WEC WEC 2019/20 season - Page 18

chernaudi · 16 Jul 2019, 14:30 (Ref:3918022)

Well, Michelin already has relationships with TMG, AMR and Glickenhaus, so if the OEMs at least have their way, Michein will probably be the spec tire supplier for LMP1. And we know that the ACO have played the nationalist pride card on more than one occasion.

Goodyear (through Dunlop) did supply several teams in GTE-Am and LMP2 in the WEC until last season, when all GTE-Am teams switched back to Michelin, and most of the LMP2 field are now on Michelin. I wonder what caused that shift.

TF110 · 16 Jul 2019, 20:04 (Ref:3918051)

Why do a spec/single tire (make) anyway. Let teams have a choice. Michelin is great but more choices never hurt before in the class. This isn't the news that I was hoping for when reading the title.

gert · 16 Jul 2019, 20:15 (Ref:3918054)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Goodyear (through Dunlop) did supply several teams in GTE-Am and LMP2 in the WEC until last season, when all GTE-Am teams switched back to Michelin, and most of the LMP2 field are now on Michelin. I wonder what caused that shift.

A better product?

I think Michelin outperformed Dunlop especially at Le Mans, and that was the reason for United to switch to Michelin - after seeing the Michelin-shod Ligier of Panis/Barthez.

United then won 2 races (iirc) in LMS on Michelin. Maybe a coincidence, maybe the Michelins just work better on the Ligiers.

Mike E · 16 Jul 2019, 23:04 (Ref:3918069)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TF110

Why do a spec/single tire (make) anyway. Let teams have a choice. Michelin is great but more choices never hurt before in the class. This isn't the news that I was hoping for when reading the title.

BoP. Much easier if you remove a variable.

nobster · 17 Jul 2019, 13:54 (Ref:3918179)

https://www.gpupdate.net/nl/videos/1...oen-2019-2020/

Racing team Nederland shows their new liveried Oreca car for 2019/2020

MaskedRacer · 17 Jul 2019, 14:20 (Ref:3918182)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Found something earlier on the Porsche website about the 911 RSR-19. This page features full tech specs and a 360 viewer of the car. On the 360 viewer, check out the shot into the rear diffuser. Now that's probably the most extreme of the current gen GTE/GTLM rear diffusers I've seen, also counting GT3 cars, too:

https://www.porsche.com/internationa.../911-rsr-2019/

The livery of the new Porsche is disappointing, back to the ugly ones of 2013-2016. The current version (2017-2019) is pretty darn good. Guess it will be goodbye to that one after the Petit Le Mans.

Mike E · 17 Jul 2019, 14:49 (Ref:3918187)

Only one Rebellion on the Silverstone entry list.

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/...pener/4496819/
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2019/0...t-release.html

Anyopenroad · 17 Jul 2019, 15:04 (Ref:3918190)

5 cars in LMP1
Essentially a one-make in LMP2
3 marques in GT

None of this is a surprise, but it’s brutal seeing in black-and-white how weak the entry is.

S griffin · 17 Jul 2019, 15:07 (Ref:3918191)

There’s still time for more cars to join, but yeah, the signs aren’t good at this stage

Maelochs · 17 Jul 2019, 15:20 (Ref:3918193)

No real surprises .... between regulation sets for P1 and GTE, so no one is excited to build anything new or spend a lot of money developing something old, and no one is sure what will be the winning combination for the next round of regs.

On top of that, last season was sort of lackluster, with only Toyota in the top class.

Everyone is sort of burned out on WEC.

MaskedRacer · 17 Jul 2019, 16:45 (Ref:3918205)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

No real surprises .... between regulation sets for P1 and GTE, so no one is excited to build anything new or spend a lot of money developing something old, and no one is sure what will be the winning combination for the next round of regs.

On top of that, last season was sort of lackluster, with only Toyota in the top class.

Everyone is sort of burned out on WEC.

Toyota should skip a round at some point and do us a favor. Maybe Bahrain perhaps. Not holding my breathe on that happening but it would make it more interesting. Kind of like how the Gurney Toyotas skipped Road America during their dominant 1993 GTP season. It made that race much more interesting. Won by Joest Porsche who only showed because the Toyotas were no shows.

broadrun96 · 17 Jul 2019, 18:49 (Ref:3918217)

It will be interesting if any problems hit Toyota, or other cars hit them. AND when the other shoe drops on Ginetta, do we think they can fund the full season? I think Rebellion can't not field 2 cars for LM next year, they're so close and could be the only other option by that time next year. Sadly that's about the best we can hope for at this point for the season I think.

Akrapovic · 17 Jul 2019, 20:09 (Ref:3918225)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

No real surprises .... between regulation sets for P1 and GTE, so no one is excited to build anything new or spend a lot of money developing something old, and no one is sure what will be the winning combination for the next round of regs.

On top of that, last season was sort of lackluster, with only Toyota in the top class.

Everyone is sort of burned out on WEC.

I agree although I'd use a different turn of phrase. Burned out suggests we got loads of awesomeness but it was too much and we needed a break. WEC feels more like false promises than burn out. I'm excited for it. I want it. Then it comes along and it (generally) doesn't live up to the hype.

LMP1P SMP v Rebellion was good fun this year. At least we had something to watch right? And now it's gone. [insert southpark gif]

chernaudi · 17 Jul 2019, 21:12 (Ref:3918234)

There's still GTE-Pro, but that feels a bit decimated with no factory Ford or BMW teams, and no Corvette entry. I also have the feeling that the new Porsche 911 RSR will dominate, at least until BOP takes over, since AMR and Ferrari won't have evo packages (or the F8 for Ferrari) until 2021 most likely. At least AMR might get tires better suited to their FR car from Michelin by the WEC Prologue.

But the new RSR does look badass and I hope it lives up to the part. Even with the complaints about the car having side exhaust and mufflers that the old RSR doesn't, it looks the part and the drivers seem to be much happier with it even with as good as the old RSR was.

TF110 · 17 Jul 2019, 23:04 (Ref:3918249)

All that matters now is the new rules for next season. Lmp1 is in it's last year so now we have to wait until Aston and Toyota show off the new cars officially. I think there's more that are ready to commit but want to see who shows up to face Toyota and if they have any chance against them. If the racing is close with Aston and Glickenhaus and maybe a Kolles that doesn't burn, more will hop on board.

Maelochs · 18 Jul 2019, 06:43 (Ref:3918286)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Burned out suggests we got loads of awesomeness but it was too much and we needed a break. WEC feels more like false promises than burn out. I'm excited for it. I want it. Then it comes along and it (generally) doesn't live up to the hype

Much better phrasing. so much promise, so little delivery ... hard to get excited after the 15th time Lucy yanks the football away.

Akrapovic · 18 Jul 2019, 07:20 (Ref:3918292)

Exactly. I still love WEC, but I'm bored of hearing promises about all this new stuff happening, whilst the decline continues.

Unlike many, I do actually like LMP2. Other than the chassis issue, it's good - good quality teams, good quality drivers, good quality racing. They need to sort the chassis problem. So what have they done? They're slowing them down and they're doing the same chassis scheme again. So we don't solve the problem, and we re-introduce the LMP2 straight line speed issue. Great job guys.

Anyopenroad · 18 Jul 2019, 11:17 (Ref:3918322)

LMP1 gets the headlines but at least here we know there is a plan.

The reduction of GTE to three manufacturers at a time when GT racing is booming worldwide, that’s embarrassing. Did ACO even try to keep Ford? Or were they too focused on getting Aston Martin to commit to hypercar?

How can it be that none of Audi, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes, Bentley, Lexus, Honda, Nissan, BMW or Corvette see any benefit to running a GTE in WEC?

Time for FIA/ACO to call SRO. GT3s please...

chernaudi · 18 Jul 2019, 11:22 (Ref:3918324)

As I referred to, the GTE regs are in flux, as is in reality GT3. Both are due for an overhaul in 2021/22. It also doesn't help that the ACO biased GTE-Pro to factory teams. Not even Porsche have a true privateer team in Pro right now. AF Corse is the closest thing we have to a privateer team in Pro, and even they get tons of support from Ferrari.

Problem with GTE Pro (and GTLM in IMSA) is that privateer teams have been pushed out due to pandering to OEM backed factory teams.

Also, GT3 is oriented to customers (as is GTE Am), while GTE Pro favors factory teams. Maybe if GTE Pro was more privateer friendly, we might not see more manufacturers, but we'd at least see more teams.

**Peter Mallett** · 18 Jul 2019, 11:34 (Ref:3918328)

They never learn do they? Every motorsport discipline that skews towards manufacturers rather than teams always ends up either screwed or controlled by those manufacturers.

S griffin · 18 Jul 2019, 11:45 (Ref:3918330)

Manufacturers are important, but they shouldn't be the be all to end all. We saw what happened to the ITC when that was geared towards manufacturers. The series ended up imploding

Anyopenroad · 18 Jul 2019, 12:10 (Ref:3918336)

There’s nothing to stop manufactures running GT3s as factory teams or using teams as de facto-factory efforts with works-employed drivers. It already happens in N24, Spa 24 and IGTC. The existence of a separate ruleset and category for the exact same cars is insane.

And the fact that the World Championship will have three makes while IGTC has eight and the Spa 24 can boast eleven, suggests the racing world has made its choice.

**Peter Mallett** · 18 Jul 2019, 12:18 (Ref:3918337)

Not suggesting that manufacturers can't enter, but making the regs manufacturer centric means they either need to demonstrate that they are the best or they pick their ball and go home when life gets tough.

Anyopenroad · 18 Jul 2019, 13:00 (Ref:3918339)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Not suggesting that manufacturers can't enter, but making the regs manufacturer centric means they either need to demonstrate that they are the best or they pick their ball and go home when life gets tough.

Yes I agree. My comment should have quoted Chernaudi but it’s too fiddly to do so typing on a phone on a train!

GT3 customer racing makes money for manufacturers, that’s why they all do it. Sensible heads at FIA/ACO, rather than creating an entire new ruleset, could say, “hey OEMs, fancy racing those cars that exist anyway, with drivers you employ anyway, in a World Championship?”. Problem solved.

kobefly · 18 Jul 2019, 14:12 (Ref:3918352)

Entry list for 4 hours of Silverstone: https://twitter.com/FIAWEC/status/1151480575972249602

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