donthaveanickname
Team Owner
Should I make fun of Colin Kolles for running an almost record-breaking number of failed race teams or should I appreciate the fact that he keeps trying?
2023 WEC
- Thread starter FLRacingFan
- Start date
Should I make fun of Colin Kolles for running an almost record-breaking number of failed race teams or should I appreciate the fact that he keeps trying?
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
More trivial bullsh*t that's costing us a good entry.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Christina had many successes in Ferrari equipment but she was a funded driver backed by her dad, she was never a factory driver.Speed queen
We meet Scuderia Corsa's driver Christina Nielsen, the first female class winner in the IMSA championshipwww.ferrari.com
Kiante
Team Owner
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Lots of people are mad about this and I don’t really understand why. It’s not like they committed and pulled out like Audi and Aston did, and they’re still bringing a new GT product to the table, including a factory entry, while the other two have cut down on that aspect as well.
Kiante
Team Owner
Also, unlike the GT, the Mustang will be available as a customer car. Fans want to see Ford at the top level again, but hey the Mustang GT3 program is going to be awesome. Can't wait to see it, pretty fortunate to see it as well.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
I'm not mad, but this is certainly disappointing. I was hoping Ford would smash Ferrari's ass again.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Well they’re still going to go head-to-head, just in F1 and GT racing again.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
It's not that same as fighting for the overall, but I get it they don't want to be spread too thin. F1 is a big commitment, even if it's just what Ford will be doing.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
I don’t really know anything about Pescarolo’s new ownership but the team has entered into an agreement to run a customer 9X8 next season. Hopefully it all pans out as this would be the first customer LMH.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
Another good car and another good privateer!
Kiante
Team Owner
So... Stellantis, can we PLEASE get a Peugeot and rebadge it to a Dodge for IMSA.
PLEASE.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
This article goes over the arrangement in some detail and it’s dissimilar to the multiple customer Porsche LMDhs we’re going to see in that Pescarolo won’t be putting together their own team to run and operate the program. They’re pretty much financing another factory-run Pug that’ll be housed with the other two in Satory, with their own driver selection. I guess that makes sense given LMHs being more technically involved than the LMDh formula. Probably makes for a better chance of success too.
www.motorsport.com
Pescarolo set for WEC return with Peugeot Hypercar in 2024
The iconic Pescarolo name is on course to return to sportscar racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2024 as the entrant of at least one Peugeot 9X8.
www.motorsport.com
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Updated GR010. Sounds like they’ve gotten it down to the minimum weight finally.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Le Mans entry list is out, including 16 in Hypercar.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
16 is a really good start. Next year should be absolutely crazy. Great to see Bykolles is going to make it.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
Isotta Fraschini hypercar revealed ahead of planned race-by-race WEC entry
Isotta Fraschini, has revealed a fully built Tipo 6 LMH Competitzione in Milan today. The first car is now ready for further development work and testing ahead of the brand’s planned FIA World Endu…
racer.com
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
Don't see many cars decked out in gold. I like it.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
11 LMH/LMDA cars for Portimão!
11 cars is probably ideal for just the second race. Sure, we want more, but we're only a month into the convergence. More cars are coming, so this is just the start. Since the Grand American/ALMS merger we have all been waiting for that to bear fruit and we're almost there. There's every reason to be optimistic.
Not on the list currently is the Proton 963 entry. That was supposed to show up at Portamao, so I don't know what happened. Maybe the entry not close yet.
It also looks like Bykolles got around their homologation problem and it's great to have them back. They have not been competitive before, but with the hypersled aero restrictions they might have some hope of at least putting a scare into the other hypersleds.
11 cars is probably ideal for just the second race. Sure, we want more, but we're only a month into the convergence. More cars are coming, so this is just the start. Since the Grand American/ALMS merger we have all been waiting for that to bear fruit and we're almost there. There's every reason to be optimistic.
Not on the list currently is the Proton 963 entry. That was supposed to show up at Portamao, so I don't know what happened. Maybe the entry not close yet.
It also looks like Bykolles got around their homologation problem and it's great to have them back. They have not been competitive before, but with the hypersled aero restrictions they might have some hope of at least putting a scare into the other hypersleds.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
I ran out of editing time before I could add we've got 12 P2 cars, so even if all the hypersleds all blow up, the big P2 entry is still big enough to carry the show and they probably will anyway. If you contrast to two years ago when it all seemed hopeless, this is a damm good start to the convergence.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Proton will probably debut the 963 at Monza now. From what I understand, customer teams will get their cars in late April. JOTA are planning to take delivery and race it straight away that next weekend at the 6H Spa. Proton want to go on a testing plan, so they’ll skip both Spa and Le Mans in the meantime.
Good news - cars on track this weekend! Hard to believe it’s finally here. The Prologue runs 12.5 hours over Saturday and Sunday.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
Anyone have a stream for the prologue?
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
AFAIK it’s not being streamed, they’ll probably have timing & scoring though.
They haven’t officially announced it yet but looking at TV listings it seems they’re sticking with Motor Trend this season. The entirety of the season opener at Sebring next Friday will be televised on the channel.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
I don't have enough weed to make it through a full 1000 miles, but I'm sure going to take a stab at it!
Such a shame we have WEC and IMSA in the same place at the same time with the same rules and not run everyone together. If they can get that worked out for next year it's hard to imagine how successful it could be.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
I might try to take off and go see it myself. Will be a capacity crowd again for sure.
After the 2012 running I don’t think anyone wants to run a combined race again, although I know they’re rethinking how their U.S. round is formatted in the future. Friday is admittedly a weird race date for a world championship, especially one that ends around 1 AM or so in Central Europe. I know they’re batting some ideas around between Sebring, Indy, and Road Atlanta, probably piggybacking off of IMSA in some manner still. I think it’s more likely they have a Speedweeks type deal and run a WEC race a full weekend before IMSA at one of those. It’d make for easier, less hectic scheduling and tracks would probably like two weekends’ worth of ticket sales rather than one.
donthaveanickname
Team Owner
As a European NASCAR fan I have zero issues with races ending at 1am, it's pretty much the norm for me. Eurosport is going to show the first two hours and the final 3.5 hours of the race, interrupted only by a Women's Bundesliga game.
According to MSa WEC is considering to move their American round to Indy or COTA because they're not happy being the undercard for IMSA.
The report stated they're not considering other tracks for safety reasons. (which isn't very logical because IMSA and WEC cars are the same)
MSa also mentioned changes to the Safety Car protocol at Le Mans. There will still be three safety cars, but safety cars #2 and #3 will leave the track before a restart so the field can be bunched up for the restart. They will try to use slow zones/FCYs as often as possible though.
I'm not particularly a fan of bunching them up before restarts. I think it kinda hurts the endurance character.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
I’d be shocked if they returned to COTA. That place never drew, not even during the height of the LMP1-H era. Sebring is also FIA Grade 2 just like IMS and Road Atlanta, so I don’t think circuit safety should be an issue. At least as far as they see they still want to do something with IMSA. I’ve heard enough rumors about running Road Atlanta the week before Petit to feel there’s some validity to it, but unless air freight is involved (which is possible with Qatar Airways now) that’ll be difficult to pull off after Fuji. I’d say the leader is probably IMS though.
I haven’t heard or seen anyone who’s happy about the new Le Mans safety car procedure. It’s very IMSA-esque, and I’ve seen enough safety cars, wave-bys, and class splits the last few years at the Rolex to last a lifetime. The good thing is they use enough slow zones and FCY to minimize the use of safety cars, as there was only 1 last year. But depending on when they inevitably have one or two this year it could be controversial.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
More pictures of the Jota 963:
www.dailysportscar.com
Hertz Team JOTA Porsche 963 Livery Reveal Gallery | dailysportscar.com
www.dailysportscar.com
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Simon Pagenaud is returning to Le Mans for the first time since Peugeot’s narrow defeat to Audi in 2011, this time in a P2 car.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
Anyone hearing anything about the prologue?
Kiante
Team Owner
No and WEC has a new app to download.
I have not seen any reminders on twitter for the prologue, I forgot it was this weekend.
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
First session should be over by now.
www.dailysportscar.com
FIA WEC Sebring: Saturday Morning Paddock Notes | dailysportscar.com
Glickenhaus eager to get up to speed with new Michelin tyres After a quiet off-season for Glickenhaus, Olivier Pla says the Prologue test is set to be extremely important for the team. Due to the team's limited resources, it opted to go the whole off-season without testing the 007 or developing...
www.dailysportscar.com
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
Toyota about a second clear of the field, but at least the Caddy is running well............ https://www.fiawec.com/en/race/result/4788
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
The app is a mess anyways, timing is in “race mode” so it’s in order of laps run rather than times… 
Doc Austin
Back From The Dead
Hopefully the race will be more competitive. My guess is the BOP carping will start right after qualifying.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
I think this is just a case of having two years of experience with the car already.
Kiante
Team Owner
*Stares at Glickenhaus and Puegeot*
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Peugeot definitely need to show some more, although I’ll say they haven’t set foot at Sebring like everyone else until this weekend. Probably a lot of setup issues to sort. Glick, well I just don’t think it’s a very good car, plus they didn’t test over the offseason. Can’t make progress when the car is collecting dust since Monza eight months ago. Although I’m at a loss as to how they’re in midfield P2 times.
Kiante
Team Owner
Highest power number at the lowest weight possible was a choice with the Glickenhaus.
I truly think they would be better with a customer entry and they didn't test over the winter? That is certainly a decision, but I think everyone knows this car is specifically meant for Monza and Le Mans.