2024 Sportscar Thread (WEC, IMSA, NLS, GT World Challenge)
Discussion
flatlandsman said:
Not sure this track is great for WEC it is just a money thing obviously other venues are more suitable but with series like this the rights holder doesn't give a toss they just go where pays the most.
Poor overtaking and a very one line track, plus without LMP2 the differences are huge, lots of incident with people touching while being lapped also, mainly due to the track. I also think there needs to be a Pro only GT3 class.
And the WEC feed is great but they are so completely and utterly obsessed with pit reaction, there was a battle for second and we get the choreographed winner and stupid graphic nonsense instead of watching the last few corners of a battle, it is so staged.
Seems the tide has been turned, Toyota relatively nowhere after being BoPPed into oblivion Ferrari neither, yet Caddy Porsche with amazing pace, I dont know what Penske found on that thing but it clearly worked
As for Peugeot this is the last race for that car, and the way it retired was fitting, it has not been a great car other than for few hours in the wet at Le Mans and here.
I’m no fan of modern non classic circuits but thought this was fine, and we had an excellent interesting racePoor overtaking and a very one line track, plus without LMP2 the differences are huge, lots of incident with people touching while being lapped also, mainly due to the track. I also think there needs to be a Pro only GT3 class.
And the WEC feed is great but they are so completely and utterly obsessed with pit reaction, there was a battle for second and we get the choreographed winner and stupid graphic nonsense instead of watching the last few corners of a battle, it is so staged.
Seems the tide has been turned, Toyota relatively nowhere after being BoPPed into oblivion Ferrari neither, yet Caddy Porsche with amazing pace, I dont know what Penske found on that thing but it clearly worked
As for Peugeot this is the last race for that car, and the way it retired was fitting, it has not been a great car other than for few hours in the wet at Le Mans and here.
Only real issue was the one line corner due to the gravel dragged on circuit. There were so few major incidents that they never got the chance for a safety car and to clear it.
A 10 hour race, only 2 full course yellows and no safety cars, so a true race from start to finish, with no one given anything as a result of a safety car.
Also whilst Porsche took a clean sweep of the podium, it was a much more interesting race than that looks on paper
Ferrari, Peugeot and Porsche led, and we had some excellent close racing and overtaking for position
Pleased to see Calado get a penalty for trying to drive the Jota car into the pit wall, ridiculous and totally unnecessary driving
Agree on some of the WEC presentation, and the Hourly updates and Jethro segments just mean you lose screen time for the actual race, neither add any value (IMO) Ten hours of Martin Havens screeching was painful too. If only he’d take a breath now and again, and not argue with almost every point his co commentators bring up, they’re all more knowledgable, and he is invariably wrong.
Interesting GT3 battles too. The Manthey cars seemed to have the pace on everything. Even the car that finished down the field had dragged itself from near last to second before it had issues, Their Bronze drivers seemed to make the difference
Fords still had the decklid issues from Daytona it seemed
A great start to the season
freedman said:
I’m no fan of modern non classic circuits but thought this was fine, and we had an excellent interesting race
Only real issue was the one line corner due to the gravel dragged on circuit. There were so few major incidents that they never got the chance for a safety car and to clear it.
A 10 hour race, only 2 full course yellows and no safety cars, so a true race from start to finish, with no one given anything as a result of a safety car.
Also whilst Porsche took a clean sweep of the podium, it was a much more interesting race than that looks on paper
Ferrari, Peugeot and Porsche led, and we had some excellent close racing and overtaking for position
Pleased to see Calado get a penalty for trying to drive the Jota car into the pit wall, ridiculous and totally unnecessary driving
Agree on some of the WEC presentation, and the Hourly updates and Jethro segments just mean you lose screen time for the actual race, neither add any value (IMO) Ten hours of Martin Havens screeching was painful too. If only he’d take a breath now and again, and not argue with almost every point his co commentators bring up, they’re all more knowledgable, and he is invariably wrong.
Interesting GT3 battles too. The Manthey cars seemed to have the pace on everything. Even the car that finished down the field had dragged itself from near last to second before it had issues, Their Bronze drivers seemed to make the difference
Fords still had the decklid issues from Daytona it seemed
A great start to the season
I enjoyed the parts of the race that I watched, but do think the circuit was rather dull. Only real issue was the one line corner due to the gravel dragged on circuit. There were so few major incidents that they never got the chance for a safety car and to clear it.
A 10 hour race, only 2 full course yellows and no safety cars, so a true race from start to finish, with no one given anything as a result of a safety car.
Also whilst Porsche took a clean sweep of the podium, it was a much more interesting race than that looks on paper
Ferrari, Peugeot and Porsche led, and we had some excellent close racing and overtaking for position
Pleased to see Calado get a penalty for trying to drive the Jota car into the pit wall, ridiculous and totally unnecessary driving
Agree on some of the WEC presentation, and the Hourly updates and Jethro segments just mean you lose screen time for the actual race, neither add any value (IMO) Ten hours of Martin Havens screeching was painful too. If only he’d take a breath now and again, and not argue with almost every point his co commentators bring up, they’re all more knowledgable, and he is invariably wrong.
Interesting GT3 battles too. The Manthey cars seemed to have the pace on everything. Even the car that finished down the field had dragged itself from near last to second before it had issues, Their Bronze drivers seemed to make the difference
Fords still had the decklid issues from Daytona it seemed
A great start to the season
+1 on Haven. He seems to think he knows everything about endurance racing, and clearly does not. Why argue with Ant Davidson about technical stuff?? Ant is a smart guy who has years of experience inside top teams in multiple classes. MH is just some gobs
te with a microphone 
I dont mind shaven, I think he just gets tremendously excited and I dont mind that, he is also probably asked to inject some spice into things, but I think really he is just very excited and i like his commentary.
On Calado I have never liked him despite being a Brit in the GT cars he was always moaning, and in car he is another Estre, still thinks he is driving a GT car, that move on Jota was pathetic FF1600 stuff, cmon man you are a Le Mans winner, drive with some dignity man, Estre for me should also have been done for that dumbass move on the Lexus.
On Calado I have never liked him despite being a Brit in the GT cars he was always moaning, and in car he is another Estre, still thinks he is driving a GT car, that move on Jota was pathetic FF1600 stuff, cmon man you are a Le Mans winner, drive with some dignity man, Estre for me should also have been done for that dumbass move on the Lexus.
outnumbered said:
I enjoyed the parts of the race that I watched, but do think the circuit was rather dull.
+1 on Haven. He seems to think he knows everything about endurance racing, and clearly does not. Why argue with Ant Davidson about technical stuff?? Ant is a smart guy who has years of experience inside top teams in multiple classes. MH is just some gobste with a microphone
Ant Davidson seems to hold it altogether, and has the patience of a saint. He's very good. Just a shame not to see him still in a car really. +1 on Haven. He seems to think he knows everything about endurance racing, and clearly does not. Why argue with Ant Davidson about technical stuff?? Ant is a smart guy who has years of experience inside top teams in multiple classes. MH is just some gobs
te with a microphone If I didn't have clashing commitments, I'd be jumping on a cheap flight to Italy for the Imola round. Hopefully something to do in 2025.
freedman said:
I’m no fan of modern non classic circuits but thought this was fine, and we had an excellent interesting race
Only real issue was the one line corner due to the gravel dragged on circuit. There were so few major incidents that they never got the chance for a safety car and to clear it.
A 10 hour race, only 2 full course yellows and no safety cars, so a true race from start to finish, with no one given anything as a result of a safety car.
Also whilst Porsche took a clean sweep of the podium, it was a much more interesting race than that looks on paper
Ferrari, Peugeot and Porsche led, and we had some excellent close racing and overtaking for position
Pleased to see Calado get a penalty for trying to drive the Jota car into the pit wall, ridiculous and totally unnecessary driving
Agree on some of the WEC presentation, and the Hourly updates and Jethro segments just mean you lose screen time for the actual race, neither add any value (IMO) Ten hours of Martin Havens screeching was painful too. If only he’d take a breath now and again, and not argue with almost every point his co commentators bring up, they’re all more knowledgable, and he is invariably wrong.
Interesting GT3 battles too. The Manthey cars seemed to have the pace on everything. Even the car that finished down the field had dragged itself from near last to second before it had issues, Their Bronze drivers seemed to make the difference
Fords still had the decklid issues from Daytona it seemed
A great start to the season
I thought the pit wall incident was with the Proton 963?Only real issue was the one line corner due to the gravel dragged on circuit. There were so few major incidents that they never got the chance for a safety car and to clear it.
A 10 hour race, only 2 full course yellows and no safety cars, so a true race from start to finish, with no one given anything as a result of a safety car.
Also whilst Porsche took a clean sweep of the podium, it was a much more interesting race than that looks on paper
Ferrari, Peugeot and Porsche led, and we had some excellent close racing and overtaking for position
Pleased to see Calado get a penalty for trying to drive the Jota car into the pit wall, ridiculous and totally unnecessary driving
Agree on some of the WEC presentation, and the Hourly updates and Jethro segments just mean you lose screen time for the actual race, neither add any value (IMO) Ten hours of Martin Havens screeching was painful too. If only he’d take a breath now and again, and not argue with almost every point his co commentators bring up, they’re all more knowledgable, and he is invariably wrong.
Interesting GT3 battles too. The Manthey cars seemed to have the pace on everything. Even the car that finished down the field had dragged itself from near last to second before it had issues, Their Bronze drivers seemed to make the difference
Fords still had the decklid issues from Daytona it seemed
A great start to the season
The #93 Peugeot was DQ'd too. They didn't return to the pit after deploying the ERS below the BOP minimum speed and they didn't join parc fermé after the race.
airbusA346 said:
I thought the pit wall incident was with the Proton 963?
The #93 Peugeot was DQ'd too. They didn't return to the pit after deploying the ERS below the BOP minimum speed and they didn't join parc fermé after the race.
You are correct, it was with AndlauerThe #93 Peugeot was DQ'd too. They didn't return to the pit after deploying the ERS below the BOP minimum speed and they didn't join parc fermé after the race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R5lZz-0t94
flatlandsman said:
On Calado I have never liked him despite being a Brit in the GT cars he was always moaning, and in car he is another Estre, still thinks he is driving a GT car, that move on Jota was pathetic FF1600 stuff, cmon man you are a Le Mans winner, drive with some dignity man, Estre for me should also have been done for that dumbass move on the Lexus.
Yeah, about time Calado got 'pinged' - seems to be his modus operandus......PerGuidi is another who is similar. ArnageWRC said:
flatlandsman said:
On Calado I have never liked him despite being a Brit in the GT cars he was always moaning, and in car he is another Estre, still thinks he is driving a GT car, that move on Jota was pathetic FF1600 stuff, cmon man you are a Le Mans winner, drive with some dignity man, Estre for me should also have been done for that dumbass move on the Lexus.
Yeah, about time Calado got 'pinged' - seems to be his modus operandus......PerGuidi is another who is similar. richhead said:
never got the hate for calado, hes a good peddler, yes he winges alot, but show me a driver that doesnt. Never worked with him tho
He, and his Ferrari team mates seem to have far more contact than most of the top driversThe way they won the GTLM world championship 3 years ago was a disgrace, quite how De Freitas allowed them to get away with it was ridiculous
He for me has always been on the bad edge of dirty a bit like Estre, amazingly quick but they are huge risk taskers, who can recall that idiotic garbage Estre did at Spa a few years ago in a 911, in some teams he would be borderline sacked for madness like that, then he does the pass on the grass and everyone forgives him, that is the kind of guy he is. I have seen Calado do this kind of thing a few times now, he races his team car far too hard aswell but they seem fine with it.
flatlandsman said:
He for me has always been on the bad edge of dirty a bit like Estre, amazingly quick but they are huge risk taskers, who can recall that idiotic garbage Estre did at Spa a few years ago in a 911, in some teams he would be borderline sacked for madness like that, then he does the pass on the grass and everyone forgives him, that is the kind of guy he is. I have seen Calado do this kind of thing a few times now, he races his team car far too hard aswell but they seem fine with it.
Can you remind me what Estre did at Spa?Nothing springs to mind
freedman said:
flatlandsman said:
He for me has always been on the bad edge of dirty a bit like Estre, amazingly quick but they are huge risk taskers, who can recall that idiotic garbage Estre did at Spa a few years ago in a 911, in some teams he would be borderline sacked for madness like that, then he does the pass on the grass and everyone forgives him, that is the kind of guy he is. I have seen Calado do this kind of thing a few times now, he races his team car far too hard aswell but they seem fine with it.
Can you remind me what Estre did at Spa?Nothing springs to mind
freedman said:
Agree on some of the WEC presentation, and the Hourly updates and Jethro segments just mean you lose screen time for the actual race, neither add any value (IMO) Ten hours of Martin Havens screeching was painful too. If only he’d take a breath now and again, and not argue with almost every point his co commentators bring up, they’re all more knowledgeable, and he is invariably wrong.
I did think that Jethro calling Mick Schumacher the most famous driver on the grid, when you have Jenson Button and Valentino Rossi there, was a bit weird.I like Martin Haven personally. Yes he does go OTT every now and again, but on the whole I think he does a good job. As has been said, you need an enthusiastic commentator alongside the pundits.
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