LM Intercontinental Cup (thread closed)

[Gingers4Justice]

It's a while off (and I'm yet to be convinced it's going to happen) yet, but this deserves a thread of its own. The ACO are going to launch the "WLMS", or Intercontinental Cup.

I'd like to know what would make/will make the calendar for 2011 (?)

I'd love a calendar like this:

Sebring 12 Hours (double points)
Zandvoort/Assen (2hrs)
Donnington 1000km
Nurburgring (2 hrs)
Spa 1000km
----Break for Le Mans----
Suzuka (2hrs)
Fuji (2hrs)
Estern Creek (2hrs - probably the least likely on this calendar!)
Road America (2hrs)
Mid-Ohio (2hrs)
Petit Le Mans, Season finale. (double points)

And is to be just for LMP1 cars?

[ger80]

Why 2 hour races in Europe? Thats not really attractive for LMS teams

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by ger80

Why 2 hour races in Europe? Thats not really attractive for LMS teams

6 hour races are even less attractive for the casual spectator and the TV companies!

This Intercontinental Cup will only really compromise of the top LMP1 teams, and the LMS and ALMS would continue?

Oh, and I forgot Donnington.

[AndrewF31]

I'd think any Asian rounds would be after Petit Le Mans.

I'd think the LMS and ALMS would continue as regional championships for those that choose not to go continental. There's quite a few cars on the grid that probably wouldn't have the budget to race intercontinental so there should be a championship to accommodate them.

[Andy77]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

It's a while off (and I'm yet to be convinced it's going to happen) yet, but this deserves a thread of its own. The ACO are going to launch the "WLMS", or Intercontinental Cup.

I'd like to know what would make/will make the calendar for 2011 (?)

I'd love a calendar like this:

Sebring 12 Hours (double points)
Zandvoort/Assen (2hrs)
Donnington 1000km
Nurburgring (2 hrs)
Spa 1000km
----Break for Le Mans----
Suzuka (2hrs)
Fuji (2hrs)
Estern Creek (2hrs - probably the least likely on this calendar!)
Road America (2hrs)
Mid-Ohio (2hrs)
Petit Le Mans, Season finale. (double points)

And is to be just for LMP1 cars?

[Rant=on]Similar to the DRM days when Nuremberg became the 500km race (held in two or 3 heats of course) instead a 1000km one. I said it before and say it now again - Le Mans style and GT races below 3h are a bad joke jerking the Gran Tourismo scheme to the bone.
[own opinion alert on] I did not like when FIA-GT introduced their sprint style racing and I don't like it ewhen it comes to le mans prototypes especially. So much for my own opinion. [own opinion alert off]
Your schedule makes no sense at all distance wise during the european rounds. As much as I may hurt dutch feelings now but Zandvoort and Assen are the not really suited for prototype racing. Well Assen maybe with its parking lot like runoffs but thats another topic. Donington is becoming a bad formula 1 joke. While it suited LMS races very well on the "old" layouts the new one provocates sprint style racing. So it would suit your idea but not the racing at all. 1000km there ? Come on. 2 hours would be really enough.
Sebring 12h are also there just because of its own tradition. Why not turning it into a 6 heat / 3 per day and 2h long each race over a saturday and sunday? So the odd spectator still can do other things and racing aint so important at all. Why has Spa a 1000km slot? just because a tradition you dumped with the 2h idea ?

I go with Andrew here mainly. And I too think that not each and all racing should run after what a tv station dictates. An intercontinental cup could be run even now. Some teams move between ALMS and LMS back and forth even now. the asian challenge is another topic on the desk there. Proposed for two years now but only ending in a two heat race at Okayama so far. If it takes place that is.

I am sorry. If LMS and GT classes there turn F1 sprint style I 'll be turned off completely. I just wait for races to be decided in pitlane then

[The Real DMN]

Some good points there Andy.

I can see it being more like this:

Sebring - 12hour
Spa - 6 Hour
Le Mans - 24 Hour
Petite Le Mans - 10 Hour
Fuji (or other) - 6 Hour

That way the big three are in plus Asia gets a race too and Spa fills a gap. The ALMS, LMS and Asian LMS fit in around these.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Andy77

[Rant=on]Similar to the DRM days when Nuremberg became the 500km race (held in two or 3 heats of course) instead a 1000km one. I said it before and say it now again - Le Mans style and GT races below 3h are a bad joke jerking the Gran Tourismo scheme to the bone.
[own opinion alert on] I did not like when FIA-GT introduced their sprint style racing and I don't like it ewhen it comes to le mans prototypes especially. So much for my own opinion. [own opinion alert off]
Your schedule makes no sense at all distance wise during the european rounds. As much as I may hurt dutch feelings now but Zandvoort and Assen are the not really suited for prototype racing. Well Assen maybe with its parking lot like runoffs but thats another topic. Donington is becoming a bad formula 1 joke. While it suited LMS races very well on the "old" layouts the new one provocates sprint style racing. So it would suit your idea but not the racing at all. 1000km there ? Come on. 2 hours would be really enough.
Sebring 12h are also there just because of its own tradition. Why not turning it into a 6 heat / 3 per day and 2h long each race over a saturday and sunday? So the odd spectator still can do other things and racing aint so important at all. Why has Spa a 1000km slot? just because a tradition you dumped with the 2h idea ?

I go with Andrew here mainly. And I too think that not each and all racing should run after what a tv station dictates. An intercontinental cup could be run even now. Some teams move between ALMS and LMS back and forth even now. the asian challenge is another topic on the desk there. Proposed for two years now but only ending in a two heat race at Okayama so far. If it takes place that is.

I am sorry. If LMS and GT classes there turn F1 sprint style I 'll be turned off completely. I just wait for races to be decided in pitlane then

Sorry, was just a dream calendar, its all safe anyway, the ACO apparently aren't interested in consulting dreamy 15 year old school kids for their calendars!

[dj choc ice]

Why Donington over Silverstone? Donington was good but it cant match Silverstone imo, i would love the calender to look something like this:

Daytona 24 hours
Sebring 12 hours
Monza 1000km
Long Beach 500km
Mid Ohio 500km
------
LM 24 hours
------
Algarve Portimao 4 hour twilight race
Fuji 1000km
Bathurst 1000km
Spa 1000km
Silverstone 1000km
Petit Le Mans
500 miles of Zolder

it would never happen, but boy oh boy would it be good, Bathurst and the LMP's would be automotive heaven.

[Purist]

I hate to say it, but Silverstone just doesn't do it for me in certain ways like Donington does. Donington actually has hills, and trees within sight of the track. Also, while the number of corners at Silverstone has more than doubled since 1950 (8 to 17 now), the only pre-existing corner that matters that will be altered is Coppice. In plan form, I think the new configuration is something of an improvement in that it gets rid of the ridiculously obvious slap-on "International Loop" that was added to bring the track up to 2.5 miles (4km). Also, Silverstone looks relatively "flat and easy" because everything has been pushed back so far from the track itself that it's hard to get real perspective around much of the lap.

DJ, Assen would be a better LMP/GT circuit than Zolder. They've added too many extra chicanes and esse bends to that particular Belgian circuit for it to provide much scope for actual racing.

[AstonGeoff]

Having been to LMS races at both Donington and Silverstone I can honestly say that whilst Donington is probably a slighty more picturesque circuit cos it has a few trees and some inclines, the garages, paddock, grandstands and facilities are 3rd rate at best (I know that might change if they ever get the money to do the work for the GP), but Silverstone is head and shoulders above Donington in all of those respects, and for those that can walk around the circuit there are some great viewing (and photo) opportunities, it's just that sooo many people can't be bothered to walk around the circuit, and in a 1000k's race there is plenty of time! And those that have walked around will know that the circuit isn't completely flat, it just doesn't have the obvious gradient changes that Donington has.

Anyway, back to topic, I presume the intercontinental cup will be made of existing races, plus an Asian one or two of some description. There is no point in creating races just for a new cup, I guess the idea is to try and encourage teams from Europe and America to compete against each other more often than Sebring, LM and PLM. And again, I guess, the class winners will each recieve an auto entry to the following years LM.

[byronb]

Sebring 12 hours
Long Beach 500km
Spa 1000km
Norisring 2x 500km races
Algarve Portimao 1000km (Like dj said a twilight race..)
------
LM 24 hours
------
Road America 1000 km
Silverstone 1000km
Assen 2x 500 km races
Petit Le Mans
Fuji 1000km

That would do

[johntt]

The Intercontinental Cup will probably consist of the ACO giving out points for Sebring, Petit a couple of Asian Le Mans rounds (assuming they come to be ) and a couple of LMS rounds + Le Mans.

However if I was to put together a Le Mans World Series this is what I would propose:

1. Daytona 24 Hours
2. Sebring 12 Hours
3. Philip Island 1000km
4. Monza 1000km
5. Spa 1000km
6. Le Mans 24 Hours
7. Norisring 200 miles
8. Silverstone 1000km
9. Nurburgring 1000km
10. Fuji 1000km
11. Petit Le Mans
12. Mil Milhas (Interlagos)

The series would be run with P1 cars only, racing in a class called P1/W, a seperate class to the P1 cars in the LMS/ALMS/Asian championships.

The Daytona 24 will operate like Le Mans with cars coming from all kinds of series to compete in it, same goes for the Mil Milhas.

The Norising 200 miles will be for P1/W cars only.

[Quintin03]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Zandvoort/Assen (2hrs)

Assen ain't gonna happen, they only have the opportunity to hold international racing on 4 different weekends and those have already been given to the TT, WSBK, ETRC and A1GP. Zandvoort however is possible so you're still getting what you'd want. Zandvoort has the possebility to hold racing of any loudness on 12 days every year, on all other days the "average noise" must not exceed a certain maximum.

Oh, I suggest instead of 2 hour races 4 hour races.

[Quintin03]

here's part of an article telling us more.

MP: The ACO has announced a goal to establish a something akin to a global championship, with an eye toward nominating rounds in a variety of host countries where points are earned for this championship. Can you tell me if and how the Series might be involved in the North American element of this, and if it would add to the Series calendar?

SA: Yes, the ACO announced it was considering the development of a series of selected "blue ribbon" events from the Le Mans Series in Europe, the American Le Mans Series and the Asian Le Mans Series. The working title of this exploratory initiative is the "Intercontinental Cup" (IC) and it could potentially include a classic collection of high-profile, world-class sports car endurance races, but it is not intended to be a world championship. The ACO is in the process of gathering feedback from manufacturers, teams, sponsors and organizers to gauge the level of interest and viability. So far I have heard only positive comments from all.

As far as the American Le Mans Series is concerned, we would eagerly embrace involvement, and I would assume our Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans powered by MAZDA6 and perhaps a third event or venue would be ideal for inclusion. As I understand it each respective Series would operate as usual; however there would be two or three selected events from within each Series but there are no incremental dates that would be designated as rounds of the IC.

Each Series would have its regular grid of competitors, but the selected IC events would attract incremental factory-backed and major independent professional team involvement from abroad - not unlike what Sebring and Petit Le Mans have done all along. The ACO's plan would formalize the structure and potentially build involvement in Le Mans-type racing on a global scale for the manufacturers and major teams that desire to compete worldwide. It's a very exciting prospect and we look forward to working with the ACO to bring the idea to fruition.

MP is Marshal Pruett and SA is Scott Atherton

A calendar for the Intercontinental Cup would be composed of major ALMS, LMS and Asian LMS rounds.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

Why Donington over Silverstone?

Because Silverstone is probably the most dull, drab motor racing circuit in the world.