[WEC Race] 2013 FIA WEC - Round 8 - 6 Hours of Bahrain

[JoestForEver]

Originally Posted by Rennen

No real 'wick' to 'turn up' (unlike Audi)...but don't underestimate them being able to exit a corner faster with improved aero! Remember TMG are F1 guys, renowened for their Wind Tunnel and aero expertise!
Many attribute speed down the straight with engine power in all forms of motorsports, when it was superior exit speed and traction onto it!

Things to tweak are more than turbo boost. A remapped hybrid system, a rich fuel mix, changes in the intake and etc.

[TF110]

The team said themselves they were still learning their new high downforce package. Anthony commented that theres much more downforce than last year but even with less drag. Audi raced their 'sprint package' from silverstone. Toyota used the 2012 car, then one 2013 car in LM trim at Spa. The first race with the high d.f package was Brazil where they got taken out in the first hour. So the first real running with it was Austin. So Audi had 3 races under its belt with their package and Toyota had one- Austin.

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I hate the vast majority of Tilke-designed autodromes...but is it just me who thinks that sportscars at Bahrain just really, really works?

I completely agree, Ginger. Quite frankly it's the case with many of the Tilkedromes. Sportscar racing is truly wonderful because no matter how boring the circuit, the multi-class racing and true diversity more than makes up for it. Long live the WEC!

I'm very much looking forward to the race tomorrow. I'm not mechanically-minded enough to examine or speculate over those kind of things but on paper it looks likely that Toyota could end the season with a bang. Theoretically they should - it seems as though they have plenty of pace. If they don't, well, more motivation for them to prepare even better for next season, I guess.

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I hate the vast majority of Tilke-designed autodromes...but is it just me who thinks that sportscars at Bahrain just really, really works?

Shouldn't be racing there in my opinion, and I won't be watching for that reason, but I do like the circuit. It's not trying to be unique and it captures 'racing in the desert' better than the other middle eastern tracks. Nice and simple, it feels less 'forced' then COTA, Shanghai, new Silverstone, India or Korea.

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

Shouldn't be racing there in my opinion, and I won't be watching for that reason, but I do like the circuit. It's not trying to be unique and it captures 'racing in the desert' better than the other middle eastern tracks. Nice and simple, it feels less 'forced' then COTA, Shanghai, new Silverstone, India or Korea.

So you're going to boycott the final round of the World Endurance Championship because you think there shouldn't be any racing in the Middle East? If you like the circuit then what's the problem?

Shanghai is certainly unique but the runoff is tremendously overkill and the astroturf was half-arsed, among other things. COTA is a bit stark but still a world-class facility (I'd hate to see it off the WEC calendar next year mainly because it's in an extremely convenient location for me!). Korea and India are tremendously unentertaining for open-wheel racing but virtually untested with sportscars.

Don't even get me started on Silverstone.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

Shouldn't be racing there in my opinion, and I won't be watching for that reason, but I do like the circuit. It's not trying to be unique and it captures 'racing in the desert' better than the other middle eastern tracks. Nice and simple, it feels less 'forced' then COTA, Shanghai, new Silverstone, India or Korea.

I can sympathise with your view. I've thought long and hard about boycotting races in Bahrain and other Middle Eastern countries. But once I start looking at races and where they're held, there's good reason to boycott about half the races that the FIA World Championships visit.

Motor sport and greed are too often intertwined. I wish I could tear myself away.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Beetle

I completely agree, Ginger. Quite frankly it's the case with many of the Tilkedromes. Sportscar racing is truly wonderful because no matter how boring the circuit, the multi-class racing and true diversity more than makes up for it. Long live the WEC!

I'm very much looking forward to the race tomorrow. I'm not mechanically-minded enough to examine or speculate over those kind of things but on paper it looks likely that Toyota could end the season with a bang. Theoretically they should - it seems as though they have plenty of pace. If they don't, well, more motivation for them to prepare even better for next season, I guess.

I'd like to see some other tracks given a go, but I really don't like Shanghai. I preffered Zuhai if anything. At least it didn't look like all the other Tilkedromes.

I also remember Turkey being a bit of a bland circuit for the ELMS. That said, I do agree, sports cars look better than most things anywhere.

As for the race tomorrow, I think it's going to be another intriguing one. We got spoiled with the Audi-Pug battles a bit, with flat-out 6 hour sprints, but I'm enjoying the more traditional endurance racing-nature of this season's races. I imagine there won't be a lot of close wheel-to-wheel racing, but that we won't really know what price Toyota are paying for their pace in terms of fuel and/or tires until the last stint or so.

It's been a great season, and Toyota have done a good job. As I say, the Pug-Audi battles spoiled us. Despite Toyota's lack of pace at the Test Day at Le Mans, I was utterly baffled by an almost universal attempt to write them off completely at Le Mans. Even during the race, no one gave them much of a chance, despite the fact that Audi couldn't properly put them two laps down in the entire race and that it wasn't really obvious who won until the final 20 minutes. That's an exciting race in my eyes.

[Beetle]

I'm not exactly jumping up and down about the LMP1 battle because the championship is said and done and I've learned from experience that no matter how close qualifying times are, there generally isn't much wheel-to-wheel racing between Audi and Toyota as we would like to expect.

The centerpiece of the race I think will be in the other three classes. The World Cup for GT Drivers is still wide open this race with 125.5 for Mucke/Turner, 120 for Bruni and Fisichella, and 110 for Lieb/Lietz (+1 pt. for today's pole = 111). LMP2 is still open between Baguette/Plowmann/Gonzalez at 129.5, Brundle/Pla/DHH at 114.5, and Martin/Conway/Rusinov at 107 (Pecom is just out of reach at 104 pts., 1 extra after the pole). In GTE-Am Stuey Hall and JCW have 119 points, Vernay and Narac have 114, and Aguas/Potolicchio have 110. There's a lot still to play for.

[canciaro]

Bahrain, Malaysia are the only Tilke tracks that I like, the rest are absolute crap. Maybe Turkey but nobody races there anymore. I wish they would move the COTA round to a Road America or Road Atlanta track, anywhere but another boring static Tilke track.

[MyNameIsNigel]

Congrats to Toyota. I must admit I was not expecting them to be that fast.

The Audi guys have reported some tire degradation during qualifying practice which does not sound good for the start of the race. Now, have Audi used tires during qualifying practice that are better suited to the hotter track conditions for the start of the race ?

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I'd like to see some other tracks given a go, but I really don't like Shanghai. I preffered Zuhai if anything. At least it didn't look like all the other Tilkedromes.

I also remember Turkey being a bit of a bland circuit for the ELMS. That said, I do agree, sports cars look better than most things anywhere.

As for the race tomorrow, I think it's going to be another intriguing one. We got spoiled with the Audi-Pug battles a bit, with flat-out 6 hour sprints, but I'm enjoying the more traditional endurance racing-nature of this season's races. I imagine there won't be a lot of close wheel-to-wheel racing, but that we won't really know what price Toyota are paying for their pace in terms of fuel and/or tires until the last stint or so.

It's been a great season, and Toyota have done a good job. As I say, the Pug-Audi battles spoiled us. Despite Toyota's lack of pace at the Test Day at Le Mans, I was utterly baffled by an almost universal attempt to write them off completely at Le Mans. Even during the race, no one gave them much of a chance, despite the fact that Audi couldn't properly put them two laps down in the entire race and that it wasn't really obvious who won until the final 20 minutes. That's an exciting race in my eyes.

They did 26 laps in practice 2. They did 26 laps per stint in Shanghai. Theres no reason to think they are using more fuel for more pace imo. Probably do 2 more laps than Audi. Hopefully no punctures or suspension failures this time around though

[airbusA346]

Just seen this on Sportscar365:

"The No. 8 Toyota TS030 Hybrid will be skating on thin ice today, after the Sebastien Buemi-driven LMP1 car overtook while under a red flag in practice on Thursday. As a result, the team has been handed a $2,700 (2,000 Euro) fine and will be excluded from the event for another flag-related violation."

[chernaudi]

I read that at DSC's free section. In essence, I read that as if they get caught doing something similar, the race director can issue any penalty up to and including a DQ if it's felt necessary. Buemi has drawn the ire of Eduardo Freitas earlier this year, namely for avoidable contact with the #1 Audi and corner cutting at Austin.

[rich07]

is there streaming for this from the WEC site?

[nasdriv87]

Originally Posted by rich07

is there streaming for this from the WEC site?

direct from dailymotion

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xpg...om=embediframe

and WEC site

http://live.fiawec.com with timing

[rich07]

Ah awesome many thanks mate

Haven't watched much of WEC except for Le Mans this year so hoping to catch some of Bahrain.

Forza AF Corse!

[The Badger]

What time does it start in CET please ? Thanks

[NelisB]

Originally Posted by The Badger

What time does it start in CET please ? Thanks

In 30 minutes at 13:00

[Simmi]

Here we go then!

Make it happen Toyota and tee things up nicely for next year.

GT championship fight should also be awesome.

[airbusA346]

Formation lap is underway.

[airbusA346]

Green!

[airbusA346]

Lietz has lost out on the start.

[PascaLM]

Are the Porsche in the 2014 version ? The front body seems to be the usual one.

[Simmi]

Lotus endearing themselves to the field once again!!

[airbusA346]

****ing Lotus!!!!