The Racing World coming to an end in 2012

[SuperShouden]

At least, the racing world as we know it. EVERYTHING is changing next year:

NASCAR: new cars, new drivers, and who knows what else

DTM: All new Carbon fiber bodies, BMW and possibly others entering.

Grand-Am: MAJOR changes. Too many to list

LeMans: still undergoing changes from this year.

F1: Aren't there some big changes coming there next year, as well?

Super GT: We'll see what happens as a result of Super GT and DTM talking. There might be some German cars popping up there.

And that's just the stuff I know of. Some of these series went through big changes in 2010 and 2011. I mean, 2010 in Grand Am saw pretty much an entire field of brand new cars.

Holy crap. Discuss.

 

[Northstar]

Indycar is also rolling their new cars out in '12.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Formula 1's new chassis and engine regulations come into effect from 2013, not 2012.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

I believe V8 Supercars are set to bring in the Car of the Future in 2012 along with the possibility of new manufacturers entering the series. The car was set to race next year but was pushed back.

 

[Clark]

Hey at least it's not as bad as the road car side of things. For example the manual gearbox is pretty much dead in sports cars now.

One thing that has depressed me about racing now is that the V12 is dead in prototypes and a V12 engine will never again grace La Sarthe.

 

[aarror]

Hey at least it's not as bad as the road car side of things. For example the manual gearbox is pretty much dead in sports cars now.

One thing that has depressed me about racing now is that the V12 is dead in prototypes and a V12 engine will never again grace La Sarthe.

The manual gearbox thing is kinda depressing, but Aston Martin do still use a V-12 in their LMP1 car.

http://www.astonmartinracing.com/eng/thecars/lolaastonmartinlmp1

 

[Clark]

Except that car is finished now. I've seen it race through out it's career, but it's new car has a V6.

EDIT: Oreca is now doing the ILMC in a 908. Even if it is a diesel the V12 will again grace Le Mans with it's presnece. I feel all walm inside now.

 

[Ardius]

BTCC, WTCC and WRC all have major rule changes this year, and as stated earlier, F1 isn't really changing hugely until 2013.
Certainly we are in a period of large changes, which usually means a shake-up of the typical running order.

 

[Muzaffar]

and I actually thought this was related to the 2012 prediction!
No but really, there are so many changes in motorsports you can't really keep up with them...

 

[Louie_Schumii]

Question: Why are all the series above making big changes to their rules/regulations?

I know F1 is doing it to keep up their image (environmentally conscious motor-racing pinnacle whose manufacturers can trickle the tech down from the race track to their road cars) and cut costs but I'm not too sure about the rest of them.

 

[Clark]

Almost for exactly the same reasons. Teams don't have as much money any more so a lot of newer more cost effective cars are being made. And in the case of DTM and possible Super GT and Grand AM, a merging of rules so people can use their cars in more races.