95 replies to this topic

[jimjimjeroo]

With the growing popularity of WEC and the hulkenburg win of this year's Le Mans, is it possible that the evil midget in charge of F1 has deliberately pitted the European GP of Azerbaijan against Le Mans? Or is it possible there's doubt cast over the GP as to whether it'll actually happened, this there being a free weekend in the calender?

[KingTiger]

WEC's popularity is absolutely nowhere compared to F1, but yes I think Bernard definitely put the Azerbajan GP on Le Mans weekend to screw them. I believe he tried putting the Korean GP in the same slot last year, but nobody paid any attention to it. 

[chunder27]

I can't imagine why nayone would rather watch a GP bought by an oil rich government desperate for exposure over one of the worlds biggest and most important races.

 

I am not a masive fan of WEC, but if he does do it, it will be to prevent drivers driving in both series.

[Marklar]

After Force India complaint towards the EU, I guess this was Bernies revenge

I have no doubts that it is deliberal. We had too much hype during the Austrian GP for Hulk. He surely didnt liked it.

[Risil]

I suspect the "1000 horsepower" rule has F1's hands over it. It's devious yet stupid enough.

[MNader]

No doubt it was deliberate.

 

I will also deliberately watch Lemans and ignore F1 that weekend. 

[maximilian]

Suggestion:  boycott Asserbydshawn (or whatever) "Grand" Prix!  Watch LeMans.  Spread the word!

[Jon83]

Will watch Le Mans live and record the F1 race.

 

The more I see of WEC, the more I like. I really cannot say the same about F1 right now.

[Nonesuch]

With the growing popularity of WEC and the hulkenburg win of this year's Le Mans, is it possible that the evil midget in charge of F1 has deliberately pitted the European GP of Azerbaijan against Le Mans?

 

I doubt it. It was initially scheduled on July 17, but the teams complained about there being no summer break so everything had to be bunched up.

 

There was no GP on the Le Mans weekend in the original schedule.

 

If Ecclestone wanted to make a point he wouldn't have put the European Baku race of all things there.

 

As it is, there is no doubt about what I'll be watching live.

 

I believe he tried putting the Korean GP in the same slot last year, but nobody paid any attention to it. 

 

That was the weekend of the Spa-Francorchamps WEC race, the traditional pre-Le Mans outing in early May.
 

Edited by Nonesuch, 01 October 2015 - 13:38.

[stewie]

Problem is, if Baku did get cancelled, would it be with enough time to let the likes of Hulkenburg have a deal to drive at Le Mans? I bet it wouldn't be.

[Nonesuch]

Problem is, if Baku did get cancelled, would it be with enough time to let the likes of Hulkenburg have a deal to drive at Le Mans? I bet it wouldn't be.

 

If both parties can come to an agreement, it wouldn't be impossible to arrange for the third driver to have a go at it while Hülkenberg defends his title at Le Mans.

[jonpollak]

With our luck they'll probably schedule an IndyCar race on that date too.

 

Jp

Edited by jonpollak, 01 October 2015 - 17:14.

[Stephane]

Porsche already said they will wait for the official confirmation (end of November) of the calendar, before thinking about a replacement. Note that they already have a lot of capable drivers in house.

[Pontlieue]

In terms of popularity and commerce, F1 is several orders of magnitude above WEC. But in terms of technology, LMP1 cars have caught up, if not surpassed Formula 1. Personally, I enjoy WEC more. For the future I fear the FIA will find a way to destroy both of them. The majority of rule changes decided by the FIA, in any series, makes me believe they're utterly clueless. Sometimes, I almost think they create regulations for the sake of it, like the limited driver changes in Formula E.

[CountDooku]

Who watches a 24hr race on TV? I follow Le Mans on the live sites and then maybe watch the final couple of hours. Why not watch both?

[Sash1]

He could qualify the F1 car, fly to France, do some evening and morning stints and fly back to Assherbyedjan.

[Lipp]

I just hope that Bernie is not trying to do the same he did in the past killing the group C car category.

[KingTiger]

In terms of popularity and commerce, F1 is several orders of magnitude above WEC. But in terms of technology, LMP1 cars have caught up, if not surpassed Formula 1. Personally, I enjoy WEC more. For the future I fear the FIA will find a way to destroy both of them. The majority of rule changes decided by the FIA, in any series, makes me believe they're utterly clueless. Sometimes, I almost think they create regulations for the sake of it, like the limited driver changes in Formula E.

 

 FIA really are the worst.

[BCM]

My best motorsport moment of last year was the battle between Audi and Porsche at the Silverstone round of the WEC.

 

For lap after lap they battled each other. The Audi passing the Porsche through the esses only to see the Porsche look like it had fallen off a cliff as it accelerated back past the Audi on the following straight.

 

The icing on the cake was seeing the Audi team manager laughing with delight after seeing his car being passed yet again down the straight on one of the laps.

 

F1 is the biggest con job in the history of motorsport. Bernie is a master salesman.

[jimjimjeroo]

I doubt it. It was initially scheduled on July 17, but the teams complained about there being no summer break so everything had to be bunched up.

There was no GP on the Le Mans weekend in the original schedule.

If Ecclestone wanted to make a point he wouldn't have put the European Baku race of all things there.

As it is, there is no doubt about what I'll be watching live.


That was the weekend of the Spa-Francorchamps WEC race, the traditional pre-Le Mans outing in early May.

Crash are referring to it as the European GP...

http://m.crash.net/f...ns-defence.html

[Disgrace]

You do have to wonder what the FIA are playing at. Whatever the reason, permitting any clash with Le Mans with another FIA-sanctioned event smells of an organisation either bought out or simply incompetent.

[FerrariV12]

Who watches a 24hr race on TV? I follow Le Mans on the live sites and then maybe watch the final couple of hours. Why not watch both?

 

Me. (yes I'm in the massive minority but have done so the past two years and loved it). And as far as the both question, well if it's scheduled to start after the 24 finishes (yes seems a bit strange with the time zone it's in), then I'll be getting some much needed sleep*

 

*(yes I'll probably end up recording the F1 race and watching it on like, Wednesday or something)

[Gyno]

I know which race I will be watching and it wont be F1.

[WilliamsF1Fan]

Regardless of what I say, I know I'll be watching the F1, at least for the duration of the race.  That said I would love to go to Le Mans one day soon as I feel that is the only way I'd properly stick with it for the full distance and I love the look of the carnival atmosphere there.  Definitely on my to do list.

 

I think the calendar is appalling though, it was great having an active F1 driver participating and I'd love to have seen more next year (and I reckon more would have done on the back of Hulkenberg's success). Definitely couldn't have drivers going off and gaining publicity in something that isn't F1 though, could we? 

[BRG]

No problems.  Le Mans starts on Saturday and by the time the F1 boys get on track, it will be nearly over.  So watch the Le Mans finish, then watch F1 in the evening on catch-up.  

[Mat13]

I'll be watching WEC. The biggest race of the year up against a European GP that isn't in Europe and in all likelihood will be lousy isn't really a contest in my book.

This and the 1000hp limit smells of stupidity at best, sabotage at worst when wearing my smartest tinfoil hat. You know, the one with the velvet lining and remains of apple crumble on.

[Lipp]

I will have no time to watch the F1 GP since I will be at Le Mans.

[August]

With our luck they'll probably schedule an IndyCar race on that date too.

 

Jp

 

Depends on if they put Texas a week or two after Detroit. A week after Detroit would be the usual date, unless they want to get a rest weekend after GP of Indy, 500 qualies, the 500, and Detroit.

[paipa]

As if we didn't have the technology to watch two things at the same time. Picture in picture, online streams, or a good old remote control, the possibilities are endless. Chances are the 24h will be done and dusted by the F1 start anyway. I bet 90% of people in here who say they won't watch F1 will still do. And the other 10% will take great pride in watching the leader cruise to the finish two laps up.

[Nonesuch]

Crash are referring to it as the European GP...

 

I know, but I'll settle for Baku. It's about as far to the East as Bahrain and Tehran.

 

And the other 10% will take great pride in watching the leader cruise to the finish two laps up.

 

The Baku race will be a daytime race, right?

 

Baku is three hours ahead of the Western European time, so if they want to start as Le Mans finishes it'll be 18:00 there in Baku. Probably not too late for a summer afternoon.

 

We'll see. Like you say there are plenty of ways to watch both for those who want to watch live.

Edited by Nonesuch, 01 October 2015 - 18:44.

[Stephane]

The fans will Watch both, of course. But they are not the targeted audience.

[JHSingo]

I think it's actually very good of the FIA. I mean, they've arranged an event that'll help those who watched Le Mans get off to sleep once LM has finished.

 

On a serious note, I do thing it is rather odd that a year after all the press Hulkenberg received, plus all the interest from other F1 drivers etc, that there's now a clashing Grand Prix. Coincidence? Yeah, right...

 

Of course, this could all be avoided if F1 stuck to a sensible number of races, and didn't have so many pointless races in places like Baku. There would be plenty of weekends for F1 to have then.

 

Still, I know which event I'll be following that weekend. One of the most famous races of them all, on a legendary track? Or F1 on a crappy street circuit? Hmm, not a tough call if I'm honest!

[August]

As if I'd watch Baku anyway. 

 

In it's current state, I'm not sure I'll be watching F1 at all next year.

[KTownDevil]

I will have no time to watch the F1 GP since I will be at Le Mans.

 

Me too and will also go to Nürburgring WEC. No F1 GP planned, no need to go the track with these vacuum cleaner engines. (2016 screamer pipes are useless under fuel flow limit and MGU-H) 

[AlexLangheck]

You do have to wonder what the FIA are playing at. Whatever the reason, permitting any clash with Le Mans with another FIA-sanctioned event smells of an organisation either bought out or simply incompetent.

If the FiA and/or Todt had any balls, they simply wouldn't ratify the proposed calendar..... But they don't really have any control of the F1 calendar.

[KingTiger]

Me too and will also go to Nürburgring WEC. No F1 GP planned, no need to go the track with these vacuum cleaner engines. (2016 screamer pipes are useless under fuel flow limit and MGU-H) 

 

To be fair, LMP1 engines sound worse...

[ANF]

The Baku race will be a daytime race, right?
 
Baku is three hours ahead of the Western European time, so if they want to start as Le Mans finishes it'll be 18:00 there in Baku. Probably not too late for a summer afternoon.

Yesterday I checked when the sun sets. I think it was at 21:12, so I'm sure it will a daytime race. And I'm sure I won't be watching it live.

Edited by ANF, 01 October 2015 - 21:16.

[Fastcake]

You do have to wonder what the FIA are playing at. Whatever the reason, permitting any clash with Le Mans with another FIA-sanctioned event smells of an organisation either bought out or simply incompetent.

 

Particularly when you consider just a couple of years ago the FIA decreed the two events would not clash...

 

In order to preserve the historic date of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which this year celebrated its 90^th edition, the date of 14/15 June 2014 has been retained to ensure that a Formula One Grand Prix is not hosted the same weekend.

 

http://www.fia.com/n...sport-council-8

[FerrariV12]

And the other 10% will take great pride in watching the leader cruise to the finish two laps up.

 

If the winner has outpaced their competitors by two laps over the race distance, then they've earned the right to do so. Beats the whole "get out of DRS range and conserve everything for the rest of the race" of modern F1.

[Victor_RO]

To be fair, LMP1 engines sound worse...

 

Not quite (at least to me from trackside). The Porsche does sound a bit like a bag of spanners being rattled, but the Toyota is (still) a nice screaming V8, the CLM and Rebellions have a small V6 but every time they brake it sounds like they're injecting thousands of firecrackers into the exhaust, and the Audi on its own is a whooshing spaceship.

[KTownDevil]

To be fair, LMP1 engines sound worse...

Even if you don't like the sound of the LMPs, you still have plenty of great-sounding GT cars. Especially the Ferraris. 

[Stephane]

And you have a variety of sounds, which is great.

[DILLIGAF]

Interesting that the FIA have scheduled the European GP on the same weekend as LeMans 24H. http://www.motorspor...no-coincidence/
 
Me thinks some people don't want F1 drivers competing in a rival series. Bad luck Nando, Nico and whoever else wanted a crack at it.
 
Thoughts?

[Marklar]

Here you go

 

http://forums.autosp...ns/?hl=+wec +f1

[registered]

Are we sure Azerbajian is happening? Maybe it's just on the calendar like this year's Korean Grand Prix for Bernie getting what he wants. And Montreal and Baku as back-to-back-races? I doubt it will happen wasn't this year also only one week between Korea and Barcelona?

http://uk.reuters.co...N0S81KN20151014

[V8 Fireworks]

It's unacceptable.   

 

F1 drivers should have the chance to race at Le Mans if they so choose. 

 

It's like putting Daytona 24hour on the same day as the Brickyard 400.  It's just NOT done, as it is accepted that NASCAR drivers will be drafted to compete in the 24hour.

Edited by V8 Fireworks, 16 October 2015 - 10:07.

[DILLIGAF]

It's unacceptable.   
 
F1 drivers should have the chance to race at Le Mans if they so choose. 
 
It's like putting Daytona 24hour on the same day as the Brickyard 400.  It's just NOT done, as it is accepted that NASCAR drivers will be drafted to compete in the 24hour.

Agree. I thought it was great that drivers in the old days, like Jim Clark, Jack Brabham etc got to race in other formulas/categories of motor racing.

[Spillage]

I don't think it'll happen. Baku, a week after Montreal? Nah.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Over the most recent 20 years, how many active F1 drivers took part in Le Mans? 5? 50? I don't think the date clash makes that big a deal...

[SealTheDiffuser]

the clash is on purpose by Bernie to prevent HUL to participate at Lemons, or he knows more than we do, which is a given