Le Mans WEC 2017

GTE has a new player next year, BMW.

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BMW M8 GTE Revealed; Completes Initial Three-Day Test - Sportscar365
 
That's going to be awkward for the premier class.

It should be about pushing boundaries but it could well become a spec series.
 
this was the worst kept secret in motorsport as everyone expected this but surprised at 2017. looking forward to seeing how Toyota lose le mans next season

but this is a warning to formula 1. because this is what can happen when manufacturers feel technology / budgets are getting too expensive. Formula E can be good but circuits need to get wider because they are so narrow currently which makes it very tough to pass without contact & is like 12 monacos, some circuits on forumla e calendar that make monaco look wide

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There are quite a few companies touting LMP1 cars to meet the non-manufacturer rules. They may scratch together a grid from these but I suspect Toyota will be on their toes as well.
 
Lots of manufacturers switching focus to FE; Mercedes quit the DTM last week for the same reason. Toyota will almost certainly clear off too.

Interestingly Porsche aren't closing down their in-house racing team, and the drivers remain under contract. Where else could they race a variant of the KERS-assisted turbo engine...?

The guy who comes up with the GT and Touring equivalents to FE will be a wealthy one.
 
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The rumour mill suggests not, rather that they're pinning their hopes on the new 2020 regs and will ride it out until then. There should be multiple privateer LMP1s next year, starting with Ginetta and Dallara, and if Toyota are still competing they could be "equalised" back to make a race of it. Maybe.
 
Will they really be there though?...

Well, who knows. Perrinn have said they've sold two chassis, Ginetta will be supplying Manor with two cars and rival teams with up to four other chassis, and the BRE/Dallara project is due to be on track before the end of the year. Maybe some of the orders will fall through, but I suspect the potential of an overall victory is likely to increase interest rather than reduce it.
 
Is the Nissan engine still the only game in town for the privateers or are there other options?
 
Ginetta are working with Mecachrome on their engine. Details have yet to be confirmed for the others - I think Nissan is likely for the BRE/Dallara car to be run by SMP. There should still be some AERs kicking around too.
 
Two big announcements about the future of the WEC yesterday, in reaction to Porsche pulling out of LMP1.
  • There will only be one LMP1 category next year, and cars will be equalised on performance (i.e. laptime). How this will be achieved is TBC. Note that hybrids will still have the advantage of efficiency, and ought to run longer between pitstops, hence if Toyota is sticking around they should still win. But, if they hit problems, it would be harder to recover vs. a well-driven privateer car.
  • As was originally intended, the WEC will move to being a winter championship a la Formula E, with Le Mans in June as the final round. To facilitate this, there will be an 18-month season running in 2018-19 with a severely reduced programme of events: 4 in 2018 (Spa, Le Mans, Shanghai and Fuji) and 4 in early 2019 (Sebring, Spa, Le Mans and another event TBC). Compared to the current calendar that means losing Silverstone, Nurburgring, Austin, Mexico City and Bahrain. Sebring (12h) and Le Mans (24h) will pay extra points - not necessarily double though. The problem the FIA was originally concerned about - that the championship winner will be overshadowed by the Le Mans winner, still seems to remain with this plan, however.
In addition to BMW joining there are growing rumours of a Lamborghini GTE programme, in what is likely to become the focal point class of the WEC for the immediate future.
 
no idea where to put this formula e, le mans, alain prost etc so took a punt. just finally finished up the brilliant amazon prime 6 part series le mans racing is everything. where they go behind the scenes of le mans that hulkenburg won. with numerous teams & drivers. not just the race its everything assoiced with it

they were talking in his kitchen about a few things & loved the story of nico prost told about how he & his now wife 1st met who hes been together for now 14yrs & married for 5yrs. as 14 yrs ago a few days after their 1st date. his now wife was playing trivial pursuit with her sisters & got stuck on question so completely unaware. sent nico a message "playing trivial pursuit do you know was the 1st french world champion"

& nico replied "my dad" LOL
 
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