Endurance Racing Discussion Thread - WEC, ELMS etcSports Cars 

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https://www.fiawec.com/en/race/result/4588

Yup, they're just talking competition up. Probably for PR, it would be embarrassing to get beaten in Le Mans by cars ~5 sec off pace :lol:
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Well, I think that is one of the reasons, but I mainly think Toyota is saying they are gonna suffer because they want that the victory in LeMans looks like a great challenge, as nobody wants to win without competition. In other words, they want to maximize the marketing impact on LeMans. If they win by 10 laps, it could be negative for them.

I seriously cant pitty more Toyota. They have been always there... but because the biggest bad luck in motorsport history they are not gonna get the trophy the trully deserve. Toyota, since they got to 8 MJ, were the team with the most powerful car. Same before 2015. They were behind Porsche and Audi in aerodynamics but in LeMans that doesnt matter a lot.
 
The Prologue results make it look like Toyota blitzed the competition but those times were set while running the car outside the regulations for testing the cooling.

Toyota were only tenths of a second quicker over a lap of Aragon when running a couple of weeks prior to the privateers. Apparently they weren't holding back performance either. It won't be as plain sailing as so many seem to think.

In other Toyota news, in a few days I will be the proud owner of a wheel off the 2015 TS040-HYBRID.
 
Why isn’t Anthony Davidson racing for Toyota this season ? I know Alonso is now there but I don’t why Davidson isn’t on the roster, he wouldn’t of just stepped aside surely ?
 
shoemaker
Why isn’t Anthony Davidson racing for Toyota this season? I know Alonso is now there but I don’t why Davidson isn’t on the roster, he wouldn’t of just stepped aside surely?
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I cannot imagine he completely willingly stepped aside for Fernando. He is the reserve driver, which I know doesn't mean a whole lot, but post-Le Mans he will return to racing with Dragonspeed.
 
I will be going on saturday, bit dissapointed about the programme they’re having if i’m being honest, but will be looking forward to the race
 
Freddude
I will be going on saturday, bit dissapointed about the programme they’re having if i’m being honest, but will be looking forward to the race
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Out of curiosity: what more did you expect? races? venue program? Been to Spa often but this is my first WEC so don't know what to expect. We start easy and relaxed and hopefully a great spectacular 6hrs race. Not much info about the happening, events around the races etc. we'll see and just go with the flow
 
BrainsBush
Out of curiosity: what more did you expect? races? venue program? Been to Spa often but this is my first WEC so don;t know what to expect. We start easy and relaxed and hopefully a great spectacular 6hrs race.
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I’ve been to it last year and before the WEC race, you had Porsche Cup BELUX, Formula Renault 3.5 and TCR, now you have only the porsche cup race. I’m still excited to go though, don’t get me wrong. Will be going in the morning to have a peek into the pitboxes so will be enjoying as much as i did last year.
 
Poor coverage again in the uk for spa. Eurosport showing the last hour and motorsport tv are showing different programs halfway through the race, bt sport are not showing any at all ! I cant subscribe to the wec stream as its been a shambles. Has anybody used eurosport player for races ? if so, how was it ? i may get a pass as its my only viable option.
 
I went ahead and signed up for Motor Trend On Demand last night. That's our only source for WEC here in America except for the first and last hours on Velocity. I emailed them a couple of weeks ago with some questions like if you miss a race live will it be available in it's entirety on replay and if the live race will be commercial free. They said the live race will be commercial free if you buy the premium subscription, which I did. But they also said the replays will only be full races if the series allows it which disappoints me. When I signed up last night and went to the motorsports section things like the V8 Supercars and most other series were indeed reduced to roughly 50 minute edited versions.

I have a tendency to doze off during those races that start early in the morning here in the US which is one reason I was hoping for full replays.
 
Yeah Ant stepped aside for Alonso (or, maybe he was asked). I think Toyota is the favorite but they are not the automatic winner. And they will be challenged on pace imo.

On the Porsche 919 evo, Jani did an interview/podcast with Marshall Pruett on racer.com. He goes into detail about the lap and the limited upgrades to the car. It's still ~850kg, uses the same engine, hybrid, fuel and chassis as the car from Bahrain 2017 WEC race. The upgrades are not necessarily small but they are mostly easily done and could be on the car without any trouble but for the rules. The big gains are from the lack of lift and coast. Lmp1's already have big downforce but they are heavier than f1 and run a lot less fuel.
 
BrainsBush
Out of curiosity: what more did you expect? races? venue program? Been to Spa often but this is my first WEC so don't know what to expect. We start easy and relaxed and hopefully a great spectacular 6hrs race. Not much info about the happening, events around the races etc. we'll see and just go with the flow
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As @Freddude said, there are events pre-race. If you can, definitely catch those as the cars are freely accessible after the race. The Porsche Benelux Cup is definitely worth watching, and you can freely look at the cars and talk to the drivers and teams in park ferme. It isn't until the WEC race starts that the mass arrives at the track. Get there in time, though. Expect a huge queue towards the parkings already at 9am. Honestly, try to be there at 8am and enjoy everything that's there, there's a lot to do and see.

Above all, enjoy the atmosphere and the track. Sometimes you really need to look at the circuit from a nice view. It is only then you can truly appreciate the surrounding nature and the elevation change.
 
Bram Turismo
As @Freddude said, there are events pre-race. If you can, definitely catch those as the cars are freely accessible after the race. The Porsche Benelux Cup is definitely worth watching, and you can freely look at the cars and talk to the drivers and teams in park ferme. It isn't until the WEC race starts that the mass arrives at the track. Get there in time, though. Expect a huge queue towards the parkings already at 9am. Honestly, try to be there at 8am and enjoy everything that's there, there's a lot to do and see.

Above all, enjoy the atmosphere and the track. Sometimes you really need to look at the circuit from a nice view. It is only then you can truly appreciate the surrounding nature and the elevation change.
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Thanks Bram! We go tomorrow morning 9AM from Tilburg to Spa. I hope/expect that arrival on Thursday around 11:30 is relaxed and we have plenty of time to set up our HQ. We want to avoid the enormous traffic on race day. We have plenty of proviand with us.
 
At least Toyota have two bites at the cherry to win Le Mans in this year's championship.
 
Liquid
At least Toyota have two bites at the cherry to win Le Mans in this year's championship.
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So? That's two chances to cock up.

shoemaker
Poor coverage again in the uk for spa. Eurosport showing the last hour and motorsport tv are showing different programs halfway through the race, bt sport are not showing any at all ! I cant subscribe to the wec stream as its been a shambles. Has anybody used eurosport player for races ? if so, how was it ? i may get a pass as its my only viable option.
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Eurosport player has a 7 day free trail then £6.99 monthly or £29.99 annually. Time it so you can watch Spa. If it shows the full race sub. If it doesnt cancel before the 7 days are up.

I haven't subbed to it for a few years but they did show the entire Le Mans 24 from start to finish with no interruptions but no commentary either last time I had it.
 
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I have motor trend on demand in the US and can't even watch practice, is this right?

FutureF1
Are there any ways to watch the races and qualifying in the US if you don’t have MToD or Velocity???
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Unless you find a stream online or use kodi app on Amazon fire, I didn't think so
 
I have Velocity on Verizon Fios and didn't see a single time slot for the race this weekend. What time does it start?
 
For me first time WEC live at Spa. Yesterday training sessions. But man the first time you see and hear those LMPs and GTE pass Eau Rouge. My son and I were cheering like two young kids. The sound of the Porsches is a attack on your ears (we forgot our Peltors). Most (personal) beautiful sounds are the Aston Martins and Ford GT. That low bass drums through the valley of Spa.

Today quali and possibility todo the pit and grid walk.
Ok to share photos here later today?
 
BrainsBush
For me first time WEC live at Spa. Yesterday training sessions. But man the first time you see and hear those LMPs and GTE pass Eau Rouge. My son and I were cheering like two young kids. The sound of the Porsches is a attack on your ears (we forgot our Peltors). Most (personal) beautiful sounds are the Aston Martins and Ford GT. That low bass drums through the valley of Spa.

Today quali and possibility todo the pit and grid walk.
Ok to share photos here later today?
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The Porsche really sounds quite vintage actually! Raspy and alive. That´s a rare sound these days...I´d love to see some photos of track action!
 
BrainsBush
For me first time WEC live at Spa. Yesterday training sessions. But man the first time you see and hear those LMPs and GTE pass Eau Rouge. My son and I were cheering like two young kids. The sound of the Porsches is a attack on your ears (we forgot our Peltors). Most (personal) beautiful sounds are the Aston Martins and Ford GT. That low bass drums through the valley of Spa.

Today quali and possibility todo the pit and grid walk.
Ok to share photos here later today?
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It's funny that the Ford GT on TV sound pedestrian, but then I hear people such as yourself say it sounds great when at the track.
 
sumbrownkid
It's funny that the Ford GT on TV sound pedestrian, but then I hear people such as yourself say it sounds great when at the track.
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The Ford GT is absolutely mental in the flesh. I had earplugs in last year, but when they came past you could just feel a drum beating on your chest, that's how loud those GT's really are. I think the GT's are absolutely astonishing machines to behold at the track.
 

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