[WEC] WEC 2021 season

[Adam43]

I thought it was fun too, but it wasn’t me it is the actual name on the FIA WEC BoP sheet! See link.

[Mike E]

No great surprise to see Fuji dropped again.

I hope they use the outer circuit for the 6 hour race, just for a bit of variety.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2021/0...i-in-2021.html

[Gingers4Justice]

Does anyone know where I can access data about stint length, average sector times etc by driver and team? One thing I’ve tried to do this year is really get my head around the pace of silver and bronze drivers so I can read the races better, but it’s not easy to do.

[canaglia]

quite predictable, wonder why WEC doesn't race on abu dhabi considering this year yas marina track will get a new faster layout

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Does anyone know where I can access data about stint length, average sector times etc by driver and team? One thing I’ve tried to do this year is really get my head around the pace of silver and bronze drivers so I can read the races better, but it’s not easy to do.

http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/

[Gingers4Justice]

Anyone else follow WEC on social media? It's the most painful attempt at engaging with the public. Terrible half-jokes gain a few dozen likes, and perhaps the most weird thing is that the majority of its output is wishing some incredibly niche drivers and/or officials a happy birthday.

Comes across less like a world championship promoting itself and more of a closed-door cult, patting anyone who's inside on the back.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by canaglia

http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/

Cheers canaglia. Looks like there's no easy way!

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Anyone else follow WEC on social media? It's the most painful attempt at engaging with the public. Terrible half-jokes gain a few dozen likes, and perhaps the most weird thing is that the majority of its output is wishing some incredibly niche drivers and/or officials a happy birthday.

Comes across less like a world championship promoting itself and more of a closed-door cult, patting anyone who's inside on the back.

Yeah. The use of Franglish language doesn't help matter either. Remember when early on there was a big slogan all over the WEC website that went something like "watch, cheer, vibrate!". I'm still at a loss as to what they meant. I remembered this when I saw a similarly confusing expression in a WEC online post just recently. It appears the same people are running things to this day.

I wonder how big the F1 SMM operation is. They went from zero presence to setting the standard online almost overnight. And a lot of that content they make without any additional footage besides what was part of the Grand Prix coverage anyway.

Of course, the same driver-centric soap opera approach wouldn't work (as well) in the WEC. But the WEC has exciting cars that can help generate content.

PS: correction/update. LMEM have just hired a new communications head: https://www.fiawec.com/en/news/lmem-...nications/7085

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

"watch, cheer, vibrate!"

They must really enjoy the racing

[Pandamasque]

I googled it. It was actually "Discover, Follow, Vibrate"

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

I googled it. It was actually "Discover, Follow, Vibrate"

what's strange? I can see a clear link...
it's however about electric engines powered by a battery afterall

[Graham Goodwin]

Details of Bahrain double-header confirmed

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2021/0...confirmed.html

[Pandamasque]

Using the same layout for both races seems like a major missed opportunity. I'd go for an experimental layout for the daylight-only 6h race.

On a different note, is it just me, or Bahrain is less suited for night racing than other tracks? With the monotone surroundings I sometimes find it difficult to tell corners apart in the dark.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

Using the same layout for both races seems like a major missed opportunity. I'd go for an experimental layout for the daylight-only 6h race.

On a different note, is it just me, or Bahrain is less suited for night racing than other tracks? With the monotone surroundings I sometimes find it difficult to tell corners apart in the dark.

Then you will be pleased to hear :
'The green flag for the race will be dropped at 14:00 and last until 22:00, the race finishing under the Bahrain circuits floodlights.'

[WyldStallion]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

Using the same layout for both races seems like a major missed opportunity. I'd go for an experimental layout for the daylight-only 6h race.

On a different note, is it just me, or Bahrain is less suited for night racing than other tracks? With the monotone surroundings I sometimes find it difficult to tell corners apart in the dark.

IMSA made the same mistake when they scheduled back to back Watkins Glen rounds. Same layout on both.

Does anybody actually like the Bahrain race? Must be the country paying WEC lots of $$$$ for this. And what they gain for it who knows.

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

IMSA made the same mistake when they scheduled back to back Watkins Glen rounds. Same layout on both.

Does anybody actually like the Bahrain race? Must be the country paying WEC lots of $$$$ for this. And what they gain for it who knows.

bahrain and other middle-east states like qatar and else are basically dictatorial countries, they pay to host motorsport races and other mainstream events like fifa world cup just to get international prestige and visibility....
but let's say that unfortunately this is their "nature" somehow since these middle east countries never knew democracy... the big joke is FIA that promotes gender equity, safety driving etc... but doesn't mind to get big money from countries that basically have little or not cognition at all of human rights (just to be clear, it's not about only middle east, I would include european states like russia and hungary as well).
Back in topic I would had included abu dhabi as last race instead of double bahrain, considering also this year yas marina track has a new and faster layout.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by canaglia

Back in topic I would had included abu dhabi as last race instead of double bahrain, considering also this year yas marina track has a new and faster layout.

This has been requested a few times previously, to no avail. I assume Abu Dhabi don't see any need to throw money at the WEC for it, given that they already end the F1 season.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

IMSA made the same mistake when they scheduled back to back Watkins Glen rounds. Same layout on both.

Does anybody actually like the Bahrain race? Must be the country paying WEC lots of $$$$ for this. And what they gain for it who knows.

In IMSA's defence the Glen's only other alternative layout is quite short. Bahrain has eleventy thousands of possible layouts. There's got to be a suitable one in there somewhere.

I always assumed Bahrain's place on the calendar was due to financial reasons, let alone that place being an 8-hour season finale. The track produces decent F1 races, but in an endurance race the sea of beige gets old pretty quickly.
+ what canaglia said. I can't agree more. Although, I wouldn't lump Hungaroring into the same mix. Its place in calendars is more to do with tradition and continuous business relations between the local organizers and the sporting bodies. And the recent anti-liberal tendencies, while alarming, are part of a bigger populist trend sweeping through western democracies. This is not on the same level as using oil and gas money to make a series overlook journalists being cut into pieces and buried in gardens, or war crimes being "secretly" committed in neighbouring countries. A man linked to the latter went as far as naming a recent LMP1 car using his initials...

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by J Jay

This has been requested a few times previously, to no avail. I assume Abu Dhabi don't see any need to throw money at the WEC for it, given that they already end the F1 season.

is also gulf 12H financed by abu dhabi government?

Anyway there is dubai autodrome too that it's a great and underrated track.
Not to consider that remaining in europe, there are also other tracks with still a decent weather in late september/early october like montmelo and paul ricard at example.
The double bahrain race is clearly the cheapest option.

[Pandamasque]

I'd like some of the Middle East races to move to Australia and Africa, when health situation allows. It's a world championship after all. Imagine a WEC endurance race in Phillip Island! What an epic circuit https://youtu.be/m-odzPmTff4 Not quite Bathurst level, but LMH in Bathurst isn't happening, except maybe in one of the alternate worlds of Rick and Morty.

Unless I dreamt it all up, we came close to seeing a Kyalami WEC round. I really hope that comes back.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by canaglia

is also gulf 12H financed by abu dhabi government?

The double bahrain race is clearly the cheapest option.

I assume it is in part, albeit not overtly. Someone more knowledgeable than me would have to show what they know about Driving Force Events, who run the race under the "Gulf 12H" banner.

In a sense, the Bahrain double-header is the cheapest option (logistically) for all involved - except the Bahrain state!

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

I'd like some of the Middle East races to move to Australia and Africa, when health situation allows. It's a world championship after all. Imagine a WEC endurance race in Phillip Island! What an epic circuit https://youtu.be/m-odzPmTff4 Not quite Bathurst level, but LMH in Bathurst isn't happening, except maybe in one of the alternate worlds of Rick and Morty.

Unless I dreamt it all up, we came close to seeing a Kyalami WEC round. I really hope that comes back.

Those are great options that the fans would all love, but the fans aren't (directly) paying the organisers to make it all happen. Every series has its way of balancing the books, and for the WEC it means that there won't be much movement from the current calendar. Honestly, I can't ever see a WEC race being held in Australia.

If Porsche are willing to pony up the Rand though, Kyalami would be a treat!

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by J Jay

If Porsche are willing to pony up the Rand though, Kyalami would be a treat!

I know Porsche owns the facility, but was it actually Porsche financially backing the event?

[Mike E]

Kyalami was on the calendar until everything went bad.

https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/r...84903/4984903/

[S griffin]

It probably is unlikely to return at this time

[canaglia]

calendar is basically made by manufacturers...
guess everyone of them will push to come back in china as soon as possible