FIA WEC / World Endurance Championship

[Sean197]

Been away in the hills for the weekend so just caught up with the race last night. Not bad. Predictable at the front but the GT battle was as good as ever, especially between the Porsche and the Ford.

Glad Tincknell is ok. Nasty one.

29G impact apparently!

Fittipladi's crash was caused by a power steering issue.

And finally, the 2 Toyota's were not allowed to race each other after the final pitstops - https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/135834/toyota-froze-positions-in-alonso-car-favour Gonna be a boring LMP1 season if that continues.

 

[///M]

29G impact apparently!

Fittipladi's crash was caused by a power steering issue.

And finally, the 2 Toyota's were not allowed to race each other after the final pitstops - https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/135834/toyota-froze-positions-in-alonso-car-favour Gonna be a boring LMP1 season if that continues.

Mrs M said they were going to hold back and let Alonso take the showbiz win. Seems she was right!

Yeah it won't be a stellar season if that's how it goes for sure. But for me, there's always plenty of interest in LMP2 and GT anyway.

To be honest, I just like watching the cars. They're just so much more exciting than F1.

 

[Sean197]

Mrs M said they were going to hold back and let Alonso take the showbiz win. Seems she was right!

Yeah it won't be a stellar season if that's how it goes for sure. But for me, there's always plenty of interest in LMP2 and GT anyway.

To be honest, I just like watching the cars. They're just so much more exciting than F1.

Yeah, always exciting watching the LMP cars carving through the GT cars. Just a shame the privateer LMP1 cars haven't got a chance vs the Toyotas. I can't see how they can attract more manufacturers given the cost and given all the new manufacturers entering Formula E. Time to bring back the GT1 class (I can dream!).

 

[///M]

Yeah, always exciting watching the LMP cars carving through the GT cars. Just a shame the privateer LMP1 cars haven't got a chance vs the Toyotas. I can't see how they can attract more manufacturers given the cost and given all the new manufacturers entering Formula E. Time to bring back the GT1 class (I can dream!).

Would take me exactly one race to forget LMP cars ever existed if they brought back GT1. That might get a few more manufacturers interested too. But yeah, most of the big guys are moving towards FE now in order to see us more cars we don't want or need in the future.

As long as we keep buying new cars that's all that matters now.

 

[Sean197]

Would take me exactly one race to forget LMP cars ever existed if they brought back GT1. That might get a few more manufacturers interested too. But yeah, most of the big guys are moving towards FE now in order to see us more cars we don't want or need in the future.

As long as we keep buying new cars that's all that matters now.

Ford announced last week that they'll stop making and selling cars in the US, bar the Mustang and Focus. God knows where that will leave them in terms of racing. GT1 got silly when Porsche ruined it by exploiting the homologation rules with the 911 GT1, then Mercedes got involved with the CLK GTR and the regs seemed to go out the window. I enjoyed the series when it last ran, the Maserati MC12's etc. I'd love to see an equivalency formula which allows GT1/2 cars to compete with the LMP cars, but very much doubt that will ever happen.

 

[///M]

Ford announced last week that they'll stop making and selling cars in the US, bar the Mustang and Focus. God knows where that will leave them in terms of racing. GT1 got silly when Porsche ruined it by exploiting the homologation rules with the 911 GT1, then Mercedes got involved with the CLK GTR and the regs seemed to go out the window. I enjoyed the series when it last ran, the Maserati MC12's etc. I'd love to see an equivalency formula which allows GT1/2 cars to compete with the LMP cars, but very much doubt that will ever happen.

MC12 was an amazing car!

 

[peter]

both GT classes were ace. hope the other manufacturers can get to the level of the porsches and fords. would be phenomenal having a battle royal at le mans between the fords, porsches, astons, BMW's, corvettes and ferraris.

LMP1 was/is pants. the ginetta cars not even taking part, because of money trouble. there's even a big gap between the rebellion cars and the rest of LMP1. a toyota le mans victory will be a hollow victory.

 

[///M]

both GT classes were ace. hope the other manufacturers can get to the level of the porsches and fords. would be phenomenal having a battle royal at le mans between the fords, porsches, astons, BMW's, corvettes and ferraris.

LMP1 was/is pants. the ginetta cars not even taking part, because of money trouble. there's even a big gap between the rebellion cars and the rest of LMP1. a toyota le mans victory will be a hollow victory.

They need to get the BOP sorted out but the whole system is open to foul play that you never really know what you’re going to get.

BMW have been very vocal about getting screwed on performance adjustments.

Hope, like you a happy medium can be reached and we get something even more amazing than we usually get.

Agree about Toyota too. Really hurts. That was our team. Especially the #8.

 

[peter]

well, we had tincknell and fittipaldi ... and now we have isaakyan (had to look him up. never heard of him) ...

 

[///M]

well, we had tincknell and fittipaldi ... and now we have isaakyan (had to look him up. never heard of him) ...

BLOODY HELL!!! I heard during commentary that they said his car had overturned. They didn't say he went flying though!

Very much like the Webber accident at Le Mans. Madness.

Amazing that he came away unhurt!

 

[Sean197]

Jesus LOL! As above^^^ watched the '99 Le Mans highlights just the other day and that Spa crash reminded me of Dumbreck's crash in the Merc:

 

[///M]

Jesus LOL! As above^^^ watched the '99 Le Mans highlights just the other day and that Spa crash reminded me of Dumbreck's crash in the Merc:

Still can't believe that actually happened. What makes it even more ridiculous is that Webber had exactly the same accident on the Thursday practice two days earlier AND exactly the same crash in warm up on the same day!!! Have to admire Dumbreck's huge balls for even getting in the car.

 

[Sean197]

Still can't believe that actually happened. What makes it even more ridiculous is that Webber had exactly the same accident on the Thursday practice two days earlier AND exactly the same crash in warm up on the same day!!! Have to admire Dumbreck's huge balls for even getting in the car.

Unsurprisingly Mercedes withdrew the remaining car shortly after that...

 

[///M]

Unsurprisingly Mercedes withdrew the remaining car shortly after that...

Absolutely crazy that they went ahead at all after Webber's two!

Mark has his fair share of big ones. In addition to the two Merc ones he's had two huge crashes at Interlagos and his memorable flying incident in Valencia.

 

[Sean197]

Absolutely crazy that they went ahead at all after Webber's two!

Mark has his fair share of big ones. In addition to the two Merc ones he's had two huge crashes at Interlagos and his memorable flying incident in Valencia.

ah, the Interlagos one, where Alonso should have been banned for ignoring flags and barrelling into the accident zone at full pelt, wrecking his Renault:

 

[///M]

ah, the Interlagos one, where Alonso should have been banned for ignoring flags and barrelling into the accident zone at full pelt, wrecking his Renault:

Absolute brain fade from Fernando there. Could have been a hell of a lot worse that one!

Although these days I expect it would have been dealt with very differently by the race director.

 

[peter]

Although these days I expect it would have been dealt with very differently by the race director.

even worse?

 

[peter]

it's the same car that button will drive at le mans ...
https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/button-completes-first-test-of-smp-lmp1-car-1035405/?s=1

luckily for him ...
https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/smp-prepared-to-modify-lmp1-airborne-crash-1035474/

 

[///M]

even worse?

Absolutely! Detached wheel in the middle of the track. Close on full speed straight into it. Safety miles off what it is today.

Think it could have been worse mate!

 

[Sean197]

new GTP regulations from 2020, with Toyota releasing a concept pic - https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/toyota-lmp1-rules-out-hiatus-1008729/ McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin have already registered an interest in the new regs. Exciting times ahead!