[WEC] FIA World Endurance Championship

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by old man

I wonder if the F1 change to SKY is an opportunity for this championship to get onto BBC TV. As most of the present coverage is paid for by the organisers they would not expect a fee from the BBC and we could get this on one of the BBC channels even if it did not make BBC1 or 2.
There is an opportunity here for someone I think

Since when has BBC been aware that there are more motorsports than F1 and MotoGP? Never going to happen, Hell freezing over is more probable.

Also, you would get 30 minute highlights at best.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by old man

I wonder if the F1 change to SKY is an opportunity for this championship to get onto BBC TV. As most of the present coverage is paid for by the organisers they would not expect a fee from the BBC and we could get this on one of the BBC channels even if it did not make BBC1 or 2.
There is an opportunity here for someone I think

I've heard RLM/Midweek Motorsport speculating about the same thing. It's dreaming in my opinion.

BUT. What will be interesting to see in the shake-up is whether the BBC are covering the Canadian race. That opens them up to take people to Le Mans with the Brundles and hopefully DC. That's assuming they are still even connected with the BBC come the start of next year.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

List of Motorsports according to the BBC:

F1
F1
F1
F1
Top Gear Challenges
F1
MotoGP
F1
MotoGP
F1
F1
F1
Whatever dull sprint spec F1 support race they bother to mention or highlight.

So I doubt we will see this championship on the BBC.

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

List of Motorsports according to the BBC:

F1
F1
F1
F1
Top Gear Challenges
F1
MotoGP
F1
MotoGP
F1
F1
F1
Whatever dull sprint spec F1 support race they bother to mention or highlight.

So I doubt we will see this championship on the BBC.

You can add Le Mans to that when someone crashes. In fact, Huffy could win the WTCC and BBC will ignore it. Same could be said for the WRC or the BTCC.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

You can add Le Mans to that when someone crashes. In fact, Huffy could win the WTCC and BBC will ignore it. Same could be said for the WRC or the BTCC.

Yes, but who cares about real motorsports and british teams/drivers winning when you can cover Nico Rosberg picking his nose before the Nigerian Grand Prix, which is what they are more likely to cover.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Yes, but who cares about real motorsports and british teams/drivers winning when you can cover Nico Rosberg picking his nose before the Nigerian Grand Prix, which is what they are more likely to cover.

[Deleted]

The sad thing is that it's true.

Unbelievable headline news on Autosport's front page right now, apparently there will be no ad breaks during Sky's upcoming F1 broadcasts... OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Chiana

The sad thing is that it's true.

Unbelievable headline news on Autosport's front page right now, apparently there will be no ad breaks during Sky's upcoming F1 broadcasts... OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111

I'm not surprised by that as they don't have ad breaks on their movie channels.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Chiana

The sad thing is that it's true.

Unbelievable headline news on Autosport's front page right now, apparently there will be no ad breaks during Sky's upcoming F1 broadcasts... OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111

You have to love the AutoSpit front page:

1 DAYS, 20 HOURS, 40 MINUTES AND 37 SECONDS BEFORE THE HUNGARIAN GP

Hopefully with the sky deal more people in the UK will go to local meetings and BTCC weekends instead of watching F1 on TV. You could probably attend the entire BTCC season for about the same price as the Grand Prix at Silverstone with a good seat. Same thing with visiting WEC/Le Mans, SBK races ect as well as British Superbike.

[Deleted]

Autosport should really consider changing their name to something more fitting, like "F1 Fanboy's Collective" or "Mark Hughes's Eternal Love for Spec Racing"

Btw I believe Sky does have some ads during IndyCar?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Autosport should really consider changing their name to something more fitting, like "F1 Fanboy's Collective" or "Mark Hughes's Eternal Love for Spec Racing"

Btw I believe Sky does have some ads during IndyCar?

It does. They should try to coincide them with full course yellows if they can, like Versus do, which is where they largely get their feed from.

[TF110]

I thought this thread was about Aston Martin, not dump on F1 because it's shown on TV while other motorsports aren't. F1 is known worldwide and is the fastest motorsports. LeMans racing sadly isn't as popular. Hopefully that changes when the WEC comes to light.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by TF110

I thought this thread was about Aston Martin, not dump on F1 because it's shown on TV while other motorsports aren't. F1 is known worldwide and is the fastest motorsports. LeMans racing sadly isn't as popular. Hopefully that changes when the WEC comes to light.

Since when was this thread about Aston Martin (????), this topic was brought up when somebody thought the new deal may mean actual motorsports would appear on BBC, including the WEC. However, as Aerosmith sings, Dream On.

As for popularity, I honestly hope that sports car racing or touring cars never get anywhere near as popular as F1, it would ruin the sport and especially the experience for those attending. No more paddock visits for sure, keeping us evil commoners out.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. Have Eurosport not snapped up an exclusive multi-year deal to broadcast the FIA WEC (I can't remember)?

Eurosport + WEC = Not good.

The problem Eurosport has is that they commit to so many sports that coverage of a 6 Hour race is impossible, because they also have to do WTCC/motorbikes/youth athletics/global tiddlywinks etc.

The BBC has a similar problem, as a non-commerical broadcaster they have to do the sort of things that no commerical broadcaster would touch with a bargepole (e.g. most of BBC4's output and things like Radio 3), so something like F1 has to give.

Personally I think that in the UK Channel 4 would be a good fit for WEC. Channel 4 has more of a - for want of a better word - educated audience which would fit with the technical nature of sportscars. They could broadcast the races in full on More4 and have highlights on C4 itself.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by johntt

Eurosport + WEC = Not good.

The problem Eurosport has is that they commit to so many sports that coverage of a 6 Hour race is impossible, because they also have to do WTCC/motorbikes/youth athletics/global tiddlywinks etc.

The BBC has a similar problem, as a non-commerical broadcaster they have to do the sort of things that no commerical broadcaster would touch with a bargepole (e.g. most of BBC4's output and things like Radio 3), so something like F1 has to give.

Personally I think that in the UK Channel 4 would be a good fit for WEC. Channel 4 has more of a - for want of a better word - educated audience which would fit with the technical nature of sportscars. They could broadcast the races in full on More4 and have highlights on C4 itself.

I was thinking that myself. It's a great fit - show quali live on More4 (with highlights late on Saturday night on C4?), then show most of the race on More4 but show highlights of the race so far and then the last hour or 45 minutes on C4. Le Mans could be a bit more (first 90 and last 90 minutes plus the late night death slots live on C4?). Eurosport are not only a non-FTA channel, they also appear to fail to take it seriously. The WEC could be a big draw on telly, think of it this way - look at the fastest cars in FM and GT.

[JAG]

Coverge will increase as the series profile and the quality of it's grids does.

To make headway sportscar racing needs to put on a mini Le Mans at each of it's WEC rounds. For too long regular LMS rounds have been unrecognisble from the spectacular show Le Mans provides.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by JAG

Coverge will increase as the series profile and the quality of it's grids does.

To make headway sportscar racing needs to put on a mini Le Mans at each of it's WEC rounds. For too long regular LMS rounds have been unrecognisble from the spectacular show Le Mans provides.

I have to agree there - just on the first point, perhaps the Eurosport TV deal is not that good an option.

[JAG]

Eurosport is the highest profile channel that will give Le Mans 24hr coverage.

Anything less is uncceptable, WEC coverage can be covered by a mix of broadcast and streaming from Eurosport and manufactuers own sites.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by JAG

Coverge will increase as the series profile and the quality of it's grids does.

To make headway sportscar racing needs to put on a mini Le Mans at each of it's WEC rounds. For too long regular LMS rounds have been unrecognisble from the spectacular show Le Mans provides.

I agree with this. But how do you make each round a mini Le Mans?

[JAG]

You can start by ensuring the best teams are competing at each round.

You wouldn't turn up to the British GP to find Ferrari and Mclaren missing.

There has been talk about teams possibly being put off competing in the WEC due to the challenge of beating factories, but the rewards are relative.

Would Rebellion or Pescarolo get greater satisfaction and publicity winning the LMS title, or challenging for podiums in the WEC.*


*Assume the diesel/petrol issue is resolved.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

I agree with this. But how do you make each round a mini Le Mans?

Having the races start on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm and running until 9 pm in the evening would be a good idea as well. That way you avoid clashing with F1 qualifying.

Try and recreate some of the pageantry of Le Mans as well, the flags drpaed over the cars, the national anthems, the drivers running across to the cars for the lap before they form up on the grid etc.

Promote the life out of it locally, let kids in for free as well. Have plenty of funfair style activities behind the grandstands and some live music after the race as well.

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by JAG

Would Rebellion or Pescarolo get greater satisfaction and publicity winning the LMS title, or challenging for podiums in the WEC.*


*Assume the diesel/petrol issue is resolved.

Unless they drastically change their machinery they'll have to go for WEC podiums anyway now that P1 will be absent from next year's LMS (or at least Rebellion will have to, at least).

If they get the petrol/diesel thing sorted then it would be a great crowd-drawing exercise to see a privateer getting a shot at beating some works cars.

[courageous]

For the love of god, will somebody PLEASE let me know what the gap should be between
a full factory car developed to the current rules run by a factory team
compared to
a privateer car that is at least 2 years old but based on a design which is several years older run by a good but by no means factory effort team

If anyone can demonstrate through FACTS that a privateer team should be able to compete with a serious factory team then I would love to hear it

[Pandamasque]

A privateer team should have a chance to pick up the pieces when the works team gets something wrong (strategy, reliability, pitstops, accidents). With 10 sec per lap advantage the diesels can have a tea break every hour and still win comfortably.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

A privateer team should have a chance to pick up the pieces when the works team gets something wrong (strategy, reliability, pitstops, accidents). With 10 sec per lap advantage the diesels can have a tea break every hour and still win comfortably.

I disagree. Privateer teams should be able to do whatever the pace, efficiency, and reliability of their cars allows them to do. At the moment, the old and/or underdeveloped privateer P1s do not have the pace or reliability to match the factory teams. Period. The formerly works ARX-01e could have been a legitimate contender to pick up the pieces, as was the case at Sebring, but nobody is running it. The ARX-01 also managed to kick the butts of the Zytek and Judd 3.4Ls in the former LMP2 class, what was their excuse back then? That the ARX-01 was benefiting from the diesel regulations?

I apologize if this reality check is upsetting to anyone, but if that is the case, I suggest that you stop watching this form of racing and maybe spend your weekend watching youth soccer. You know, the youth soccer leagues where they don't keep score and everyone gets a trophy.