[WEC] 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship

[rich07]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://www.racer.com/wec-le-mans/ite...-lease-program
Dodge considering leasing the Viper GTS-Rs for WEC

Please tell me one they chatted to Jack Leconte. They've got good history with Vipers in various GT classes

[David Land]

So what are the chances for Road America next year?

[Hendrix]

Originally Posted by David Land

So what are the chances for Road America next year?

I would say it depends on if they go forward with the winter schedule idea (although it would be fun watching them race in snow).

[TheMightyM]

Originally Posted by David Land

So what are the chances for Road America next year?

Realistically, odds against. Road America seems to be the third option (at best) in North America, behind CotA and Montreal. The F1 circuits are just better fits for WEC’s current business model. The most likely scenario for WEC coming to Road America would be if the WEC decides it can’t share a date with TUSC at CotA (that’s probably inevitable, it’s just a question of when one or the other side decide that holding a shared date isn’t in its best business interest) and it can’t make make a deal with Montreal as a replacement.

Adding a WEC race isn’t Road America’s biggest priority. As the AP reports, the track is after a NASCAR Sprint Cup race and is also open to a return of Indycar if the terms are right.

[carbon_titanium]

if RA will remain a fia grade 2 track, I doubt that WEC will go there

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

if RA will remain a fia grade 2 track, I doubt that WEC will go there

Well, if they could just upgrade the pits, the media center, and add some run-offs while retaining the track layout, I'm sure it's enough to bring it to Grade 1.

[carbon_titanium]

maybe, but realisticly who is going to spend all these money to make RA a fia grade 1 just to host a WEC race?

[deggis]

Certain track used in a famous event just week ago is not Grade 1. This Grade 1 requirement is hypothetical and makes imho no sense. But it probably isn't a coincidence that the Grade 1 tracks are usually the biggest and (facility-wise) best tracks.

[Maelochs]

As I understand it "Grade 1" is supposed to be a safety grade, not really about facilities, but with Bernie Ecclestone running F1 for 40 years and his lawyer Max Mosely being FIA president most of that time, Bernie made "Grade 1" mean "fit for F1" and the standards he set for F1 were huge pits, lots of executive viewing suites, super media facilities---everything to position F1 as the ultimate form of racing in the world in the minds of non-racers.

Le Mans simply isn't safe enough, other amenities nonwithstanding .... it is too long to have enough marshal posts and cranes for F1's standards. Road America on the other hand probably lacks more in media and VIP accommodations than it does in safety---though I seem to remember an ALMS race getting red-flagged there when a car tore out a bunch of guardrail.

Still, as far as safety goes, RA is pretty long---it would need a lot more marshal posts and access roads/access holes for ambulances and fire trucks, as well as more runoff, I'd imagine--to get Grade 1.

As Deggis notes, "Grade 1" is only really needed for F1. The big issues I think WEC might have with RA would be media access and fan accommodations---but likely not many would show up for WEC, judging from CotA.

[David Land]

@Maelochs I think you are thinking of Mosport not Road America for that accident that tore up the guard rail. It was a GTC car I believe in 2010.

[carbon_titanium]

watch on youtube the camaro flying out the circuit incident during grand-am 2011 race and you will see that fia 1 grade is not just about extra pits and viewing suites. Safety standards of most of american tracks are simply shamefull.

[David Land]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

watch on youtube the camaro flying out the circuit incident during grand-am 2011 race and you will see that fia 1 grade is not just about extra pits and viewing suites. Safety standards of most of american tracks are simply shamefull.

Better than the parking lots you guys get in Europe and the Middle East, that is for sure!

[TheMightyM]

Let’s be clear about what the WEC are doing: They (mainly) race at places that F1 races at or has recently raced at not because they demand the safety upgrades that Grade 1 facilities have but rather because the WEC is trying to build up it’s brand by going to places the world’s most prestigious racing series goes to. Thus spending a lot of money to upgrade Road America to FIA Grade 1 doesn’t by itself make it more appealing to the WEC.

That said, could Road America as a Grade 2 facility hold a WEC round? Sure, if the series can’t make CotA and/or Montreal work but still thinks it needs to make a stop in the U.S. or Canada, Road America is certainly a possibility.

[carbon_titanium]

well, tilke designed tracks all around the world and almost all of these are ugly and boring (to me did a great work only with sepang and fuji restyling). It's tilke and FIA requests fault. Anyway my words were not to offend american people, is just my point of view, really close to the reality.

[Maelochs]

David Land---thanks, my error.

Carbon-titanium--I recall that wreck---the Camaro launched off a Mazda which had brake problems and went clear over the 20-foot-tall catch fence. The Camaro driver was luckily uninjured, despite sliding down the hill on the other side of the fence.

Not quite sure what is shameful about all that. Cars sometimes hit cars and fly (Ant Davidson launching off a Ferrari at Le Mans comes to mind immediately as a similar incident--or I think Mark Webber at the Spanish Grand Prix a few years ago?)

I suppose catch fences could be fifty or 100 feet tall--but that would add other safety issues or support pylons fifty feet around at the base.

Unless we specify that cars can only race in perfectly flat parking lots ... Seriously, look at the Grade 1 track at Montreal ... and forget Monaco ...

There have been some shameful incidents---like the IndyCar accident at the Houston GP last year which led to Dario Franchitti's retirement. Franchitti launched off a stalled car (Sato?) and flew high into the catch fencing, which for some reason wasn't anchored, so a section of catch fencing landed in the crowd. That was shameful.

Anyway, just differences of opinion and maybe different definitions, but I don't see course safety being a "shameful" problem in the U.S.

I will say the response time to the burning #33 Viper at Turn Six at Sebring qualified as "shameful" but I think that is due to policy where the safety crew need to ask permission to go onto a hot track---in case of fire it should be mandatory for safety teams to respond immediately IMO.

[Purist]

Most international circuits outside of the US have a glaring safety issue we don't have to deal with much here: narrow pit lanes.

I'd rather have the parklands of Road America nad Mid Ohio than the parking lots of Silverstone and Bahrain. I can see the track, both because I can get physically close enough, and it's not surrounded by the same material the track itself is made of. I can get shade so I don't cook from above; the lack of paved run-off means I don't cook, by convection, from below, either. (Many parts of Europe don't get as hot as much of the US can, nor do they get as much direct sunlight, which really heats up paved surfaces, and the air above them.)

[carbon_titanium]

another example of "not so shamefull" american tracks safety standards...

[BudLightJaguar]

Originally Posted by Purist

I'd rather have the parklands of Road America nad Mid Ohio than the parking lots of Silverstone and Bahrain. I can see the track, both because I can get physically close enough, and it's not surrounded by the same material the track is made of. I can get shade so I don't cook from above; the lack of paved run-off means I don't cook, by convection, from below, either.

And adding to this, Tilkedromes don't usually allow you to have a pop-up tent and a folding chair. This is something what a like about North American tracks. Like Mosport (I don't use the name CTMP). Everything is basically first-in-first-serve, you a not forced to sit on a numbered seat.

[Purist]

VIR was dead for nearly 30 years, and had to be resurrected. The first stage was just to get it back in operation at all, to club standard, and then go from there. They've been augmenting the circuit and facilities since it reopened. Further upgrades have been underway since that ALMS race last autumn. I'm sure new barriers will be included in that, along with widening a few stretches, and the pit entry. Also, up to this point, they've kept the link road for the South Course clear, so there wasn't a spectator area to worry about behind those marshals.

When I say resurrected, I mean it. Here's a little then and now. First, 1998:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4kwF5mg1Vg
Now, with new asphalt and more, 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8cyOGZDurs

[FordCosworthPanoz]

If you want to talk about 'shameful track preparations' look no further than a particular circuit in France you may have heard of that cost a driver his life last year.

Like in that case, VIR improved safety at that portion of the circuit in time for the following racing season.

[joeb]

Ok racing is dangerous and there is no such thing as a"safe" track. Doesn't matter where the track is located there will always be incidents when you have large metal and carbon machines traveling at huge speeds.

Now let's not get to far off topic.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Purist

Now, with new asphalt and more, 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8cyOGZDurs

Still as great as ever. Watching American tracks always makes me smile.

Circuit de la Sarthe's recent asphalt-extension-frenzy #operationnomoregrassorgravelinfiveyears isn't gonna grant the track Grade 1 status (mostly because there is no need when you know F1's not coming) but that doesn't mean it's not starting to resemblence them

[tux]

There are too many great tracks than there are slots on the calendar.

Should have 2 US rounds though, might attract Corvette and Dodge into the championship.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by tux

There are too many great tracks than there are slots on the calendar.

Should have 2 US rounds though, might attract Corvette and Dodge into the championship.

Viper isn't sold in Europe and they even have hard time justifying (for their board of directors) running even Le Mans, so they will never ever enter WEC.

Corvette doesn't care of WEC, they've said it from time and time again (even as recently as Le Mans). And I don't think two NA events would change anything in that respect, it's still just two rounds. Especially if that other race besides southern tilkedrome wasn't even in US, but Canada.

WEC GTE gets crappy coverage too, it's LMP1 and "some other cars". Even USCC makes better marketing for their GTs

Anyway I would have third of the races in North America if I was in charge.

[Deleted]

Going back to track discussion: WTCC is making a debut at freaking NORDSCHLEIFE next year (first World Championship event there in over 30 years) so clearly there are still high profile FIA series and people behind that do not want to limit themselves to just sterile Grade 1 tracks if there is no need. And with WEC there literally is no need, we know LMP1s can handle Grade 2s and have allowance to run on all of them (and actually on lower Grades too as ALMS has showed). Now say whatever you want about WTCC but that decision is awesome and brave, and not lunatic either considering GT3s are faster and do the main 24h.

Also as side point: Hiya FIA and ACO, as LMPs clearly are out of the question for Nordschleife, why not have GTE-only race on that track? Seeing as they are on the same speed class as GT3s you could even integrate them with the N24 grid. That would make the current lame-ness of BoP-LMGTE at least slightly more interesting if you would have them on the greatest circuit on Earth