have been some tensions between the driver crews.

Lately in some French media there was speculation that there has been a major fallout. Not everyone seemed to be happy that everything in United evolves around Phil Hanson, and now there are reports that only Hanson will return and all others will not.
Albuquerque is off to IMSA, so maybe he cannot combine both.
But also Van Uitert, Brundle and Owen would be out, then?

https://twitter.com/UnitedAutosport/...535737856?s=19