IMSA 2021

[truebeliever]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

Likely wrong but my dream is Porsche to model the chassis from the 911 RSR using their screaming engine. Same for Audi to use the R8 LMS as the basis of their LMDH. Love the sound of the Audi GT3 engine my favorite of the active GT3 cars today. Does this Audi DTM engine sounds like the R8 LMS?

Yes, wrong. For LMDh, an OEM manufacturer MUST use the chassis and suspension from one of the 4 LMP2 constructors.

However, I am sure you will see ''allowed for the big names'' modifications NOT allowed for privateers, if there are any privateers. That's how the system works.

[krzysiek_aleks]

I wouldn't be so negative. It will be in OEMs interest to sell "A-spec" cars to keep customers happy. If you will provide worse cars than others, your teams will move away from you.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Wonder if Ben gets two watches if he wins both classes. Entered in LMP2, PR1/Mathiasen and GTD, TF Sport.

And Wynn's getting some hella exposure lately on his cars.

On S365 as image from PR1/Mathiasen so I would guess a possible livery at least.

Originally Posted by gert

Two more images of the car here:
https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/24...n-motorsports/

I really like the view form the side of the car (= 2nd image)

No idea if the line-up was already confirmed.
E-I have it as :Ben Keating, Nicolas Lapierre, Mikkel Jensen & Scott Hufffaker

I have liked a Wynns livery, and this makes the Oreca look great! Besides the P2 and GTD cars, they will be sponsoring one of the Riley P3 Ligiers, lots of purple next year!

[WyldStallion]

Wynns livery is very neat for sure. Favorite will always be on the Ford GT. Reminds me of how great the liveries were back in the day. NASCAR Winston Cup in the 1990's was the peak. There were some cool ones in IMSA too in GTP and GTS classes.

Back to 2021 talk, surprised LMP3 car number color was picked to be orange and not purple. Not sure where that idea came from. They abandoned the idea to line up the class colors with the WEC and ELMS long long ago. LMP2 the exception.

Even though Dec 16 now. Still don't have much details to the plans of teams like Scuderia Corse, R.L.L BMW, among others. I guess with the Roar B4 the 24 not in the first weekend of January anymore, they can hold back until then now.

Still awaiting details about this whole Roar qualifying race too. That announcement was rather vague when it was made.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by truebeliever

Yes, wrong. For LMDh, an OEM manufacturer MUST use the chassis and suspension from one of the 4 LMP2 constructors.



However, I am sure you will see ''allowed for the big names'' modifications NOT allowed for privateers, if there are any privateers. That's how the system works.

That's not how it works at all. The chassis is homologated as 1 per, all Caddies have the same spec and bop, all Acura, all Mazda. Deciding and declaring otherwise it's a blatant baseless claim that shows you don't follow the regs. If you'd like to claim cheating and preference for a car, please show your work.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

Wynns livery is very neat for sure. Favorite will always be on the Ford GT. Reminds me of how great the liveries were back in the day. NASCAR Winston Cup in the 1990's was the peak. There were some cool ones in IMSA too in GTP and GTS classes.



Back to 2021 talk, surprised LMP3 car number color was picked to be orange and not purple. Not sure where that idea came from. They abandoned the idea to line up the class colors with the WEC and ELMS long long ago. LMP2 the exception.



Even though Dec 16 now. Still don't have much details to the plans of teams like Scuderia Corse, R.L.L BMW, among others. I guess with the Roar B4 the 24 not in the first weekend of January anymore, they can hold back until then now.



Still awaiting details about this whole Roar qualifying race too. That announcement was rather vague when it was made.

The announcement for the race was quite clear. There will be a race on Sunday to set the order for the 24 Hour the following Sunday. It's the Motul Pole award 100, 100 minute race for the 2 nominated season drivers. I would guess you get to nominate 2 drivers who would meet the season regs for those only running the 24Hour, ie Silver for GTD and appropriate rating for LNP2 and LMP3. There will be a 15 min quali session for each class and a 20 min warmup for only those drivers entered in the race. Points will be awarded and positions sweet by the finishing order.

What more exactly do you need beyond start time, TV and radio channels? They literally told you everything about the race.

The remaining practice sessions, OTHER than quali and the warmup, will be open to any driver entered in the 24 Hour race. That is 2 sessions on Friday, 2 on Saturday including 2 hours of night practice.

Scuderia Corse will run whoever writes them a check wherever they checkwriter wants. Cooper has a GTE and his GTD Ferrari so he can play wherever. Plus his fleet of Ferrari Challenge toys.

RLL is likely screwed after the 24 and we'll see BMW drop out. BMW usually announces the next year's plans at their banquet but guess that's not happening this year. No news this late can't be a good thing.


Other news, Doug Fehan has left Corvette Racing and GM. From Racer it sounds like he's just leaving after 25 years with Corvette and with GM since 88. S3655 makes it sound like he was pushed out, probably just bad phrasing as all the GM comments are very positive and congratulations for the success and thanks. No replacement named yet.

[fieldodreams79]

NASCAR Cup Series Champion Elliott Joins Whelen Engineering Cadillac Lineup for Rolex 24 At Daytona

https://www.imsa.com/news/2020/12/18...24-at-daytona/

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Other news, Doug Fehan has left Corvette Racing and GM. From Racer it sounds like he's just leaving after 25 years with Corvette and with GM since 88. S3655 makes it sound like he was pushed out, probably just bad phrasing as all the GM comments are very positive and congratulations for the success and thanks. No replacement named yet.

Ugg. 2020 has no bounds.

[skycafe]

Racer/Marshal Pruett reporting Risi Ferrari for Daytona 24 Hours, with Pier Guidi, Ripon, Gounon and Calado driving

[gert]

Hodes - Grist - Rinus Veekay - Ben Hanley for Dragonspeed at Daytona

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...agonspeed.html

[WyldStallion]

Originally Posted by skycafe

Racer/Marshal Pruett reporting Risi Ferrari for Daytona 24 Hours, with Pier Guidi, Ripon, Gounon and Calado driving

No word of plans beyond that yet looks like. Good to see them there still though. GTLM looks like will get one last decent grid. Before it becomes the Corvettes vs LMP3 cars the rest of the year.

Still dont know: nature of BMW R.L.L. effort including drivers. Heard Zero, Nada, Nothing about Weathertech Scuderia Corse.

[gert]

Ryan Briscoe, Ed Jones, Brett Curtis, Marcos Gomes for Scuderia Corsa at Daytona.
Car number 63.

So, no Weathertech entry?

https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/24...de-sa-ferrari/


EDIT:
and confrmed here:
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...-rolex-24.html

[WyldStallion]

Originally Posted by gert

Ryan Briscoe, Ed Jones, Brett Curtis, Marcos Gomes for Scuderia Corsa at Daytona.
Car number 63.

So, no Weathertech entry?

https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/24...de-sa-ferrari/


EDIT:
and confrmed here:
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...-rolex-24.html

Wow every now and then an announcement out of nowhere comes in and surprises us.

I guess Cooper is still trying to sort stuff out.

[WyldStallion]

Would love to see an Update 3 from the NorthAmericanRaceCar web site. For the pro classes this is what I see so far. I dont see much of a point to speculate on the pro-am categories myself. Will leave that to NACR site.

DPI

31 Cadillac Action Express (full time)
5 Cadillac JDC (full time)
01 Cadillac Ganassi (full time)
48 Cadillac Action Express (daytona only)
55 Multimatic Mazda (full time)
60 Shank Acura (full time)
10 Taylor Acura (full time)

-Looks like will be very intense racing in this category all year. These cars are bullet proof reliable now. So 6-7 car field size is just fine. Early pick to win D24 is one of the AXE Caddys.


GTLM

3 P&M Corvette (full time)
4 P&M Corvette (full time)
24 R.L.L BMW (daytona only)
25 R.L.L BMW (daytona only)
62 Risi Ferrari (daytona only)
77 Proton Porsche (daytona only)
Weathertech Ferrari? (who the heck knows)

-Daytona might be the last real GTLM race ever. Can't predict who will win it either.

[broadrun96]

You aren't going to get much news now, expect more to be released well after Jan 1 and likely mostly in the week ahead of the quali race. Just look at any of the racing sites and it's commentary and old series/season/racecar reviews now. People need a moment to breathe and be able to rest.

I would not be surprised to see the second AXR move to enduro schedule pending Ally ponying up some more money. Good Daytona finish from them and I would expect more appearances but enduros only.

[gert]

Veach - Montecalvo and Telitz - Hawksworth at Vasser Sullivan.

https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/za...ing-pour-2021/

[krzysiek_aleks]

WeaterTech Racing moves to GTLM.


WITH PORSCHE!

They'll have partnership with Proton Competition and Cooper MacNeil will run with Richard Lietz, Kevin Estre and Gianmaria Bruni. It's full season entry, but I don't see who's regular second driver.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by krzysiek_aleks

WeaterTech Racing moves to GTLM.


WITH PORSCHE!

They'll have partnership with Proton Competition and Cooper MacNeil will run with Richard Lietz, Kevin Estre and Gianmaria Bruni. It's full season entry, but I don't see who's regular second driver.

Did not see that coming, great news for the class.

[Adam43]

Just seen - crikey!

[gert]

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2021/0...sa-season.html

"several other" factory Porsche drivers to drive that car.

They will not have a dedicated driver alongside MacNeill but I guess they will probably send one that is free from other racing assignment on a race-by-race basis and with Covid-restrictions in mind?

[WyldStallion]

Good to see this from a certain perspective for sure. I think this entry will challenge the Corvettes for most races. Cooper needs to just not get lapped and they could compete with them for most races. I think he will. He has become one of the better bronze drivers out there. Big kudos and lets go buy Weathertech stuff.

The only downside is that GTLM is going to be 6 cars at Daytona. I thought Weathertech and Proton would be two different entries.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by krzysiek_aleks

WeaterTech Racing moves to GTLM.


WITH PORSCHE!

They'll have partnership with Proton Competition and Cooper MacNeil will run with Richard Lietz, Kevin Estre and Gianmaria Bruni. It's full season entry, but I don't see who's regular second driver.

They are the full season codrivers, whoever is available will be in the seat through the season. Guess he won't be sharing his place in the standings

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

The only downside is that GTLM is going to be 6 cars at Daytona. I thought Weathertech and Proton would be two different entries.

Have a feeling this was discussed as soon as Cooper heard they had the chassis coming stateside. And since he is in this car I'm guessing the factory support, co-drivers and package price was better than what Scuderia Corsa could offer with a GTLM package, if they could. And it is exactly what Proton would have been looking for, funding.

[gert]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

And since he is in this car I'm guessing the factory support, co-drivers and package price was better than what Scuderia Corsa could offer with a GTLM package, if they could.

You're close, I think

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/m...-fell-through/

---

The loser in all this is Christian Ried the driver (who would have been aboard the Proton Porsche) but certaintly not Christian Ried the team principal.

[krzysiek_aleks]

High Class will race at Daytona with their ELMS lineup from 2020 (Fjordbach and Anderssen) + Ferdinand Habsburg and, well, Robert Kubica.

[WyldStallion]

Originally Posted by krzysiek_aleks

High Class will race at Daytona with their ELMS lineup from 2020 (Fjordbach and Anderssen) + Ferdinand Habsburg and, well, Robert Kubica.

Ferdinand Hapsburg eh? If the Austrian monarchy still exited he would be in direct line to the crown. Imagine if Prince William drove race cars.