IMSA 2016

Silly Season is wrapping up and the Rolex 24 is just a month away so I thought I'd start a new thread!

WeatherTech is the new title sponsor, schedule is largely the same, big news is the full GT3 spec machines in GTD which will put on a hell of a show. The new Ford GT comes to GTLM, and Mazda switches to gasoline engines so maybe they'll be more competitive.

Please try to keep the b!tching, moaning, and "back in my day" stuff to a minimum this year

GTD lineups:

2016 IMSA Silly Season Update 2: GT Daytona - Sportscar365

GTLM lineups:

2016 IMSA Silly Season Update 2: GT Le Mans - Sportscar365

P/PC lineups:

2016 Entry List Tracker ? IMSA P and PC

 

This year will be my first time going to the Rolex 24 and I can't wait.

I was really hoping with the GT3 rules that we would get a better variety of cars. I have an unexplainable attraction to the Bentleys.

 

Looking forward to the 24 as always, thanks for the reminder.

 

Can't wait to see the Ford GT and 488...Might go to Sebring this year. Been over 10 years since I was at the Daytona 24.

 

Can I use "epic"?

 

Awww! Major off-season entertainment, and you want to spoil it?

Cue, BartonWorkman!

 

get off my infield!

 

and then there's this:

IMSA - IMSA: HPD reveals updated ARX-04b

if anyone wants to give me $10mm, we can make this happen
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Ugly beast. Maybe they could have used that at the Star Wars premier. Darth Vaders car!!

 

And Jimmy cracked corn...

Honestly, hope that they have a good season and NASCAR doesn't continue to
take what is left of the series and completely ruin it.

I'll be at Sebring on the Friday only for the Tom Kristensen Hall of Fame induction
ceremony, collect by autographed book and then zip back to the 305 for my duties
at the Miami Beach Concours weekend.

BHW

 

Thank you for the links!

Ford GT vs Ferrari 488 - exciting!

 

The GTD ranks bear watching unlike the (whatever they're calling) the prototype
division now.

With Ford coming in, there are high expectations especially with the Ganassi team
calling the shots. The 488 GT turbo should prove to be exceptionally hard to beat
especially on the zippy fast circuits but this will all depend on how the BoP plays
out.

Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Corvette, et.al. all will have a look in.

As I've said from the beginning of this hostile take over, they should just do away
with the prototype divisions in favor of the GT categories until the rules come into
line with the WEC/ACO's.

Now, if "race control" may exercise a little self control and not throw a yellow for every
little broken finger nail on the track, maybe (just maybe) they'll have a sports car
series worth looking at.

Not holding my breath just yet though.

BHW

 

Mercedes isn't in GTLM

Chevy has a heavily revised C7R (to the point they're new chassis, with Larbre getting the '15 cars)

BMW has an all new M6 (based on the GT3 car)

Ferrari has the quasi-new 488

Porsche has a modestly revised 991, but they won half the races last year.

GTLM is going to be superb. in fact GTLM will probably be more compelling than GTE-Pro in WEC with Porsche reducing its efforts.

 

Isn't Mercedes-Benz entering GTD?

Could have sworn I read that somewhere. Not GTLM I know, but thought they're putting
a toe-in.

The 488s will be a major step forward for Ferrari. We know that they have an exceptionally
well balanced chassis. That combined with turbo power should push them to the front and
more wins.

At the 488 debut at The Collection, there were continual allusions to racing and Le Mans
in particular. The 488 has been quietly testing for several months now both in Europe and
the U.S. so they're coming into the season loaded for bear unless the old BoP rules come
into play.

Ford knows how to play the NASCAR game, they'll be asking for (and getting) preferential
treatment from above, count on it.

BHW

 

Yes, we must make sure to build in the excuses now.

 

Wouldn't be surprised to see the Corvette's pull out at the end of the year if they get screwed in 2016 like they did this year with the added weight and other restrictions.

 

I'd be absolutely shocked if that happened. Corvette has built their brand identity for the last 15 years around this program.

btw they won Daytona, Sebring and LeMans in 2015. that's a hell of a season.

 

Everyone sure seems buzzed up about the GTLM kategurry for 2016.

Not much love for DP (or whatever they're calling the prototype division now). Fans and
media alike have shown little to no interest in DP from its "we don't care about 'traditional'
sports car fans" beginnings.

Isn't it time to admit the the whole DP experiment has failed?

Why not just shelve DP in favor of the new prototype rules which are set to take effect in
2017 and let GTLM go for overall wins and championships? As Porsche's landmark overall
victory at PLMS indicated, it was a hugely popular win.

BHW
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Did they win the Championship and were they singled out more and more as the season progressed even though they weren't winning and other MFG's received bumps in performance as they were winning.

 

the only in-season BoP adjustment I see for the corvette was a small (3 liter) reduction in fuel tank size after Sebring. If I'm wrong please correct me but I don't see that as being "singled out more and more".

Porsche had 20kg added after COTA and still won Petit, albeit in unusual circumstances.

Ferrari got all sorts on concessions (weight and restrictors) to make them more competitive and still didn't win all season, and finished last in the manufacturer standings.

so I don't think you can really claim that BoP is the draconian race manipulation tool that people make it out to be.

 

How many BOP adjustments can they make a season? Is it now 'whenever we want"?

It used to be a few years ago just 2X a season, as an IMSA official told me.

 

It was 3 in-season adjustments, but they changed it to 4 last season specifically to hit Porsche with a weight penalty for PLM.

 

My question was imprecise..... are these 3 or 4 occasions when any or all cars get BOPed, or 3 or 4 occasions when any marque can get BOPed? Obviously, if the latter, changes could be made at every race.

 

as I understand it they can make 3 announcements per season, and can do adjustments to one or all cars in that class at that time. so no one car will see more than 3 adjustments (or maybe 4 if they decide to change the rules last minute ) in a given season.

btw you can find all of the technical bulletins here:

2015 IMSA TECHNICAL BULLETINS | International Motor Sports Association