2024 Sportscar Thread (WEC, IMSA, NLS, GT World Challenge)

2024 Sportscar Thread (WEC, IMSA, NLS, GT World Challenge)

Author
Discussion

df76

Original Poster:

3,822 posts

285 months

Saturday 6th January
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Don't think I've seen a thread for the new season, so here we go. Should be a brilliant WEC and IMSA season, perhaps the greatest sportscar year ever??

Two weeks out from the Abu Dhabi six hours.

Three weeks until the monster weekend of Daytona 24 and Dubai 24 (should have been running today), then the Bathurst 12 hours in mid February. Organisers appear bullish on entry numbers for that, but looking thin at the moment. https://www.bathurst12hour.com.au/news/12-things-t...

flatlandsman

764 posts

14 months

Saturday 6th January
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Dubai sadly is going to be a totally pointless event having it the same weekend as Daytona, I get the reasons why but you would better off cancelling it I think

IanUAE

2,945 posts

171 months

Saturday 6th January
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flatlandsman said:
Dubai sadly is going to be a totally pointless event having it the same weekend as Daytona, I get the reasons why but you would better off cancelling it I think
Very few teams (if any) that compete in the Daytona 24hr event also compete in the Dubai 24hr race. The same goes for the drivers, so there shouldn't be much of an impact having both races on at the same time (apart from people watching the races online).

I will be at the Dubai 24hr race (the track is 10 minutes down the road from where I live).

flatlandsman

764 posts

14 months

Saturday 6th January
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I do get your point, but in terms of sponsors and tv time they will not get anywhere near as much, I know there are other factors in this decision to move dates but I think it will suffer hugely for this.

df76

Original Poster:

3,822 posts

285 months

Sunday 7th January
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flatlandsman said:
I do get your point, but in terms of sponsors and tv time they will not get anywhere near as much, I know there are other factors in this decision to move dates but I think it will suffer hugely for this.
Not sure the Dubai teams and organisers will mind the clash with Daytona too much, very little overlap and the vast majority will just be pleased that they get to race (in what are very difficult logistic circumstances). Much (if not all) of the event cost is delivered by driver wealth, and the clash with Daytona has a near zero impact on that. The Dubai race will get underway at 9am GMT on the Saturday, whereas Daytona won't kick off until 6.40pm, so for us Europeans there's a good chance to watch a good part of both.

FredericRobinson

3,938 posts

239 months

Sunday 7th January
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flatlandsman said:
I do get your point, but in terms of sponsors and tv time they will not get anywhere near as much, I know there are other factors in this decision to move dates but I think it will suffer hugely for this.
Sponsors? Can’t say I’ve noticed much in Creventic racing, and what TV time will it lose? It’s on the series YouTube channel

richhead

1,637 posts

18 months

Sunday 7th January
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IanUAE said:
flatlandsman said:
Dubai sadly is going to be a totally pointless event having it the same weekend as Daytona, I get the reasons why but you would better off cancelling it I think
Very few teams (if any) that compete in the Daytona 24hr event also compete in the Dubai 24hr race. The same goes for the drivers, so there shouldn't be much of an impact having both races on at the same time (apart from people watching the races online).

I will be at the Dubai 24hr race (the track is 10 minutes down the road from where I live).
As a freelance engineer i used to do both, Just daytona this year. So missing a weeks worth of work

freedman

5,908 posts

214 months

Tuesday 9th January
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IanUAE said:
Very few teams (if any) that compete in the Daytona 24hr event also compete in the Dubai 24hr race. The same goes for the drivers, so there shouldn't be much of an impact having both races on at the same time (apart from people watching the races online).

I will be at the Dubai 24hr race (the track is 10 minutes down the road from where I live).
We've already had teams and a number of drivers pull out of Dubai, as they are also at Daytona

Big guns WRT and Land Motorsport have withdrawn completely. Herberth and Car Collection have reduced from 3 cars to one car each and other team shave also cancelled. Driver depth and quality is greatly reduced

So its had a big impact

freedman

5,908 posts

214 months

Tuesday 9th January
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Nice to see Romain Dumas back in a Porsche prototype for Daytona

Sharing the 963 with Jani, Bruni and Picariello

richhead

1,637 posts

18 months

Wednesday 10th January
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im at dayona this year, cant say who with as most cant, nda are now a thing in racing, but its a top car that could win

Leithen

12,105 posts

274 months

Monday 22nd January
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freedman

5,908 posts

214 months

Thursday 25th January
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So 12 months ago the GTD Porsches were horribly uncompetitive, (at the Roar) IMSA refused to do anything with BOP rendering the race a washout for a number of teams (When it was perfectly clear the BOP needed adjustment)

This year a much shortened qualifying session, with only a few minutes real running see's a 911 on Pole. Immediately IMSA issue BOP changes, including penalties for the 911s

WTF are these people doing?


df76

Original Poster:

3,822 posts

285 months

Thursday 25th January
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freedman said:
So 12 months ago the GTD Porsches were horribly uncompetitive, (at the Roar) IMSA refused to do anything with BOP rendering the race a washout for a number of teams (When it was perfectly clear the BOP needed adjustment)

This year a much shortened qualifying session, with only a few minutes real running see's a 911 on Pole. Immediately IMSA issue BOP changes, including penalties for the 911s

WTF are these people doing?
Sandbagging...

freedman

5,908 posts

214 months

Thursday 25th January
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df76 said:
Sandbagging...
Err, who, when?

The Porsches weren't sandbagging last year, they were all horribly uncompetitive at the Roar and in the race

This year they are on Pole

df76

Original Poster:

3,822 posts

285 months

Thursday 25th January
quotequote all
freedman said:
df76 said:
Sandbagging...
Err, who, when?

The Porsches weren't sandbagging last year, they were all horribly uncompetitive at the Roar and in the race

This year they are on Pole
Not accusing Porsche of anything, but IMSA clearly thinks it's going on throughout the field.. hence the changes for the Ford Mustang and others. The data would be "interesting".

flatlandsman

764 posts

14 months

Thursday 25th January
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Yet they do nothing about the Mustang GT4 that waltzed up and round the outside of everyone in the VP race this year and last year!

FredericRobinson

3,938 posts

239 months

Thursday 25th January
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I'm not sure it's fair to blame the authorities for failing to spot that a manufacturer was actually no good rather than just sandbagging given all the stuff that goes on, anyway, the first of the MX5 races is about to start, no silly buggering going on there, just great racing

MikeGTi

2,548 posts

208 months

Friday 26th January
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Does anyone know if any UK channels will be showing the Daytona 24hrs?

Altrezia

8,612 posts

218 months

Friday 26th January
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MikeGTi said:
Does anyone know if any UK channels will be showing the Daytona 24hrs?
the IMSA website streams it smile

MikeGTi

2,548 posts

208 months

Friday 26th January
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Many thanks!

Just found their YouTube channel too biggrin