Ferrari at Le Mans and in the WEC Reality or political tool? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Marco Cortesi Ferrari at Le Mans. In recent years it has been a bit of a catchphrase, always with few concrete foundations. The Maranello team has first and only interest in participating in the Formula 1 world, and so far the various rumors, half words and admissions seem to have always been dedicated to putting political pressure on top of the queen class to get something in return with the threatens to leave. A bit 'as in the' 80s, when to be used for the purpose was the IndyCar, with a presentation of a dedicated car, the 637, which should have run with Bobby Rahal. Nothing came of it, and the car's engine was turned over to Alfa Romeo for an IndyCar program that turned out to be anything but successful, with an isolated fourth place for best result. A few years ago, when Luca Cordero di Montezemolo was still at the helm, a LMP1 program began to rumble. Montezemolo, in a gesture of ideal communion, went to the 24 hours of Le Mans. It seems that even within some pilot was feared the real possibility of a program. The images of a very secret prototype that could have laid the basis for participation around the world. Too bad it did not look like an LMP1 even from a distance: it was one of the many forklifts used for road cars. Many said that there was neither technical time nor a real interest other than putting pressure on F1. Nothing came of it. Today, with the new hypercar rules scheduled for 2021, the torment is back. There seems to be interest, given the connections that could occur between top-of-the-range cars and races. A simple interest, however, is very little when it comes to such a demanding topic, and already in August there was news of a halt to the participation of the meetings with the FIA (also by Ford). That there is something concrete is unlikely. Also because the rumors have started to circulate just as Formula 1 discusses its 2021. Ferrari was not too impressed by the concept presented by Ross Brawn, but above all by the idea of introducing a budget cap. Sergio Marchionne had come to threaten the withdrawal, while his successor Louis Camilleri softened his tone. The "real" Scuderia is destined to remain in F1 and, if anything, a small light would be only tied to the customer side, even if the new Hypercars will be officially managed in their ideas, an unforeseen effort for private individuals. Technical procedures and times, again, are against me. But they have begun to circulate fake spy photos, and half words: it will change something this time?
Red Bull / Aston Martin maybe also... https://www.motorsport-total.com/formel-1/news/red-bulls-plan-b-2021-le-mans-statt-formel-1-18122601?utm_source=FB-MST&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=fbmst-n-270887_-_red-bulls-plan-b-2021-le-mans-statt-formel-1
WEC opens up 2020 ‘hypercar’ class to production models in a bid to attract manufacturers… by Daniel Lloyd The FIA World Endurance Championship has adjusted its criteria for the upcoming set of 2020 top-level prototype regulations, with manufacturers now permitted to enter race cars based from road-going hypercars. Confirmed in Thursday’s FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Geneva, the decision opens up the possibility to both road car-styled and road car-based machinery competing in the category that is set to replace LMP1. Details on the expanded regulations, or how the two platforms will be regulated, have not been released. The original mission of the rulebook issued last December was for manufacturers to take styling cues from their hypercar road cars, however some manufacturers including Ferrari have expressed interest in a close alignment between their production and race activities. An FIA statement on this latest move said that there will be an “expansion of the 2020 LMP technical regulations concept to allow a ‘hypercar’ developed from the road cars sold by the manufacturer to enter.” It added that opening up the grid to production cars “is designed to enable additional manufacturers to enter the championship.” Aston Martin has been among the manufacturers leading a push towards a production-based set of regulations in recent weeks, although Toyota has remained firm behind the original set of approved draft regulations. So far, no major manufacturer has committed to the new class, which is scheduled to debut for the 2020-21 WEC season. Production Cars to be Included in 2020 ‘Hypercar’ Regs
Spoke with Jim Glickenhaus about this at the Miami Concours where he had SCG 003 on display. He seems pretty enthused about the direction of the new ACO rules and while he may not be considered a "major manufacturer" yet, he's all-in evidently. The FIA and ACO's (in particular) about face on allowing Hypercars is interesting. They were dead set against this when I suggested back around the time GT1 was withering and down to Corvette and Aston Martin vying for class honors. The ACO was so dead set against the appearance of the Maserati MC12 in American Le Mans Series events that it nearly cost Panoz his licensee deal with Le Mans until poor Atherton hammered out a deal with them declawing the MC12 with extra ballast, smaller restrictors and not being able to qualify for points. It's good that a decade-plus later the ACO has come around on this. If Hypercar manufactures are willing to put a foot in racing their products rather than comparison tests for magazine covers, it will be a sensation just as with the FIA GT of the mid-90s. Put something relevant on the track and watch the fans respond. BHW Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I am really curious how they are going to manage the EOT and BOP between "road cars" and purpose built prototypes. They already can't figure out how to make balance what they have in P1. At this point I don't think anyone is going to have a car ready for the 2020 season.
It seems Ferrari could possibly race the V6. The Little Brother GT Car. Also we don’t know if they’ll launch the Challenge series in one or both cars. Could be interesting.
There is no 'bop'. There's a set weight, set power, set aero level and success ballast. It's up to manufacturers to build their hypercar or prototype or whatever it is they're running to those levels. If they can't do that then they're not very smart for running the car they have. If thats the case they have a joker upgrade to use. I think people are making this more complicated than it needs to be. I would like to see the future F40 Icona in this Hypercars category
This would be great if it indeed happens. The FIA and ACO are rather clueless with their high and mighty ideas of what should be allowed. If left up to them all racecars would be going electric by 2025 Might as well start tearing down all the racetracks if that happens. Just run them in big cities and count everyone within 2 miles as a race fan attending.
It was fun watching the MC12. Maser did it right. The pits had everything including the espresso machine.
FIA, ACO “enlarged” Hypercar scope at Ferrari, Aston Martin and McLaren request. Then race versions of roadgoing hypercars to be incorporated into the regulations. The bad thing is that there will be BOP in GTE style. https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/fia-aco-enlarged-hypercar-scope-at-manufacturers-request/ http://www.dailysportscar.com/2019/03/15/hypercar-update-from-fia-aco-and-wec.html
It really feels like they are just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks right now. Anyone watching Sebring? It has started the way Daytona ended..in the rain and under a safety car.
Well I hope it still happens. Still can't believe it took this long for these WEC/FIA idiots to go back to the very popular FIA GT1 style cars of the 1990's, although maybe watered down?
Because the FIA GT1 style cars in the 1990's were amongst the least popular LeMans Races to have occurred.
That is a rather unfair statement. Road racing in Europe was still recovering from the loss of Group C and road racing was down in general. Also they ran LMP prototypes at the Lemans 24 but they were not at the same level as Group C. GT1 had more direct factory involvement that even Group C and the cars were fan favorites that many could relate to. I think the idea was over the top and overdone but the basic concept was very interesting and popular to both fans and more importantly manufactures. That is until it got out of hand in 1998 and 1999. Then Mercedes flipped one at Lemans and the press coverage got very ugly.
Also the way some of the GT1 races were thrown together left a lot to be desired. I remember the USA event in 1997 and 1998 being not finalized early enough. Several of the events had extremely low attendance even though the cars were amazing. I think some people high up did not want GT1 to succeed as it would eat away at open wheel and LMP budgets. Also it was an outsiders idea. They allowed it at Lemans I think so they could control it's destruction.
Now it seems that the rules are changing again, the concept dubbed ‘GTE Plus’ or ‘Super GTE’, has again been suggested by manufacturers in recent working group meetings, potentially as a supplement or even a replacement for the so-called ‘Hypercar’ regulations that are due to debut in the 2020-21 WEC season. While details are scarce, it’s understood the concept entails current GTE-spec cars with significant power increases — in the range of 200 horsepower — along with aero and bodywork modifications that would enable the production-based machinery to achieve the ACO’s recently revised target of 3:30 lap times at Le Mans. The new Ferrari BB should fit well in this Super GTE. https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/gte-plus-concept-resurfaces-possible-hypercar-replacement/
They keep saying things but it seems nobody is commited yet, and the time keeps running. I wouldn't be surprised if Le Mans 2020 is a Toyota-only race again.
Regardless of reasons why the motoring public (spectators) spoke of their lack of interest in GT1 by the reduced attendance at LeMans (and all GT1 races) Was not a good time for endurance racing back then. But that was history. ACO came up with some of the best rules I have seen for LeMans,and I am speaking as someone who has been designing LeMans cars for 30 years now.The ACO caved in on these rules due to 3 OEM mfg pressure and changed the rules in a very poor way. Since the changes 2 of the 3 companies that had a hypercar program have placed them on hold. And of the 3 OEM’s that forced the change one has already stated they are not doing a car for 2020, another has been told by its BOD that the money must come from outside (Customer must pay for OEM program) So ACO has lost 2 of 3 entrants based on changing rules but has not gotten any of those OEM’s that demanded the changes to commit. I have been involved with all of this for about 9 months now as I was contracted to design a hypercar for a client. But due to rules changes this program is now under review. The big concern for my client (and Toyota) is the implementation of BOP into the rules. BOP has been a disaster in LM GTE. What makes anyone believe it will work in the top class at LeMans with all trying to win the race overall? It will not work. It will be a disaster.
And all lap sims that I have seen has shown that all of these OEM hypercars are incredibly slow at LeMans None can hit the 3:30 desired lap time without a lot of work. One of the most radical hypercars out there, maybe most race car like cannot get below a 3:36 right now. The original rules hypercars were suppose to hit a 3:25 race time. We could hit 3:23 without a lot of work. At a 3:30 + lap time this is slower than LMP 2 cars. So you would have to slow those cars done. But main issue is just how frigging slow these OEM hypercars are as race cars. Was a bit surprised as to just how poor a race car these cars make. But really not a surprise as they are still street legal cars, which never make the best of race cars. Too many and too much compromises.
I am really curious about this and was thinking the Ferrari FXX-K might be the closest thing to the intention of the hypercar regs. I haven't been able to find much in the way of lap times for it though. I was curious to compare it to GT3, GTE, P2, etc.. if I could. I know they have been run at COTA, Road Atlanta, Daytona, etc.. Obviously those are very different tracks than Le Mans but it still would be interesting to see the difference. Anyone know of a source for laptimes?
