[WEC Race] 2014 FIA WEC - Round 1 - Silverstone

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Woah, steady on. This is a less than ideal start but come on, this is a setback for the opening round - and nothing more.

We'll have over 30 cars at Spa and probably won't drop into the 20s for the rest of the season.

This simply a number of circumstances outside teams' and organisers' control. Drop outs so far have been due to poor preparation or political/economic sanctions, not because budgets are out of control. Let's keep our heads here. There will still be 27 cars starting at Silverstone, more than any other FIA world championship entry. I'm going on Saturday and Sunday and I can't bloody wait, as disappointing as this news is.

Sounds just too naive to me, it wasn't that long ago that we saw grids of 50 cars or more at the Silverstone and Spa ILMC rounds and with the introduction of the WEC it's gone downhill from the start. Going global is nice and certainly attracts manufacturers (and keeps them in!) but almost everybody else can't afford it, especially not for a number of years in a row, therefor interested teams start looking for ' alternative' resources which are relatively easier to find in certain parts of the world or in certain branches...

I can easily see SMP dropping out (and not only for Silverstone) as well, leaving just a shaky 25 cars on the grid for the first round.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Sounds just too naive to me, it wasn't that long ago that we saw grids of 50 cars or more at the Silverstone and Spa ILMC rounds and with the introduction of the WEC it's gone downhill from the start. Going global is nice and certainly attracts manufacturers (and keeps them in!) but almost everybody else can't afford it, especially not for a number of years in a row, therefor interested teams start looking for ' alternative' resources which are relatively easier to find in certain parts of the world or business'...

I can easily see SMP dropping out (and not only for Silverstone) as well, leaving just a shaky 25 cars on the grid for the first round.

Well if I am being naive, I'll have more fun along the way until my hopes are crushed

The WEC can only take 35 full season entries anyway, so the numbers of past series are largely irrelevant. The start of the season has, for some reason, caught a number of teams by surprise but if we get the full 31 cars then we'll be up on last year.

Even if we ever do see just 25 cars, that's still not enough to be hammering nails into coffins. We'd all like to be the ones who prophesied the end, but we're not there yet.

[Bandicoot17]

There's been no mention of teams being low on cash though, it's just unfortunate timing with the events in Russia.

Strakka actually have their car so there's nothing to really worry about there.

[Rodger Davies]

G4J, you are a level-headed voice of reason. Two cars does not a race series make and WEC is still in a much better position than WTCC at the moment.

For what it's worth, I have, as you rightfully say, prophesed doom, since the series' inception but I don't see this being that moment. I have issues with the way it's run but a 27 car field is not too little, especially when no additional entries could be received, as a result of every other eligible car running in Europe being involved in Saturday's ELMS race.

I still wish I was at Silverstone at the weekend (although I'd have made more effort for a different circuit), but there are still nearly 50 Le Mans compliant cars running in the UK this Easter. They're just split between two races.

Whilst we're wildly speculating, I'd suggest that this might be unconnected to the Russian situation. I would expect them to be a little more direct about the wording of their release if this were the case.

Finally, I am surprised that they're not going to run; if their funding's arrival is as sure as stated, I would have thought there'd be a way to delay necessary payments for a 'few days'.

[TheDude]

Being better off than WTCC isn't exactly a complement

And we got only 9 Factory cars (11 if we count AF Corse)

[airbusA346]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

Finally, I am surprised that they're not going to run; if their funding's arrival is as sure as stated, I would have thought there'd be a way to delay necessary payments for a 'few days'.

I would have thought quite a few of the large costs would have been paid before the race or due after the race.

[Rodger Davies]

Trying to think of an ACO championship having more than that in the modern era (1994+).

Maybe ALMS in early- and mid-2000s?

[TF110]

Its still going to be a good race. Low entries and all.

[Beetle]

Wow, what is going on? First Strakka, then SMP reveals its critical instability, and now Millennium drops out of Silverstone. Who's next?

[TF110]

Strakka didnt show up at the prologue. So their 'punishment' is 2 engines for the entire season. May as well just do Le Mans in that case.

[Pandemonium]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

"And so the mighty WEC empire comes crumbling down."

It all has become way too expensive, soon we might be left with only manufacturers in P1 and GTE plus a couple of GT3 (GTC) cars as gridfillers...

Reintegration with ELMS anyone?

Lol I knew you were American. It is of to a much better start than the TUSCC

[isynge]

Originally Posted by TF110

Strakka didnt show up at the prologue. So their 'punishment' is 2 engines for the entire season. May as well just do Le Mans in that case.

I'm not sure about the whole "two engines" gambit. The penalty for using an additional engine doesn't seem massively swingeing (a 3 minute stop go) - and indeed only kicks in if there's a need to use that additional engine. Okay doing the season on two engines is a stretch, but you live with it, and if you need to take a penalty come the back end of the season you live with it - and with the fairly limited grids it's going to be a whole lot better than the two no-scores they're getting at the start of the season, to say nothing of the burnt goodwill.

Does this however make Strakka now a race-by-race competitor, allowing them one engine per event, which they could crank up beyond what others might be able to do?

[TF110]

Originally Posted by isynge

I'm not sure about the whole "two engines" gambit. The penalty for using an additional engine doesn't seem massively swingeing (a 3 minute stop go) - and indeed only kicks in if there's a need to use that additional engine. Okay doing the season on two engines is a stretch, but you live with it, and if you need to take a penalty come the back end of the season you live with it - and with the fairly limited grids it's going to be a whole lot better than the two no-scores they're getting at the start of the season, to say nothing of the burnt goodwill.

Does this however make Strakka now a race-by-race competitor, allowing them one engine per event, which they could crank up beyond what others might be able to do?

But, that 3 minute stop and hold is nearly two laps at every track they visit! Hard to come back from that in 6 hours with the level of competition. They're at least going to spend time testing.

[Great Dane]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

Unfortunately, Andy Blackmore just announced on his Facebook page that there won't be a spotter guide for WEC or ELMS at Silverstone. He's too busy with other projects right now.

Send me a direct mail and I will send you a copy of my own spotters' guide in pdf format FOC

[andy_b]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

Unfortunately, Andy Blackmore just announced on his Facebook page that there won't be a spotter guide for WEC or ELMS at Silverstone. He's too busy with other projects right now.

Sort of. I have a design business which pays the bills and the Spotter Guide series is an off shoot of that. A Spotter Guide takes a significant number of hours to research and then produce. Obtaining assets this year has also proved difficult compared to past years and we have never had series support like our other guides, so I thank the teams who did send assets through. As ever much appreciated.

Unfortunately on this occasion, Sponsorship discussions are still ongoing, and the last date to start the guide passed a while back. I hope to have something sorted for Spa and beyond (at least for WEC).

I do still plan to create a LeMans guide.

Sorry for this, tried to make it work, but when I'm turning down work on my 'ABD' side of things, it just doesnt make any sense to then turn down more so I can work on free stuff, much as I liked to. Hope to have it resolved soon.

Thanks for everyone's support on the SpotterGuides. Massively appreciated.

[TF110]

Think youve 'earned' respect enough with everyone here that youve no need to apologize, but still appreciated. You and your well being come first and foremost, so thanks for the enlightenment!

[FstrthnU]

I'll second TF110, thanks for the explanation Andy. We will patiently await your next beautiful guide

[GT6]

me to Andy, all you work is very much appreciated qnd we totally undedrstand

[Aysedasi]

Thanks Andy.

[JoestForEver]

Thanks Andy. I can never appreciate your hard work enough.

[Starfish Primer]

Thanks Andy for all the hard work.

[nobster]

Originally Posted by Starfish Primer

Thanks Andy for all the hard work.

+1

[Pandemonium]

So, how many spectators are you expecting for Silverstone?? Will we get to 50.000? I am so excited... and I just can´t hide it!!

[pauln]

I'm told ticket demand is considerably in excess of last year - thought to be because of Webber and Porsche.

[Starfish Primer]

Originally Posted by pauln

I'm told ticket demand is considerably in excess of last year - thought to be because of Webber and Porsche.

Easter dates may help, many people can come knowing that they can return on monday.