Porsche to quit WEC
Discussion
I guess that will be the end of Toyota too? Or maybe they see it as an open goal to LeMans victory next year.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport-le-m...
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport-le-m...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130956...
Disappointing but expected news. Part of me thinks this is on the ACO; they never learn. Budgets for the Hybrids were unsustainable - for what is 1 race (despite being a World Championship). Time for them to pull their finger out and sort out a proper LMP1 class - that is affordable......
FE is ticking the boxes for the Manufacturers; green, relatively small budget, and a growing media interest. What other new series has gained so many Manufacturers in such a small time? All that despite it being deadly dull.....
Disappointing but expected news. Part of me thinks this is on the ACO; they never learn. Budgets for the Hybrids were unsustainable - for what is 1 race (despite being a World Championship). Time for them to pull their finger out and sort out a proper LMP1 class - that is affordable......
FE is ticking the boxes for the Manufacturers; green, relatively small budget, and a growing media interest. What other new series has gained so many Manufacturers in such a small time? All that despite it being deadly dull.....
What a shame for the WEC 
I've watched every FE race and f
k me it remains as boring as the first race weekend. They need to double the speed and get rid of the stupid car swaps to really become a race series. Oh, and race on some actual race tracks rather than around car-parks.
Can someone send them a bunch of playing cards and washing-pegs for the spokes?
I've watched every FE race and f
k me it remains as boring as the first race weekend. They need to double the speed and get rid of the stupid car swaps to really become a race series. Oh, and race on some actual race tracks rather than around car-parks. Can someone send them a bunch of playing cards and washing-pegs for the spokes?
Altrezia said:
... Oh, and race on some actual race tracks rather than around car-parks...
The biggest drawback of FE to us race fans is the biggest benefit that FE has for manufacturers, they can bring the races to city centres where all their existing and potential customers live. Rather than try and get them to drive an hour or two out to a windswept circuit.Truckosaurus said:
Altrezia said:
... Oh, and race on some actual race tracks rather than around car-parks...
The biggest drawback of FE to us race fans is the biggest benefit that FE has for manufacturers, they can bring the races to city centres where all their existing and potential customers live. Rather than try and get them to drive an hour or two out to a windswept circuit.I know the economics rule everything and the current LMP1 cars are too expensive, too complicated etc. Toss in Dieselgate and it should be no surprise that Volkswagen should have in the space of 9 months gutted the WEC.
But still... I can't help wondering whether a concerted effort to take the two existing Audi's, last years two Porsches, and perhaps even the 2015 cars and marketed them as single cars complete with spares and mechanics might have found some takers.
The 80's and 90's Porsche privateer/customer efforts at Le Mans were wonderful.
If Toyota pulls the plug, what are we going to be left with? Something similar to the Daytona Prototypes I fear, and a GT series where BOP and specialist no-production cars rule the roost. Sad days.
But still... I can't help wondering whether a concerted effort to take the two existing Audi's, last years two Porsches, and perhaps even the 2015 cars and marketed them as single cars complete with spares and mechanics might have found some takers.
The 80's and 90's Porsche privateer/customer efforts at Le Mans were wonderful.
If Toyota pulls the plug, what are we going to be left with? Something similar to the Daytona Prototypes I fear, and a GT series where BOP and specialist no-production cars rule the roost. Sad days.
That leaves just Toyota as the only manufacturer team and then there is what? 1 other LMP1 class car?
No point is there really. Who are they competing against? If they stayed on an won Le Mans it'd be a hollow victory really. I can't see them wanting that. Probably time to let it die in its current form and do something different.
No point is there really. Who are they competing against? If they stayed on an won Le Mans it'd be a hollow victory really. I can't see them wanting that. Probably time to let it die in its current form and do something different.
'Word' is that Toyota will be out within a week. Makes sense, they have said before that they are only committed to WEC if Porsche stay involved.
What happens then I've no idea, can they cancel LMP1 that quickly? LMP2 + the GT cars would make a great series and a great Le Mans, but long term they'll presumably want something to fill that gap.
What happens then I've no idea, can they cancel LMP1 that quickly? LMP2 + the GT cars would make a great series and a great Le Mans, but long term they'll presumably want something to fill that gap.
DanielSan said:
They'd still snatch defeat from the jaws of victory 
Can we have a field of LaFxxk, P1 GTR, Vulcan and the like in a GT1 class, use balance of performance to keep it competitive and then run a second tier class of GTE cars purely for the close racing.
I'd like to see that. It would encourage me to return to Le Mans too. I haven't bothered since Bentley won in 2003; I don't like diesels nor hybrids... Can we have a field of LaFxxk, P1 GTR, Vulcan and the like in a GT1 class, use balance of performance to keep it competitive and then run a second tier class of GTE cars purely for the close racing.
Don't forget several priverteer lmp1 cars and teams are planned/building stages ginetta for one non hybrid lmp1 cars. Bykolles should still be there and rebellion will more than likely go back to lmp1 as well. Remain hopeful that next year lemans could be an extremely exciting race between lmp1 non hybrid and lmp2. Also dont forget lmp2 cars this year lapped as quick as lmp1 cars 4-5years ago.
BMW are entering next year in gt classes so more manufactures in gt.
But aco and fia need to get there act together and stop this merry go round of excessive spend and pushing technology to its limit Ina. series not many can afford.
BMW are entering next year in gt classes so more manufactures in gt.
But aco and fia need to get there act together and stop this merry go round of excessive spend and pushing technology to its limit Ina. series not many can afford.
This is a long way from being the end of the WEC, provided the FIA & the ACO play it right.
Assuming that Toyota abandon LMP1 too (or that no-one else comes forward to compete with them) then LMP2 will become the lead class in the WEC and those cars are neither exactly slow, unentertaining or as expensive to operate as the hybrids. There is also no shortage of LMP2 cars - no shortage at all.
The question will be how hard and how quickly the FIA & ACO move to establish LMP2 as the new lead formula and promote it to get even more entries into it for 2018. The sport has previously survived both the ending of Group C and GT1 classes in the past remember; the jewel that is Le Mans will allow the FIA immense leverage for the change.
Personallly I will be sad to see the LMP1 cars go technically but from a racing perspective the speed differential to the GT-Pro and GT-Am classes, combined with the unrealistic budgets they demanded mean that in racing terms I will not miss them much. The FIA should now move to promote F1 as the formula where hybrid tech is developed, and try to encourage Toyota to build engines for that if they can (some ask I realise!)
Assuming that Toyota abandon LMP1 too (or that no-one else comes forward to compete with them) then LMP2 will become the lead class in the WEC and those cars are neither exactly slow, unentertaining or as expensive to operate as the hybrids. There is also no shortage of LMP2 cars - no shortage at all.
The question will be how hard and how quickly the FIA & ACO move to establish LMP2 as the new lead formula and promote it to get even more entries into it for 2018. The sport has previously survived both the ending of Group C and GT1 classes in the past remember; the jewel that is Le Mans will allow the FIA immense leverage for the change.
Personallly I will be sad to see the LMP1 cars go technically but from a racing perspective the speed differential to the GT-Pro and GT-Am classes, combined with the unrealistic budgets they demanded mean that in racing terms I will not miss them much. The FIA should now move to promote F1 as the formula where hybrid tech is developed, and try to encourage Toyota to build engines for that if they can (some ask I realise!)
With this and Merc leaving DTM motorsports governing bodies need to look at regulations that allow private teams to compete without relying on manufacturers that come and go depending on whatever the marketing department tells them. LMP2 and GTs (and BTCC) aren't suffering the same way because there are enough people who want to race for the love of the sport and can afford to run a "simple" racing car.
corozin said:
This is a long way from being the end of the WEC, provided the FIA & the ACO play it right.
Assuming that Toyota abandon LMP1 too (or that no-one else comes forward to compete with them) then LMP2 will become the lead class in the WEC and those cars are neither exactly slow, unentertaining or as expensive to operate as the hybrids. There is also no shortage of LMP2 cars - no shortage at all.
The question will be how hard and how quickly the FIA & ACO move to establish LMP2 as the new lead formula and promote it to get even more entries into it for 2018. The sport has previously survived both the ending of Group C and GT1 classes in the past remember; the jewel that is Le Mans will allow the FIA immense leverage for the change.
Personallly I will be sad to see the LMP1 cars go technically but from a racing perspective the speed differential to the GT-Pro and GT-Am classes, combined with the unrealistic budgets they demanded mean that in racing terms I will not miss them much. The FIA should now move to promote F1 as the formula where hybrid tech is developed, and try to encourage Toyota to build engines for that if they can (some ask I realise!)
Lmp1 won't go and lmp2 won't become the top class. There are several lmp1 non hybrid cars in planning and building stages for 2018.Assuming that Toyota abandon LMP1 too (or that no-one else comes forward to compete with them) then LMP2 will become the lead class in the WEC and those cars are neither exactly slow, unentertaining or as expensive to operate as the hybrids. There is also no shortage of LMP2 cars - no shortage at all.
The question will be how hard and how quickly the FIA & ACO move to establish LMP2 as the new lead formula and promote it to get even more entries into it for 2018. The sport has previously survived both the ending of Group C and GT1 classes in the past remember; the jewel that is Le Mans will allow the FIA immense leverage for the change.
Personallly I will be sad to see the LMP1 cars go technically but from a racing perspective the speed differential to the GT-Pro and GT-Am classes, combined with the unrealistic budgets they demanded mean that in racing terms I will not miss them much. The FIA should now move to promote F1 as the formula where hybrid tech is developed, and try to encourage Toyota to build engines for that if they can (some ask I realise!)
MG CHRIS said:
Lmp1 won't go and lmp2 won't become the top class. There are several lmp1 non hybrid cars in planning and building stages for 2018.
I'm not so sure Leventis will go back to LMP1. The nucleus of the team isn't there any more...it's at Jota. As to the new LMP1 entries, let's see whether they materialise too. I agree that LMP2 could easily be promoted as the top class...Nick could see the writing on the wall, hence why he moved down a class. ACO needs to make a decision v quickly though; the FIA will follow their lead. 
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