WEC 2024

Porsche have now led every session of the week from the start of testing through FP2. Looking awfully stout. I still can’t imagine Toyota have shown their full form though, even if Kobayashi says they’re struggling with the tires.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Porsche have now led every session of the week from the start of testing through FP2. Looking awfully stout. I still can’t imagine Toyota have shown their full form though, even if Kobayashi says they’re struggling with the tires.
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I read (and will try to find the link again) that Kobayashi was complaining about tire graining.

I think we all expected Peugeot to cruise out the last race with this car, but they actually found some speed. If the old concept is working this well it should be interesting to see what they show up with in Imola.
 

Campbell takes Qatar WEC pole for Porsche​



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Really impressive stuff from Porsche so far this week to follow up their Rolex 24 win. It’s apparent they’ve made some real gains over the winter, and they sound confident in their race pace for tomorrow as well. Should be a competitive one with Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, and even Peugeot showing good speed.

I guess I gotta get MAX and the Bleacher Report Sports add-on to watch full races this year? Damn.
 
Sad to see Toyota taking it in the chops like this. I think we all wanted to see them get beat, but they couldn't even put up a meager fight. Hopefully this s a circuit specific problem and they get a grip on the graining for Imola.

The big surprise was how well the Peugeot ran. Makes you wonder if they would have been better off developing what they have rather than building new car.
 
This is gonna be tight between Peugeot and JOTA if the leading Penske has to fix the number panel.
 
Genuinely shocking finish with the 93 losing power just after taking the two to go while in 2nd place, eerily reminiscent of Toyota’s Le Mans 2016 heartbreak.



Porsche Penske keep rolling with a win and double podium, split by Callum Ilott/JOTA after narrowly holding off Matt Campbell. Was going to be an incredibly close three-way battle for 2nd before the Pug failed.
 
Have not had a chance to see the whole race yet, but from the highlight package it seems like it was really good.

Wow. A Porsche 1, 2, 3. Porsche is off to a great start to 2024.

As poor of a weekend as Toyota has had, 6th was probably better than they could have hoped for. I'm glad someone finally beat them, but I didn't want to see them out of the fight entirely. Hopefully their problem is just track specific and they can get on top of the tire thing by Imola.
 
Doc Austin said:
Have not had a chance to see the whole race yet, but from the highlight package it seems like it was really good.

Wow. A Porsche 1, 2, 3. Porsche is off to a great start to 2024.

As poor of a weekend as Toyota has had, 6th was probably better than they could have hoped for. I'm glad someone finally beat them, but I didn't want to see them out of the fight entirely. Hopefully their problem is just track specific and they can get on top of the tire thing by Imola.
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Yeah I think they have to be satisfied with a double points result after not really having long run race all week. It’s a pretty tough track on tires so it may end up just being specific to Lusail. I think the competitors deserve a lot of credit just for improving their packages over the offseason though.

I think Alpine deserve a lot of props for a solid points finish (P8) on debut as well.

Not a big fan of this track for sports cars, but it helped grow the calendar. There seemed to be decent on-track battles in GT3 at least. I expect Imola to be even tighter and hard to pass/navigate traffic.
 
Sebastian Vettel will participate in a 36-hour test at Aragón with Porsche Penske in the near future. Also performed a rollout at Weissach earlier this week along with an extensive simulator session. With two spots left in the third Penske 963 at Le Mans, certainly makes for an interesting opportunity.

 
Doc Austin said:
I'm surprised it doesn't look more different:

MSN

www.msn.com
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I think it still looks great. The low-slung aesthetic is clean. They just needed some more rearward aero balance and weight distribution. Also some additional gearbox and engine updates for reliability.

I think everybody has high hopes for this bunch now.
 
These after the fact penalties are not cool. I'de rather results be final the day of the race. If the car doesn't measure out, issue the DQ on the spot, not two weeks later.

racer.com

Cadillac disqualified from Qatar WEC opener; AF Corse Ferrari hit with fine

A pair of notable post-Qatar stewards decisions have been announced by the FIA World Endurance Championship concerning teams in both the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes. First, the No. 2 Cadillac V-Seri…
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More bad luck for Ganassi. That whole program is snakebit.
 
Doc Austin said:
These after the fact penalties are not cool. I'de rather results be final the day of the race. If the car doesn't measure out, issue the DQ on the spot, not two weeks later.

racer.com

Cadillac disqualified from Qatar WEC opener; AF Corse Ferrari hit with fine

A pair of notable post-Qatar stewards decisions have been announced by the FIA World Endurance Championship concerning teams in both the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes. First, the No. 2 Cadillac V-Seri…
racer.com racer.com

More bad luck for Ganassi. That whole program is snakebit.
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Yeah I am pretty tired of the results from a major sports car race changing a month later myself. Especially since in this instance the diffuser strakes seemingly were found noncompliant in post-race scrutineering. What’s the delay?

Just can’t believe how much bad fortune CGR have had with Cadillac. The statement said that the strakes came from Dallara without final quality control. That’s a bad look for the chassis partner.
 
Just can’t believe how much bad fortune CGR have had with Cadillac. The statement said that the strakes came from Dallara without final quality control. That’s a bad look for the chassis partner.
 
When was the last time someone was actually hurt in an LMH or LMDH? The last prototype injury I can remember (I may have missed one) was Memo Gidley at Daytona in an original DP back in 2014. It's amazing how safe the cars have become.

Hopefully Hapsburg will heal quickly and Alpine can bounce back quickly. That could be a very good program and they are starting with a great chassis. They were eighth, two laps back at Qatar, which is fairly respectable for a first effort and they will get better.

racer.com

Alpine WEC driver Hapsburg injured in testing accident

Alpine factory driver Ferdinand Habsburg suffered two fractured vertebrae in a crash while testing the team’s A424 Hypercar at the Spanish circuit of Motorland Aragon, putting his availabilit…
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Doc Austin said:
When was the last time someone was actually hurt in an LMH or LMDH? The last prototype injury I can remember (I may have missed one) was Memo Gidley at Daytona in an original DP back in 2014. It's amazing how safe the cars have become.

Hopefully Hapsburg will heal quickly and Alpine can bounce back quickly. That could be a very good program and they are starting with a great chassis. They were eighth, two laps back at Qatar, which is fairly respectable for a first effort and they will get better.

racer.com

Alpine WEC driver Hapsburg injured in testing accident

Alpine factory driver Ferdinand Habsburg suffered two fractured vertebrae in a crash while testing the team’s A424 Hypercar at the Spanish circuit of Motorland Aragon, putting his availabilit…
racer.com racer.com
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Eliminates him from the ELMS driver’s championship as well unfortunately, with the season opener next weekend at Barcelona.

If he can’t make Imola the week after they may just have to roll with two drivers like Cadillac are. Jules Gounon is their reserve but he has primary duties with his main employer (Mercedes) in GTWC Asia that weekend.
 
I went to a dinner event in 2003 or so and sat next to the guy (can't remember his name) who was the US distributor of Avon tires. Absolute nicest guy in the world He was killed later that night when he was run over by his own trailer. Paddocks are very dangerous places.
 
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