Endurance Racing Discussion Thread - WEC, ELMS etcSports Cars

[twitcher]

F1 isn't great because a former factory LMP1 team took the restrictions off their championship winning racer, massaged the aero and added some moving aero bits?

If anything that shows how tame WEC regulations are and has no relevance to what F1 is capable of. When Mercedes uncorks their car and starts setting records with it, then we can bring up how lame F1 is. Until then, there's no point in doing so.

I never said it doesn’t also show how tame WEC regs are.

If anything, to me, it shows how racecar develoment in general has been very restricted.

Just imagine what a fully uncorked Merc F1 car would be capable of....you wouldn’t want to watch that?

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Just imagine what a fully uncorked Merc F1 car would be capable of....you wouldn’t want to watch that?

But all the terms who don't have the same sort of funding won't be competitive against the Mercedes. Modern race series are so restrictive because they want to keep costs down so that there would be more teams entering and allows more teams to be competitive.

 

[Furinkazen]

I never said it doesn’t also show how tame WEC regs are.

If anything, to me, it shows how racecar develoment in general has been very restricted.

Just imagine what a fully uncorked Merc F1 car would be capable of....you wouldn’t want to watch that?

Restricted enough to enable teams with 4 cylinder 500hp 1.6l engines to go massively quicker than 5 and 6 litre V8 and V10 with 600+hp of 10 to 15 years ago? Okay then. Obvious restriction is obvious.

Part of Porsche changes wouldn't even be reg based. Engines are tuned for 6 or 24 hours. This latest evo is for 5 to 10 mins.

 

[twitcher]

But all the terms who don't have the same sort of funding won't be competitive against the Mercedes. Modern race series are so restrictive because they want to keep costs down so that there would be more teams entering and allows more teams to be competitive.

What is with you guys???

I never suggested a fully uncorked Merc racing against a Sauber...smh

And keep costs down / more teams competitive....in regards to F1....gimme a break

So you’re actually saying you wouldn’t care to see lewis turn some laps at spa in an uncorked Merc turned up to 11? You wouldn’t want to watch a race between all the top drivers, in a spec car, that was 12 seconds per lap faster than current F1 times? Why would you not want to see that?

 

[ProjectWHaT]

I never suggested a fully uncorked Merc racing against a Sauber...smh

tbf, you never said that

So you’re actually saying you wouldn’t care to see lewis turn some laps at spa in an uncorked Merc turned up to 11? You wouldn’t want to watch a race between all the top drivers, in a spec car, that was 12 seconds per lap faster than current F1 times? Why would you not want to see that?

If it's a spec series, then yeah that would be pretty awesome.

 

[DesertPenguin]

What is with you guys???

I never suggested a fully uncorked Merc racing against a Sauber...smh

And keep costs down / more teams competitive....in regards to F1....gimme a break

So you’re actually saying you wouldn’t care to see lewis turn some laps at spa in an uncorked Merc turned up to 11? You wouldn’t want to watch a race between all the top drivers, in a spec car, that was 12 seconds per lap faster than current F1 times? Why would you not want to see that?

Because everyone knows faster cars don't mean closer racing. In fact the exact opposite is and has been proven to be true. I for one would not want that. The more the car has to be focused on to get the most out of it means the less you can focus on battling other cars, because the cars are so much harder to keep together. Less maneuvers would be attempted because the risks would be higher. So no thanks on that front. I'll stick to watching Formula 2 for that fix. You should check it out.

 

[twitcher]

Because everyone knows faster cars don't mean closer racing. In fact the exact opposite is and has been proven to be true. I for one would not want that. The more the car has to be focused on to get the most out of it means the less you can focus on battling other cars, because the cars are so much harder to keep together. Less maneuvers would be attempted because the risks would be higher. So no thanks on that front. I'll stick to watching Formula 2 for that fix. You should check it out.

....I do watch F2...I’m willing to bet I watch 2 to 3 times as many series as you or anyone else on this forum.

So, in your opinion, are current F1 cars too slow, or too fast?

At what speed should F1 lap times be frozen at for all time? If you say slower cars make for better racing, shouldn’t we be adding parachutes and bricks to F1 cars?

 

[DesertPenguin]

It doesn't matter how fast they are, it matters how easy it is to drive on or near the limit. I know that slightly contradicts my previous post but as an overall general statement it stands true.

 

[twitcher]

It doesn't matter how fast they are, it matters how easy it is to drive on or near the limit. I know that slightly contradicts my previous post but as an overall general statement it stands true.

So you think it would be impossible to make a 12s per lap faster F1 car that was relatively “easy to drive” at or near the limit?

Your talking in circles and not making any sense.

By that logic, to get better racing, every series in the world should be adding as many driver aids to the cars as possible, to make them easy to control at the limit.

F1 should just race Priuses then.


...like, your whole arguement against this Porsche is that top level racing series should be comprised of slow cars that are easy to control at the limit. Are you trolling me at this point?

 

[DesertPenguin]

I think that a 12s per lap faster 1 car would never be easy to drive. And you are taking what I said and stretching out to something so ridiculous I just can't even with you today man. Learn to separate things dude.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/three-wheel-test-part-of-toyota-preparation-1024573/

One of Toyota's 2018/19 FIA World Endurance Championship challengers was sent out of the pits with a front wheel missing during an endurance simulation at the Aragon circuit last month so that the team could learn how to deal with the situation should it arise in the race this June.

Toyota Motorsport GmbH technical director Pascal Vasselon said: "In Aragon we have done one lap on three wheels and asked the team to bring back the car.

"We have understood the additional problems you can get with the front differential, for example."

Vasselon explained that the team had already completed the same exercise with a rear wheel removed at a previous test.

As many as "20 to 25" different issues have been simulated by Toyota so far this year, according to Vasselon.

These have included surprising the driver by ceasing all radio communication on circuit and simulating driveshaft failures.

Vasselon has also revealed that the turbo issue that cost Toyota Le Mans victory in 2016 with six minutes to go would not have been an issue one year later.

He explained that the problem was precipitated by the late decision to develop a turbocharged engine for the 2016 WEC.

"When we came to Le Mans the engine was working very well when everything was going well, but when we lost the pipe [from the turbo to the intercooler] the systems were not able to handle that and we lost completely the power," he said.

"Now if this happens, the system will immediately use the other bank of cylinders and we will do a lap of four minutes rather than 3m20s.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Bet you 50 bucks they'll still break down this year.

As much as I love Toyota, it ain't happening.

 

[sumbrownkid]

Bet you 50 bucks they'll still break down this year.

As much as I love Toyota, it ain't happening.

Well the Cubs won their world series after over a hundred years.

Trump became President.

And Gran Turismo has Porsches.

I think Toyota can win Le Mans in this timeline.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Well the Cubs won their world series after over a hundred years.

Trump became President.

And Gran Turismo has Porsches.

I think Toyota can win Le Mans in this timeline.

Yes but Alonso is driving one of them....

 

[sumbrownkid]

Yes but Alonso is driving one of them....

And that car will have the power of KIMOA.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Does anyone know what the minimum ride height of an LMP1 car is? I can't find it in the regs.

 

[DesertPenguin]

"High enough to fit a single finger's width under"

 

[AerodyManiac]

https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/three-wheel-test-part-of-toyota-preparation-1024573/

Oh, the problem of reading an article like that near April 1st...

In all seriousness though, I hope that Toyota can finally win Le Mans this year. But I dare not hold my hopes high, after so many disappointments in the preceding years...

 

[DwightSchrute12]

Apologies if already posted. Looks like US coverage this year is switching from FOX to Velocity.

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/...-24-hours-of-le-mans-7425/20180418velocity01/

https://www.roadandtrack.com/motors...urs-of-le-mans-tv-schedule-wec-velocity-2018/

Velocity, in partnership with Discovery, Inc. owned Eurosport, announced today a new multi-year agreement to become the exclusive U.S. and Canadian home for live flag-to-flag coverage of the 24 HOURS OF LE MANS beginning with this year's race on Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17. Under the agreement, Velocity and Motor Trend will also live broadcast the full FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) "Super Season", which begins with the Spa-Francorchamps event this May and culminates with the 24 HOURS OF LE MANS June 15-16, 2019.

Unfortunately it looks like non-Le Mans races will still not contain full, live races. Still an improvement over FOX, which I thought was garbage. They never aired a full race that I can recall, constantly switched channels (sometimes with little to no prior notice, screwing over DVR users) and often bumped coverage for others sports like UFC. Since Velocity has no other live events (well, non-auction), there shouldn't be any bumping of coverage here.

The full WEC 2018-2019 "Super Season" schedule follows:

TOTAL 6 HOURS OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS

May 3-5

*Full live coverage on MotorTrend.com and the Motor Trend app with first and last hour live on Velocity

24 HOURS OF LE MANS

June 16-17

*Live Coverage on Velocity plus live qualifying and practice sessions on MotorTrend.com and the Motor Trend app

6 HOURS OF SILVERSTONE

August 17-19

*Full live coverage on MotorTrend.com and the Motor Trend app with first and last hour live on Velocity

6 HOURS OF FUJI

October 12-14

*Full live coverage on MotorTrend.com and the Motor Trend app with first and last hour live on Velocity

6 HOURS OF SHANGHAI

November 16-18

*Full live coverage on MotorTrend.com and the Motor Trend app with first and last hour live on Velocity

1000 MILES OF SEBRING

March 13-15, 2019

*Live Coverage on Velocity

TOTAL 6 HOURS OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS

May 2-4, 2019

*Full live coverage on MotorTrend.com and the Motor Trend app with first and last hour live on Velocity

24 HOURS OF LE MANS

June 15-16, 2019

*Live Coverage on Velocity plus live qualifying and practice sessions on MotorTrend.com and the Motor Trend app

 

[Downhill Dino]

Or practice of all things. Finally FOX's reign is slowly ending.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

You're gonna need to subscribe to Motor Tend On Demand to stream it on their website which is about $5 a month iirc.

 

[Sentry87]

Why can't velocity just air the full races? Their regular programming sucks, it's just drag racing, and guys fixing up old trucks then selling it for an unreasonable amount of money.

 

[Tired Tyres]

What about the WEC stream? It's £40.99 in the UK.

 

[Jezza819]

What about the WEC stream? It's £40.99 in the UK.

I've had the WEC subscription for about the last 4 years or so and that's what I'll continue to do. Forget this first and last hour junk and I had Motortrend on demand thing for one year but didn't really like it so I've never renewed it.

 

[DwightSchrute12]

Why can't velocity just air the full races? Their regular programming sucks, it's just drag racing, and guys fixing up old trucks then selling it for an unreasonable amount of money.

It is quite baffling, especially considering little to no overlap on their primetime programming. The Euro races will likely start around 5-9am and the Asian races will be overnight. They can't overlap reruns of drag races and truck fixing for live racing?

 

[Sentry87]

So I have a ps4 with Amazon prime app and I'm subscribed to motor trend through Amazon, will I be able to watch full WEC races through that in 2018-2019?

 

[Northstar]

🤬

 

[DwightSchrute12]

The deal just got a heck of a lot worse.

 

[SilkCutXJR]

Hello chaps, I´d like your opinion on the following:

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/toyota-facing-unprecedented-challenge-to-win-le-mans-1021692/

Last year I thought, 2018 or never, it won´t be as easy for Toyota any time in the future to win...but that has changed somehow. I don´t know if it is just the wording in the article but according to this, it seems rather unlikely that Toyota will beat the opposition, doesn´t it? If the calculations are correct, they would have to go like hell from the very beginning and we all know how that always ends for them: Drivetrain loss, accident or puncture, as much as I want them to win. About time I suppose.

On the other hand, all the privateers, except ByKolles, have "Le-Mans-unproven" hardware. What do you think? Will it be harder or easier than with equal "manufacturer" competition?

Either way, I think it will be amazing. Either Toyota finally wins, the first full privateer effort since the 90s wins or, If P1 again really fails, which I know is extremely unlikely, a P2 car wins.

 

[SlimCharles]

IMO all the messages we are seeing that Toyota is gonna suffer is just Toyota's propaganda. In this other article all the privateer are saying Toyota will win without any effort.

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/aleshin-toyota-lmp1-advantage-f1-v12-1028410/

I have a doubt about the 919 evo: In the press release they aid it wears BBS rims... didnt BBS go bankrupt?