64 replies to this topic

[DanardiF1]

It's that time of year again! And since I haven't seen a dedicated thread yet and I did do one of these a couple of years ago here we go...

 

 

UK TV - BT Sport will be showing the race live, as will MotorsTV/Motorsport TV whatever they're called now (the channel with the crap picture quality)

Race start - 12pm

 

http://www.fiawec.co...d-for-2017/4830 - John Hindhaugh has returned to the Radio Le Mans mic for this season, meaning a new commentary team for the TV feed. With Martin Haven and Toby Moody on the mic though that is no bad thing, and those of us at the circuit this weekend will enjoy the dulcet Geordie tones of Hindy on our headphones.

 

Entry List

A reduced grid this year, mainly due to the absence of Audi and the new LMP2 regulations which have perhaps inevitably seen a more conservative entry whilst teams work out which of the four chassic packages works best for them. Oreca have monopolised the WEC entry but there are more diverse grids in ELMS and in IMSA as well which hopefully bodes well for the future of the main championship entry. Each of the 4 chassis are represented at Le Mans as well.

 

Porsche are back in GTE with a works effort and a decidedly un-911y mid-engined 911 RSR, along with the two car efforts from Ford, Ferrari and Aston Martin.

 

The main battle will be between Toyota and Porsche in LMP1 of course, and we look set for a much stronger performance from Toyota who have been wounded by their desperately sad Le Mans finish and have resolved to try and win it this time round. Even with just the two cars each (three for Toyota at Le Mans... they are really taking that seriously) there should still be good racing between them which the WEC has been well known for over the last few seasons.

 

 

 

I will be attending the race for 5th time in a row now, ticket prices continue to rise bit by bit which is a bit frustrating but the crowds keep growing as well. All in all this should be another enjoyable event!

[TF110]

Toyota using the high downforce package, while Porsche use the low downforce package. Will it be top speed vs cornering like in 2015?

[Marklar]

Toyota should be the favourite given that Porsche wont be running the high downforce configuration until after Le Mans.

[DanardiF1]

I think it depends on how Toyota's package performs, the difference in their two packages is what left them uncompetitive at places like Silverstone last season...

 

I would put them as favourites though as it stands, the car looks really well sorted now, they have a great driver lineup, could be like 2014 again...

Edited by DanardiF1, 13 April 2017 - 19:24.

[JHSingo]

I really don't understand the logic behind having this and the BTCC on the same weekend. I'm going to the latter, but may well have gone to the WEC race as well had it been on a different weekend.

[f1paul]

I really don't understand the logic behind having this and the BTCC on the same weekend. I'm going to the latter, but may well have gone to the WEC race as well had it been on a different weekend.

And BSB and British GT. It's too much, even for me!

[f1paul]

It should be dry all weekend but with a lot of cloud and temps at 10 degrees celcius. That's pretty chilly!

[DanardiF1]

I really don't understand the logic behind having this and the BTCC on the same weekend. I'm going to the latter, but may well have gone to the WEC race as well had it been on a different weekend.

 

It makes sense with it being Easter weekend so lots of people are off, but also not much sense in that potential crowd is being spread somewhat thinly across all these events...

[f1paul]

No snow unlike last year

[DanardiF1]

It should be dry all weekend but with a lot of cloud and temps at 10 degrees celcius. That's pretty chilly!

 

That's fine, over the last few years there's been snow, heavy rain, gales, everything during the WEC weekend... so 10c is nothing.

[Bill Becketts]

Porsche going with low downforce aero kit until after Spa so they are potentially sacrificing this race to win the championship...so no pressure on Toyota then   

[DanardiF1]

The WEC youtube page has kindly uploaded the full races of last year's championship, so I'll link last year's event for comparison or just if you want to watch what was a decent race. I've watched it this week an hour or so at a time and its nice to see the race from the TV perspective having been at the circuit itself.

 

[stewie]

It should be dry all weekend but with a lot of cloud and temps at 10 degrees celcius. That's pretty chilly!

I'll pack my thermals. Plan to do a lot of walking around tho!

[LeClerc]

I really don't understand the logic behind having this and the BTCC on the same weekend. I'm going to the latter, but may well have gone to the WEC race as well had it been on a different weekend.

 

Maybe it's to have at least some cars on the track....

 

27?!?

[LeClerc]

I'll pack my thermals. Plan to do a lot of walking around tho!

 

Pics, or it didn't happen!

[Dalin80]

I see that the race is on eurosport but anywhere to watch testing and qualy?

[TF110]

Porsche going with low downforce aero kit until after Spa so they are potentially sacrificing this race to win the championship...so no pressure on Toyota then   

If Toyota win the first 3 races (including Le Mans, which is double the points) the championship is going to be hard for Porsche to come back and win. We'll see!

[DanardiF1]

I see that the race is on eurosport but anywhere to watch testing and qualy?

 

The WEC app, and you have to pay for the full premium pack in order to watch qualifying. Practice sessions are not broadcast at all I don't think.

 

https://play.google....andwec&hl=en_GB

https://itunes.apple...d852396979?mt=8

Edited by DanardiF1, 13 April 2017 - 21:08.

[chunder27]

You cannot expect a national championship to fit in around a world championship to be honest, a rather ill conceived plan.

 

WEC will make the demands on the calendar at Silverstone, not BTCC or Silverstone themselves within reason, those plans are set in stone months in advance.

 

And to be perfectly honest WEC is a one off event in the UK and BTCC is on every few weeks, so complaining about that is really rather short sighted in my view!!

[TF110]

sport1.de will show the race (and all 6hr wec races) live and for free on the website. Not sure how the geo blocking affects you guys in Europe, but in the states it's geoblocked. So a vpn is needed to watch.

[DanardiF1]

You cannot expect a national championship to fit in around a world championship to be honest, a rather ill conceived plan.

 

WEC will make the demands on the calendar at Silverstone, not BTCC or Silverstone themselves within reason, those plans are set in stone months in advance.

 

And to be perfectly honest WEC is a one off event in the UK and BTCC is on every few weeks, so complaining about that is really rather short sighted in my view!!

 

Are there any national championships that have a round pencilled in for the British Grand Prix weekend? I'm not giving the WEC round equivalent status but there could a consensus reached that to maximise crowds say BTCC and WEC run on different weekends over the Easter holidays (schools are closed for two weeks for Easter in the UK so families tend to be free across two weekends)?

[JHSingo]

You cannot expect a national championship to fit in around a world championship to be honest, a rather ill conceived plan.

 

WEC will make the demands on the calendar at Silverstone, not BTCC or Silverstone themselves within reason, those plans are set in stone months in advance.

 

And to be perfectly honest WEC is a one off event in the UK and BTCC is on every few weeks, so complaining about that is really rather short sighted in my view!!

 

Maybe you're right. But, to be honest, the BTCC is much more well known in this country than the WEC is - and has the benefit of being live on a channel everyone can get too.

 

I'd say just based on that the BTCC would be more likely to draw a bigger crowd. But, as f1paul pointed out, there's also BSB and British GT on too. Rather messy.

[jonpollak]

Is this on American TV? FoxSports2 seems to have bailed on it (no great loss as their picture quality makes MotorsTV look like UHD) . Is there a web feed or YouTube showing it?

[TF110]

Is this on American TV? FoxSports2 seems to have bailed on it (no great loss as their picture quality makes MotorsTV look like UHD) . Is there a web feed or YouTube showing it?

Fs1 has the first hour or two iirc. After that it's probably on fox sports go app, joy. 

[jonpollak]

Looks like I'll go Nigerian.

[Mat13]

sport1.de will show the race (and all 6hr wec races) live and for free on the website. Not sure how the geo blocking affects you guys in Europe, but in the states it's geoblocked. So a vpn is needed to watch.

I tried this in the UK- website loads ok, hopefully the stream will too. I also have Motors TV, but will miss John Hindhaugh.

[Victor_RO]

I tried this in the UK- website loads ok, hopefully the stream will too. I also have Motors TV, but will miss John Hindhaugh.

 

Mute the TV and put on the Radio Le Mans audio stream then, he's stepped back to the radio commentary.

[Mat13]

Mute the TV and put on the Radio Le Mans audio stream then, he's stepped back to the radio commentary.

Unfortunately I'll be watching in hour-long stints for the next six days, so I'll have to put up with no Hindhaugh. Thanks though.

[chunder27]

You misunderstand me guys

 

What I mean is that Silverstone would be bidding more money for WEC and they would probably put forward a couple of dates.  If someone else has BTCC and BSB then to compete Silverstone has to have something big too. And they cant have a British championship coz presumably Palmer has monopolised the bank holidays as he usually does.

 

And in most peoples eyes WEC is a bigger series, the others might draw bigger crowds but are British so you can go anytime unless you are sad enough to go to every round!!  WEC is a once a year deal hence why it is not really competing in any way at all

[stewie]

Down at Silverstone now, there was a few rain drops as I drove in so hopefully the rain will stay away.

[Marklar]

sport1.de will show the race (and all 6hr wec races) live and for free on the website. Not sure how the geo blocking affects you guys in Europe, but in the states it's geoblocked. So a vpn is needed to watch.

It's always geoblocked. I tested that when I was on vacation ;)

[FLB]

FoxSportsRacing in Canada seems to have the race in its entirety (Videotron, Montreal, Channel 792).

[Victor_RO]

BOOM. Toyota into the 1:38s.

EDIT: And putting 2 whole seconds on the Porsches while at it.

[TF110]

BOOM. Toyota into the 1:38s.

EDIT: And putting 2 whole seconds on the Porsches while at it.

Those are the fastest laps ever(!) by a prototype at Silverstone. Nakajima's is 1.3 seconds faster than 2015's best qualifying lap (1:39.5 by Porsche).

[DanardiF1]

Seriously impressed by those laptimes by Toyota. They really mean business this time.

[TheRacingElf]

Seriously impressed by those laptimes by Toyota. They really mean business this time.

To finish first, you first have to finish...

[DanardiF1]

To finish first, you first have to finish...

 

Reliability has been a strong point for Toyota for a while. I remember way more problems for Audi and Porsche over the last two seasons than Toyota...

[TheRacingElf]

Reliability has been a strong point for Toyota for a while. I remember way more problems for Audi and Porsche over the last two seasons than Toyota...

Bar one quite crucial lap though...

 

Your right though but as a Toyota fan it's just very hard to get over that heartbreak... They can be few seconds lap faster than Porsche, comfortably lead Le Mans with three cars with just 10 minutes to go and I will still be nervous as hell whether they will win it or not....Le Mans 2016 resulted in me having some kind of trauma which will take a very long time to get rid off 

[TF110]

You couldn't write that up for Toyota's 3-minute story last June. The other car was fine on the engine front but previous contact made Kobayashi's car ill handling and he spun trying to catch the Porsche and his teammate. The 3 cars this year should help. Lets see how they do in fp3 then qualifying. Lap times for long runs will be crucial with only 4 sets of tires!

[chunder27]

Place really is a total dump

 

Got there, only one gate open, despite being right near the one opposite the finish line.

 

Walked to entry area, you normally pay on the gate near the bridge, no apparently not you pay at the unmarked box named site services in the car park.

 

Over near the old pits the tarmac access road is falling apart, held together by broken tarmac aggregate!

 

Half the people there kept asking, why can't we go to the pits, then you explain they ahve to use a bus, and they look at you blankly.

 

All the pit areas are all blanked off but he teams so you can't see anything, all roped off and made fairly obvious they dont want you anywhere near their garages which is very silly but very French.

 

On track action was pretty lame, stupid 10 minute qualifying sessions, a F3 race that seemed to last an hour and about 10 Renault 3.5 cars going round.

 

Only interesting bit of the day was watching the P1 cars in practice and finding the new rallycross track.

 

Last time I will ever visit this place, it really is the pits now.

 

Though one positive was the WEC fitness area, driving training thing, very cool, free and very busy.

[geordiecraig101]

Just a quick one, heres my vid from yesterdays practice and quali sessions from the ELMS, V8 3.5 & WEC if anyone interested:

 

[HairyScalextrix]

Place really is a total dump

Got there, only one gate open, despite being right near the one opposite the finish line.

Walked to entry area, you normally pay on the gate near the bridge, no apparently not you pay at the unmarked box named site services in the car park.

Over near the old pits the tarmac access road is falling apart, held together by broken tarmac aggregate!

Half the people there kept asking, why can't we go to the pits, then you explain they ahve to use a bus, and they look at you blankly.

All the pit areas are all blanked off but he teams so you can't see anything, all roped off and made fairly obvious they dont want you anywhere near their garages which is very silly but very French.

On track action was pretty lame, stupid 10 minute qualifying sessions, a F3 race that seemed to last an hour and about 10 Renault 3.5 cars going round.

Only interesting bit of the day was watching the P1 cars in practice and finding the new rallycross track.

Last time I will ever visit this place, it really is the pits now.

Though one positive was the WEC fitness area, driving training thing, very cool, free and very busy.

That was becoming my overriding impression when I attended the last few WEC events, plenty of your issues above have been the case for years, the lack of common sense in what gates and stands are open, bringing more than 10 programmes for people to purchase etc etc. I won't pay the high prices anymore, but I'll content myself that I was able to attend several Group C events when the circuit was still great and you could see the cars without binoculars.

[Victor_RO]

Qualifying is underway.

[Victor_RO]

1:36.793 by Kobayashi. LMP lap record has been obliterated. 

[Nonesuch]

Just a quick one, heres my vid from yesterdays practice and quali sessions from the ELMS, V8 3.5 & WEC if anyone interested:

 

Nicely done, thanks for posting this.

[DanardiF1]

1:36.793 by Kobayashi. LMP lap record has been obliterated. 

 

Just over a second off the fastest race lap in the Grand Prix last year... jeez.

[f1paul]

6 Hours tomorrow, it's 4 hours now! ELMS LIVE......NOW!

[FLB]

11.6°C air temperature. Brrrrrr.

 

 

Well, at least it's not snowing!

[DanardiF1]

With rain expected during the race tomorrow as well, Porsche could be in for a tough day running the lower downforce configuration. All things going to plan Toyota should romp this race.

[Victor_RO]

Stunning finish in the ELMS race, Filipe Albuquerque overturning a 22-second deficit in the last stint (albeit, it looks like, on fresher tires) to take the lead with 2 laps to go and win the race overall.