Aston Martin +2 entries at LeMans24hrs 2017!

[FFM]

Pretty decent day for the Vantages on this weekend's GT racing! Two championship wins in ELMS and in Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup mean 2 more Astons V8 GTE on the grid of the next Le Mans 24hrs!

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/10/23/elms-cham...

[krisdelta]

Happy days indeed, battling for noise supremacy with the Corvettes

[TKP]

Noise supremacy over the Corvettes will be an impossible feat... I like the Aston sound a bit better but the Corvettes are skull-cracking loud and the sound is so deep, it's absolutely brutal

[speech]

What's the point if other teams abuse the balance of power or whatever it's called and the Astons are at the back for Le Mans?

[FFM]

speech said:

What's the point if other teams abuse the balance of power or whatever it's called and the Astons are at the back for Le Mans?

It is a fair point, although these entries will be likely in GTE AM rather than PRO. And in AM, in my opinion, BoP have had much lesser impact than in PRO (so far this racing season).

There is still some debate going on, BUT assuming GTE AM cars remain the same as of 2016 (e.g. Ferrari 488, Ford GT not allowed in GTE AM 2017), it will be fun.
If you recall, at Le Mans 2016, if it wasn't for a race incident, Aston Martin Racing #98 would have highly likely won the GTE AM class.

[Jon39]

FFM, Please provide some background to the following points.

- I did not know, bit your topic indicats that the number of Le Mans entries, somehow depends upon success in other races.

- If I remember correctly, AML usually enter about 3 cars in GTE Pro, and 2 or 3 cars in GTE Am. Are WEC and Le Mans entries agreed at the begining of each season (ie. as with Formula One)?

- Recently Aston Martin have achieved some good results. Has this been with GTE Am, whereas te Pro cars are now out classed in the Balance of Performance.

- Why are Ford being excluded from Le Mans GTE Am in 2017? (Mentioned in the topic)

[FFM]

Jon39 said:

FFM, Please provide some background to the following points.

- I did not know, bit your topic indicats that the number of Le Mans entries, somehow depends upon success in other races.

- If I remember correctly, AML usually enter about 3 cars in GTE Pro, and 2 or 3 cars in GTE Am. Are WEC and Le Mans entries agreed at the begining of each season (ie. as with Formula One)?

- Recently Aston Martin have achieved some good results. Has this been with GTE Am, whereas te Pro cars are now out classed in the Balance of Performance.

- Why are Ford being excluded from Le Mans GTE Am in 2017? (Mentioned in the topic)

There are a number of 24hrsLeMans invitations granted to winning GT and LMP teams in series such as ELMS etc + an element of discretion

These entries are additional to those awarded automatically by the participants to the FIA WEC championship. Hence, AMR, as a participant to the 2017 FIA WEC will have his own entries (I believe 2 GTE PRO cars + 1 GT AM. ...It would be interesting to know when the DB11 (?) will replace the Vantage in the PRO category?)

I think the Astons, so far in 2016, have been very competitive in PRO, in spite of the competitions bringing in new-era cars (mainly, powertrain). If you look at the FIA WEC champ. standings and consider the BoP went, actually, against the Vantages from Fuji, AMR and the V8 Vantage are doing a truly impressive job. Probably where the Vantage lacks a bit in performance relative to Ford and Ferraris is on very long straights (i.e. those of LeMans and Fuji)

To answer your last question:
Technically, as a Racing team, you can run with the previous year's PRO-cars in AM, hence the Ford GTs could run in AM in 2017. What I was referring to is the debate between the FIA and some GT AM teams/drivers. The latter are proposing an exception to the rule and freeze it for 2017, As an article reads:

"Competitors voiced concerns that the eligibility of 2016-spec cars could force teams to switch to the turbocharged Ferrari, in order to stay competitive.

The 488 GTE is the only all-new car built to the new GTE platform that has been made available to customer teams for next year, with Ford not yet committing to sales of its Ford GT to privateers"

According to the article, the proposal did not go through, but "the two platforms will be regulated under a Balance of Performance unique to the class"

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/2016-gte-pro-ca...


Hope it makes more sense Jon? Would be great if someone else, more knowledgeable than I am, could provide more insights!

[Jon39]

Thank you FFM.
I have a clearer understanding now.

Re. your comment; '... It would be interesting to know when the DB11 (?) will replace the Vantage in the PRO category?

Remember that the Vantage replaced the DBR9, as the AMR car for racing.
Therefore with the Vantage being lighter and probably more responsive, I would not expect to see DB11 cars being raced. The new Vantage will presumably be avaiable for the 2018 season, with turbocharger(s).
In addition, V12 cars can race in GT3, but I do not think they are allowed at Le Mans, hence the GTE V8.