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2012 FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship


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#1 Victor_RO

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Posted 12 November 2011 - 06:22

I think we can kick off discussions officially, the calendar has been released to the public today during a press conference in Zhuhai.

http://auto-racing.s...edule-released/

March 17 - 60th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA)
May 5 - Six Hours of Spa (Belgium)
June 3 - Le Mans Test Day (France)
June 16-17 - 24 Hours of Le Mans (France)
Aug. 26 - Six Hours of Silverstone (UK)
Sept. 16 - Six Hours of Sao Paulo (Brazil)*
Sept. 30 - Six Hours of Mt. Fuji (Japan)
Oct. 20 - Six Hours of Bahrain (Bahrain)
Nov. 11/18 - Six Hours of China (TBA)

*Subject to confirmation


Interesting calendar, the only major downside to it is no Petit Le Mans... and to make that downside even worse, the Bahrain race has been scheduled on the very same weekend, so no major teams can sensibly do both races at the same time. Otherwise, a pretty good calendar.

For clarification purposes, the 12 Hours of Sebring clashes with the Australian GP, and if it takes place on Nov 18, the race in China clashes with the USGP, but otherwise the WEC and F1 calendars are separate in terms of dates.

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#2 Meanstreak

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Posted 12 November 2011 - 06:41

Hoping for cancellation of both F1 GP and WEC at Bahrain. That's what the country and the series deserve for selecting it in the first place.

#3 sesku

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Posted 12 November 2011 - 08:44

They should add Sepang. Sepang 12 hour race look pretty decent.

Edited by sesku, 12 November 2011 - 08:44.


#4 SonnyViceR

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Posted 12 November 2011 - 11:13

Screw you FIA/ACO for abandoning Petit Le Mans and having your god damn Borerain race on the same weekend!!!! :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down:

#5 highdownforce

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Posted 28 November 2011 - 15:57

Six Hours of São Paulo is set to be confirmed by its organization tomorrow.

Edited by highdownforce, 28 November 2011 - 15:57.


#6 Ali_G

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Posted 28 November 2011 - 16:01

A pity the 1000km of Monza didn't make it. Would be nice to see a return.

#7 Andy865

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Posted 28 November 2011 - 16:16

6 hours on a 1 min 25 lap.

owch,

#8 Ali_G

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Posted 28 November 2011 - 17:06

6 hours on a 1 min 25 lap.

owch,


Seperates the men from the boys.

#9 nimbus111

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Posted 28 November 2011 - 17:52

schedule looks good and yes im not crazy over the no PLM for next year. im not too excited about bahrain, kinda boring out there but oh well.

#10 Red17

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Posted 28 November 2011 - 18:03

Six hours of... Six Hours of...

Are teams spending so much that they cant afford even a 8 hour race?

Edited by Red17, 28 November 2011 - 18:03.


#11 Victor_RO

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Posted 28 November 2011 - 19:03

Six hours of... Six Hours of...

Are teams spending so much that they cant afford even a 8 hour race?


6 hours is one of the classic distances for an endurance race.

#12 anbeck

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Posted 29 November 2011 - 02:07

Calendar-wise that has to be the worst calendar of endurance racing world championship history! After Sebring, Spa and the 24 heures there's little I'm looking forward to. Especially the end of the season could not be a bigger anti-climax than that.

But then again, this comes hardly as a surprise. At least they have Sebring and Spa, two real endurance circuits.

PS: Didn't the Lausitzring have an endurance configuration? If they ever plan to run in Germany (once Porsche is back on board...), please don't go to the butchered Hockenheim- or Nürburgrings! They might just as well risk a little bit and try this endurance configuration at the Lausitzring, that might make up for the missing Daytona! :)


EDIT 2: They still list the endurance config on the website: http://www.lausitzri...cke-113-km.html
But probably after Alboreto's accident a race there with prototypes won't be likely. In fact they say that there never was a single race with this configuration!
It's furthermore a shame that they don't use any of the oval's corners at speed (they use the last one, as the DTM does, when they're still quite slow). And apparently that configuration cannot use any oval part in the way Daytona does, because of the way the long slope is connected to the actual circuit: apparently, you can only reach it from the infield configuration.
I think it would be nice to see an endurance race there, though, at least there are some long-ish straits. I cannot possibly be worth than what's left of the Nürburgring.

Edited by anbeck, 29 November 2011 - 02:16.


#13 Meanstreak

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Posted 29 November 2011 - 02:47

https://twitter.com/#!/dsceditor/status...480895617466368

Umm...

#14 Red17

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Posted 29 November 2011 - 09:30

https://twitter.com/#!/dsceditor/status...480895617466368

Umm...

I would guess this is a follow up to the Acura project...

#15 Victor_RO

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Posted 07 December 2011 - 12:21

http://www.fia.com/e...msc-071211.aspx

Today's WMSC decisions include a tweak to the WEC calendar.

17/03 USA 12 Hours of Sebring Sebring*
05/05 BEL 6 Heures de Spa‐Francorchamps Spa‐Francorchamps*
16-17/06 FRA 24 Heures du Mans Le Mans
25/08 GBR 6 Hours of Silverstone Silverstone*
15/09 BRA 6 Hours of Sao Paulo Interlagos
29/09 BHR 6 Hours of Bahrain Sakhir
14/10 JPN 6 Hours of Fuji Mount‐Fuji
TBA (Nov) CHN 6 Hours of TBA TBA*

* Subject to the ASN confirmation


So now Petit Le Mans turns, for WEC entrants that want to race there as well, from an impossibility into a nightmare of logistics (but still a possibility). Fuji is now one week ahead of Road Atlanta, and Bahrain has been moved to remove the clash.

#16 anbeck

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Posted 09 December 2011 - 00:03

How many FIA sanctioned World Championship races does Bahrain need? It really does not fit into that calendar at all.

#17 Ali_G

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Posted 09 December 2011 - 11:51

How many FIA sanctioned World Championship races does Bahrain need? It really does not fit into that calendar at all.


2 men and a dog will prob turn up to it.

#18 Meanstreak

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Posted 09 December 2011 - 19:44

2 men and a dog will prob turn up to it.

$$$ compensates... just like with F1, I think Bahrain paid a hefty fee compared to the other races.

Edited by Meanstreak, 09 December 2011 - 19:44.


#19 DanardiF1

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Posted 09 December 2011 - 19:57

2 men and a dog will prob turn up to it.


If they're not arrested by the goverment for the temerity to do so of their own free will. The only attendees will be the Crown Prince and all his little lapdogs.

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#20 Ali_G

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Posted 10 January 2012 - 18:22

New Toyota LMP1 to be unveiled at Paul Ricard tomorrow.

#21 Andy865

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Posted 10 January 2012 - 18:56

Whatever happened to that honda lmp1 that was confirmed but never announced?

#22 pingu666

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Posted 10 January 2012 - 23:23

that might be the relentless sponsered car? they moved to lmp1 i think, for this new season



#23 midgrid

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Posted 10 January 2012 - 23:31

JR Motorsport (which won the FIA GT1 title last year with Nissan) is going to compete in the LMP1 class this year with a Honda-powered prototype, as is Strakka Racing (the team which is sponsored by Relentless).

#24 Victor_RO

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Posted 12 January 2012 - 11:21

JR Motorsport (which won the FIA GT1 title last year with Nissan) is going to compete in the LMP1 class this year with a Honda-powered prototype, as is Strakka Racing (the team which is sponsored by Relentless).


And speaking of JRM, they've just confirmed their full-season driver trio, and it's quite a high-caliber one if I may say so: Peter Dumbreck, Karun Chandhok and David Brabham.

#25 Ali_G

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Posted 12 January 2012 - 11:46

Anyone have photos of the new Toyota testing. Was supposed to be on track yesterday but can't find anything about it on the net.

#26 Victor_RO

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Posted 12 January 2012 - 12:22

Anyone have photos of the new Toyota testing. Was supposed to be on track yesterday but can't find anything about it on the net.


Unfortunately not, they probably chose to test at Paul Ricard for the exact reasons of security and keeping photographers out.

#27 SonnyViceR

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 14:18

Only 45 minutes till the LM24/WEC entry list is finally unveiled in ACO press conference... the most important event of february is soon upon us!! :clap:

#28 Victor_RO

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 14:24

Just one guideline for the entry lists once the press conference is over: WEC entry list goes here, Le Mans entry list goes in this thread. :)

#29 SonnyViceR

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 14:29

Just one guideline for the entry lists once the press conference is over: WEC entry list goes here, Le Mans entry list goes in this thread. :)


Someone renamed my old thread? Oh well :)

Edited by SonnyViceR, 02 February 2012 - 14:29.


#30 Victor_RO

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 16:37

WEC entry list:

http://www.lemans.or...List_310112.pdf

#31 highdownforce

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 16:50

N° LMP1 NAT TYRE CARS DRIVER
1 - AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST - DEU - MICHELIN - Audi R18 Hybrid - André Lotterer (DEU)
2 - AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST - DEU - MICHELIN - Audi R18 Hybrid - Allan McNish (GBR)
7 - TOYOTA RACING - JPN - MICHELIN - Toyota TS030 Hybrid - Alexander Wurz (AUT)
12 - REBELLION RACING - CHE - MICHELIN - Lola B12/60 Coupé Toyota - Nicolas Prost (FRA)
13 - REBELLION RACING - CHE - MICHELIN - Lola B12/60 Coupé Toyota - Andrea Belicchi (ITA)
15 - OAK RACING - FRA - DUNLOP - Oak Pescarolo Judd - Guillaume Moreau (FRA)
16 - PESCAROLO TEAM - FRA - MICHELIN - Pescarolo 03 Judd - Emmanuel Collard (FRA)
21 - STRAKKA RACING - GBR - MICHELIN - HPD ARX 03a Honda - Nick Leventis (GBR)
22 - JRM - GBR - ? - HPD ARX 03a Honda - David Brabham (GBR)

N° LMP2 NAT TYRE CARS DRIVER
23 - SIGNATECH NISSAN - FRA - DUNLOP - Oreca 03 Nissan - Jordan Tresson (FRA)
24 - OAK RACING - FRA - DUNLOP - Morgan Judd - Jacques Nicolet (FRA)
25 - ADR-DELTA - GBR - Oreca 03 Nissan - John Martin (AUS)
28 - GULF RACING MIDDLE EAST - ARE - DUNLOP - Lola B12/80 Coupé Nissan - Fabien Giroix (FRA)
29 - GULF RACING MIDDLE EAST - ARE - DUNLOP - Lola B12/80 Coupé Nissan - Frédéric Fatien (CIV)
31 - LOTUS - DEU - DUNLOP - Lola B12/80 Coupé Lotus - Thomas Josef Holzer (DEU)
41 - GREAVES MOTORSPORT - GBR - DUNLOP - Zytek Z11SN Nissan - Christian Zugel (DEU)
44 - STARWORKS MOTORSPORTS - USA - MICHELIN - HPD ARX 03b Honda - Vicente Potolicchio (VEN)
49 - PECOM RACING - ARG - DUNLOP - Oreca 03 Nissan - Luis Perez Companc (ARG)

N° LMGTE Pro NAT TYRE CARS DRIVER
51 - AF CORSE - ITA - MICHELIN - Ferrari F458 Italia - Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
59 - LUXURY RACING - FRA - MICHELIN - Ferrari F458 Italia - Frédéric Makowiecki (FRA)
71 - AF CORSE - ITA - MICHELIN - Ferrari F458 Italia - Andrea Bertolini (ITA)
77 - TEAM FELBERMAYR-PROTON - DEU - MICHELIN - Porsche 911 RSR (997) - Richard Lietz (AUT)
97 - ASTON MARTIN RACING - GBR - MICHELIN - Aston Martin Vantage V8 - Stefan Mücke (DEU)

N° LMGTE Am NAT TYRE CARS DRIVER
50 - LARBRE COMPETITION - FRA - MICHELIN - Chevrolet Corvette C6-ZR1 - Patrick Bornhauser (FRA)
55 - JWA-AVILA - GBR - DUNLOP - Porsche 911 RSR (997) - Paul Daniels (GBR)
57 - KROHN RACING - USA - DUNLOP - Ferrari F458 Italia - Tracy Krohn (USA)
58 - LUXURY RACING - FRA - MICHELIN - Ferrari F458 Italia - Pierre Ehret (DEU)
61 - AF CORSE - ITA - MICHELIN - Ferrari F458 Italia - Robert Kauffman (USA)
70 - LARBRE COMPETITION - FRA - MICHELIN - Chevrovlet Corvette C6-ZR1 - Christophe Bourret (FRA)
88 - TEAM FELBERMAYR-PROTON - DEU - MICHELIN - Porsche 911 RSR (997) - Christian Ried (DEU)

Edited by highdownforce, 02 February 2012 - 17:03.


#32 inox

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 08:19

I haven't followed endurance racing actively since the Group C days and playing catch-up now. Could someone help me and answer to these questions:

1) What is the difference between WEC and LMS?
2) Are the top guns (Audi, Toyota, etc. ) also attending LMS?
3) Is Eurosport covering the series, or what is the best channel to follow the events in Europe?

#33 wewantourdarbyback

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 08:57

1) World Endurance Championship vs European Le Mans Series. LMS is only in Europe and has no LMP1. WEC is the world championships.

2) No, it doesn't have an LMP1 class so they wouldn't even if they wanted to.

#34 Victor_RO

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 14:23

I haven't followed endurance racing actively since the Group C days and playing catch-up now. Could someone help me and answer to these questions:

1) What is the difference between WEC and LMS?
2) Are the top guns (Audi, Toyota, etc. ) also attending LMS?
3) Is Eurosport covering the series, or what is the best channel to follow the events in Europe?


1) World Endurance Championship vs European Le Mans Series. LMS is only in Europe and has no LMP1. WEC is the world championships.

2) No, it doesn't have an LMP1 class so they wouldn't even if they wanted to.


And 3) Eurosport should cover the WEC, questionable coverage and airtimes for most of it, but comprehensive and full coverage of Le Mans itself. As for the LMS, most likely Motors TV.

Meanwhile, Starworks Motorsport are taking their WEC LMP2 attack rather too seriously: they've snapped up none other than ex-Peugeot works driver and 3-time consecutively Le Mans overall pole setter(2007-2009) Stephane Sarrazin. Will probably be the strongest line-up in LMP2, with Sarrazin and Dalziel as two ultra-pros and Enzo Potolicchio as one of the quicker gentleman drivers.

#35 wewantourdarbyback

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 14:57

The Starworks line up is exciting.

#36 King Six

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 15:11

Screw you FIA/ACO for abandoning Petit Le Mans and having your god damn Borerain race on the same weekend!!!! :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down:

Well they probably only wanted one event in the United States for whatever reason, and it was between Sebring and Road Atlanta. Guess Sebring won it. I'd rather Yas Marina than Bahrain if they wanted a race in that region, no idea why Bahrain gets so much. Although if it were upto me the calendar would look remarkably similar to the F1 calendar bar the street races and the crap tracks (Spain, Middle East mostly) :stoned:

Edit: Saying that, it still is a good calendar. You've got Silverstone, Spa, 24 hours Le Mans of course, Interlagos, Fuji Speedway(?) which I've always thought was underrated as a track, Sebring I don't know much of (it's an airport I think), China (if that's the Chinese GP track) isn't too bad either.

Edited by King Six, 13 February 2012 - 15:13.


#37 wewantourdarbyback

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 15:40

Well they probably only wanted one event in the United States for whatever reason, and it was between Sebring and Road Atlanta. Guess Sebring won it.


The original line was that they wanted only stand alone events from 2013, so where Sebring ends up in all this is an interesting conundrum.

#38 Victor_RO

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 15:57

And a combined Petit Le Mans with the expected grid numbers at the moment is somewhere between madness and illegal, the track is only certified for 53 cars for a 10h race due to it being only 4 km around. Sebring is 6.5 km around and can take 64 cars for a 12h race according to FIA circuit guidelines; with 30 WEC entrants and in the region of 30-32 expected ALMS entrants, combined fields would be over 60 cars, and for Petit it would literally mean kicking cars out of the show.

#39 robbied90

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 16:08

Not followed this sort endurance racing before, so this year seems to be a good time to start.

So where is the best place to have for information on the series and where can I follow the series on TV?

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#40 Meanstreak

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 17:35

So where is the best place to have for information on the series

http://en.wikipedia....pionship_season

where can I follow the series on TV?

Eurosport, as mentioned not so many posts above. Other than that, there might be live streaming.

#41 Andy865

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 18:11

Thats a surprisingly small GT field if wiki is to be believed.

#42 Victor_RO

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 18:57

Thats a surprisingly small GT field if wiki is to be believed.


The list on Wiki is the list that got published by the ACO, edited to be put on the season's Wiki page, along with all the driver confirmations that have happened in the mean time. And the GT field is also small at Le Mans, 33 prototypes and 22 GT cars (and one "experimental" entry), while in recent years they've generally split them half-half.

#43 Meanstreak

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 19:11

Interview with WEC CEO: http://auto-racing.s...ithout-peugeot/

Sounds like after Peugeot's pull out it got pretty close to a situation where there would be no championship at all or no championship award in LMP1 (two manufacturers were needed, at least per the initial agreement, now we know that Toyota is the 2nd one).

Edited by Meanstreak, 13 February 2012 - 19:12.


#44 SonnyViceR

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 19:12

Thats a surprisingly small GT field if wiki is to be believed.


It is but the ALMS GT2 grid should still look great

Confirmed
2x P&M Corvette
2x ESM Ferrari
2x FL Porsche
1x Falken Porsche
1x PMR Porsche
2x RLL BMW

Likely / partial season
0-1x Risi Ferrari (only Sebring confirmed at this stage but full campaign still possible)
0-1x Krohn Ferrari (some rounds maybe)
0-2x AMR Vantage (some rounds maybe)

Maybe?
0-2x Robertson Ford (???)
0-1x Evora (???)
0-1x West Lambo (???)
0-1x extra Falken Porsche (???)
0-2x AJR Porsche (???)
0-? converted Audi R8 LMS (???)

Dead
RSR Jaguar
Abruzzi

I still hate the PRO/AM classifications in ELMS and WEC, they should stick to single GT class like ALMS

Edited by SonnyViceR, 13 February 2012 - 19:24.


#45 Victor_RO

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 19:27

Likely / partial season
0-1x Risi Ferrari (only Sebring confirmed at this stage but full campaign still possible)
0-1x Krohn Ferrari (some rounds maybe)
0-2x AMR Vantage (some rounds maybe)

Maybe?
0-2x Robertson Ford (???)
0-1x Evora (???)
0-1x West Lambo (???)
0-1x extra Falken Porsche (???)
0-2x AJR Porsche (???)
0-? converted Audi R8 LMS (???)


If the Audis turn up they will probably come later in the season. Krohn and AMR are near-certain for a few races as far as I'm aware, especially AMR due to Adrian Fernandez being involved.

#46 SonnyViceR

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 19:33

Yes, AMR has actually (unofficially) mentioned a few times that they will be there. And Krohn told last week that their partial participation is quite likely as well. Don't know about PLM participation though, seeing as Fuji and Shanghai WEC rounds are now so ridiculously close

#47 wewantourdarbyback

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Posted 13 February 2012 - 20:05

Interview with WEC CEO: http://auto-racing.s...ithout-peugeot/

Sounds like after Peugeot's pull out it got pretty close to a situation where there would be no championship at all or no championship award in LMP1 (two manufacturers were needed, at least per the initial agreement, now we know that Toyota is the 2nd one).


Good IV with him in last week's Midweek Motorsport. Sounds like the pull out was completely out of the blue. Criticised the way Pug did it.

#48 V8 Fireworks

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Posted 14 February 2012 - 05:46

China (if that's the Chinese GP track) isn't too bad either.

Wouldn't they be using the Grade 2 Zhuhai circuit?

#49 Victor_RO

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Posted 14 February 2012 - 06:33

Wouldn't they be using the Grade 2 Zhuhai circuit?


No, this year they are actually going to Shanghai.

#50 walkindude

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Posted 14 February 2012 - 12:48

I wonder what is going on with the DeltaWing Project.Any news when we see the car driven in real?And will it only take part in LeMans?