[WEC] 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship

[Mike E]

I was just having a look at the WEC points standings and realised that there are 11 titles up for grabs, comprising 2 championships, 2 cups and 7 trophies. Imagine how long the awards ceremony must last.

World Endurance Drivers Prototype Championship
LMP1 Manufacturers' World Championship
World Endurance Cup for GT Drivers
LMGTE Manufacturers's World Cup
FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP1 Private Team Drivers
FIA Endurance Trophy for Private LMP1 Teams
FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Drivers
FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Teams
FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Pro Teams
FIA Endurance Trophy for GT Am Drivers
FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Teams

The Drivers Prototype Championship is open to LMP1 and LMP2 by the look of it so a P2 driver could win the overall title under extremely freaky conditions. Never gonna happen, of course...

[wewantourdarbyback]

Ram Racing will be skipping Spa due to an unexpected budget shortfall.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113614

[The Badger]

Wonder will that be the rumoured LM GTE withdrawl ..... possibily with one car ?

[Deleted]

With recent withdrawals from RAM + known absents (Strakka) + still VERY questionable debutees (Lotus) + sort of unsure because of accident damages (Audi???) + unsure because of political situations (SMP) + unsure because of financials (Millennium) + small interest from outside teams (except Jota Sport), we appear to be looking at the smallest Spa 6 Hours / 1000km field (that arrived to the circuit) since 2002 two-class FIA Sportscar Championship race

2002 - 17x
2003 - 35x
2004 - 41x
2005 - 47x
2006 - 40x
2007 - 50x
2008 - 44x
2009 - 51x
2010 - 50x
2011 - 54x
2012 - 42x
2013 - 35x
2014 - maybe less than 30...

[nobster]

Hmm that looks bad!

[GT6]

Less than 30 cars on spa circuit is going to look very empty

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Originally Posted by Chiana

With recent withdrawals from RAM + known absents (Strakka) + still VERY questionable debutees (Lotus) + sort of unsure because of accident damages (Audi???) + unsure because of political situations (SMP) + unsure because of financials (Millennium) + small interest from outside teams (except Jota Sport), we appear to be looking at the smallest Spa 6 Hours / 1000km field (that arrived to the circuit) since 2002 two-class FIA Sportscar Championship race

2002 - 17x
2003 - 35x
2004 - 41x
2005 - 47x
2006 - 40x
2007 - 50x
2008 - 44x
2009 - 51x
2010 - 50x
2011 - 54x
2012 - 42x
2013 - 35x
2014 - maybe less than 30...

Wow. 2011 was seen with the biggest entries, breaking 2010's entries.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by GT6

Less than 30 cars on spa circuit is going to look very empty

Don't worry, the ~10 car field of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Benelux support races will make it look gargantuan in comparison.

[Pandemonium]

So boring always talking about quantity. I insist it is about quality. The LMP1 fight is more promissing than ever. Stop complaining. (complain if you wish of course it is just my opinion). With three new closed coupes to be unveiled between le mans and spa it looks more than exciting to me.

[Deleted]

That is always the first argument against quantity. Even when there have been 2-3 car ACO classes it's the first thing that gets brought up and it's automatically supposed to overwrite the issue of quantity for some reason.

But yes in essence it's true that this is (mostly) quality field, particularly at the front with the most technologically advanced cars in the world, but overall it has seen better days

Btw I wouldn't bet on Lotus making the grid yet so potentially one less new coupe there

[isynge]

It's got to be a balance between quantity and quality. I like to see a sufficient number of cars going round for there usually to be something to see, and a decent variety of shapes and approaches (which often will include the lesser in terms of out and out quality).

That said I think I'm more excited about the front end of the grid than I was in 2011. Nine (and maybe 10?) interesting LMP1s, and hopefully a bit of a boost to the LMP2 grid will work fine for me, which speaks to the quality argument. Would it still be true if we shrunk it to one each from Audi, Porsche, and Toyota? No - that's a quality entry, but it only takes a minor issue to strip away a lot of the interest.

A corollary, would I trade bigger grid of last year, but with a pair of essentially unsorted Toyotas going up against three solid Audis, for a somewhat smaller grid this year? I'm not sure I would.

[AndyS]

As an increasingly disillusioned F1 fan I thought I'd give the WEC Silverstone highlights a whirl. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it with plenty of racing, incident and action.

Not a criticism but I was a little surprised that the grid wasn't a bit larger when compared to the ELMS race, but I do understand some cars were missing. As a bit of a novice to Sports car racing (with the exception of occasionally watching Le Mans and the ALMS at its height) is this down to the long haul races making it too expensive for some of the P2 and GT teams? Hence pushing them more towards the ELMS?

I also undertook a little research on the calendar and was very surprised to see races like Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans not on it. Although my knowledge of sports car racing is limited, I do know these events were/are quite a big deal after Le Mans. Understand they are now in with the American championship that seems to have gone down a different path.

When I actually got to thinking about it these circuits probably gave the safety/Herman Tilke style track obsessed FIA (excuse my cynicism on this) sleepless nights. Don't get me wrong I don't want to see anybody getting hurt but is that the reason? Shame really but again it isn't going to stop me watching as I might actually see some interesting racing on these FIA favoured tracks now!

Excuse the long winded post.

[GT6]

That is perfectly OK Andy, on this site we consider F1 as the feeder series for proper racing so it is not surprising that previous F1 fans are watching now, welcome to sportscar racing i think you will enjoy it and perhaps you might consider a trip to the greatest car race in the world, Le mans

[Bandicoot17]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Not a criticism but I was a little surprised that the grid wasn't a bit larger when compared to the ELMS race, but I do understand some cars were missing. As a bit of a novice to Sports car racing (with the exception of occasionally watching Le Mans and the ALMS at its height) is this down to the long haul races making it too expensive for some of the P2 and GT teams? Hence pushing them more towards the ELMS?

Yes I think it's the cost factor of the longer races, flyaway rounds and things like that which mean that P2 teams would rather opt for ELMS, GTE has cost issues and with it mainly consisting of factory teams (even in Am) privateers would be better off in the ELMS.

You must also remember ELMS has GT3 which if you look around the globe at series like PWC or BEW, any series with Gt3's has good grid sizes do to the reduced cost. Personally I feel that the WEC GT has the most scope for growth and the new GT+ regulations can't come soon enough. I see the WEC increasing grid sizes from 32 because more manufacturers should be interested, depending on the rules you'd be potentially be seeing factory efforts from Mercedes, Bentley, BMW, Audi, Mclaren alongside the Porsches, Astons and Ferrari's. Alongside the excellent P1 field we'd also have a truly world class GT field.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by AndyS

As an increasingly disillusioned F1 fan I thought I'd give the WEC Silverstone highlights a whirl. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it with plenty of racing, incident and action.

Excellent choice, hope we see more of your around this part of the forum

Not a criticism but I was a little surprised that the grid wasn't a bit larger when compared to the ELMS race, but I do understand some cars were missing. As a bit of a novice to Sports car racing (with the exception of occasionally watching Le Mans and the ALMS at its height) is this down to the long haul races making it too expensive for some of the P2 and GT teams? Hence pushing them more towards the ELMS?

It is essentially both the cost of travel and running time which makes the WEC much more expensive. The low car count at Silverstone was also down to misfortune and circumstance, but the ELMS is much cheaper. However, in fairness, there are one or two LMP2 teams in the ELMS which aren't of World Championship quality.

I also undertook a little research on the calendar and was very surprised to see races like Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans not on it. Although my knowledge of sports car racing is limited, I do know these events were/are quite a big deal after Le Mans. Understand they are now in with the American championship that seems to have gone down a different path.

The ALMS, which had strong links to the ACO (organiser of Le Mans and, together the FIA, the WEC), but that series merged with its rival series after it was bought out by Grand Am. The new series has those three races you've mentioned and there's not really anything the WEC could do about it, even if it wanted to. There is a tendency to race at other circuits like COTA, Bahrain and Shanghai to justify building them for more than just the GP.

When I actually got to thinking about it these circuits probably gave the safety/Herman Tilke style track obsessed FIA (excuse my cynicism on this) sleepless nights. Don't get me wrong I don't want to see anybody getting hurt but is that the reason? Shame really but again it isn't going to stop me watching as I might actually see some interesting racing on these FIA favoured tracks now

As above, it's more politics more than safety, as Petit, Daytona and Sebring all have the correct licenses to host a WEC race. In an ideal world the series would be racing there, and it is a shame, but as you say the other way of looking at it is that you'll get better racing at the Tilkedromes than you might do otherwise. Certainly, LMP1 cars look far better at those circuits than, say, World Touring Cars...

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by isynge

It's got to be a balance between quantity and quality. I like to see a sufficient number of cars going round for there usually to be something to see, and a decent variety of shapes and approaches (which often will include the lesser in terms of out and out quality).

That said I think I'm more excited about the front end of the grid than I was in 2011. Nine (and maybe 10?) interesting LMP1s, and hopefully a bit of a boost to the LMP2 grid will work fine for me, which speaks to the quality argument. Would it still be true if we shrunk it to one each from Audi, Porsche, and Toyota? No - that's a quality entry, but it only takes a minor issue to strip away a lot of the interest.

A corollary, would I trade bigger grid of last year, but with a pair of essentially unsorted Toyotas going up against three solid Audis, for a somewhat smaller grid this year? I'm not sure I would.

Good points...

Personally, I don't think this is the strongest LMP1 grid of the past decade despite the arrival of Porsche - and definitely not in privateer side - but it's on the slow rise.

Originally Posted by GT6

That is perfectly OK Andy, on this site we consider F1 as the feeder series for proper racing

Well, some do anyway...

Don't get me wrong, I pretty much despise current F1, but that feeder series joke still annoys the hell out of me. Was funny the first dozens of times you heard it but when you're up to 35,254 mentions it's annoying.

Originally Posted by i"Gingers4Justice"

There is a tendency to race at other circuits like COTA, Bahrain and Shanghai to justify building them for more than just the GP..

Well I suppose everything is possible in theory...

[Salamus]

Originally Posted by AndyS

As an increasingly disillusioned F1 fan I thought I'd give the WEC Silverstone highlights a whirl. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it with plenty of racing, incident and action.

Ahh, another member that has escaped the matrix known as F1.

Originally Posted by AndyS

Not a criticism but I was a little surprised that the grid wasn't a bit larger when compared to the ELMS race, but I do understand some cars were missing. As a bit of a novice to Sports car racing (with the exception of occasionally watching Le Mans and the ALMS at its height) is this down to the long haul races making it too expensive for some of the P2 and GT teams? Hence pushing them more towards the ELMS?

The budget has most likely been the biggest factor for teams choosing ELMS over WEC. Almost all the small teams can be found in the ELMS.

Originally Posted by AndyS

I also undertook a little research on the calendar and was very surprised to see races like Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans not on it. Although my knowledge of sports car racing is limited, I do know these events were/are quite a big deal after Le Mans. Understand they are now in with the American championship that seems to have gone down a different path.

When I actually got to thinking about it these circuits probably gave the safety/Herman Tilke style track obsessed FIA (excuse my cynicism on this) sleepless nights. Don't get me wrong I don't want to see anybody getting hurt but is that the reason? Shame really but again it isn't going to stop me watching as I might actually see some interesting racing on these FIA favoured tracks now!

Excuse the long winded post.

For the most part, Sebring, Petit, and Daytona comply with the FIA track regulations. I think all 3 are Grade 2 or higher, so that isn't the problem. The reason that none of these tracks are part of the WEC is because USCC (and the defunct ALMS) did not want to give up these races. This forced WEC to stage a stand alone event at The Circuit of the Americas.

[TF110]

When those new rules for gt's come into play, I sure hope to see BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Nissan, Mercedes, Vette, Viper, Lexus etc. join the wec! Even if you only get BMW and Audi, thats at least 4 more cars. Maybe Toyota drops lmp1 and goes GT with the Lexus. But hopefully the future is brighter than now.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Well I suppose everything is possible in theory...

I don't mean they were built for the WEC in any way, but the FIA will give these regions a helping hand in generating some revenue between GPs...

[AndyS]

Thanks everybody for the replies, some of the fog is starting to clear now! Its good to hear the US races weren't dropped on safety grounds, so never say never!

The F1 being a feeder series bit made me chuckle. There may well be a few other drivers available next year the way things are going. Button could find himself without a drive and possible Kimi if he only has a 12 month contract. I know Button said he wasn't keen recently but he's friendly with Webber so maybe he can talk him round! Shame Montoya wasn't tempted.

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by GT6

perhaps you might consider a trip to the greatest car race in the world, Le mans

Would love to but the wife might not be to keen!

[GT6]

Well take her with you, if she does not like racing she can shop or sight see in france

[Pandemonium]

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/spa...ennium-racing/
So Rebellion is taking the R-ones despite the Lolas being announced. Even Endurance info kind of points towards the lotus lmp as of a joke and no sign of millenium racing.

[airbusA346]

No Millennium at Spa.

[Rodger Davies]

Ouch indeed, really bad news for ADR, seems they've been let down by more false promises, if not then they really need to cone out and clarify their position.

With these three no-shows, how many reserve P2s are there? Signatech, Greaves and Pegasus? All three of these deserve the LM spot more at this point.