https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/porsche-admits-decision-imminent-amid-lmp1-exit-speculation-931260/ Their range may be heading full electric soon so maybe Formula E does make sense
Plus, there is not enough competition in LMP1. It's not cost effective to spend all that money in endurance anymore.
Absolutely. The high cost of the hybrid technology prevents the private teams from competing for victory in the LMP1 category. Now the factory teams are leaving, and no one thinks of joining. As for the LMP2 category, the ACO has turned it into a specs series by giving a quasi monopoly to 2 French chassis builders, and imposing the Nissan engine. Also, participation at Le Mans has become a closed shop and can only be achieved if you enter one of the ACO-administrated series (ELM, ALM). Finally, the ACO refuses to merge its costly GTE category with the FIA-Approved GT3 cheaper option.
Most of my life I've probably thought of America as the champs of "not invented here" syndrome but the ACO have changed my thinking!
They should make a dpi in imsa! Then force ferrari to do same and then all those manufactures one day can return to lmp1 as a more relevant class that is expanded to 6+ manufactures!Ok i'm being silly but it would be cool.
Wise decision. Who is going to beat them? They are in a class by themselves. As for Formula E...get ready for a blitzkrieg!
I don't see a blitzkrieg so long as Formula E is using spec cars with spec power generators (you can't call them engines...).
Formula E is still in its infancy. I would expect that before long, teams will be allowed to have different chassis, different battery systems, their own electric motors, etc... It's competition between different solutions that brings progress, and the electric car concept needs to advance. Specs series are adopted for cost saving. With the major car manufacturers soon on board, Formula E doesn't need to follow that path.
Porsche's withdraw from WEC LMP-1 looking more apparent. Pity. Porsche Poised for LMP1 Exit - Sportscar365 BHW
Sad in one way, but predictable. With its hybrid formula LMP1 category, the ACO knew that it placed the bar so high that only well-funded factory teams could participate. But even Audi and Porsche find there is no glory to race in a restricted field. Endurance needs to re-write its rules to allow private teams and independents to race at reasonable cost, and not within a specs series format like LMP2/3. Recent sports cars have evolved so far away from road car, that the rule makers should also consider if they haven't gone to far in trying to emulate F1. The success of multiple GT series should send a warning to the ACO that, although they hold the star event at Le Mans, they face huge competition.
So what I see is Toyota will finally win Lemans since they have no competition, unless all their cars break again and an LMP2 spec car wins making Mazda and Nissan the only Japanese Lemans winners
Toyota is now the sole manufacturer left to compete in LMP1 come next season, if they don’t decide to pull out too. With little or no competition left in LMP1, Le Mans could see the top category removed in favor of a more competitive field like LMP2 and GTE. BMW joins GTE soon, and LMP2 has shown significant improvement this year especially at Le Mans. All in all, WEC will need a better enticement package in order to pull in more car makers into the GT program such as Audi, Bentley and Nissan. So far, the GT manufacturers include Aston Martin, Ford, Ferrari and Porsche.
Slow clap for the powers that be to cost LMP1 into oblivion that even the likes of Audi and Porsche stepped out, lol. Toyota has to bow out now, too. They'll not race anyone, so that won't be a victory worth celebrating. If they do race (even with this years car), break down and still lose, that's got to be the worst bit of PR in recent history. Take note F1. Takes just a few teams to leave and the whole thing can collapse within days...
totally predictable...top level prototype sports car racing is the ultimate "boom and bust" series, going back to what, the 1960's?
the problem is going to be if the France family doesn't get their head out of their asses regarding BoP. I don't see Penske, Honda or Joest hanging around if they are routinely getting trounced by a Cadillac DPi.
Seems historically this has always been a conundrum, regardless of series or sport. Personally, I hate parity, but understand the need for it (at least in auto racing).
it's really bad in IMSA prototypes. clear favoritism. I don't see why other MFRs/teams are willing to enter that class given that.
Out of curiosity, the BoP mods are very specific to the teams, which doesn't scale well. Since these cars are turbocharged, why not implement the pop-off valve like CART / IndyCar once had...those were decent at keeping parity. I'm sure there's a reason, I'm just not up to speed anymore, but seemed a very easy solution to a big problem.
