Endurance Racing Discussion Thread - WEC, ELMS etcSports Cars

[TheHun99]

I was also wondering if it could be because they are going to be so close in speed and this is to avoid having a LMP2 possibly win overall in one of these big races.

But we don't yet know what the new LMDh/GTP are going to be capable of.

Funny, MP and Goodwin talked exactly about that maybe on Monday, specifically mentioning the Tower LMP2 entry as secret favorite.

 

[TheHun99]

Here we go!!

LMGT3 Confirmed for 2024; Premium Kits “Not Mandatory” – Sportscar365

Further details released on new GT class, GT3 Premium kits

sportscar365.com

I wonder whether we will actually see any Le Mans-specific bodykits. 992 Moby Dick maybe? I don't follow the McLaren road cars but don't they have some LT versions, as well? I can see a reasoning behind such kits but honestly I'd prefer just plain regular GT3s - it would cost less for the teams, drivers and OEMs and that means better longevity imho.

EDIT:

New LMP2 Regulations Delayed Until 2026 – Sportscar365

FIA, ACO indicate that LMP2 could be eliminated from WEC beginning in 2024...

sportscar365.com

While not outright confirming elimination of the class in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the FIA and ACO have stated there will be “rational adjustments” to the WEC grid beginning in 2024, with Hypercar and the newly-named LMGT3 class taking priority.

“To accommodate these two classes comfortably, the ACO and the FIA may possibly restrict admission to the FIA World Endurance Championship to Hypercar and LMGT3 challengers from 2024,” a statement from the FIA and ACO read.

EDIT2:

WEC to Feature Three Separate Qualifying Sessions in 2023 – Sportscar365

New WEC qualifying format introduced for 2023; tire warmers banned...

sportscar365.com

New quali format, tire warmers banned in WEC and ELMS as expected.

 

[TheHun99]

WEC will have a second Middle East round in Qatar from 2024 on, and Glickenhaus plans to be in WEC 2023, still tbd when they would enter the championship. They definitely want to attend Le Mans, maybe with 2 cars but no words on drivers - and they want to return to the Nürburgring. Personally I love the Glickenhaus LMH design, it looks stunning both in red and blue, I'd like to see them more often.

Regarding Qatar I was a bit surprised seeing Lusail, from MotoGP I remembered seeing Losail - turns out both are apparently correct...

WEC to Race in Qatar Beginning in 2024 – Sportscar365

Lusail International Circuit to host FIA WEC through at least 2029...

sportscar365.com

Glickenhaus Plotting Hypercar Return for 2023 – Sportscar365

Glickenhaus set to return to WEC in 2023 with single-car Hypercar effort...

sportscar365.com

 

[Jezza819]

WEC will have a second Middle East round in Qatar from 2024 on, and Glickenhaus plans to be in WEC 2023, still tbd when they would enter the championship. They definitely want to attend Le Mans, maybe with 2 cars but no words on drivers - and they want to return to the Nürburgring. Personally I love the Glickenhaus LMH design, it looks stunning both in red and blue, I'd like to see them more often.

Regarding Qatar I was a bit surprised seeing Lusail, from MotoGP I remembered seeing Losail - turns out both are apparently correct...

WEC to Race in Qatar Beginning in 2024 – Sportscar365

Lusail International Circuit to host FIA WEC through at least 2029...

sportscar365.com

Glickenhaus Plotting Hypercar Return for 2023 – Sportscar365

Glickenhaus set to return to WEC in 2023 with single-car Hypercar effort...

sportscar365.com

I knew Penske was keen to try and get WEC to Indy but Toyota didn't want that.

Toyota doesn't want second WEC race in US as calendar expands

www.motorsport.com

 

[TheHun99]

I knew Penske was keen to try and get WEC to Indy but Toyota didn't want that.

Toyota doesn't want second WEC race in US as calendar expands

www.motorsport.com

Just read the article, interesting. The cynic in me would say that Qatar was willing to pay more than Penske. I don't know the circuit though, no idea how it will be. I can also see Peugeot's point about South America but I'm not particularly familiar with the track there apart from Interlagos. I catch some Argentinian racing action on YouTube but the tracks I've seen don't seem to be ready for WEC - not that they would be bad per se, just don't have the kind of infrastructure like the big name ones. From the market perspective it would be good for Toyota, too I'd say.

 

[Jezza819]

Just read the article, interesting. The cynic in me would say that Qatar was willing to pay more than Penske. I don't know the circuit though, no idea how it will be. I can also see Peugeot's point about South America but I'm not particularly familiar with the track there apart from Interlagos. I catch some Argentinian racing action on YouTube but the tracks I've seen don't seem to be ready for WEC - not that they would be bad per se, just don't have the kind of infrastructure like the big name ones. From the market perspective it would be good for Toyota, too I'd say.

F1 raced Lusail last year and is scheduled to go back in 2023 but I thought Qatar was building a new track to host F1 in future years.

Interlagos is the only South American track I know also. I'm sure Argentina and Chile might have some tracks but I just don't know them.

 

[TheHun99]

F1 raced Lusail last year and is scheduled to go back in 2023 but I thought Qatar was building a new track to host F1 in future years.

According to the articles they're renovating the circuit now, so it's gonna be Losail/Lusail.

 

[TheHun99]

Hot on the heels of the Qatar announcement: as it's planned to be the season opener come 2024, Sebring's status was questioned. According to WEC, it's planned for March but my assumption is the Super Sebring may not happen after next year.

Sebring Still “In the Plan” for 2024 Despite Qatar Opener – Sportscar365

'Super Sebring' event still planned for 2024 despite Qatar opening WEC season...

sportscar365.com

 

[Northstar]

I would like to see the Super Sebring weekend get a proper opportunity to succeed now that the WEC is finally on the upswing again and we hopefully won't be having another global shutdown anytime soon. Having said that I wouldn't blame them for cutting their losses either considering in the 4 years they've tried it 2 were killed by Covid and the other 2 were probably the worst race of the weekend including the support races.

 

[TheHun99]

Cadillac will be at Le Mans this year with Action Express. I skipped this year for paying up for watching the race but will have to do it next year and properly follow the race.

Action Express Cadillac to race at Le Mans in 2023

Action Express Racing will make its debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the centenary race in 2023. The IMSA front-running squad, owned by IMSA founder Jim France, has taken up one of three automat…

racer.com

 

[TheHun99]

Getting back to the Qatar topic: the dailysportscar.com article suggests that Qatar Airways had a strong presence at the event maybe points to better air freight possibilities for WEC.

Qatar & FIA WEC, A Significant Lever To Calendar Expansion? | dailysportscar.com

The launch of the 2024 Qatar race for the FIA WEC, and its associated 6 year contract to join the World Endurance Championship saw some very heavy hitters on site including a senior Government contingent headed up by the Prime Minister and with an almost full-house too from the ACO and WEC...

www.dailysportscar.com

We also learned about the Ferrari 499P's endurance tests and that it wasn't all rainbows and unicorns - but that was to be expected. Again, Mr. Goodwin has some nice pictures where Mr. Glickenhaus and Kobayashi-san take a good look at the 499P displayed during the Qatar event - and another confirmation that there will be 2 Ferraris in Le Mans.

Ferrari Confirm First Endurance Test For 499P | dailysportscar.com

Antonello Coletta, head of Ferrari's sportscar race programme confirmed to DSC that the team had undertaken their first major endurance test at Motorland Aragon but added that it was not over the 56 hour duration suggested last week by some media. "We tried for a 30 hour test but. as you might...

www.dailysportscar.com

Ferrari Targeting Second Enduro Test After Aragon Outing – Sportscar365

Ferrari attempted first LMH endurance test at Aragon but wants to do another before Sebring...

sportscar365.com

 

[Tired Tyres]

Vector Sport Partner With Isotta Fraschini For Factory Hypercar WEC Entry | dailysportscar.com

Vector Sport and Isotta Fraschini Milano have confirmed a Technical and Sporting collaborative agreement which includes an application for entry to the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) jointly as a "Factory Team" in the Hypercar class with the Isotta Fraschini Tipo C LMH car. As...

www.dailysportscar.com

Another HyperCar ready for '24.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Hypercar & GTP, You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet! | dailysportscar.com

Happy New Year to all of our readers around the world. The outlook for both the FIA WEC's Hypercar class and the parallel GTP class for IMSA is truly exciting with unprecedented interest from automotive OEMS, and the wider motorsport industry. Already there is a commitment for 2023 from Cadillac...

www.dailysportscar.com

Potential entering cars for WEC and IMSA for '24 and later.

 

[TheHun99]

Glickenhaus plans for the 2023 WEC season and Le Mans. I guess "full season" won't include Fuji or Bahrain this year either, though I wouldn't mind having both cars at Le Mans again. Still one of the best looking prototypes in recent history for me.

Glickenhaus Confirm 2023 WEC/ Le Mans Plans | dailysportscar.com

A statement this evening from Glickenhaus Racing has confirmed that the team has entered a single car (The factory-owned #708 SCG 007) for the full 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship. The statement confirms too that the team will be requesting a second entry at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans...

www.dailysportscar.com

 

[Tired Tyres]

ByKolles Lose EUIPO Case Over Vanwall Trademark | dailysportscar.com

The 2023 FIA WEC HyperCar entry for Vanwall Racing has been thrown into doubt after the long-running case with the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) yesterday found in favour of the UK-based Sanderson International Marketing concern for the trademarking of road and racing cars under the...

www.dailysportscar.com

 

[RACECAR]

Welp, guess that Vanwall entry is NOT a go then. Granted I did wonder how they even pulled off getting it while this case was going on.