2019 and 2020 LMP1 questions?

2019 and 2020 LMP1 questions?

Author
Discussion

Trackdayguy

366 posts

70 months

Thursday 8th November 2018
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//j17 said:
Yep, any change to the EOT that's detrimental to Toyota has to be approved but their agreement to the Fuji updates I think shows they understand there needs to be a balance between racing and winning.

I have a feeling we might see some further tweaks ahead of Shanghai, but again only for the regular WEC races and excluding Le Mans. Then, when they have the WEC title, back to back Le Mans wins, and become the most successful Japanese manufacturer at Le Mans they will agree to more for the 2019/2020 season.
Totally agree

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Friday 9th November 2018
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Trackdayguy said:
//j17 said:
Yep, any change to the EOT that's detrimental to Toyota has to be approved but their agreement to the Fuji updates I think shows they understand there needs to be a balance between racing and winning.

I have a feeling we might see some further tweaks ahead of Shanghai, but again only for the regular WEC races and excluding Le Mans. Then, when they have the WEC title, back to back Le Mans wins, and become the most successful Japanese manufacturer at Le Mans they will agree to more for the 2019/2020 season.
Totally agree
And as if by magic: LMP1 Privateers Given Fuel Break For Shanghai

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Friday 9th November 2018
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//j17 said:
I wonder if they'll actually create a situation where we see a proper race at Le Mans with the current line up

Great Dane

2,719 posts

165 months

Friday 9th November 2018
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wsn03 said:
I wonder if they'll actually create a situation where we see a proper race at Le Mans with the current line up
The non-hybrid P1's can't go any faster on track realistically without compromising reliability so the only ways to make them more competitive are to slow Toyota or give breaks with pit stops

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Friday 9th November 2018
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Great Dane said:
The non-hybrid P1's can't go any faster on track realistically without compromising reliability so the only ways to make them more competitive are to slow Toyota or give breaks with pit stops
Does all this manipulation ruin the credibility of being a winner? I've been wondering for example where the motivation lies in GT PRO.
If your car wins it doesnt mean its the best car, just means it had the best circumstances/ outcome on the day. Doesn't prove much for a manufacturer....or have I missed the point?

FredericRobinson

3,668 posts

231 months

Saturday 10th November 2018
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Great Dane said:
The non-hybrid P1's can't go any faster on track realistically without compromising reliability so the only ways to make them more competitive are to slow Toyota or give breaks with pit stops
The non-hybrids have been having to lift to avoid exceeding their per-lap fuel allocation, hopefully the reg change will allow them to go flat out

FredericRobinson

3,668 posts

231 months

Saturday 10th November 2018
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Great Dane

2,719 posts

165 months

Saturday 10th November 2018
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FredericRobinson said:
The non-hybrids have been having to lift to avoid exceeding their per-lap fuel allocation, hopefully the reg change will allow them to go flat out
true as well. :-(

I think we should all remember Henri's grievances ten fifteen years ago. There will be teams which will never beat Toyota even if they had their cars... just because they have more experience and money to do all the backroom stuff... it's a very very difficult balance.... Punish Toyota for being very loyal and sticking it out on several occasion for the ACO and being a very good race team or loose a lot of teams who fancy a 'go' (Ginetta anyone??)


wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Thursday 15th November 2018
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Does this mean Le Mans 2020 is the start of the new format for Le Mans?
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/barcelona-to-h...

FredericRobinson

3,668 posts

231 months

Thursday 15th November 2018
quotequote all
wsn03 said:
Does this mean Le Mans 2020 is the start of the new format for Le Mans?
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/barcelona-to-h...
No

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Thursday 15th November 2018
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The whole point of the current WEC Super Season is to shuffle the calendar so that going forward Le Mans will always be the final round of the season. This is more about confirming when and where the pre 2019/20 season test will be.

The change is being made due to the 1.5x points awarded for Le Mans. Previously it was too easy for the championship to be dusted with several races left, which takes a lot of the shine off those races. The hope is the combination of the greater risk of car failure plus double points means the series will go down to the wire.

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Thursday 15th November 2018
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FredericRobinson said:
No
Ok thanks for clarifying

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Thursday 15th November 2018
quotequote all
//j17 said:
The whole point of the current WEC Super Season is to shuffle the calendar so that going forward Le Mans will always be the final round of the season. This is more about confirming when and where the pre 2019/20 season test will be.

The change is being made due to the 1.5x points awarded for Le Mans. Previously it was too easy for the championship to be dusted with several races left, which takes a lot of the shine off those races. The hope is the combination of the greater risk of car failure plus double points means the series will go down to the wire.
Thanks for the explanation. Anything can happen in 24 hours so hopefully it won't be a predictable whitewash

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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Well the additional EOT breaks for the non-hybris teams have made a massive difference... still >4s slower than the hybrids in the dryer parts of FP1 frown

DS240

4,637 posts

217 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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I don’t want to get into the mindset of skip 19,20 and go back in 21. But it does seem to offer a good opportunity to take a break. Only the he GT class and the general good time/social side of the trip makes it hard and not an automatic decision.

Trouble is, since my 1st race in 2003 it really has been a golden period for Le Mans. The majority of races have been terrific across the categories.

Audi/Bentley/Peugeot/Porsche/Toyota mixing at various points have produced incredible races up front and the usual crowd fighting for GT honours have been superb.

If it’s 2 more years of Toyota win unless they break down, it’s not terribly exciting. How can they balance things out though without Toyota simply pulling the plug?

Can Toyota really take too much from these wins? Expect history simply says winner, not how you got there.

24lemons

2,629 posts

184 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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I have to admit that I’ve had the same thoughts about the coming couple of years. I think though that Le Mans always has the potential to throw up drama and excitement. Since 2003, teams and factories have come and gone but there’s always something to watch and enjoy.

I think the difference this time is the fact that the new regs are looming and they are a a complete re-write largely in response to the situation the top class finds itself in today. The prospect of a new dawn overshadows the current slightly stagnating LMP 1 class and I can see why people might feel less inclined to visit in ‘19 and ‘20.

Personally, I will be there. For better or worse, the draw of Le Mans is too great to resist. I’m looking forward to the new regs and I hope they herald a new golden era of manufacturer competition. I’m hopeful that the next two races will throw up some excitement too.

I’m also too close to achieving my 20th race in a row to consider skipping one!

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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The next couple of years are only a bit dull if you're just watching the race for the very top step. There's more to watch than that for me, the building Rebellion vs SMP race in LMP1(NH), the can G-Drive win without cheating race in LMP2, and the BOP is about right races in LmGTE Pro and LMGTE Am.

wsn03

1,923 posts

100 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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My first 3 Le Mans i was able to fully focus on the race. I either took off on my own or with 1 other avid Radio Le Mans listener.
This year there were 3 of us, really changes the dynamics and it just became a social thing with some lengthy periods of watching the racing but not glued to it.
2019 i have 14 coming.
2020 i have 4 coming.
Im not going to get much of a chance to be glued to the race as I like to be, but don't think I'll be missing much.

I think for 2021 I'll just bring my stepson so I can just follow the race again! At least by then it will be new and unpredictable

Edited by wsn03 on Friday 16th November 17:26