Michelin Le Mans Cup

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Alessio

The problem is that when you have the ELMS, Blancpain and GT Open, why enter a GT3 in a series with minimal coverage and less prestige like the Le Mans Cup?

ELMS doesn't have GT3 cars anymore. Blancpain and GT Open will never race at Le Mans, or have Prototypes in the same field.

Michelin GT3 Cup is good for those who want to race at Le Mans, but are not at the level of ELMS (a GTE car is much more of a handful than a GT3), and those who want to experience being on track with prototypes without being launched into P2s and even P1s. Maybe drivers like Tracy Krohn would've had far less incidents with prototypes if they had some experience with mixed class racing first.

It'd also be quite intimidating for a new GT3 driver to try and enter Blancpain. That's basically a pro series of 30 cars now. The Michelin GT3 Cup might be an easier starting point that won't involve the amatuer driver being scared out of the way by a works Mercedes or Audi (or driven into by a works Bentley).

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

ELMS doesn't have GT3 cars anymore. Blancpain and GT Open will never race at Le Mans, or have Prototypes in the same field.



Michelin GT3 Cup is good for those who want to race at Le Mans, but are not at the level of ELMS (a GTE car is much more of a handful than a GT3), and those who want to experience being on track with prototypes without being launched into P2s and even P1s. Maybe drivers like Tracy Krohn would've had far less incidents with prototypes if they had some experience with mixed class racing first.



It'd also be quite intimidating for a new GT3 driver to try and enter Blancpain. That's basically a pro series of 30 cars now. The Michelin GT3 Cup might be an easier starting point that won't involve the amatuer driver being scared out of the way by a works Mercedes or Audi (or driven into by a works Bentley).

Fair point, but Blancpain also have the GT Sporte Club for Am drivers to get used to running GT3s before taking on Blancpain fully

[Akrapovic]

That fits very well for those who want to move to Blancpain, but doesn't fit if you want experience with prototypes on track, and a race at Le Mans.

I'd hazard a guess that the ACO aren't offering the teams and drivers enough to get cars in. It's not like we're short of GT3 cars and teams, and the advantages of the series are obvious.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

That fits very well for those who want to move to Blancpain, but doesn't fit if you want experience with prototypes on track, and a race at Le Mans.

I'd hazard a guess that the ACO aren't offering the teams and drivers enough to get cars in. It's not like we're short of GT3 cars and teams, and the advantages of the series are obvious.

Very true.

I think those kind of folks might be going from club Racing to low level LMP3 now though?

[Alessio]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

ELMS doesn't have GT3 cars anymore. Blancpain and GT Open will never race at Le Mans, or have Prototypes in the same field.

Michelin GT3 Cup is good for those who want to race at Le Mans, but are not at the level of ELMS (a GTE car is much more of a handful than a GT3), and those who want to experience being on track with prototypes without being launched into P2s and even P1s. Maybe drivers like Tracy Krohn would've had far less incidents with prototypes if they had some experience with mixed class racing first.

It'd also be quite intimidating for a new GT3 driver to try and enter Blancpain. That's basically a pro series of 30 cars now. The Michelin GT3 Cup might be an easier starting point that won't involve the amatuer driver being scared out of the way by a works Mercedes or Audi (or driven into by a works Bentley).

Great points, I do agree with these. However, I still believe on a purely business front the ROI is not worth choosing Le Mans Cup where there is very little exposure (last year I rarely heard from the series but that may have been just me) compared to Blancpain or elsewhere. This is an assumption on my part though.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Very true.

I think those kind of folks might be going from club Racing to low level LMP3 now though?

Originally Posted by Alessio

Great points, I do agree with these. However, I still believe on a purely business front the ROI is not worth choosing Le Mans Cup where there is very little exposure (last year I rarely heard from the series but that may have been just me) compared to Blancpain or elsewhere. This is an assumption on my part though.

At some point in time, there was going to be saturation in the GT3 market. Perhaps we have reached this point, and with the addition of LMP3 the downturn may continue into the future.

[Mike E]

The ELMS is kind of full up. And LM Cup is an Am series, with every car including at least one Bronze driver per two driver crew.

It runs on the ELMS calendar, which is good, and you get two LM support races.

Also, this must be a motivation to some entrants at least:
"Finally, the 1st GT3 competitor of the Series will be invited to the 2018 24 Heures du Mans in the GTE Am category and the 5 first LMP3 will get priority to enter the ELMS in the LMP3 class."

Sorting drivers and a budget must be much easier when you have a guaranteed entry for the Big One.

[NaBUru38]

https://www.lemanscup.com/en/news/wh...regulation/768

For the 2019 Michelin Le Mans Cup, there will be some new regulations. Most notably "The Michelin Le Mans Cup Committee may authorise one competitor presenting an innovative car in the innovative category (in the same spirit as the Garage 56 of the 24 Hours of Le Mans)".

[Deleted]

https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/1...race-this-year

I don't get this article, or the ACO quotes, didn't they pretty much confirm this last year already... and actually in more prominent words too?

Communication from the ACO has really nosedived recently, you know the unexplained 42 car announcement for Le Mans instead of promised 50, stuff like this, then the GTP/Car-Car regs where nothing's happening...

[Mike E]

What's this now? Individual driver BoP?

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...-mans-cup.html

[Akrapovic]

That is utterly ridiculous.