|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
29 May 2019, 18:19 (Ref:3906797) | #276 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 1,442
|
I'm not too thrilled by the lack of variety in LMP2 and LMP3 but there's no denying the classes are thriving. Full ELMS grids, over-subscribed LMP2 in WEC by all accounts, ALMS doing well, support LMP3 series healthy.
Privateer LMP1 also managed to deliver 6 cars (now 5) at very short notice and there may be more in 19-20. GT3 continues to boom. DPI has shown a cost-effective way for manufacturers to badge good-looking and good-sounding prototypes. The only stuff struggling is where manufacturer, factory entries are sought, ie LMP1-H and GTE. By decoupling from FIA (and thus from the requirement to have factory teams and to run in places like Bahrain) the ACO can hopefully concentrate on a thriving privateer/customer scene. Their next brave step needs to be to open up to GT3, IMO. I would personally be quite happy to watch a Le Mans consisting of privateer LMP1s, DPIs, customer LMP2s and a mix of factory-backed and customer GT3s. More variety, more sustainable, more interesting. |
||
__________________
I like taking pictures of cars going round tracks, through forests and up hills. |
29 May 2019, 19:11 (Ref:3906818) | #277 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,955
|
Yes, 2017 was the only year I was half way interested in LMP2, because of what happened at Le Mans along with Rebellion being there. Rebellion vs Chan/Jota was pretty cool. But going back to the start of 2018, the class is an after thought in my head at least. Now the whole series is about to become that with Ford and BMW leaving a big hole in GTE.
|
|
|
29 May 2019, 19:52 (Ref:3906830) | #278 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 15,562
|
Toyota already has ran above 900kg (904), which is nearly 30kg heavier than their initial weight. It's also about 90kg heavier than the Rebellion and now ByKolles.
|
|
|
29 May 2019, 20:01 (Ref:3906832) | #279 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,926
|
Yet that's done next to nothing to seriously bridge the gap between privateers and Toyota (the factory team). It's just as bad as when Audi where the only full factory team in the ALMS during their 14 race long winning streak from 2000-2001, let alone their dominance at Le Mans during the same period of time.
Yeah, when this is ancient history, some of us will look back fondly at what's happened. But I do think that there has to be some acceptance that Toyota were going to dominate when Audi and Porsche left. As good as the private teams may be, they don't have the cars, tech or resources that TMG have. Even if you took the hybrid systems off the Toyotas, they'd still be out front by a pretty significant margin, just due to how developed the cars chassis, engine and aero are. |
||
__________________
Power to me is having the ability to make a change in a positive way. Don't dream it, be it. |
29 May 2019, 21:56 (Ref:3906843) | #280 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 18,692
|
Well the new rules in 2021 need to bridge that gap. The difference with Audi dominating in ALMS is the series was still relatively new
The problem is not enough teams have the budget to beat Toyota. This era won’t be remembered as fondly as other eras. Not that you can blame Toyota Actually getting rid of hybrids might help bridge that gap, then we’d see who had the best chassis/engine package, rather than best PU |
|
__________________
He who dares wins! He who hesitates is lost! |
30 May 2019, 03:17 (Ref:3906871) | #281 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,232
|
I can now picture a headline in 2020: "Privateer wins Le Mans".
Then later in the article there is a passage saying that Toyota's minimum weight was 3000 kg. |
|
|
30 May 2019, 06:00 (Ref:3906880) | #282 | ||||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 8,611
|
Quote:
I’m the same. With the restriction on chassis entries and engine choice I miss the one off cars that raced in the 2000s. Those smaller efforts characterised the category back then. However the drivers and teams in LMP2 these days make up for that. There’s a good mix of experienced pros, younger drivers making their mark and various levels of talent in the gentlemen drivers rank. Thus there’s always something of interest for me. Quote:
Lol |
||||
__________________
Somebody asked if the McLaren F1 was going to be like the Ferrari F40, Gordon Murray replied, "I don't think so, there's no one at McLaren who can weld that badly." |
30 May 2019, 06:49 (Ref:3906884) | #283 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 18,692
|
I feel LMP2 is too restricted. It was lot better when it was more open to competitors. The only saving grace is the drivers and teams in it as you say. It's a shame it has gone a bit downhill
|
|
__________________
He who dares wins! He who hesitates is lost! |
30 May 2019, 17:48 (Ref:3907013) | #284 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,450
|
Jota Sport name returns, with Dragonspeed driver line up.
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2019/0...ort-oreca.html Also... 'DSC expects a further (and positive) announcement about the Jackie Chan DC Racing team for 2019/20.' Obviously they will be running the Ginettas. *runs and hides* |
||
|
30 May 2019, 21:00 (Ref:3907053) | #285 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,137
|
On Autosport
https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/1...-jota-for-1920 Quote:
Or in other words: 1 of the Jackie Chan DC Jota LMP2 cars will be gone? |
|||
|
30 May 2019, 21:28 (Ref:3907063) | #286 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,054
|
Quote:
I'm not technically minded enough to care much about the cars. I can like the way they look/sound/corner like they're on rails, but it's the teams and drivers I really care about. GTs however... that's where my love of the car blooms. I also care about the teams and drivers, but the I care about the car far more than in the prototypes classes! |
|||
|
30 May 2019, 22:13 (Ref:3907065) | #287 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,179
|
Quote:
The only other team that could run those cars is United. Who knows, maybe they smell that the 2020/21 season with only privateers. |
|||
|
31 May 2019, 14:49 (Ref:3907176) | #288 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,926
|
SC365 says no Multimatic entered Ford GTs in the WEC next season, though they and Ford will support anyone else who wishes to run them.
|
||
__________________
Power to me is having the ability to make a change in a positive way. Don't dream it, be it. |
1 Jun 2019, 17:16 (Ref:3907319) | #289 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 15,562
|
I thought that was already said? We knew it wasn't going to be a factory car or anyone associated with the factory running it. The hope is someone steps up to PRO with one, like Keating with his AM entry for LM jumping up a level.
|
|
|
1 Jun 2019, 18:43 (Ref:3907364) | #290 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,926
|
Some were probably hoping that Ganassi or Multimatic would run the cars themselves as privateers, but evidently, that won't happen.
|
||
__________________
Power to me is having the ability to make a change in a positive way. Don't dream it, be it. |
2 Jun 2019, 20:19 (Ref:3907578) | #291 | |
Registered User
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 10,744
|
So the entry list for the 2019-20 season will be released during the ACO press conference on race week Friday.
|
|
|
4 Jun 2019, 12:33 (Ref:3907863) | #292 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,450
|
Quote:
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2019/0...0-fia-wec.html |
|||
|
4 Jun 2019, 12:58 (Ref:3907870) | #293 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,955
|
Quote:
The big story is just 3 GTE makes for the entire class both pro and am. Porsche, Aston, and Ferrari. Not good at all. |
||
|
4 Jun 2019, 13:37 (Ref:3907884) | #294 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,450
|
Yes, could have done with someone running a Ford.
Who else might take the plunge in the near future? Lambo? McLaren? Or will it just end up switching to GT3 with some sort of ACO-specific BoP or modifications to save face? Going back to the failed GTE/GT3 unification talks, and the lunacy of building cars to both specs, Ferrari and Aston side-stepped the problem by building cars that can be converted from one to the other. Not an option for Porsche right now but maybe there is a way forward here. |
||
|
4 Jun 2019, 14:27 (Ref:3907891) | #295 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,955
|
Quote:
|
||
|
4 Jun 2019, 14:54 (Ref:3907899) | #296 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,308
|
The 911 is viable as a GT3 car in much closer to production form than as a GTE car, the economics don't make sense.
|
|
|
4 Jun 2019, 15:07 (Ref:3907902) | #297 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,450
|
Quote:
Also, if you are fully committed to GTE, the regulations are a barrier to entry to other manufacturers, which keeps the field thin and increases the chances of you winning. Furthermore... If the ACO were to move to GT3, they would have to manage a flood of applications, which they don't have space for, and some weird politics with SRO. Anyway, wrong thread... Last edited by Mike E; 4 Jun 2019 at 15:13. |
|||
|
4 Jun 2019, 15:53 (Ref:3907912) | #298 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,955
|
Quote:
|
||
|
4 Jun 2019, 18:56 (Ref:3907935) | #299 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 12,042
|
Keating's restriction on running the GT in WEC was the cost. It sounded like he could have swung the deal if he only ran WEC but it was very late in the entry window that he even bought the GT. Apparently it is his chassis though so I wouldn't be surprised to see it in a few events pre LM, possibly just Sebring next season
Last edited by broadrun96; 4 Jun 2019 at 19:03. |
|
|
4 Jun 2019, 19:15 (Ref:3907939) | #300 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 1,442
|
If WEC/ACO/FIA aren't careful then the IGTC will take over as the de-facto GT makes championship. As ever, Ratel seems to have seen very clearly which way the wind is blowing.
Factory-backed teams from as many as ten manufacturers running a worldwide series covering Bathurst, Laguna Seca, Spa, Suzuka and Kyalami looks a lot more like a GT world championship than WEC does at the moment. |
||
__________________
I like taking pictures of cars going round tracks, through forests and up hills. |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
[LM24 Race] 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans: ACO/FIA WEC '18/'19 Season Finale | chernaudi | 24 Heures du Mans | 1994 | 13 Mar 2020 14:28 |
[WEC] 2018-2019 WEC Super Season | hondafan37 | ACO Regulated Series | 2143 | 11 Jun 2019 19:03 |
[Official] 2019 Season Launch/ Pre-Season Testing Thread | ScotsBrutesFan | Formula One | 248 | 16 Mar 2019 11:11 |
Sebring 12H + WEC 2019 | Coach Ep | Marshals Forum | 10 | 7 Nov 2018 15:37 |
WEC round 8: Six Hours of Bahrain---WEC season finale. | chernaudi | ACO Regulated Series | 212 | 23 Nov 2015 22:17 |