FIA World Endurance Championship

Got it from twitter, here the story:

http://www.planetlemans.com/2011/06/03/fia-announces-world-endurance-championship/?

Notice how the comments are less than enthusiastic. I must say I am very afraid of another FIAsco in Sports Cars Racing. The FIA, some say thanks to Mr. Bernie Ecclestone (supposedly a commercial rival of any and all LM racing success) , handled Sports Cars racing so poorly in the 80's and 90's that if it wasn't the historic worldwide significance of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (plus Don Panoz and the ALMS) this discipline would simply be dead by now (opinion, not fact).

Apparently this new championship is the result of a cooperation between the FIA and the ACO. So, it's not a rival series to the ILMC, instead it will replace the ILMC.

Again, I can only hope LM racing isn't treated as a lesser creation by the "All I care about is F1" .... FIA+Bernie organization. If it does, histiry will repeat itself I'm sure. And guys like Don Panoz don't come often.

I'll reserve judgement until more details are released, things seem quite sketchy at the moment and from what I can gather the ACO refuse to comment until Thursday.

However, if it turns out to be anything like GT1 or GT3 then I think it'll be quite something.

Speedster502

However, if it turns out to be anything like GT1 or GT3 then I think it'll be quite something.

Click to expand...

I don't really get this comment? This is bigger than making a 1-class series, this is effectively reviving the old "World Sportscar Championship".
If you're referring to the racing, well it will be the same its always been. If you're referring to GT classes, well they won't exist anymore, there will just be one GT1 class which will allow the old GT1, GT2 and GT3 cars in one big class.

I'm confused what you really mean referring to GT1 and GT3 in this context.

Anyway, this should be considered good news by everyone as its been silly that ACO and the FIA have run different regulations for GT and LMP classes all this time. Hopefully it will help running costs if all sportscars are running under common regulations and so can compete in more series which in turn increases the competition and sponsorship and manufacturer interest. Hopefully this is Jean Todt moving sportscars back to their former glory.

Yeah, apologies it didn't really make sense in context to this. The only thing I may have been referring to is the grid sizes of both GT1 & GT3, but that's kind of irrelevant.

The FIA? These jokers only show interest in World Sports Car racing if they are looking for either a source of new F1 engines (1972 and the 3.5 Litre Group C disaster) or to kill it off if it looks like affecting the popularity of F1 in some way.

Bernie isnt involved in this so its safe from Formula 1.

It seems like I'm one of the very few people to be exicted when this was announced yesterday.

Count me in that group too, trying to put together a racing program for it....

As long as they include the best rounds for it.

Sebring, Spa, Le Mans, Silverstone, Road Atlanta and an Asian track maybe. Although I'd prefer another classic track like Monza but Suzuka would be good.

Need 6 rounds minimum over 3 continents (iirc) and they may only have on US round. I'm hoping a Bathurst round gets added, would help my cause immensely! lol

That's about as likely as having a round at Pau if I'm honest

With EVs

People get so sentimental everytime FIA and Le Mans are mentioned in the same sentence. The old World Championship ended badly but all these conspiracy theories are so silly. Bernie is not FIA, ACO will remain as the promoter and Jean Todt had a front row seat when the shat started hitting the fan in 1992.

Likely the best news since Peugeot's announcement in 2006.

Paulie Walnuts

People get so sentimental everytime FIA and Le Mans are mentioned in the same sentence. The old World Championship ended badly but all these conspiracy theories are so silly. Bernie is not FIA, ACO will remain as the promoter and Jean Todt had a front row seat when the shat started hitting the fan in 1992.

Likely the best news since Peugeot's announcement in 2006.

Click to expand...

Look, I may be wrong, and I HOPE to be wrong, but unless the ACO and their friends at ALMS kept ABSOLUTE rule over the technical regulations, I can only see Sports Cars going downhill again.

Oh, and schedule also, because if the FIA rules than The Sports Cars races will only be able to try and setup a schedule after the F1 sechdule is set.

You say the FIA isn't Bernie. Agreed. But Bernie has a very strong position there. And a seat in the WMSC. Besides, F1 is the cash cow, in case of conflict of interests, Sports Cars (like WRC) will ALWAYS take the back seat (and will do so on race Sundays, not school Fridays LOL )

But hey, the ACO agreed to this didn't they? We'll see ... as I said, Le Mans (the 24 Hour race) will always survive so there'll always be a life jacket to Sports Cars racing in case things go wrong.

Hun200kmh

Look, I may be wrong, and I HOPE to be wrong, but unless the ACO and their friends at ALMS kept ABSOLUTE rule over the technical regulations, I can only see Sports Cars going downhill again.

Oh, and schedule also, because if the FIA rules than The Sports Cars races will only be able to try and setup a schedule after the F1 sechdule is set.

You say the FIA isn't Bernie. Agreed. But Bernie has a very strong position there. And a seat in the WMSC. Besides, F1 is the cash cow, in case of conflict of interests, Sports Cars (like WRC) will ALWAYS take the back seat (and will do so on race Sundays, not school Fridays LOL )

But hey, the ACO agreed to this didn't they? We'll see ... as I said, Le Mans (the 24 Hour race) will always survive so there'll always be a life jacket to Sports Cars racing in case things go wrong.

Click to expand...

Wow, sorry but you really have no idea do you? Bernie has absolutely no say whatsoever in the dealings of the FIA in regards to sportscar racing. Jean Todt has made it painfully clear the fiasco in the 90s wont be repeated and that every effort to ensure this is a success will be made.

The FIA only puts their 'Wold Cup' tag on it to give it a world championship status which is what the ACO was after with the ILMC. The only other thing the FIA will regulate is the GT rules for their own series, not the World Endurance Championship. The ACO and FIA know 'FIA World' anything sells and they know people will instantly have some idea of what a FIA World Endurance Series will be when they hear it.

I for one can see this becoming a hugely successful series and will prove the doubters with sceptical thoughts and memories wrong.

MitchZ06

Wow, sorry but you really have no idea do you? Bernie has absolutely no say whatsoever in the dealings of the FIA in regards to sportscar racing. Jean Todt has made it painfully clear the fiasco in the 90s wont be repeated and that every effort to ensure this is a success will be made.

The FIA only puts their 'Wold Cup' tag on it to give it a world championship status which is what the ACO was after with the ILMC. The only other thing the FIA will regulate is the GT rules for their own series, not the World Endurance Championship. The ACO and FIA know 'FIA World' anything sells and they know people will instantly have some idea of what a FIA World Endurance Series will be when they hear it.

I for one can see this becoming a hugely successful series and will prove the doubters with sceptical thoughts and memories wrong.

Click to expand...

Clearly you must be a member of the FIA to make such a statement. Please clarify how the man who says jump and an FIA who asks how high, doesn't have influence?

Second point. The FIA only puts a "World" anything tag on anything so that they can completely take over all financial control of a series. Guess who has financial written all over him? Yes, your friend and mine, Bernie Ecclestone.

I do have a few ideas, and one of them is to never respond to personal remarks ... but onto the matter at hand:

- Jean Todt has made it painfully clear exactly what, where and with which words exactly?

- You say that having a "FIA World" tag helps ... regarding sports cars, history proves you wrong. Sports Cars were left all but dead when the FIA ruled over it and if it wasn't for privateers true fans of the sport, and the pull of LE MANS that eventualy kept a few more professional teams (and even manufacturers) interested in "having a go" there ... it would be gone.

- You say this:

The only other thing the FIA will regulate is the GT rules for their own series, not the World Endurance Championship

Click to expand...

Could be worse ... if true that the FIA will NOT have any say on LMP cars and regs. I doubt that, however.

But even then, to let the FIA have a say in the GT rules is just wrong. Read this and focus on what happened to the GT FIA regs over the years

http://radiolemans.0157.org/content/sportscars-and-fia-match-made-hell

(please note the OP was written before this World FIA thing was announced. Obviously people and even users at radiolemans know things before we do)

To conclude: The currently existing ALMS and ILMC exist and are relevant without (and to some degree, against a few zealots from) the FIA. THis success story was BUILT without the FIA. I hope the FIA acknowledges that, and acts accordingly.

Hun200kmh

Look, I may be wrong, and I HOPE to be wrong, but unless the ACO and their friends at ALMS kept ABSOLUTE rule over the technical regulations, I can only see Sports Cars going downhill again.

Click to expand...

In the statement Todt says "...especially with a promoter like ACO," so that's why I think they will remain as the promoter, but obviously it will make the most sense if they remain as the rule writer too. It is possible the situation will be exactly like like in the current GT1 World Championship which is quite completely run by SRO. Maybe more is revealed next Thursday at Le Mans (ACO's formal announcement).

Oh, and schedule also, because if the FIA rules than The Sports Cars races will only be able to try and setup a schedule after the F1 sechdule is set.

Click to expand...

That might also avoid clashes... for example, Le Mans next week is yet again on the same weekend than the Canadian GP. That is a bad thing.

MitchZ06

Wow, sorry but you really have no idea do you? Bernie has absolutely no say whatsoever in the dealings of the FIA in regards to sportscar racing.

Click to expand...

I think so too, but he does have a seat in the World Motor Sport Council. That's just one voter, though.

Jean Todt has made it painfully clear the fiasco in the 90s wont be repeated and that every effort to ensure this is a success will be made.

Click to expand...

Are you talking about some interview or something? Just interested.

Tired Tyres

Clearly you must be a member of the FIA to make such a statement. Please clarify how the man who says jump and an FIA who asks how high, doesn't have influence?

Second point. The FIA only puts a "World" anything tag on anything so that they can completely take over all financial control of a series. Guess who has financial written all over him? Yes, your friend and mine, Bernie Ecclestone.

Click to expand...

It's simple.

FIA = FIA
Bernie = Formula One Group = F1 commercial rights

Look how much Bernie has incluence on WTCC, WRC or Ratel's GT1 series...

During the old World Championship, the promotion of all FIA championships was actually carried out through Bernie's company. Which I think kind of neuters the claims that he wanted to kill the Championship.

You surely know of the "dates" war between the F1 schedule and the Le Mans weekend. It's a known issue, and usually (as it happens this year) it includes the canadian GP.

(just a curiosity, I know, but that's only the tip of the iceberg)

I'm sorry but I'm not going to say where I stand in regards to "Clearly you must be a member of the FIA to make such a statement." But I will answer the question. The FIAs involvement as I know of currently will only extend to the naming of it as a World Championship and its promotion.

Paulie Walnuts, you are correct. Bernie is just one voter. His financial interests and organization cannot tell the FIA to kill off the series because quite simply the 2 series are not competing for the same audience. F1 viewers are a diehard crowd like the sportscar audience, the 2 series' main difference is one is about the manufacturers, the other is about the drivers. Yes the WEC will have a drivers title but more than one driver can win that if they share the same car for the whole season thus it becomes irrelevant against the F1 championship.

Not talking about an interview....

The FIA wont rule the series, as I have said they're sticking their 'FIA World Championship' tag on the series and will only maintain the Ratel series.

I think the big question is now will it be worth building a GT1 car with the big engine, carbon brakes, improved aero etc and just deal with a bit of BoP weight or go with a 2009 GT2 or 2011 GT3 car. I know which way I would go...

I get the sense they are simply going to take the GT2/3 specs rather than the far more expensive GT1 specs. There are already many more cars used in GT2/3 than in GT1, GT1 is struggling to find the teams to do their "2 teams per manufacturer rule" - which was brought in in the first place because there wouldn't be enough cars to fill the grid.