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What countries are the sports car/endurance racing heartlands?


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#1 August

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 14:05

France has Le Mans, so obviously it must be a sports car racing heartland. Though it feels like it's German and Japanese manufacturers with most involvement in sports car racing. Besides Germany and Belgium have the Nürburgring and Spa 24h classics and those countries have many strong GT teams. And let's not forget America. Sebring and Daytona are some of the most famous sports car races and ALMS in its heyday was the best sports car series in the world.

UK, while maybe the country with strongest motorsports culture, doesn't feel particularly like a sport car racing heartland. UK just feels too F1, about UK and sports car racing I can mostly think about British fans at Le Mans (and Aston Martin and Bentley). Also Italy feels too F1, despite Ferrari's and Lamborghini's GT involvement.

Denmark seems to like sports car racing. Though it feels like it's Kristensen effect.

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#2 AustinF1

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 14:08

There is an awful lot of sportscar racing in the U.S., but I'd have no way to compare it to those other countries.


Edited by AustinF1, 02 September 2015 - 14:09.


#3 Marklar

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 14:08

I think it is France (Le Mans) pretty close in front of Germany (Nurnburgring)



#4 FullThrottleF1

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 14:13

France.



#5 Imateria

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 16:52

Brittan, France, Germany, USA and Japan are the obvious ones. It's hard to say about Italy, they used to be dominant until the mid 70s's but since then it's only been blips like the Lancia Group C project and the Ferrari 333SP up until Ferrari returned to GT racing in the early 2000's with the 360GT. Lambourghini joined in a couple years earlier as well but until then weren't really known for motorsport exploits at all.

 

Very strong support from Belgium and the Netherlands as well.



#6 Dan333SP

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 17:22

Brittan, France, Germany, USA and Japan are the obvious ones. It's hard to say about Italy, they used to be dominant until the mid 70s's but since then it's only been blips like the Lancia Group C project and the Ferrari 333SP up until Ferrari returned to GT racing in the early 2000's with the 360GT.

 

It's vaguely ironic that the first Ferrari GT class win since (I think) the 1960s was with a British-built Prodrive 550 in 2003. Obviously the Michelotto cars have won since then, and the 333 won the LMP class in '98, but yea. Very little Italian success at the race since the 60s, really.



#7 Pontlieue

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 17:45

Apart from those already mentioned, there seems to be a large sportscar fanbase in Denmark as well (mostly because of Kristensen I guess), and even though Kristensen has retired, they still have lots of successful drivers in GTE, like Magnussen, Christensen, Thiim, Sørensen and Nygaard.



#8 sjakie

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 17:48

France is the heartland of endurance with the 24 hrs of Le Mans, followed by the US with several races inspired by Le Mans: Sebring, Daytona and obviously Petit LeMans. The 6hrs of Watkins Glen also has a rich history although it was absent from the calender for several years.

I would pick Germany for third place as it has a history with succesful manufacturers in Porsche, Audi and to a lesser extend Mercedes.

Japan doesn't have traditional races, nor does it have very succesful manufacturers (yet) but the passion of the Japanese is visible.

 

Italy did have a very good race (Monza 1000km) but not anymore.

 

Someone named Belgium as it has the Spa 24hrs. It used to be a touring car race. It became a GT race fairly recently, late nineties I think. Belgium did however a very good 1000km race...



#9 BRG

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 18:37

I would pick Germany for third place as it has a history with succesful manufacturers in Porsche, Audi and to a lesser extend Mercedes.

 

But not the UK? Bentley, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Mirage, McLaren (not to mention those British built GT40s) winning Le Mans, plus  Lotus, Lola, Chevron,etc at many other races, and some of the very best sports car drivers like Bell, McNish, Moss, Hawthorn, Wallace and dozens more - two out of the three winning drivers at Le Mans 2015 were of course Brits - and a solid history of major sportscar races from the TTs at Dundrod through the BOAC 500 & 1000 at Brands to the Silverstone races.

 

The podium must be France, USA and UK with Japan, Italy and Germany in close attendance with am honourable mention to Belgium for Ickx and Gendebien and of course Spa. All the rest are also rans, but in the future, who knows.  I am sure we will cheer on a Bahraini built and driven winner at the Bahrain 24 Hours quite soon.....  ;)


Edited by BRG, 02 September 2015 - 18:38.


#10 Volcano70

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 18:55

US,france,germany,japan,britan



#11 sjakie

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 19:00

But not the UK? Bentley, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Mirage, McLaren (not to mention those British built GT40s) winning Le Mans, plus  Lotus, Lola, Chevron,etc at many other races, and some of the very best sports car drivers like Bell, McNish, Moss, Hawthorn, Wallace and dozens more - two out of the three winning drivers at Le Mans 2015 were of course Brits - and a solid history of major sportscar races from the TTs at Dundrod through the BOAC 500 & 1000 at Brands to the Silverstone races.

 

The podium must be France, USA and UK with Japan, Italy and Germany in close attendance with am honourable mention to Belgium for Ickx and Gendebien and of course Spa. All the rest are also rans, but in the future, who knows.  I am sure we will cheer on a Bahraini built and driven winner at the Bahrain 24 Hours quite soon.....  ;)

You're absolutely right. Totally forgot about UK. There used to be very good 1000m's at both Silverstone and Brands Hatch plus several succesful manufacturers. How could I forget? They should get the 3rd or 4th slot.

 

For also runs I should think of Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Spain and Australia. The rest of the world isn't even worth mentioning. I'm afraid with Kristensen retired I think the danish enthusiasm will dampen



#12 chunder27

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 19:27

While I would say the UK is not a heartland for tracks.

 

Fans here are probably more passionate, obssessive and defensive of their chosen favourite sport than perhaps any other motorsport fans I have experienced.

 

Oddly, in my opinion. But I do think French tourism benefits hugely!



#13 opplock

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 19:30

- two out of the three winning drivers at Le Mans 2015 were of course Brits

 

New Zealand became a dominion in about 1907 so Earl Bamber probably wouldn't appreciate being classified as a Brit. ​    



#14 BRG

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 21:17

New Zealand became a dominion in about 1907 so Earl Bamber probably wouldn't appreciate being classified as a Brit. ​    

I thought he was a British aristocrat - Earl Bamber of Bamber Castle.  :blush:



#15 scheivlak

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 21:40

Belgium certainly deserves a mention - or maybe one should maybe more specific and mention the Walloon part. Just a few million people who not only have the circuit of Spa Francorchamps to be proud of, but multiple winners of Le Mans and other sportscar races as well: Gendebien, Frere, Mairesse, the Bianchis, Ickx, Boutsen, Gachot, Theys and some more. And we may add to that quite a tradition of competitve private/semi works entires like the Ecurie Francorchamps, Ecurie/Team VDS et cetera.....

 

It's almost like motorsports is to Wallonia what cycling is to Flanders.


Edited by scheivlak, 02 September 2015 - 21:41.


#16 August

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Posted 02 September 2015 - 21:57

Someone named Belgium as it has the Spa 24hrs. It used to be a touring car race. It became a GT race fairly recently, late nineties I think. Belgium did however a very good 1000km race...

 

I think the WEC 6h of Spa is the 1000km race's successor. 

 

And we may add to that quite a tradition of competitve private/semi works entires like the Ecurie Francorchamps, Ecurie/Team VDS et cetera.....

 

WRT, too.



#17 Nathan

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Posted 03 September 2015 - 02:53

U.S.A, Germany, France, Japan.

 

Personally, I'm not a buyer that one race makes a nation a heartland.  In my view you should have a steady supply of drivers and manufactures as well.

 

What happened to French sports car makers??



#18 TennisUK

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Posted 03 September 2015 - 03:50

What happened to French sports car makers??


Onroak an Oreca seem to be doing rather well...

#19 BlinkyMcSquinty

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Posted 03 September 2015 - 05:30

In order, and IMO why.

 

France, the host for LeMans. The most iconic and historic race in endurance by a long ways. 2nd is a lap down. And strangely enough, home of the ACO and FIA.

 

USA, host of numerous exciting and quality endurance races. The endurance community in the USA is very large. Special mention to the 24 Hours of LeMons, where Burning Man meets Elvis meets an inflatable sex doll.

 

Germany, the nation that lives and breathes racing. And of course, the iconic and glorious Nordschleife. The reason this nation gets 3rd is because of VLN, a loose group of clubs that embrace racing at the Nordschleife. They run ten races a year, and truly embrace the love of racing, and incredibly fan-friendly. It isn't about money, it's the love of racing.

 

Australia, because of Bathurst. There are two endurance races there each year, and they are nothing short of epic.