Le Mans WEC 2018/19 Super Season

I, for one, am glad to see the disqualification. I am SO tired of Toyota "fixing" the results to benefit their chosen set of drivers, and thereby bring the various races, including the Le Mans 24 hours, into disrepute, that I think they should be subjected to penalties next season. Rigging results should NEVER be accepted, as they cheapen the very meaning of the accomplishment.
 
Very unsatisfactory race in every respect. In addition to the Toyota nonsense, the balance of performance in GTE-Pro has left the BMWs and Astons uncompetitive.
 
Are McLaren paying anything towards Toyota's cost for this season as, if I recall, they were only doing Le Mans until Alonso turned up.
 
The official version of events is that the ACO said, if you don't do the full season, you can't do Le Mans. Toyota agreed, and in return Toyota got a performance advantage built into the regulations. Rather more of an advantage than the ACO intended, of course.
 
It wasn't so long ago people were holding the WEC up as a shining example of what F1 should be. It's not looking quite so glossy this year.
 
Well, we've had seasons in F1 where one team are so far ahead of the rest that all the results are known in advance. The ACO seem to get it more right than wrong when trying to create equivalency formulas. If Toyota weren't racing it would genuinely be a "Super Season" across all categories.
 
Is anyone here planning on attending Le Mans this year? I didn't go last year and didn't think I'd be as exited this year with the likely lack of racing for the outright win, but then I realised I really don't care about the two at the front and there are plenty, far more important matters to worry about at Le Mans and that I should never pass up another opportunity to go.
 
I've toyed with the idea and I do watch the race but FB did a magnificent write up of his visit a while ago and it put me off. I think I'll stick to the TV coverage.
 
LeMans 2019 Preview - Motorsport Magazine

Re FB's experience I guess I'm up for the walking and the noise. We're usually so handcarted by the early hours none of us have any problem sleeping. I'm fortunate enough to be a guest so the cost isn't a consideration, we're very well looked after and camping in the circuit with non-stop engine noise from the early hours of Thursday morning until the chequered flag on Sunday afternoon is all part of the atmosphere in my opinion. We treat the whole thing as a mini lads holiday, including the trip over and back in (hopefully) something interesting. Believe it was your employer CaT that provided the transport in 2017. A little unfortunately i was handed the F-pace in 2017, not the F-type I was hoping for...
 
Not sure how many Clippers will be tuning in this year - it doesn't look like a vintage 24 - but here's a mini preview for what it's worth.

LMP1
Toyota will win - their car is still the fastest, can run longer on a stint and is faster to refuel when it does pit. Hopefully, now that Alonso has got his win and the championship is all but his as well, the #7 and #8 cars will be allowed to fight. Of the others, the blue and red SMP cars (now featuring F1 flop Stoffel Vandoorne in #11) are fast while the paintball-splattered Rebellions appear fragile. Expect big gaps to open up.

LMP2
It looks pretty competitive among the leading Orecas. As ever, the speed of the amateur driver in each lineup will go a long way to deciding who wins. The #31 Dragonspeed seems likely to be involved in the action, given the presence of Maldonado and Davidson on the driving strength, while last year's winners, the pretty #36 Alpine, and last year's winners on the road, the orange #26 G-Drive, should be among their closest rivals. Zak Brown is in attendance as part of his sideline job with United Autosport, running two Ligiers - the fact that victory is a distant prospect will be a familiar feeling for the McLaren (F1) and McLaren (Indy) man.

GTE-Pro
Last year for Ford and BMW as works teams, and the GTs are in heritage liveries (a black one, red one, normal one and a Gulf-esque one). At Porsche, the Rothmans and Pink Pig liveries of 2018 are gone, but the #93 & #94 cars are in a (maybe less iconic) Brumos tribute design. As well as Ford and BMW we may also see the last of a traditional Corvette, with the mid-engined successor to the venerable C7R waiting in the wings. The American team celebrate their 20th anniversary this weekend. Aston Martin and Ferrari complete the contenders, and unusually all five look to be on a similar pace going into the race. Changes to the safety car regulations and the introduction of full course yellows should help avoid a repeat of the SC splitting scenario that ruined the race for the class win last year.

GTE-Am
Romantics will be cheering on the #98 Aston - not only because they've come so close to winning this event in the past, but due to the presence of one Mathias Lauda on the driving strength. Elsewhere there are some weird and wonderful liveries, an all-female driving lineup in the #83 Ferrari and a privateer Ford GT for the first time. Win or lose, expect the TV producers to feature actor-cum-Porsche team principal Patrick Dempsey heavily.
 
Quite a few incidents so far and even some rain. The No. 7 Toyota is heading the field, I wonder how the team will nobble it this year to ensure Alonso wins again?
 
Nasty accident for the Corvette. The Rebellion one just now didn't look great either - that's why there aren't any spectator areas on the Mulsanne. The Safety Car has swallowed up the gap, Toyota may not need to do anything.

Fantastic battles in GT, and for the lead in LMP2.
 
Haven't tuned I'm this year as I'm out with the family. May flick by later on before turning in.
 
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