2026 Sportscar Thread (WEC, IMSA, NLS, GT World Challenge)
Discussion
The joys of the cretinous, atrocious WEC tv director, we HAVE TO HAVE TO show 18 replays of the start, JUST as the entire Hyper field comes into the GT field for the first time to lap them, and also we MUST show an utterly pointless sodding slow mo replay aswell. . And sure enough you MISS 3 effing overtakes. Dear God they really are feckless
Honestly,by far the worst live sport director I have ever experienced in my life. I could do a better job on m y own
Honestly,by far the worst live sport director I have ever experienced in my life. I could do a better job on m y own
Was a very good race, the tv guy calmed down after his early nonsense but still insisted on showing replays instead of real live passes, which is very annoying and shows a lack of understanding about real live sport.
Toyota have made a big change clearly, Peugeot fell away very badly that car needs scrapping, Hyundai did very well, and Ferrari had pace but penalties and the track stopped them from passing, I think Alpine are stupid to leave that car is very good now. BMW made a tep, Caddy about where they were, flattering to deceive and Aston abotu where they were too,.
Hugely unlucky for Garage 59 who showed up the last Macca team by nearly winning then as usual,the damn thing broke down, and you can never count out Manthey, top 4 for both cars despite being nowhere early on. Great win for WRT, getting back to business after the rather poor Rossi era.
Toyota have made a big change clearly, Peugeot fell away very badly that car needs scrapping, Hyundai did very well, and Ferrari had pace but penalties and the track stopped them from passing, I think Alpine are stupid to leave that car is very good now. BMW made a tep, Caddy about where they were, flattering to deceive and Aston abotu where they were too,.
Hugely unlucky for Garage 59 who showed up the last Macca team by nearly winning then as usual,the damn thing broke down, and you can never count out Manthey, top 4 for both cars despite being nowhere early on. Great win for WRT, getting back to business after the rather poor Rossi era.
bergclimber34 said:
Does anyone know if the ACO are still going to show full race replays a few weeks after event on youtube?
I am expecting not as they have dumped everything else behind a paywall, but does anyone know for sure?
Appears not, there's only two Highlights from Imola available (15 mins & approx one hour). I am expecting not as they have dumped everything else behind a paywall, but does anyone know for sure?
A rather dull initial period, livened up hugely at the end, another shocker from the tv director, endless replays and missing actual live events, he needs to be sacked, but some great racing, staggering what these guys can do when they are pushed.
Ferrari yet again pedalling in qualifying, but easily the quickest on race day, they very nearly won here remember, despite BMW having the upper hand most of the race.
LM will probably be another walkover for them, as it is ACO BoP there and it usually favours Ferrari, look how Toyota were mullered here after Imola, they did amazingly to finish where they did.
Ferrari yet again pedalling in qualifying, but easily the quickest on race day, they very nearly won here remember, despite BMW having the upper hand most of the race.
LM will probably be another walkover for them, as it is ACO BoP there and it usually favours Ferrari, look how Toyota were mullered here after Imola, they did amazingly to finish where they did.
That incident towards the end when Tom Gamble in the Aston just avoided da Costa’s spinning Alpine at the top of Eau Rouge…..
We can all count our blessings , that would have been a plane crash.
Great race but I wish we still had the Penske Porsches - particularly in their recent retro liveries.
We can all count our blessings , that would have been a plane crash.
Great race but I wish we still had the Penske Porsches - particularly in their recent retro liveries.
moffspeed said:
That incident towards the end when Tom Gamble in the Aston just avoided da Costa s spinning Alpine at the top of Eau Rouge ..
We can all count our blessings , that would have been a plane crash.
Great race but I wish we still had the Penske Porsches - particularly in their recent retro liveries.
The Aston onboard footage of that near miss is impressive.. not sure how he missed him.We can all count our blessings , that would have been a plane crash.
Great race but I wish we still had the Penske Porsches - particularly in their recent retro liveries.
I am back from an agreeable weekend over at Spa. It really is a lovely circuit, especially in the sunshine.
Plenty of free grandstands around Eau-Rouge to watch the action from.
Big crowd (claims of 101k being made) but not as crowded trackside as Le Mans. Beer was 4-euro for a 330ml can of Jupiler. Frites were 6-euro and Mayo was 1-euro.
In other news, there is an interesting little Abarth museum on the outskirts of Antwerp which makes a good stop off on the way back (adds about 30mins to the total drive and avoids the Brussels ringroad.)
We went out via Mons and Dinant and the cross country route between Dinant to Spa is good fun and dispels the stereotype of Belgium being dull and flat.
Plenty of free grandstands around Eau-Rouge to watch the action from.
Big crowd (claims of 101k being made) but not as crowded trackside as Le Mans. Beer was 4-euro for a 330ml can of Jupiler. Frites were 6-euro and Mayo was 1-euro.
In other news, there is an interesting little Abarth museum on the outskirts of Antwerp which makes a good stop off on the way back (adds about 30mins to the total drive and avoids the Brussels ringroad.)
We went out via Mons and Dinant and the cross country route between Dinant to Spa is good fun and dispels the stereotype of Belgium being dull and flat.
Great weather for Saturday out in Spa and really enjoyed it.
Grandstands great including extra ones before Eau Rouge this year and you could also get access all 3 days to roof terrace at bottom end off old pits (above pits and hospitality units by L Arbre pub - 7 euros a pint)
Those in first 10 or so rows and near stairways in Raidillon stand blighted by persistent late comers standing through race at front.
Thought it was quieter than last year a bit, although weather not so good Thursday/Friday and forecast ahead worse.
Big screens! Not many and very small - needed binoculars to read positions.
Not much overtaking in Hypercar, lots of constant positions. BMW was great at restarts and did they do early 1st stop (like 8) to avoid delays and possible carnage (38) on first Hypercar run through GT3s (delayed and more bunched up after Mustang SC.
Did they take ages to move a Ferrari slightly blocking pit lane exit near end? Not allowing GT3 pass around in last hour probably caused another incident/SC. Why not just allow GT3 pass around but only give them a minute up the road like Bathurst in last hour. Assume the not overtaking until the start/finish line really hampers Hypers behind a GT3. Given the green starts after VSC I m sure GT3 could cope.
Moving in and out of paddock a pain especially if just using to cross track, and especially on Saturday during race. Surely once Saturday pit walk is over they could stop checking as no longer overcrowding in paddock risk then.
Friends at Green camping said showers only turned up late Thursday and then only open 9 til 5 on Friday and Saturday! Was there more public camping this year as last year loads of public campers turned up where I camp in Francorchamps- think some of the LM private campers turned operators tried set ups but Spa so good value they don t really have much chance (and weather a factor).
Great event, a bit heavy on the mayo at times
PS think a few supermarkets now open Sundays as they relaxed opening Reg’s in 2025. But watch out for Ascension day - 6 May 2027.
Grandstands great including extra ones before Eau Rouge this year and you could also get access all 3 days to roof terrace at bottom end off old pits (above pits and hospitality units by L Arbre pub - 7 euros a pint)
Those in first 10 or so rows and near stairways in Raidillon stand blighted by persistent late comers standing through race at front.
Thought it was quieter than last year a bit, although weather not so good Thursday/Friday and forecast ahead worse.
Big screens! Not many and very small - needed binoculars to read positions.
Not much overtaking in Hypercar, lots of constant positions. BMW was great at restarts and did they do early 1st stop (like 8) to avoid delays and possible carnage (38) on first Hypercar run through GT3s (delayed and more bunched up after Mustang SC.
Did they take ages to move a Ferrari slightly blocking pit lane exit near end? Not allowing GT3 pass around in last hour probably caused another incident/SC. Why not just allow GT3 pass around but only give them a minute up the road like Bathurst in last hour. Assume the not overtaking until the start/finish line really hampers Hypers behind a GT3. Given the green starts after VSC I m sure GT3 could cope.
Moving in and out of paddock a pain especially if just using to cross track, and especially on Saturday during race. Surely once Saturday pit walk is over they could stop checking as no longer overcrowding in paddock risk then.
Friends at Green camping said showers only turned up late Thursday and then only open 9 til 5 on Friday and Saturday! Was there more public camping this year as last year loads of public campers turned up where I camp in Francorchamps- think some of the LM private campers turned operators tried set ups but Spa so good value they don t really have much chance (and weather a factor).
Great event, a bit heavy on the mayo at times
PS think a few supermarkets now open Sundays as they relaxed opening Reg’s in 2025. But watch out for Ascension day - 6 May 2027.
Edited by RL17 on Monday 11th May 10:20
Truckosaurus said:
Also, the new numeric position marker displays on the cars are very readable from trackside and make following which car is where much easier.
Can't really see the energy bars bit below the numbers though , so numbers could be a bit bigger like last year ( but better in that they no longer disappear on start/finish straight when it cycled to energy).Just looked at Alkamel Systems pit stops analysis so BMW 20's 1st stop was just 50 seconds (16 sec quicker than Will Stevens Caddy and most other stops). Short fuelled for track position I assume, as they then went to similar pit stop times as No 8 which stopped more than 20 mins earlier.
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