A.R.S.E.

Welcome to another year of the WEC!

It does feel odd kicking off the season knowing that the most iconic manufacturer in modern endurance racing won't be on the grid this year.

The season is this with the 24hr classic at Le Mans on 17/18 June.

1 / 2 Apr - WEC Prologue, Monza, ITA
16 April - 6 Hours of Silverstone, GBR
06 May - WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, BEL
17/18 June - Le Mans 24 Hours, FRA
16 August - 6 Hours of Nürburgring, DEU
03 September - 6 Hours of Mexico, MEX
16 September - 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas, USA
15 October - 6 Hours of Fuji, JAP
05 November - 6 Hours of Shanghai, CHN
18 November - 6 Hours of Bahrain, BAH

The grid for the first round has been announced and whilst it only has 28 entries, it is a quality field.

Dunno if I can get to Silverstone this year. They've put the UK round on Easter Weekend! Genius.

I've kinda put this series on the back-burner for now...

I know the cars are just as fast as last year despite the added restrictions, but with so few LMP1 teams and knowing they're restricting LMP1 a bit sorta numbs it a bit... That and WRC has just taken some steroids means I've switched my attention to that for this year...

basically, I just can't get as excited about it...

I'll be watching but will be focused more on GT's & LMP2 than LMP1. LMP2 really steeped up with some great racing towards the end of last year & with Rebellion moving down the field will be even better.

Also I reckon IMSA in the US is on par with this series now. They use the same FIA regs for 2 of their classes (DPi/LMP2 & GTLM/GTE) with the traditional GT3's as their 3rd class.

I don't really see the point of a category with 2.5 teams. If they can't get more manufacturers they should dump LMP1. Stick with the LMP2 specs and have pro/am if necessary like the GT's.

Sad given the hype from a couple years ago, but it I guess the category is just too expensive.

Looks a bit like the Welcome Wagon from Independence Day with those lights.

Listening to RLM this week & they were saying the LMP2 top speed will see them pass LMP1 on long straights...
So you could have situations where the LMP1's will punch passed an LMP2 out of the corner but by then end of the next straight the LMP2 will pass it back.

Also the whispers are that the Porsche isn't the new car but rather an interim to test some aspects prior to the new season. They also believe that it was in Lemans spec hence the huge, ugly headlights.

Well Silverstone was an amazing start to the series, close racing in all classes and action all race.

This lap is just bonkers from Kobayashi, just great timing, no traffic, nailed every corner..

Thats a mad lap! LMP 1's are awesome.

I remember watching Le Mans 2 years ago and they said that LMP 1 were going through Porsche curves in 6th gear. So I tried it in PCars and could do it. In fact most things they were doing in real life you could in PCars. But my brain could not keep up.

Beats the pole time from 1989, which was the last year without chicanes.

So what's the point of the Chicanes then, fuck them off.

Jamo wrote:So what's the point of the Chicanes then, fuck them off.

Hey, grandpa, back to bed!

Someone give old grumpy pants his pills!

norbs wrote:

Jamo wrote:So what's the point of the Chicanes then, fuck them off.

Hey, grandpa, back to bed!

Someone give old grumpy pants his pills!

Couldn't you just share some of yours

Jamo wrote:So what's the point of the Chicanes then, fuck them off.

To charge the batteries. They should add more so the Formula E cars can compete.

Check out the new regulations announced today - they kinda will be pretty soon. The cars will have to drive one kilometre after a pitstop on electric only and also finish the race the same way.

Le mans, Racing is Everything was an enjoyable watch for me.

This Eurosport coverage is amateur hour. Still no footage of the first lap Toyota contact.

Slow zones everywhere

LMP1 car put a Ferrari into the barrier. Punctures.

One to trigger Jamo.

Wow, only 1 P1 car left up front. Lapierre should give himself an uppercut for driving back so fast with the puncture.

Jiminee wrote:This Eurosport coverage is amateur hour. Still no footage of the first lap Toyota contact.

Took a while before they figured out what happened on the wec stream. When the Bykolles car ran wide at Tertre Rouge it broke off a bollard or something which flicked across the track and smashed the front light of the Toyota.

It might be LMP 2 taking the outright at this rate.