2014 Blancpain Endurance Series

[MitchZ06]

Being that development is frozen they can't gain advantage thru throwing cubic euro/dollars at improving the performance of the car so why stop the works entries?

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

Being that development is frozen they can't gain advantage thru throwing cubic euro/dollars at improving the performance of the car so why stop the works entries?

I agree. A lot of it is just about perception I think and potentially angering other entrants - even if they are on a level playing field.

As others have said if it's not a works entry in name it will be behind the scenes.

[JoestForEver]

And remember why the GT1 world champioship died? All privateers simply cannot afford global GT tour

[Rodger Davies]

But they're not saying they want to change the format or add rounds on silly circuits in countries where no-one's interested in racing, they're talking about joining the current series.

And whether it's Aston Martin Racing or Kinfaun-AMR (raced in BGT by an AMR director), if they want to they'll enter.

Good to see them near-confirm N24 return too.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by cmk

If he wants to be annoyed about 'works' teams, he should probably also throw a fit about the WRT Audis, but...

Originally Posted by Koenigsegg

And most of the Nissan's.

Yeah this is why dont understand his reluctance to let 'works teams' in the championship. They're already there! You can call the Aston entry Ten Tenths AMR for all I call , it doesnt change the fact that they are works teams. Talk about closing the gate after the horse has bolted......

[ger80]

So, let them call it 10/10 AMR and they can join.
I think its more a signal to the privateer teams to keep them from disappearing

[cmk]

I wonder whether it's really that he doesn't like the appearance of a top team, factory or otherwise, dropping in for one race and running at the front or winning, rather than entering the full series? They should have the decency to run half the series and win the championship anyway.

[Tim the Grey]

Now THAT idea I like. The issue he's got is that a LOT of "works" teams will only want to run in, and win, the Spa 24 Hours. But then he's always got a large grid for that? Of course, it helps having 2 pit lanes!
But I would support the idea of a minimum number of rounds if you want to run at Spa. Then again, Blancpain is pretty full already?

[NaBUru38]

Kicking out semi-works teams is the worst idea Ratel could think.

[carbon_titanium]

During 2011-2013 seasons WRT has been clearly the audi official team and none complained about work team presence in BES, now everyone is losing their minds for the AMR official team . Don't forget also that in 2011 and 2012 audi ran the 24 hours of spa with 2 different official teams.
In my opinion would be amazing to see also team manthey, AF Corse and BMW team schubert in pro class, now that MVDS left the series.

[JorritVD]

Originally Posted by Starfish Primer

Let's see what Ratel says. Last year after Spa he was upset with the presence of works teams, the Silverstone Aston Martin and the Manthey Porsche at Spa.

I think Ratel is against one-off entries, but not against full season entries from works teams. Don't forget a lot of teams in the PRO class are semi-works or factory suported teams. WRT by Audi, MarcVDS by BMW, Hexis by McLaren. The only difference will be between AMR and for example WRT is that AMR has more resources. Budget will be the same. WRT aswell as AMR need to find budget. No budget = no racing. WRT gets drivers from Audi, AMR uses their own drivers, etc.

[carbon_titanium]

Originally Posted by JorritVD

WRT by Audi, MarcVDS by BMW, Hexis by McLaren. The only difference will be between AMR and for example WRT is that AMR has more resources.

Is not so simple. Excluding Martin none else in the two full season cars was a BMW factory driver (and Martin became a BMW factory after his impressive performances driving for MVDS), only the third car at 24H of spa had 2 BMW factory drivers. Actually I'm sure that is WRT that has endless resources with cars, factory drivers, personnel and engineers supplied by audi sport

[urdragon]

Loeb switching to Audi wants to try BES:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112316

[Simmi]

Quite a blow for McLaren with arguably its two highest-profile teams going away in Loeb and Hexis.

[rubberduck]

I, too, would say that it's Audi/WRT which is the closest - to - work - squad, judging from last years Spa appearance in terms of paddock appearance alone (number of trucks, hospitallity, staffing, Works - Audi - geared up personnel etc.). And yes, still if normalized to the number of cars on grid per team.

Regarding the Mclarens...it's not a successfull racecar, is it? Not reliable, not extraordinary quick, probably with no easy maintenance, too, poor support, expensive? (The latter being speculations, though)
-> There are better packages out there?

[rich07]

Australian team Lago Racing (who's owner driver is a TenTenths member) have entered their Gallardo for Spa. Drivers consist of regular drivers Roger Lago and Dave Russell along with ex V8 Supercar drivers Steve Owen and Steve Richards.

Great to see an Aussie team going to Spa again. Hope they do well

[MitchZ06]

Originally Posted by rubberduck

Regarding the Mclarens...it's not a successfull racecar, is it? Not reliable, not extraordinary quick, probably with no easy maintenance, too, poor support, expensive? (The latter being speculations, though)
-> There are better packages out there?

Only problem seems to be the reliability, when it works it's a rocket as shown by it's success in 2012 and being up the front (when it works) in the BES and GT World last year. New car, whole new mfger behind it, not surprised it's still got some troubles.

[JoestForEver]

Agreed. When it works, whether in the hands of Dusseldurp, Loeb or Alvaro Parente, MP4 GT3 is super quick. But every pit stop it just looks like to be in the shape of retiring

[Rodger Davies]

I've always gotten the impression that it's a quick car for pros, but very rigid and hard to drive at the limit which makes it difficult for someone for whom driving is not a career. Could be wrong.

It's very pretty though, glad to see Ojjeh back in a Boutsen one.

I hope there's a pro entry for Estre next year, he was epic in Baku.

[carbon_titanium]

Extremely unreliable, definitively the worst car for a 24 hours race. Only 3 teams in the world obtained good results: hexis racing, bhai thec and partially loeb team. If I was a GT3 team owner I would like to have a pair of SLS GT3 for endurance races and a pair of Z4 GT3 for sprint races.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

Extremely unreliable, definitively the worst car for a 24 hours race. Only 3 teams in the world obtained good results: hexis racing, bhai thec and partially loeb team. If I was a GT3 team owner I would like to have a pair of SLS GT3 for endurance races and a pair of Z4 GT3 for sprint races.

ART weren't looking all that bad either...

[Rodger Davies]

ART and Gulf pro cars both had good moments, Boutsen car streaked ahead at Monza before the series' slowest driver™ (possibly) took over. Verdonck was fantastic at Spa in 2012 before being taken out. Plenty of good performances and results, but I wonder how many are in 'am' classes (I struggle to class Demoustier as a true 'am').

Monza suits the car it seems, although in a BoP series that may be a sign of a poor handling car (compensated with higher power allowances)

[carbon_titanium]

Ok, only 4 teams in the world obtained good results: hexis racing (that has been dismissed), bhai thec, loeb team (that left mclaren, switching for audi R8 LMS) and ART racing. Forgot to write that if I was a GT3 team owner, surely I could buy also one or two 458 GT3 to make money with gentlemen drivers rides.

[Simmi]

I forgot that United Autosports binned off their McLarens this year too.

[urdragon]

Don't worry, seems that Bentley and AM will take the place of Mclaren perfectly, regarding to British Automotive in the BES and SPA 24 in 2014.