Big changes in IMSA for 2019

ACO/FIA were going the same direction for the next generation of Hypercar. All the systems were to be off the shelf hybrid systems and with a price cap.

 

To go further into the article:

So they want to add cost and complexity to either be exactly as fast as they are now or slightly faster? What is the point of that? A increase in power of existing engines could do the same. I'll wait for the end result but what they're proposing so far makes absolutely no sense.

 

I do believe that AF Corse does get some factory assistance in WEC, and Risi should if they committed to the entire IMSA series.

 

"Balance of performance" GT3 series are not worth the time and money for factory run teams. The organizers can easily penalize (I mean "even out") a team that has an advantage. There's no incentive to develop a car honestly.

 

I thing Ferrari provides some technical support and factory drivers for the customer teams, but they certainly aren't paying the bills.

 

Honest question I don't know the answer to...how many mfgs that sell GT3cars are doing so to develop cars, vs just sell and market them? SRO has placed restrictions on homoligation on having produced minimum numbers of cars. I think it is intended as customer racing.

GTE/GTLM is different. FIA has pro-am and full pro categories where as IMSA is described as full pro. I would guess those are more about development.

 

Here's one of the most recent BoP adjustments for GTLM I found with only a quick search: https://www.corvetteblogger.com/2019/03/01/imsa-makes-changes-in-balance-of-performance-bop-for-gtlm-class-ahead-of-sebring/

Ford basically had the first few seasons due to a new car/chassis and now relegated to be second fiddle to the 911. Corvette and BMW race for reasons I don't understand right now...they won't get a chance unless some weird conditions like Daytona this year. For customer teams it makes sense to me, but imo it just makes manufacturers like BMW look bad. Very little upside.

 

Kudos for these responses. How any manufacturer can make out on this is beyond me. The down side is far greater thsn the up side.

 

Let's try getting rid of the BoP and see what happens.....

Or better yet, move it to F1 and penalize Mercedes every time they win a race!

 

Will never happen. If there wasn't BoP I don't think the BMW would exist, certainly not the M8.

It would be awesome if a couple of the manufacturers did some unrestricted demonstration runs to see what those cars truly have in them. I believe one was done with an R8 GT3 at Bathurst.

 

Porsche testing a side exit exhaust for their GTLM car.

 

I missed the last hour of the race today, but nice results with no single team dominating the season for the most part.

 

Porsche has won 5 straight in GTLM. I'd say that's domination.

 

I'm glad to see Mazda finally win. They've been trying so hard for so long.

 

I was referring more to DPi and GTD. I've ignored GTLM for a while now in addition to LMP2...

 

We need more Ferraris! There should be at least 2 each in GTLM and GTD at every race, and they should get at least some factory support.

 

Porsche is gonna get whacked with BoP before Lime Rock


I agree, we need a couple of 488 GTEs in that class, particularly next year when the Ford GT is gone (at least the factory program)

 

I would've thought that after win #4 but instead IMSA hit the other teams with BoP penalties. The effect it had on Corvette was pretty damn obvious.

I wonder if BMW is sticking around in IMSA because they are hoping for easier competition next season? A win would make for some nice media material.

 

LMP2 in IMSA is a joke - 2 cars? It's a shame because, as Le Mans showed, it is a very vibrant class, running different chassis, though all with Gibson engines. I think that IMSA should either kill LMP2 altogether, or else embrace it fully, with the same rules as the ACO, and trying to attract more teams.

 

There seems to be a rush to mediocrity - you see it in American sports specifically, we want “parity”.

I got news for you - parity SUCKS.

I want to see a dominant team(s). That makes the excitement of an upset that much greater.

Think about pro wrestling, which is scripted. You used to never see the championship change much, so that when it did, it was huge. Now? Few people care.

Racing is no different. Get rid of BoP - run what ya brung!!!

 

Kill it, it’s spec racing.

 

It will be interesting to see what they do with it. They had a decent field of P2s last year and announced the class split most teams had been asking for. After that teams either moved to DPi or dropped out. I don't think we would be in a better place if they had left it as one class. It was fully aligned last year with ACO, but with the class split teams wanted the ability to fight for overall wins. JDC had the opportunity to step up to Cadillac and did. Core grabbed the Nissan from ESM. United had planned to run the Endurance Cup but pulled out when they couldn't run their P2 and fight for overall.

I think this is a situation where you are dammed if you do, damned if you don't. IMSA couldn't really balance DPi with P2, and splitting the class took a chunk out of P2. I am curious if Performance Tech and PR1 would step up to DPi of there were cars and spares readily available for them.

 

Careful!!! You're stepping on many's toes!
Don'cha wanna see "exciting" "good" racing?
More trophies for participating....

Translation...I agree.

 

As nice as it is to see the Brumos colors at the top of the order again, their five victories in a
row were not easily earned.

At Sebring, for example, the Ford GTs were certainly dominant based purely on pace. The lead
Ford GT seemed uncatchable with the sister Ford and the lead Corvette and BMWs giving it a
token chase. There was only one way the Porsches, which were running down in 6th, 7th, 8th
all day had any chance and that was how they were able to play a caution period which came
late in the race.

The lead Porsche with Earl Bamber had a lightning pit stop, got out ahead of the Fords and Corvette
and held on to win in the end. The Porsches literally stole the win right out from under Ford which
was easily the class of the field all day. That's racing.

That said, Porsche doesn't get into any form of racing wherein they don't have an advantage in the
rules. The fact that they're running a mid-engined car is certainly outside of the rules whereas the
only truly legal cars in GTE Pro/GTLM are the Ferraris and Corvettes, per the spirit of the regulations.

And, yes, the lack of Ferraris in IMSA GTLM is disappointing. At Sebring, there was only one Ferrari
in the whole race, the Weather Tech team which is in the GTAM class.

Also, AF Corse is a semi-works team. They get bits, pieces, drivers and blessings from Maranello but
otherwise they're an independent team making their outstanding win at Le Mans all the more significant.

BHW

 

Risi announced they will be back for Petit this year, and potentially other races depending on sponsorship. I wish they would put together a consistent schedule, but I will take what I can get.