47 replies to this topic

[AustinF1]

The closest thing I could find to a thread like this was the Deltawing thread, so here you go...I went out to the track yesterday and caught a bit of the first practice.  I posted some photos on the FB page:

 

https://www.facebook...87614878&type=1

 

Here are a few of them:

 

 

 

 

 

I little too quick onto the throttle out of 11:

 

 

 

Mowing the astroturf approaching 10:

 

 

 

 

Hot brakes into 11:

 

[Woody3says]

Very, very excited about this weekend! Hope WEC decide to make this a reoccurring event.

[TheMidnight]

Nice pics, I've been looking forward to this weekend for a long time!

[JHSingo]

Should be a good event. Fear the racing won't be all that great though - very little competition for Muscle Milk in ALMS, and very little competition for Audi in the WEC.

 

This year has been a bit of a struggle for sports car racing, and I just wish we could move on to 2014 already.

[Peat]

Looking forward to catching both races. 

I take it there would be no way in hell that USCR would share the bill with WEC next year?

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Looking forward to the races. I'm seeing this year as basically a transition year for 2014, and the new regs.

 

Go BMW! and Rebellion!

[AustinF1]

With no P1 in USCR, how will USCR work toward qualifying prototypes for LeMans...or will they at all? Will there be P2s as we know them...running with the DPs? If so, what's the point? They'd have to slow even the P2s to give the DPs a chance against them. 

 

Thanks in advance. I admit I haven't been keeping up with this issue.

[Peat]

^ In a nutshell. They are making P2's run stock Conti tyres, minimum ride-heights and low aero. While, they are giving the DP's more horsepower, better wings and a diffuser! 

[AustinF1]

Haha what a joke. Then every time a DP does fairly well, it will be hailed as some sort of great feat. What other avenues will the P2s have to qualify for LeMans?

Edited by AustinF1, 19 September 2013 - 16:02.

[Peat]

It is what it is. I think the prospect of a properly fast DP is quite attractive (let's face it, they had to because they'd only just out perform an ACO GTE car....).

Shame the P2 will be so hamstrung, it will make it difficult for a P2 team to run in ACO events as it will be a bit of a different beast in terms of tyres and setup.

[AustinF1]

It is what it is. I think the prospect of a properly fast DP is quite attractive (let's face it, they had to because they'd only just out perform an ACO GTE car....).

Shame the P2 will be so hamstrung, it will make it difficult for a P2 team to run in ACO events as it will be a bit of a different beast in terms of tyres and setup.

Yeah, I can see a lot of P2 guys just saying "screw it" and taking their cars elsewhere if they can.

[Victor_RO]

Very, very excited about this weekend! Hope WEC decide to make this a reoccurring event.

 

WEC calendar is rumoured to be announced this weekend, and apart from actual days, there shouldn't be much change from this year, rumour is that the only change might be an additional event. So yeah, WEC will return to Austin next year.

 

Looking forward to catching both races. 

I take it there would be no way in hell that USCR would share the bill with WEC next year?

 

Actually no, what I've heard on sportscar news and podcasts about the calendars suggests that Austin next year will be a double-header weekend again.

 

Haha what a joke. Then every time a DP does fairly well, it will be hailed as some sort of great feat. What other avenues will the P2s have to qualify for LeMans?

 

Being good in ELMS or doing the whole WEC season. 

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Oliver Gavin is driving with the #97 Aston crew this weekend? Wow.

[Afterburner]

I wonder if Starworks will continue to run DP chassis next year or move back up to P2 what with the upcoming merger. They were my favourite P2 team, but they're apparently lacking funding to stay there at the moment.

[Victor_RO]

I wonder if Starworks will continue to run DP chassis next year or move back up to P2 what with the upcoming merger. They were my favourite P2 team, but they're apparently lacking funding to stay there at the moment.

 

I think they're hedging their bets between DP and PC, it probably depends on funding. Last thing I heard was when they announced that they were going to run a PC car in the last 3 ALMS rounds (CoTA, VIR and Petit), and the word was something along the lines of one DP car and one PC car next year (depending on funding, of course).

[AustinF1]

Hey y'all I just posted about 100 photos from a very wet Friday ALMS/WEC day at COTA. Still have lots more to sort, but it's not gonna happen tonight. 

 

https://www.facebook...87614878&type=1

 

Here are a few:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TF110]

From practice/testing, the most Audi have done is 20 laps in a run, Toyota has done a run of 26 laps (in the dry). Should be a good race if Toyota has the fuel advantage and can keep relative pace. Also digging the new livery on Senna's Aston.

[gm914]

Fantastic shots AustinF1 

Pretty looking track when it's wet. 

[BRG]

 

Hey y'all I just posted about 100 photos from a very wet Friday ALMS/WEC day at COTA. 

 

Are you SURE that is at COTA?  It looks just like Silverstone on a typical summer's day. 

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Aston Martin have such a good line-up it's not even funny.

 

Anyway, #2 for the win!

[muramasa]

Go Rebellion

[jonpollak]

Live on ESPN2 right now!!!!!

Jp

[dau]

Also live here, for everyone who like me had already forgotten they're streaming it on the official website: http://live.fiawec.com/

[OvDrone]

  Grand circuit, great cars, awesome drivers and battles.

[muramasa]

Go Toyota

[muramasa]

Morgan doing Senna-Prost all race and finally collide

[OvDrone]

Damn it, was watching the Nascar race and I missed that Good news for Conway then.

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Looks like Toyota have finally come out to play. Where the hell were they for the rest of the season?

[dau]

Wouldn't Freitas be a great F1 race director?

Edited by dau, 22 September 2013 - 19:16.

[WhiteSGPlayer]

Yeah, he takes his job so seriously but so casually at the same time.

 

I would also love to see him pull in a car and explain the track limits and blue flags in person.

[OvDrone]

That dude has a smooooooooth voice.

 

Duval is getting out the guns.

[Victor_RO]

Looks like Toyota have finally come out to play. Where the hell were they for the rest of the season?

 

Old car in Silverstone, cheap component failure in the hybrid system at Spa, bizarrely changeable weather at Le Mans, taken out by a Lotus at Interlagos.

[OvDrone]

Toyota in the lead with half an hour to go. Not bad. Still, it's tight.

 

Update: Scrap that. They dried it, but to no avail it seems.

Edited by OvDrone, 22 September 2013 - 21:33.

[muramasa]

"Kamui, is considerably, faster, than you"

 

[OvDrone]

"Kamui, is considerably, faster, than you"

 

 

  These dudes and dudettes are fun to listen too.

[Peat]

Good race overall. Toyota can sort of bring it. The first hour was great.

Certainly enough to keep me watching for the remaining 5hrs. Such a blessed releif after that 'pinnacle' i watched from Asia earlier.

[muramasa]

team order, ferrai style

yield hasnt happened yet tho

[muramasa]

Nice race in all catgory

 

Toyota finish the race at last , helped by #1 Audi incident earlier in the race but good showing.

[OvDrone]

Congrats to the #2, #26, #99, #96, great drives by all. Great race, great series. Can't wait to see Porsche's return.

 

And as for the ALMS race, I'll have to see the replay on youtube in the next couple of evenings. Cheers Austin.

[dau]

Audi, again. Can't wait for 2014. I hope either Toyota or Porsche build a real challenger to finally wipe that smug look out of Ullrich's face. Well, all credit to them.

[AustinF1]

Live on ESPN2 right now!!!!!

Jp

WEC on ESPN2? I thought Fox 1 had the rights. Said they were going to show it live, then backed out. If I missed a chance to DVR this, I'll be very upset! ETA: I think I see now that you're talking about the ALMS replay.

 

Great racing all weekend. Track was lightly staffed & seemed pretty disorganized all weekend. COTA told Stadium People earlier in the week to staff for 8-10K people & we heard there were about 11k tickets sold. Announced 3-day attendance was only ~33K. After rain all day on Friday, the weather was stunning on Saturday & Sunday. I'm working on more photos to post. I'll let you all know when they're up.

 

I see that the USCR 2014 calendar has been released, with Austin in the same slot as this year. I really hope the WEC comes back too. The USCR will lose a lot with no P1s and the P2s neutered so the DPs can compete with them. I wanna see P1s in full effect. They were nothing short of amazing. If you didn't go see these cars in the esses cutting through traffic like it was butter, you really missed it this weekend.

Edited by AustinF1, 23 September 2013 - 15:37.

[BRG]

 

WEC on ESPN2? I thought Fox 1 had the rights. Said they were going to show it live, then backed out. If I missed a chance to DVR this, I'll be very upset!

 

Eurosport showed the whole race live last night.  I must say, now we've got used to it, COTA looks like a really good track and is a worthy addition to the world's major race tracks.

[AustinF1]

Eurosport showed the whole race live last night.  I must say, now we've got used to it, COTA looks like a really good track and is a worthy addition to the world's major race tracks.

The circuit  itself is really, really good.  Lots of elevation change & flow. Lots of nuance.

Edited by AustinF1, 23 September 2013 - 16:52.

[BRG]

The circuit  itself is really, really good.  

You're still not really convinced by the management, are you? 

[AustinF1]

You're still not really convinced by the management, are you? 

Haha...what gave it away?

[Nonesuch]

Thanks for sharing those photographs.   Shame to see the stands so empty, but even at the 6H race at Spa-Francorchamps most of the stands were only half filled.

 

That entry into T1 sure is enormously wide!

[XOR]

2nd win in a row for G-Drive after an absurd disqualification from 24h Le Mans.

[AustinF1]

OK, I've added a couple of ALMS/WEC galleries. Still more to come from Saturday!

 

 

Sunday during the WEC 6-hour:

https://www.facebook...87614878&type=1

 

 

More Friday rain pics:

https://www.facebook...87614878&type=3

 

 

Preview: