FD007
BoP = Balance of Protectionism :)Originally Posted by wisepie
During winter Michelotto works hard to make F488 competitive.
During season lobbying works hard to change Bop.
Example: Aston 85 kg lighter than F488.
Example: 24h Le Mans -> Ford won, even before the race thanks to late Bop changes before the race.
What should the spectators buying the tickets think?
Last edited by Frank Dhont; 22nd September 2016 at 20:14.
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All teams now BoP, all real endurance/sportscars fans understand BoP. it isnt , pretty sometimes. But its there for a reason. Still better than F1. Astons ran with the same air restrictor as at Mexico, hence why still fast at CoTA. Astons were lighter than us at Le-Mans, and we were still quicker than them.
As for Ford, they were all about winning Le-Mans, built car for that. They played the game well in the opening 2 races of the WEC. Got a nice BoP break. Le-Mans race day they and us were hit with another BoP change. If AF Corse didnt run into trouble, we could of ran them hard and close, as did Risi. 488 and th e GT were, nearly the same race pace.
Im a fan, i buy tickets, great racing, great value. I dont agree totally with BoP, but as said, i understand what it is there for.
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I'm still not sure I understand the whole BoP thing, Rob, can you make it simple for this poor old tifoso? Grazie!
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COTA keeps place on WEC 2017 schedule, FE clash still possible
The FIA World Endurance Championship has retained Austin’s Circuit of the Americas on its 2017 schedule, despite speculation of a potential switch to Indianapolis.
Uncertainly over COTA’s financial situation led to rumours that the event would move away from Texas, but a successful 2016 round appears to have helped nail its position for next season.
The publication of the calendar does create one problem, however, as the confirmation of the Nurburgring’s July 16 event seems likely to clash with Formula E’s Montreal round or its New York City finale – which was referred to as a “mid-July date” at its launch this week.
Six drivers – Lucas di Grassi, Sebastien Buemi, Stephane Sarrazin, Sam Bird, Adam Carroll and Loic Duval – currently dovetail both series.
The only new venue on the schedule is a switch of location for the pre-season Prologue group test and media days, from Paul Ricard to Monza.
The season proper begins as usual at Silverstone, ahead of the Spa-Le Mans-Nurburgring European leg, the US-Mexico swing and then the far East rounds in Japan and China.
Bahrain will once again host the season finale.
“We are very pleased to have maintained this level of stability in the five years of the WEC to date, and our 2017 calendar allows us to continue to build on the tradition of endurance racing around the world,” said Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO.
“Our increasing number of fans year on year is proof that returning to a venue at a similar time of year encourages people to make their plans to attend well in advance…and to bring friends with them to enjoy all the entertainment and access that the WEC offers.
“The Le Mans 24 Hours needs no introduction, but we know that audiences in countries such as Mexico can only increase as their knowledge and interest in the WEC grows. We look forward to an exciting 2017 starting with our first visit to Italy.”
Gerard Neveu, CEO of WEC, added: “The opportunity to start our season at Monza is one we are sure will please competitors, fans and media alike.
“We hope that our calendar not only meets the expectations and requirements of all our partners and competitors, and makes economic and logistical sense, but also that it fits in with the increasing number of events that each venue hosts.
“The WEC continues to offer fans access to the most technologically relevant, competitive, and open championship possible, as well as offering our manufacturers Aston Martin, Audi, Ferrari, Ford, Porsche and Toyota the perfect showcase for their products on and off track.”
2017 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar
Date Event
March 24-25 Prologue at Monza
April 16 6 Hours of Silverstone
May 6 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
June 17-18 24 Hours of Le Mans
July 16 6 Hours of Nurburgring
September 3 6 Hours of Mexico
September 16 6 Hours of COTA
October 15 6 Hours of Fuji
November 5 6 Hours of Shanghai
November 18 6 Hours of Bahrain
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Monza, prologue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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wow, i try.I'm still not sure I understand the whole BoP thing, Rob, can you make it simple for this poor old tifoso? Grazie!
I found this video, hope it helps a little bit mate
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/v...op-in-gte-pro/
its couple of years old. It explains the basics. They can change air restrictor aswell, to help or penalise top speeds. Add weight if needed. Its, as video says, an effort try and equalise these cars. I dont like BoP, but for these cars to go racing, and have the series we have. Its needed.
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The #21 Dragonspeed carried their practice form into qualifying, with two-time Le Mans class winner Nicolas Lapierre taking pole position for the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
Lapierre set the pace straight away with a 2m06.603s, the early benchmark proving enough for Dragonspeed to take their second pole of the season.
The championship leading squad of Thiriet by TDS Racing qualified second with Mathias Beche delivering a time of 2m07.048s.
The #38 G-Drive entry, winner at Silverstone, qualified third in the hands of Harry Tincknell with Tristan Gommendy propelling the #33 Eurasia entry to fourth.
The #25 Algarve Pro car, driven by Andrea Pizzitola, was the leading Ligier in fifth.
Graff takes late LMP3 pole
Paul Ricard winners #9 Graff Racing took a surprise pole position with Enzo Guibbert setting a time of 2m14.390s in the dying minutes of the qualifying.
The #3 United Autosports likewise improved late in the session to take second, relegating the #26 Tockwith Motorsport car down to third place.
The championship leading #2 United Sports entry finished a lowly fifth after Alex Brundle ran wide on his final lap, nearly avoiding the barriers.
GTE: AT Racing takes first Ferrari pole of the season
In the GTE class, the #56 AT Racing of Alessandro Pier Guidi and the Alexander Talkanitsa father-son duo claimed Ferrari’s first pole of the season.
Pier Guidi set a time of 2m17.038s, three tenths clear of the #88 Proton Porsche of Gianluca Roda, Christian Ried and Matteo Cairoli.
The #55 AF Corse of Duncan Cameron, Matt Griffin and Aaron Scott finished third while the sole Aston Martin entry could qualify no higher than fifth.
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Great effort by Ale for pole.
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Thanks Rob, still trying to get my head around it all, another reason I don't like all these rules/restrictions but I suppose it's to try and make the racing fairer.
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2nd 4th at COTA, not bad...1st n 3rd ELMS SPA. Not a bad weeked.
Looks like the BoP still favors the Aston though.
ELMS all 458's..Not a bad showing for my fav old war horse.
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ELMS: third victory in a row for the No. 66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari 458 Italia GTC driven by Bertolini-Butcher-Smith at the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps; the No. 55 AF Corse sister car in the hands of Griffin-Cameron-Scott finishes third. Lead extended to 20 points in both the GTE Team and Drivers’ Classifications. http://races.ferrari.com/…/elms-ferr...sport-…/
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Hey Rob, thx for the killa pix. How bout dem 458's. They remind me of the P3/4..
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Interesting news about BMW entering the WEC in 2018 in the GTE categories. While I'm quite favourable disposed towards them, I would prefer to see them in LMP1. I wonder what further BoP concessions they'll wring out for their entry.
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With the way it's applied today, it feels very arbitrary and subject to manufacturer manipulation as we saw at Le Mans. While it allows more cars to 'race together', it takes out the integrity of the series. The races may be closer, but did the winner 'deserve' to win? Aston Martin dominating and winning the past few races is an utter farce.
LMP1 feels much 'fairer' and convincing. Toyota are slow right now, but is any attempt made to put them at the front of the grid as GTE Pro? No. And it should stay that way. Same for F1. If Ferrari can't beat Mercedes, they don't deserve to win. That's racing. They need to do a better job, innovate and improve to compete.
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Didnt we wipe the floor before BoP was put into effect this year? I think we were something like 2 sec lap faster than everyone. We did build a better car...but the bop simply slaps u in the face and takes development and creative design out of the equation.
Then I see us lose to Aston Sunday n I dont like the bop. They can basically call winners b4 a race
even starts. They the fia, should be in Vegas. They could clean up.
But a 458 DID win ELMs Sunday...The 488's will simply get better too.
Isnt that the factory team in COTA?
Oh, n I find it interesting too that BMW is coming..They may have made bop arrgmts b4 they even hit the track.
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Italian GT Championship: another victory for the Black Bull Swisse Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 at Imola. Scuderia Baldini 27 Network dominates in the GT3 AM class. http://races.ferrari.com/…/italian-g...-ferra…/
Campionato Italiano GT: altra vittoria per la Ferrari 488 GT3 di Black Bull Swisse Racing ad Imola. Scuderia Baldini 27 Network domina in classe GT3 AM. http://races.ferrari.com/…/italiano-...per-gl…/
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Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup: fourth success in a row for Basov-Shaytar in the No. 72 SMP Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 at Spa-Francorchamps. The Russian duo leads the Drivers’ Classification with a 21-point advantage, while SMP Racing closely chases TF Sport among the Teams. http://races.ferrari.com/…/gt3-le-ma...-in-a-…/
Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup: quarto successo di fila per Basov-Shaytar sulla Ferrari 488 GT3 No. 72 di SMP Racing a Spa-Francorchamps. Il duo russo comanda la Classifica Piloti con 21 punti di vantaggio, mentre SMP Racing insegue da vicino TF Sport tra i Team. http://races.ferrari.com/…/gt3-le-ma...toria-…/
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We were fast with BoP at Silverstone and Spa. It all kicked off after Le-mans test day and practice sessions, as Ford took out all their sand bags and bang, they were quick as us. And we got hit with little BoP change due to the test day. Then Vettes got hit with BoP change. 488 is super quick car, just got look at last 2 WEC races. Yes. AMR got BoP break, but we were still with them, stil able to keep them on their toes.
Dont worry to much, all things be back to to normal come Fuji.
BoP? no its not nice, some see at as dragonian, but when you got cars with different designs, front engine, mid rear engined cars, different engines, torque, it all has to be "leveled" out to make things bit "fair" No, it can be seen as unfair, but o get all these cars racing is what attracts the manufacturers. Look at BMW, they now coming to WEC. Not even looked at F1 again, as it isnt on their marketing scope. GTE is where it is at. Even, Formula E, they now got all the big guns, Porsche going there, BMW, Audi.
Again, BoP has always been there for GT racing, from club racing to GTE. Its just that this years Le-mans Ford palyed a game and made the whole thing look foolish. If played right, if done right it is fair. Just.
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I get what you're saying, Rob, and agree to a point but it's still questionable in my eyes and I don't like it, even more so when it affects Ferraris!!
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Andy Meyrick On The DeltaWing’s Final Ride (Updated)
An emotional end to one of sportscar racing's most memorable projects.
UPDATE: At tonight’s Panoz 20th Years of Racing celebration, IMSA announced that the DeltaWing will be eligible to compete in next year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. This mean’s that this weekend’s race at Road Atlanta will not be its final race after all, though Andy Meyrick’s reflection on the car’s history still apply.
Who’d have thought that the DeltaWing, which was first shown off to the world back in 2008 as a potential IndyCar chassis, would still be racing eight years later?
Through its Garage 56 assault with Nissan back at Le Mans in 2012, through to its coupe redesign in IMSA, the DeltaWing has been a talking point and represented the core values of endurance racing; pushing the limits of technology through opportunities to do things differently.
But this weekend at Road Atlanta for Petit Le Mans marks the end of the DeltaWing’s life in the top-end of prototype racing, as the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship moves into the DPi era next year.
In light of that, DSC spoke to Andy Meyrick, who has been driving it since its first American Le Mans Series appearance in 2013, about ending the project on a high.
“It’s going to be quite sad,” said Meyrick. “First and foremost we need to get a result, it’s the home circuit for Panoz and Deltawing as a team so it’s important to get a good finish. We finished fourth at Petit two years ago and ran well last year until Memo had an issue in tricky conditions.
“Building up to the race we’re trying to focus on leaving with a bang really.”
After Nissan’s involvement came to a close in late 2012 the DeltaWing team held a test at Road Atlanta, which Meyrick was invited to by team manager Dave Price. After making a good first impression he was signed up and never looked back.
“For the first time that Panoz and DeltaWing ran the car, at Sebring back in the ALMS days I was at a test in Atlanta. The two drivers they picked were myself and Olivier Pla. We worked very well together, we had similar driving styles so we clicked as teammates straight away really. We were then chosen to start the project together.
“We went to Sebring, and it was rushed to be honest. It was a big change from its form under Nissan. We had an Elan engine which was bigger than the Nissan engine, so there were packaging issues and it was rushed getting to Sebring. Reliability was also pretty poor at the start.”
An engine issue ended its first race without Nissan, but from there it quickly developed, and scored its first podium later that season.
“Technically we got a podium at every race because there weren’t many cars in LMP1 that first year,” Meyrick chuckled. “But the first proper podium was at Road America, which is a track that the car runs well at.
“The rate of the development has been stunning. What was really exciting at the time when it first started racing was that if you’re involved in a race project now, you’re working to a set of rules, homologation papers and are restricted, but at the time there was nothing around that was like it.
“The Delta Wing is unique, we didn’t have many constraints to work to. So when we wanted to try something our limitation in the early days was just imagination. It was a really exciting time to see the car improve.”
Our limitation in the early days was just imagination
It wasn’t easy developing a car that’s based thousands of miles away and on a different time zone. Meyrick’s other commitments with Bentley’s GT3 programme at the time meant he racked up a ludicrous amount of air miles in the early days.
“I had to go to Atlanta where the team is based a lot and I had to go back and fourth to America because I was doing full season in Blancpain and the ALMS, that year I think I did 38 trans atlantic flights, it was crazy, but it needed to be done to test the car and catch up to the established cars.”
For a driver, the Deltawing is a very different experience. It’s shape, weight and performance specs make for a very strange sensation, as Meyrick explains.
“It’s definitely different! I think if you compare it to the last prototypes I raced, the LMP1 Aston Martin back in 2012 and the AMR-One, it’s very sensitive, the front splitter is very important because you need to trail brake into the corner and keep the car off its nose for aerodynamics.
“With the DeltaWing it’s very much one thing at a time, because you don’t have a big front tyres, you don’t get a normal feeling on the corner entry, you can’t brake and turn. You have to brake, release and roll the car into the corner.
Because you don’t have a big front tyres, you don’t get a normal feeling on the corner entry, you can’t brake and turn
“In the early days when the car was on Bridgestones, we used to work quite closely with them to get a feeling for the front tyres. It was very difficult to get that sensation to a level where as a driver you could feel the grip.
“Also the sensation of weight transfer is strange. You end up generating braking at the rear rather than the front, so you don’t get the weight transfer, so that causes issues in terms of feeling. But really in terms of getting the car through the apex, once you’re in the apex – now it has a proper diff – it’s very standard.
“Overall it’s a big difference from other prototypes, it’s so light and nimble, it makes it fantastic in some circumstances, but for example over the bumps at Long Beach and Sebring makes it difficult because of the lack of mass, it feels like a Formula Ford.”
Over the bumps at Long Beach and Sebring makes it difficult because of the lack of mass, it feels like a Formula Ford
The other key is making sure you’re aware of the rear-end at all times, which is considerably wider than the front. But as Meyrick explains, it eventually becomes second nature.
“Initially it was very difficult, I remember driving round the paddock at Atlanta and thinking: ‘Oh my god what am I going to do here?’ It’s like a cat with whiskers, you need to leave a bit of space because obviously the rear is wider than the front track. You’ve got to miss the apex by a foot or two in order to not muller it with the rear. But once you’ve been out a few times you adapt to it.”
The DeltaWing may look very different now to it’s original form, but through the coupe’s debut when the LMP1 regulations required a closed cockpit for the 2014 season, its characteristics stayed the same.
And so did its relevance, as it still attracts significant attention from the media and fans alike.
“I think because we’ve raced in America where the fans are very knowledgable, the fans get close to the cars and touch them, they’re able to really see the difference between the DeltaWing and everything else there,” Meyrick explained.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a fan favourite, but it’s always been a talking point, and that’s cool. Whether you love it or hate it, it gets people talking and interesting. Certainly for sportscar racing that’s something we should embrace.”
I wouldn’t say it’s a fan favourite, but it’s always been a talking point
Unless this weekend is a roaring success, the DeltaWing will retire a winless car, but according to Meyrick, Don Panoz is incredibly proud of the team’s efforts and the car’s progression over the past four years.
“There’s no doubt that Don would have preferred have had more podiums with the car,” concluded Meyrick. “But he is very proud of doing it, because he loves doing things his way and different from everything else. He likes proving to people that there’s different ways to go about motorsport, and the car has proven to be very fast, the results we’ve haven’t come easily.
“I’m sure he’ll want a result this weekend, and we do too, it’s been four years worth of work, we want its final race to be a memorable one.”
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Will Stevens To Return To G-Drive At Fuji
In place of DTM-sub Rast
Will Stevens will be back driving for G-Drive Racing at the FIA WEC 6 Hours of Fuji on October 16. Stevens, who raced for the team at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June will join Roman Rusinov and Alex Brundle in the #26 G-Drive racing ORECA.
The move comes after René Rast was recalled by Audi Sport to compete in the final DTM event at Hockenheim which clashes with the seventh round of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship at Fuji. Rast was loaned to G-Drive Racing at the start of the 2016 season.
“I am delighted to return to WEC with G-Drive Racing for the Fuji event,” said Stevens. “I really enjoyed my time with the team at Le Mans where we showed we could mount a strong challenge or a potential victory. Fuji is a new circuit for me but one which I think we will have a very strong package in the G-Drive Racing ORECA 05-Nissan.”
Stevens has made a strong start to his endurance racing career after switching from Formula One at the start of the current season. The 25-year old enjoyed a successful first ever Le Mans 24 hours with G-Drive Racing in June when he and teammates Rusinov and Rast finished a close second in LMP2.
Hailing from Walton-On-Thames in Surrey, UK, Stevens is also competing in the Blancpain GT Series this year, sharing an Audi R8 LMS with Rene Rast.
“We are happy to welcome Will back to the team in René’s absence for the Fuji race,” added Jota partner Sam Hignett. “Will integrated in to the team very quickly at Le Mans and showed good pace and consistency at the wheel. He is obviously a very talented driver and one who has the attributes to have a great endurance career.
“The choice was made easy for us after René was called up for DTM duty. We know Will and he evidenced at Le Mans that he learns quickly and understands the team ethic we race by. I believe we have a very strong unit going to Japan and that we can challenge once again for LMP2 victory.”
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FERRARI’S CHRISTINA NIELSEN AT PETIT LE MANS SEEKING A PLACE IN HISTORY
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Braselton, 29 September 2016 – The Petit Le Mans race will be held this weekend at Road Atlanta. In the final race of the IMSA Sports Car Championship one woman is a single step away from history in the GT-Daytona class. Christina Nielsen at the wheel of the Ferrari 488 GT3 of Scuderia Corsa aims to win the IMSA title with Alessandro Balzan in the ten-hour (or thousand-mile) race, which will start at 11 am on Saturday (5 pm CET).
Season to remember. Christina, just 24, is in her first season with Ferrari and after a sixth place in the 24 Hours of Daytona with the 458 Italia, drove the new 488 GT3 on its debut to victory in the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring with Balzan and Jeff Segal. The Ferrari no. 63 has never missed out on the top positions this season and notched up another great achievement with victory in the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen. After third place at the Circuit of the Americas two weeks ago Christina was just one step away from the title. Now she just has to finish the job while also trying to win the North American Endurance Cup, which only includes the results obtained in the classics of Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and the Petit Le Mans.
Fast women. If Christina Nielsen were to win the IMSA championship she would join a very select club of women champions. While the Dane is not the first woman to triumph at the 12 Hours of Sebring, she would become the only one to have also won the IMSA title, against more than 50 opponents and six different manufacturers, a level of competition unavailable in Europe. Nielsen, with a 2016 to remember, has already become one of the fastest women in the world, comparable with stars of the calibre of driver and journalist Denise McCluggage, who triumphed in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1961 in the GT class behind the wheel of a Ferrari 250 GT SWB, or Lyn St. James, twice queen of Daytona and Sebring, but also two-time Le Mans winner Marie-Claude Charmasson, the multifaceted Michel Mouton, runner-up in the 1982 world rally championship in the days of the scary Group B cars and class winner at the 24 Hours Le Mans, Jutta Kleinschmidt the dominator of the Dakar and finally the great Lella Lombardi, who is still the only woman to have taken points in Formula 1.
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WSC: Scuderia Corsa and Balzan-Nielsen win the GTD Team and Drivers’ Titles with the Ferrari 488 GT3 at the Petit Le Mans! The duo, joined by Segal, finishes on the podium for the seventh time in the season. In GTLM the Ferrari 488 GTE takes its first and long-awaited American victory thanks to Risi Competizione and Vilander-Fisichella-Calado! http://races.ferrari.com/…/imsa-scc-...n-clin…/
Yaha!!!
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Blancpain GT Series: the Ferrari 488 GT3 does it again; Kessel Racing and Piccini-Broniszweski win the GT3 PRO AM Team and Drivers’ Titles at Barcelona in the Blancpain Sprint Cup! AF Corse and Sdanewitsch achieve the Blancpain GT Series GT3 AM Team and Drivers’ crowns with the Ferrari 458 Italia GT3. Rinaldi Racing takes victory in the Main Race in GT3 PRO AM. http://races.ferrari.com/…/blancpain...iszews…/
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