#class: lmp1

[carsmashorpass]

[formulaphoe]

a deep dive into endurance racing

wec for beginners

image source: british gq

the fia world endurance championship (wec) is a racing discipline where speed meets strategy, and drivers push their limits for hours on end. if you're new to this exhilarating world, or if you've been following it from a distance, we're going to explore everything you need to know about this thrilling motorsport.

what is wec?

image source: dailysportscar

the wec, established in 2012, is an international series of endurance races organised by the fédération internationale de l'automobile (fia). it brings together the best manufacturers and drivers from around the globe, testing not just their speed, but also their ability to endure the grueling demands of long-distance racing. each race can last anywhere from six to 24 hours, with teams often swapping drivers and strategising pit stops to keep their cars in peak condition.

key features

endurance racing format: unlike traditional races that might only last a couple of hours, wec events are marathons. the races include the iconic 24 hours of le mans, a test of stamina, skill, and strategy, held annually since 1923. other races in the championship include six-hour events at various tracks around the world.

diverse categories: the wec features several classes of cars, including le mans prototype (lmp) and grand touring (gt) categories. each class has its own unique set of regulations and performance characteristics, making for an exciting mix on the track

global reach: the championship hosts races in various countries, providing fans with a chance to experience a multitude of different tracks and cultures. from the rolling hills of spa-francorchamps in belgium to the iconic circuit de la sarthe in france, each location brings its own challenges and charm.

evolution of wec

image source: wec-magazin

the history of the wec is a fascinating one. it replaced the previous intercontinental le mans cup and aimed to revitalize interest in endurance racing. the early years saw fierce competition, particularly in the lmp1 class, which featured powerful hybrid prototypes from manufacturers like audi, porsche, and toyota. these teams showcased cutting-edge technology, blending performance with environmental considerations.

as the years progressed, regulations changed, leading to the introduction of the le mans daytona h (lmdh) class, which aims to bring more manufacturers into the fold. this class allows for greater technical freedom while ensuring that costs remain manageable, making it more accessible for teams looking to compete at the highest level.

iconic races and legendary teams

image source: autosport

one of the standout features of wec is its iconic races. the 24 hours of le mans is undoubtedly the crown jewel, drawing massive crowds and significant media attention. winning at le mans is considered one of the highest honours in motorsport, and teams prepare for it all year round.

aside from le mans, other races like the 6 hours of silverstone and the 6 hours of fuji have become staples in the endurance racing calendar. legendary teams such as audi, porsche, and toyota have built a rich legacy in these events, each with their own stories of triumph and heartache.

the role of technology

image source: pit lane

technology plats a massive role in wec racing. cars are equipped with hybrid powertrains, advanced aerodynamics, and sophisticated data analytics. this focus on innovation not only pushes the boundaries of performance on the track, but also helps manufacturers develop technologies that can be applied to road cars too. the crossover between motorsport and everyday vehicles is a hallmark of wec's philosophy, blending sustainability with speed.

sustainability and the future

as we move towards a more environmentally-conscious future, the wec has made significant strides in promoting sustainability. with the introduction of hybrid technology and plans for fully electric racing, the championship is at the forefront of a green revolution in motorsport. this focus on eco-friendliness doesn't sacrifice the excitement and competitiveness that fans crave; instead, it enhances the sport's relevance in a changing world.

how to get involved

image source: racer

whether you're a die-hard motorsport enthusiast or a casual fan, getting involved in the wec can be incredibly rewarding. attending a race is an experience like no other. the atmosphere is electric, and the camaraderie among fans is palpable. for those who prefer to enjoy the action from home, wec races are broadcast worldwide, often featuring comprehensive coverage that highlights not just the racing, but also the stories behind the teams and drivers that make up the sport.

sources

"fia world endurance championship." fia wec, www.fiawec.com/en/

"fia world endurance championship." wikipedia, 9 aug. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIA_World_Endurance_Championship

"wec beginner's guide: about the fia wec." wec-magazin, www.wec-magazin.com/features/about-the-fia-wec/

"fia world endurance championship." federation internationale de l'automobile, www.fia.com/events/world-endurance-championship/season-2023/fia-world-endurance-championship

"the world of wec: a beginner's guide to endurance racing." circuit of the americas, 1 sept. 2023, www.circuitoftheamericas.com/blog/2023/9/1/the-world-of-wec-a-beginners-guide-to-endurance-racing/

"history of the wec." wec-magazin, www.wec-magazin.com/features/history-of-the-wec/

if any errors or typos are noticed, PLS PLS point them out via comment, ask, or dm. if there is a specific topic you would like me to cover, send in an ask and i'll look into it!

[jessmac566]

So I was having a think about, in my opinion, who the best wec trios are. Just trios though in Hypercar/LMP1. I might add GT classes later but I'm not as familiar with them.

In no particular order, I have:

- André, Benoît and Marcel; the classic Audi trio for 7 yrs (2 years outside of wec) and these guys are genuinely inseparable, brothers if u will

- Timo, Mark and Brendon; they were monsters in that Porsche, like they literally won 4 or 5 races in a row but shame they didn't win LMS as a 3

- Kazuki, Séb and Anthony; maybe have been unlucky at the start with Toyota but they still got a lot of wins, just annoying that either Anthony or Kazuki missed some races some years

- Kamui, José and Mike; they won a lot together and can really see they all genuinely get along, sad that José is no longer there

- Séb, Brendon and Ryō; even though this year they have had some car struggles compared to Porsche and Ferrari, these guys were always kinda up their just getting on with it and all 3 of them just get each other

And my new addition to the list:

- Kévin, André and Laurens; although it has only been 2 years (and only 2 😭) as a trio these guys have just gelled so well, they all have their roles as a team which just works, they get along so well and have banter together (mostly at Laurens from André, Kev just watching everything happen). So I don't think this trio or even friendship will be a 2 year thing (I fucking hope so for my sake 😭)

For André being mentioned twice and going off what he said on Laurens podcast (which seems ages ago) about how his relationship with Ben and Marcel is always going to be different from any teammates he's going to have (even JEV) ,as the were teammates for years and won LMS together and André and Ben have a lot of history together and is probably the only one who truly knows André (maybe James as well), I can tell that the relationship with Laurens and Kevin is going along that path, now if they were teammates longer maybe if would've come to be the same but who knows.

[santners]

I'm at work, please update me about le mans?

#7 in the lead, #1 is so far behind I am sobbing into my lucozade

touch wood its all kinda of tame right now since the #17 went into the barriers. The leaders haven’t changed in any of the other classes in so long, I am praying for Jev and the #26 car 🙏🏻

[trainsinanime]

Notes:

This looks way too much like an ad for the game for me.

Specifically for the thing where Sony and Nissan did a contest together where they brought a top Gran Turismo player into an actual race car - it seems like they're really just doing a dramatised retelling of that thing, which is either a genius way to do a video game movie, or just self-aggrandisement. I'm leaning towards the latter.

Real life circuits include Le Mans (blue and yellow curbs) and the Red Bull Ring in Austria (the one with the big bull sculpture)

The rail yard is almost certainly hungarian. The one locomotive without numbers is definitely hungarian, the other with the numbers is an austrian class 2068 diesel switcher, probably currently assigned to Rail Cargo Hungary (RCH), the hungarian freight division of the austrian railways ÖBB.

The best way to tell is generally by the lights; the locomotive on the left has clear hungarian light assemblies. I think I should make a post about european railway light assemblies and how you can quickly tell trains based on them one of these days.

I spent all the time trying to figure out where I knew that one guy from (he was the dad in Black Widow) that I completely missed Legolas.

Based on a true story, yes. You made that competition to create that story, then you made a movie about your own competition, and when you do the next round of the competition, you can say "just like in the movies", all to sell more games and consoles.

That steer at the Red Bull Ring in Austria (yes, the race track is owned by the energy drink guys; guess who paid for that sculpture) seems like the kind of thing that should have a nickname, but I couldn't find any.

I love the cars of the bad guys. Gold Lamborghini Huracán GT3? Yeah, that's evil alright! Note that the name Lamborghini does not actually give them an advantage, GT3 has an elaborate "Balance of Performance" system that ensures all cars have the same level of speed around a track by dictating weight, power output, ride height and so on. If you're wondering whether there's ever any drama about this: Oh boy.

If I'm not completely mistaken, the one on the left is the newer EVO 2 version of the car, the one on the right is the older one (note the different front splitter line, the gold line at the bottom lip). Shouldn't be a huge difference, they're subject to the same balance of performance, but supposedly the newer one has better options for setting it up and adjusting it for a given track.

The fact that they have at least real GT3 cars, and at least shots of real LMP1 cars, implies that the behind-the-scenes of this movie may be way more interesting than the actual movie itself.

Is this the Nordschleife? I'm not a big Nordschleife guy, I've only been there twice (only to watch, I'm not taking my car on the track with all the lunatics), but between this and a few shots later in the trailer, I'm fairly certain that it is.

Not sure what that other track with the city background is. Probably something where it's really embarrassing that I don't know.

I think I can tell you the entirety of the plot of this movie right now, with all twists and turns, and I assume so can you.

Part of me goes, "oh, racing cars goo vroom! Gotta watch!"

But the other bigger part of me goes, "pay to watch a commercial for a video game promotional event!?"

[f1]

Le Mans-style Balance of Performance system would ruin Formula 1 Wolff | 2023 F1 season

Formula 1 must not emulate the World Endurance Championship by introducing a ‘Balance of Performance’ system despite Red Bull’s current domination, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said. Red Bull have been undefeated since the season began and are on course to repeat last year’s championship double by an even more emphatic margin. However Wolff does not want to see Red Bull being reined in by a ‘Balance of Performance” system similar to that used by the World Endurance Championship and other series to create closer racing. “I think if we start to put in a balance of performance we’ll ruin this sport,” said Wolff in Monaco. “This is a meritocracy. Best driver and best car spending the same amount of money wins the championship. And if you break the rules in either you should be heavily penalised, but only then, not for a good job.” Report: Ferrari clinch historic victory on return to Le Mans after Toyota duel “Formula 1 is a meritocracy and they’ve just done a good job,” Wolff added. “The car is fast in all conditions, the driver is at the top of his game.” WEC introduced Balance of Performance regulations for its top class when the LMP1 regulations were replaced by the current Hypercar rules in 2021. The WEC Committee imposes different performance limits on the teams’ cars based on data gathered from each entry. The most recent changes to the BoP were made 10 days before this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. Toyota, which won the opening three WEC rounds, had its minimum mass increased to 1,080 kilograms, 16kg more than closest rival Ferrari. However it was also allowed to consume more energy over the course of a stint – 908 megajoules to Ferrari’s 901. Other teams were allowed to run lighter cars and use more energy. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free Ferrari took victory following a race-long fight with Toyota, who dropped back in the final hours after Ryo Hirakawa crashed. The cars crossed the line separated by 81 seconds. WEC’s regulations state “the aim of BoP is to allow cars of different engineering designs to compete in the same category.” “Manufacturers, Competitors, drivers and any persons or entities associated with their entries must not seek to influence the establishment of the BoP or comment on the results, in particular through public statements, the media and social networks,” it adds. Interactive: WEC Balance of Performance before and at Le Mans Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free World Endurance Championship Browse all World Endurance Championship articles via RaceFans - Independent Motorsport Coverage https://www.racefans.net/

[leopauldelr]

My Top 10 Iconic Le Mans Legends

This weekend, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race will celebrate its 100th anniversary, and with 62 cars from different classes gathering around in this centennial milestone as well as special guest stars, rest assured that the 100th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is going to be historical indeed.

As the whole world is bracing for the centennial running of the legendary endurance race that pushes carmakers over the limit in the name of speed and survival, it's time for me to jot down my top ten iconic Le Mans legends.

10) GR010 - Following the success of their LMP1-class TS050, which propelled Toyota Gazoo Racing to three straight overall titles at Le Mans, Toyota created this competitor to the new Hypercar class, which replaced the LMP1 class after the 2020 season. Complying with Hypercar regulations, the GR010 is powered by a 3.5L V6 twin-turbo engine mated to an electric motor that powers the front wheels, making it a 4WD machine where the petrol engine powers the rear wheels while the electric motor takes care of the front, a drastic change compared to its LMP1 predecessor. Toyota defended its Le Mans success in the new Hypercar class with the #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing car emerging as the winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for two years, making it its fifth win in a row.

9) Toyota TS050 - In the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans, being the only manufacturer-backed LMP1 racer competing in its class, the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing TS050, piloted by Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso, Formula E driver Sebastien Buemi, and Kazuki Nakajima, made a historic victory at Le Mans, marking the second time a Japanese carmaker won Le Mans since the legendary Mazda 787B and the first time a Japanese driver became part of the Le Mans-winning team. In 2019 and 2020, with the latter being the final year for the LMP1 era, Toyota emerged victorious in Le Mans.

8) Jaguar XJR-9 - Built in collaboration between Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing, Jaguar's Group C competitor is powered by two V12 engines; a 7.0L for the WSPC and a 6.0L for IMSA GTP class. Both produce 760PS of power and 828Nm of torque, while mated to a 5-speed March/TWR manual gearbox, making the XJR-9 capable of hitting a 245mph top speed. A Silk Cut-sponsored Jaguar XJR-9 won the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans with Jan Lammers, Johnny Dumfries, and Andy Wallace behind the wheel.

7) Peugeot 905 - The V10-powered Peugeot 905 cemented the French carmaker to the list of Le Mans winners when it won the legendary endurance race twice in 1992 and 1993.

6) Audi R18 TDi - The Audi R18 TDi is known as the only diesel-powered racing machine that conquered Le Mans three times from 2012 to 2014. Not only that, it has dominated two WEC championship titles from 2012 to 2013. Such achievement proves that diesel is king until dieselgate came and most carmakers are ditching diesel-powered engines for good.

5) 919 Hybrid  - In 2014, Porsche returned to LMP1 endurance racing with their 919 Hybrid and although it didn't fare well in its first run, which led to its 3rd place finish at the constructor's championship at the 2014 WEC season, it came back with a much fighting chance and because of such will power, it managed to win not just Le Mans but also three WEC seasons on the trot from 2015 to 2017. Porsche has left the LMP1 racing program after their three-win streak with the 919, only to make a comeback in the Hypercar class with the 963 racing machine.

4) Sauber-Mercedes C9 - As part of the Sauber-Mercedes partnership, this Group C prototype was introduced in 1987 and its first success can be traced back to the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the #63 C9 driven by Jochen Mass, Manual Reuter, and Stanley Dickens, achieved a win. During qualifying for Le Mans, the C9, with its Mercedes-Benz M119 HL 90º 5.0L Turbo V8 engine with two KKK turbos, achieved a top speed of 248.0 mph (400 km/h) at the Mulsanne Straight of Le Mans.

3) 917K - The Porsche 917K is known as the short-tail version of the legendary 917, a sports prototype race car, and it gave Porsche their first overall wins at Le Mans for two straight years since 1970. Thanks to such success, it even gained a starring role in the Le Mans movie starring Steve McQueen.

2) 787B - Built as an improved version of the 787, it features the same R26B 4-rotor Wankel engine as its predecessor which produces up to 690HP of power. Aside from that, it features carbon-fiber bodywork which resulted in a light, rigid body structure and other improvements. In the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, Mazda sent two 787B machines with the race-winning #55 car driven by Bertrand Gachot, Johnny Herbert, and Volker Weider. The 787B not only became the first Japanese-manufactured race car to win Le Mans, but it's also the first-and-only rotary-powered race car to win the said endurance race.

1) GT40 Mk. II - Ford's trial-and-error process of creating a racing machine that can crush Ferrari in Le Mans is nothing more of an act of revenge from the Blue Oval following Ferrari's rejection to become part of the Ford empire. Armed with the 7.0L V8 engine producing 485HP of power and mated to a 4-speed gearbox, the GT40 Mk.II from Ford delivered a stunning podium sweep at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race, more than enough to crush Ferrari into it. Such achievement has been profiled in the biopic movie Ford vs. Ferrari.

In this centennial running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will it be a milestone for Toyota Gazoo as it's seeking a three-peat in the Hypercar class? Will the return of Ferrari in Le Mans crush Toyota's dreams for a three-peat? Find out as this legendary endurance race unfolds this Saturday, June 10th. Don't miss it!

[itcars]

Ginetta North America Launches

British motorsport brand Ginetta launches new US operation - Ginetta North America. For the first time the company will be able to support its North American customers from the US base, with a new sales, distribution, manufacturing and engineering center, based in South Boston, Virginia.

Ginetta North America also enables significant growth in brand presence and customer base in the vast US motorsport market and forms the next stage in Ginetta’s global growth strategy. Underpinning this expansion, it has acquired TMI AutoTech, the leading US low volume sportscar manufacturer.

Ginetta is a legendary British sports racing car company. Founded in 1958 by the Walklett Brothers, Ginetta was acquired by Le Mans champion and serial entrepreneur Lawrence Tomlinson and since then has been transformed under his ownership. Since purchasing the company in 2005, Tomlinson has taken it from a renowned, legacy British race car company to a world-class motorsport brand with cars on every continent. The company is also known throughout the European racing scene for its driver development, coaching 140 promising racers each year, who go on to compete in major global professional motorsport championships. 

At the heart of the Ginetta motorsport program is an unrivalled championship racing ladder that can take a driver seeking to make a career in motorsport, or an enthusiast seeking to race, all the way from their first steps in the sport to a Le Mans Prototype car. From the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship – starting with 14-year-olds – to GT4 and prototypes, Ginetta has the ability to support aspiring drivers at any stage. No matter the level, Ginetta’s community works proactively to ensure they have the tools and feedback they need to turn aspirations into reality.

As a champion race car driver and engineer, Lawrence Tomlinson leads and inspires a precise engineering, design and manufacturing philosophy in all Ginetta products. This has been the foundation on which the reputation of the brand has been built. It has enabled Ginetta to take on and compete with the most famous names in racing, in the most famous championships, including the World Endurance Championship and races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

All Ginetta cars are thoroughbreds, with the same design team that creates the LMP3 and LMP1 cars developing the Ginetta GT cars. A great example is the new G56 GTA; cost-effective and easy to operate. It has been developed from one of the most successful GT4 chassis of all time with 24-hour race winning pedigree and delivers everything a developing driver needs to experience the speed, power and exhilaration of GT racing.  

Ginetta North America’s 60,000 sq/ft facility in Halifax County is complete with in-house engineering, machining, fabrication, assembly, warehousing, sales and marketing. The facility and team have built a reputation over the last decade for building some of the most powerful cars on the planet and will now begin to further Ginetta’s mission in North America.

[itracing]

Porsche & Team Penske to Collaborate in Motorsports

Porsche Motorsport and Team Penske have agreed to collaborate closely in fielding the new LMDh vehicle commencing in 2023. The successful US team will work together with the experts from Weissach to run factory entries in the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship and the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC). 

Under the name of Porsche Penske Motorsport, two of the spectacular LMDh prototypes will compete for overall victories in the top class of each of the two racing series. The contract between the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart and the US racing team, which was founded in 1966, will run for a number of years. A statement to this effect was signed by Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development and Roger Penske, Chairman of Team Penske. 

Beginning in 2023, the LMDh vehicles will represent the very best in endurance racing together with so-called hypercars (LMH). The prototypes will also be entered by Porsche customer teams in both championships as early as 2023. The cars, which weigh approximately 1,000 kilograms and are based on an LMP2 chassis, are powered by a 500 kW (680 PS) hybrid drivetrain.

"We are delighted that we were able to get Team Penske to form this partnership," says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. "For the first time in the history of Porsche Motorsport, our company will have a global team competing in the world's two largest endurance series. To this end, we will be setting up team bases on both sides of the Atlantic. This will enable us to create the optimal structures we will need to take overall victories at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring, for example."

"As of 2023, Porsche will compete in the major endurance racing series. Our intention is to support and shape the new era with our LMDh prototypes," Michael Steiner, Board Member for Research and Development, emphasizes. "Not only will we be keeping our fingers crossed for the four factory cars we have in total, but also for our customer teams. The new LMDh vehicle will also be entered as a customer car in both series as early as the 2023 season. These partner teams will be given our full support. Whatever insights we gain from our factory effort will also be shared with them."

"Porsche and Penske share a proven track record of success. This partnership had a lasting impact from 2006 to 2008 on what was then the American Le Mans Series," says Fritz Enzinger, Head of Porsche Motorsport, delighted about the renewed collaboration with the US team. "Team Penske has made a name for itself with an almost unparalleled success story in motorsport. In the long list of victories to date, however, the name Le Mans has been missing. I hope that we will finally be able to chalk up this success as of 2023 with Porsche Penske Motorsport. This would then mark Porsche's 20th overall victory at the Sarthe - a dream come true."

With the Porsche RS Spyder, Team Penske had taken all the titles in the LMP2 class for three years in succession between 2006 and 2008, beating the faster LMP1 prototypes multiple times. Back in the 1970s, the US-based team had already been extremely successful with the legendary Porsche 917 in the Can-Am series.

“This is a proud day for our entire Penske organization. We have represented Porsche on the track or in our businesses for more than six decades. The heritage and success we have enjoyed together is unparalleled throughout our history,” comments Roger Penske. “I can’t wait to get started as we build a global racing program with Porsche that will compete for wins and championships well into the future.”

Porsche Motorsport will be operating a team base in the USA together with Team Penske at the American team's headquarters in Mooresville in the State of North Carolina.

[meaningofmotorsport]

24 Hours of Le Mans Review

It may have been another fairly comfortable 1-2 for Toyota, however behind them we did get a lot of battles for class wins, as well as some rather dramatic moments.

It was clear before the race started that Toyota would have a pace advantage over the rest, the only question would be their reliability, as we had already seen issues in much shorter races for them. They seemingly did have some problems, as they weren’t able to maximise their stint lengths for most of the race, possibly due to a failure of the Electric Motors, but it wasn’t enough to risk them losing the win.

The most dramatic moment in Hypercars was when off the start the No.709 Glickenhaus hit the No.8 Toyota, sending it to the back of the pack. This put it out contention for the win really, especially as it had to do a power cycle soon after the incident. So, it was the No.7 team who gave Conway and Lopez their first win at Le Mans. They better enjoy it while they can, before they are put under pressure by the multitude of new teams entering the category.

The Alpine span early on in the race, but even without its issues, they were no match for the Japanese outfit, and should be very happy with an overall podium. Glickenhaus would have wanted to beat the old LMP1 car, but in their first Le Mans, they just had a few too many setbacks, and lacked any real pace advantage over the Alpine too. Getting both cars to the finish is commendable in their first 24 hour race, and with BOP they could really challenge Toyota next year.

LMP2 has always been a tightly fought class, and it was dramatic all the way to the line this year, as Team WRT nearly didn’t win at all despite having a 1-2 going into the last lap. The retirement of the No.41 car at the start of the last lap shows the sheer cruelty of this event, as that car had been driven so well all race. That then meant the battle for the win was just separated by 2 seconds, and by the end of the lap that was down to less than a second. When you factor in that most of the other cars were touring around to finish the race, it was a recipe for chaos and disaster!

It so nearly ended that way, as coming to the chequered flag, the wining WRT car had to dodge slowing GT cars, and barely missed the flag waver. I am pretty sure this will be the last year that the flag is waved out on track, as it could have gone so wrong this year. WRT at least got the win they deserved after all of that drama, although it will do nothing to heal the wounds for one half of the team.

There was another dangerous moment, as after the Richard Mille Racing car was crashed into on the entry to the Porsche Curves, Floersch seemed to reverse back onto the track, which wasn’t the best idea in the world. It was a shame, as that car has been going well this year, with their all-female driver line up, acting as a great role model to girls around the world.

GTE Pro may be dying out for the rest of the season, but the bolstered line up helped to give us some good battles in the class for a while. Unfortunately, with some cars retiring, and others just lacking the pace of the No.51 car, it was a steady ride home for the Ferrari, to notch up another class win. Corvette should take solace from a 2nd place finish, as they only come across the pond for Le Mans, and with more experience here, could have put more pressure on Ferrari. Porsche would have wanted to get more out of Le Mans, yet they weren’t able to maximise it when it counted, despite qualifying well.

Ferrari swept GTE, as the No.83 car won the AM class, half a lap ahead of 2nd place. With so many teams making errors, it opened the door for them, whose only problem was a spin in the opening stages of the race. 2nd was the TF Sport Aston Martin No.33, yes that Horsemen sponsored car! Iron Lynx completed the podium for Ferrari.

Overall, the race went well, no major issues, and some rain in the opening stages to add a little spice. I just cannot wait to see what battles we could get here as more iconic names return to the circuit in the coming years.

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[carsmashorpass]

[ryo-hirakawa]

I don’t understand their stupid system why is. The class hypercar and the car hypercar but also a secondary class is lmdh which I’m assuming has hyper car in it as well ???.!!(‘cmncb come on they’re hyping this car too much

honestly word. i'm guessing hypercars are replacing both LMP1 and LMP2?

[formulatrash]

hi hazel :) do you know if there is anywhere that has an explainer on how wec went from loads of different manufacturers a decade or so ago to now only Toyota in its lmp1 class? is it just because no one has the spare cash to spend on programs like this?

Short answer: Dieselgate.

LMP1-H used to be a competitive category, with Audi, Porsche and Toyota vying for the title and Nissan also uhm, there for awhile. Now, like you say, it’s just Toyota. 

Audi and Porsche are German and were actually set to be joined by Volkswagen in the category at one point. However, Dieselgate really put paid to the whole programme. 

If you’re not familiar with Dieselgate, it was a longstanding process whereby car companies - the first to be exposed being Volkswagen - programmed modes that made the cars pass nitrous oxide emissions standards under test conditions but actually released up to 40 times that much in real-world driving. This led to diesel cars being promoted as good for use in cities, which they are not and which has absolutely directly led to deaths and to severely degraded air quality for millions of people, also has meant there are millions of cars circulating with these modes enabled. 

It’s hard to really overstate how much of a massive, horrible deception this was and people have rightly gone to jail for it. Somehow, basically every German manufacturer was involved in it and the court cases and repercussions are ongoing - Audi was getting fined and further investigated for lying about it on the week they buried the news by yeeting Daniel Abt over video games. Well played, cynical PR execs. 

Audi, in particular, got turbobollocked and at that point it seemed prudent to stop running your specifically diesel LMP1 programme. Porsche then lasted another couple of seasons but the opportunity to clean up their image with Formula E (where costs are also much lower) proved irresistible. Toyota carried on because a) they didn’t have a Dieselgate problem (the Toyota and Porsche didn’t run on diesel but Porsche had proxy issues, obviously) and b) they wanted to finally win Le Mans without any comedy car death on the final lap or whatever. 

So there you go, it’s basically an auto-industry issue. It’s a shame as the prototypes were really staggering machinery. Sometimes I think about how basically everyone in LMP1 just went ‘awright. let’s crack on’ about hybrid systems, made them (including inventing MGU-H) and then F1 were like akgslhkjhdjhjhgjhj you’ve got WHAT NOW and wrung their hands endlessly about the impossibilities of technology.

[viper-motorsports]

After dominating the LMP1 class for a number of years, Porsche rode their N°92 ‘Pink Pig’ Porsche 911 RSR to the top of the LM GTE-Pro podium to win the 2018 24 Heures du Mans.

[f1]

WEC confirms 13 Hypercar entries for 2023 season | World Endurance Championship

The full season entry list for the 2023 World Endurance Championship has been published, and features 13 cars in the top Hypercar class. Toyota return to defend their 2022 title with the all-star line-up of Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa. The second GR010 Hybrid will be driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez, who won the title together in 2020 and ‘21. Their main 2022 rival Alpine, which raced a grandfathered LMP1 car, are gone, but Toyota now face opposition from several other manufacturers. The most anticipated new entry is Ferrari, who have filled their 499P prototypes by promoting several of their GT stars and also giving a second chance to their Formula 1 reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi after he failed to land an F1 seat for 2023. Cadillac, who are planning to enter F1 with Andretti Autosport but have that team’s arch rival Chip Ganassi Racing running their Hypercar, have brought 2017 WEC champion Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook across from their IMSA line-up. ByKolles Racing meanwhile has had its Vanwall-branded car accepted as an entry and with a crew consisting of Formula V8 3.5 champion Tom Dillmann, World Touring Car ace Esteban Guerrieri and 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve. Despite his race-winning experience in prototype sports car racing, Dillmann is rated as a Gold driver by the FIA rather than a Platinum like his team mates and the majority of the Hypercar entry list. Penske will run two of the four Porsche 963s There will be four of the new Porsche 963s, and run by three different teams. Team Penske are running two ‘factory’ entries in affiliation with Porsche, and their line-up includes the likes of WEC GTE Am class champion Kevin Estre, Formula E’s Andre Lotterer and one of Porsche’s leading GT stars Laurens Vanthoor. Jota Sport’s line-up is led by Euroformula Open and European Le Mans Series champion Yifei Ye. Proton Competition have two-times WEC GTE Pro champion Gianmaria Bruni on their books. Their team mates are yet to be confirmed. Peugeot have two full-time entries and both are being run in-house. In the first car is former F1 driver Paul di Resta, IMSA LMP2 champion Mikkel Jensen and two-times FE champion Jean-Eric Vergne, and the second car will be piloted by 2013 World Endurance champion Loic Duval, 2016 WEC LMP2 champion Gustavo Menezes and DTM star Nico Muller, a continuation of the line-up the team finished 2022 with. The final Hypercar entry is Glickenhaus Racing. The American team so far only have two-times Le Mans 24 Hours winner Romain Dumas signed to drive their car. The official entry list published today also included 11 LMP2 entries and 14 in the LMGTE Am class. The new WEC season will begin at Sebring in March. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free World Endurance Championship Browse all World Endurance Championship articles via RaceFans - Independent Motorsport Coverage https://www.racefans.net/

[allcarnews]

SCG 007 LMP1 😲 ______________________________________ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ [9/18/19] Being objective, here at @allcarnews, I plan to cover every sort of news even if the owner of the company blocks my page for the most ridiculous reason…..Anyways, meet the new SCG 007 LMP1 car, the NY based company’s new race car that will compete in the LeMans hypercar class….and that means a road legal version is coming soon aswell. Before we dive deeper into the 007, SCG is going all out, sort of becoming the American Ferrari per say, and building a race car for every class possible! They have the insane new SCG BOOT that is both road legal and will race in the Baja 1000, then the smaller and more intimidating 004 GT3 race car racing at the 24hrs Nurburgring! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏁 @Allcarnews Spec sheet: Powering it will be a 3.0L TT V6 that may or may not be connected to a racing KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) hybrid unit. Expect 750HP for the race version but derestricted road legal versions should come with around 1,000HP 🏁 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These are basically the final rendering of the car right now but the beast should fully be constructed quite soon. Here it wears a white and red racing livery and continues on the design theme of the original SCG 003! The SCG 007 also seems to come with a battle cry, with Glickenhaus saying "Cry Havoc And Let Slip The Dogs Of War.” (Some Elon Musk type stuff right here) The renders also seem to take some design cues from Ferrari and Alfa Romeo especially in the wheels which look like they can be lifted off of the Giulia QV. (Oh no, please don’t unblock me and block me again for making a comparison between your car and another 😟) Also noticeable are fender vents, winglets, quad center rear exhaust, super aggressive diffuser and an insane batman style rear integrated wing! ________________________________________ ACN EXTRA: Just imagine seeing this on the road 😱 ________________________________________ --Text by @allcarnews -Images by SCG ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #SCG #LMP1 #V6 An #allcarnews post #TTV6 #003 #LeMans #race #WEC #KERS #003s #BOOT #rare ||#powerful https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mMdDkBIy0/?igshid=veerfl4ho0fw