Pirelli World Challenge might have something to say about that. My guess is someone other than Pirelli.So will it just be something like Pirelli SportCar Challenge or Michilen SportsCar Challenge?
I'm thinking it'll either be Michelin, Dunlop, or they'll just go open tire. Regardless of who gets it, I'm assuming that they'll leave GTLM as an open class.
Continental Tire to exit IMSA at the end of 2018, will end title sponsorship of Continental SportsCar Challenge, etc.
Apparently this is from IMSA's side. They chose not to extend the contract.
I always never liked them because they're just rebranded Hoosiers, Conti doesn't even develope the tires.Why the dislike for Continental? I never saw anything bad from their involvement - quite the opposite with a lot of teams pretty happy with the performance of the tires. I also get the distinct feeling this is a result of the sport becoming more successful, where I imagine few tire companies expressed interest 10 years ago. I hope this doesn't lead to F1 style awful tire performance, with qualifying being limited to one lap because of heat cycles and other silly nonsense.
Most of the hate comes from the fact that the P2s were several seconds slower using Contis than they were on Michelins and Dunlops.Why the dislike for Continental? I never saw anything bad from their involvement - quite the opposite with a lot of teams pretty happy with the performance of the tires. I also get the distinct feeling this is a result of the sport becoming more successful, where I imagine few tire companies expressed interest 10 years ago. I hope this doesn't lead to F1 style awful tire performance, with qualifying being limited to one lap because of heat cycles and other silly nonsense.
Why the dislike for Continental? I never saw anything bad from their involvement - quite the opposite with a lot of teams pretty happy with the performance of the tires. I also get the distinct feeling this is a result of the sport becoming more successful, where I imagine few tire companies expressed interest 10 years ago. I hope this doesn't lead to F1 style awful tire performance, with qualifying being limited to one lap because of heat cycles and other silly nonsense.
I welcome this, if for no other reason than it will stop the griping about which tire is inferior or not. Bring on Michelin!Continental Tire to exit IMSA at the end of 2018, will end title sponsorship of Continental SportsCar Challenge, etc.
Apparently this is from IMSA's side. They chose not to extend the contract.
Anything that gets Hindy to shut up about how great the Conti's are when it takes 6 laps in qualifying to set a fast time is a positive move.
Helio had fun at Sebring. http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/144356-castroneves-enjoys-first-acura-test
Anything to keep his job and get paid, I'd rather not have Greg Cramer
Most of the hate comes from the fact that the P2s were several seconds slower using Contis than they were on Michelins and Dunlops.
I was ignoring the Conti "Rain" tires since most of the time they were in the dry, but yeah, that had a lot to do with it too. Their wets are even worse than the slicks they gave to IMSA teams, and that says a lot given how terrible the slicks are compared to everything else.Or how GTE cars got overall pole in the wet at Daytona and overall win at PLM?
I wonder if Weathertech will go back to the PWC after crying about BoP again next year since the MacNeil family is trying to take the seats currently occupied by Balzan and Neilsen and race the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari. It's safe to say that the bitching will be far worse next year if they get the car and get outpaced by both the Merc and the Porsche- doubly so if that duo winds up outpacing the Ferrari that they used to race should Weathertech get the reigns to the car.http://sportscar365.com/features/commentary/dagys-imsas-silly-season-in-full-swing/
I wonder if Ricky will get a shot at the Indy 500?
That's disgusting.Christina Neilsen won't return to Scuderia Corsa next year according to RACER. If Balzan leaves as well, the odds of Weathertech running SC's 488 will look like it could actually happen.
That's why it should be expected. This is the same team that quit the series last year due to "unfair BoP" and switched from the Merc to the Porsche this year for the same reason. The MacNeil family will stop at nothing because the only thing they really care about is trying to get their son a championship. I'd say integrity be damned, but they don't have any to begin with. If anyone is going to pull shady 🤬 in this series, its probably going to be (and already has been) Weathertech.That's disgusting.
Thankfully, the moment MacNeil gets in the car, its slower than ****. Hopefully another team takes up Neilsen and Balzan if they do both leave. If its just Neilsen, hopefully another driver gets the ride.That's why it should be expected. This is the same team that quit the series last year due to "unfair BoP" and switched from the Merc to the Porsche this year for the same reason. The MacNeil family will stop at nothing because the only thing they really care about is trying to get their son a championship. I'd say integrity be damned, but they don't have any to begin with. If anyone is going to pull shady 🤬 in this series, its probably going to be (and already has been) Weathertech.
Agreed, I would love to see Neilson get a ride with Penske.Balzan and Neilsen are both solid shoes and I think they'll find a ride easily (perhaps not in the same series).
Rast is putting on quite a show today, he has managed to hit 2 different BMW's in 2 laps in the DTM today.