Some changes, old faces and new teams and rules. That's the summary of what Endurance racing brings, especially in the ACO sanctioned series.

The International LeMans Series becomes the FIA World Endurance Championship, with 8 races.

17.03.2012 - 12 hours of Sebring (USA)
05.05.2012 - 6 hours of Spa Francorchamps (Belgium)
16.-17.06.2012 - 24 hours of Le Mans (France)
25.08.2012 - 6 hours of Silverstone (UK)
15.09.2012 - 6 hours of Sao Paulo (Brazil)
29.09.2012 - 6 hours of Bahrain (Bahrain)
14.10.2012 - 6 hours of Mount Fuji (Japan)
11.11.2012 - 6 hours of Zhuhai (China) *to be confirmed by ASN

Selected races will see the new Toyota LMP1.
The LMP1 class competes for two World Championships: Driver's and Manufactors'. LMP2, GTE-PRO and GTE-AM will "only" compete for WEC-trophies. So does the best private LMP1 team. However they have to be regarded as "de facto" World Championships.

The (European) LeMans Series now only features LMP2 prototypes. In addition to last year, the GTC-class (with GT3 cup cars) will premiere in the hope to enlarge the grid. Formula LeMans cars will still be featured in the LeMans Series. The LMS will not share any event with the FIA WEC this year.

01.04.2012 - Paul Ricard (France)
20.05.2012 - Zolder (Belgium)
15.07.2012 - Donington Park (UK)
09.09.2012 - Brno (Czech Rep.)
04.11.2012 - Algarve (Portugal)

Over the big pond to the American LeMans Series which traditionally kicks off with the 12 hours of Sebring and concludes with the Petit LeMans, which both were candidates to be part of the FIA WEC schedule. However only Sebring will be shared by both series.

17.03.2012 - 12 hours of Sebring
14.04.2012 - Grand Prix of Long Beach (1 hour 40 minutes)
12.05.2012 - 6 hours of Monterey at Laguna Seca
07.07.2012 - Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock (2 hours 45 minutes)
22.07.2012 - Grand Prix of Mosport (2 hours 45 minutes)
04.08.2012 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge (2 hours 45 minutes)
18.08.2012 - 4 hours of Road America
01.09.2012 - Baltimore Grand Prix (2 hours)
09./10.2012 - Virginia International Raceway (4 hours)
20.10.2012 - Petit LeMans (1600km/10hours)

As soon as the Blancpain Endurance Series announces their new season, it will also be featured here.

15.04.2012 - 3 hours of Monza (Italy)
03.06.2012 - 3 hours of Silverstone (UK)
01.07.2012 - 3 hours of Paul Ricard (France)
29.07.2012 - 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium)
23.08.2012 - 3 hours of Nürburgring (Germany)
xx.10.2012 - TBA

Grand-Am already has its own thread.

The most important race world wide gets some more words: 53 Teams will be allowed on track. All fulltime WEC-competitors get one spot on the grid. Winning LMS or ALMS, Petit LeMans or 12h of Sebring is now more important if a team wants to compete in the 24-hour race, as the direct invitation allow them to compete. It also will be interetsting to see if and how the Delta Wing will master the race.

the WEC fuji date is a strange one, the korean GP is the same weekend and running at the same time but at least they've given the ALMS a clear weekend at petite, its too close to let any of the manufacturers enter the cars in both but at least it clears the TV coverage

Yeah I'm glad they cleared the Petit weekend, I was really bummed when they speculated (or announced, I forgot) that a race would be on the same weekend.

Quote from PMD9409 :

Yeah I'm glad they cleared the Petit weekend, I was really bummed when they speculated (or announced, I forgot) that a race would be on the same weekend.

it was an announcement a few weeks ago. But Audi was upset with it as well as with other dates. Now some races are on saturdays, which I think can still happen with the Fuji race to avoid F1 TV-wise, and the Petit LeMans was cleared. Hmm,..

Saturdays? They trying to mess up our sim racing schedule now?

Quote from PMD9409 :

Saturdays? They trying to mess up our sim racing schedule now?

I'm sure you can stream races and watch TV at the same time

Infact, you'll probably do it with a burger, just cos your American

I can't control cameras when staring at a TV though.

And sometimes I think the Euros visit more fast food places than us Americans (well, at least me, I never go to them personally). But I probably would be stuffing my face with something during the races, being 10 hours and all.

Baltimore is iffy btw. Apparently the organizers pulled the wool over the worker's eyes and didn't pay them thinking it was all volunteer work.

Quote from TFalke55 :

All fulltime WEC-competitors get one spot on the grid.

You mean entries.

Also now teams can enter 3rd cars for Le Mans (and for other WRC races) without having to do the team name trick because of the dumb "two cars per team" ruie. Obviously in practice this is going to change little since they already did enter three cars just by changing as little as one word in the 3rd cars' official entry name (remember "Team Peugeot Total" & "Peugeot Sport Total"?).

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/media ... 11/Pages/wmsc-071211.aspx

Since 3-car teams are already the norm for serious winner contenders (apparently Toyota isn't one yet) and in future with possibly more factory teams... I think GT-Am's days are numbered.

SRO released the schedule for the Blancpain Endurance Series 2012


15.04.2012 - 3 hours of Monza (Italy)
03.06.2012 - 3 hours of Silverstone (UK)
01.07.2012 - 3 hours of Paul Ricard (France)
29.07.2012 - 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium)
23.08.2012 - 3 hours of Nürburgring (Germany)
xx.10.2012 - TBA

You can update the TBA on the ALMS schedule I believe now.

http://www.autoweek.com/articl ... S/120119858#ixzz1jjitRElH



Good luck on that monster course.

nice choice...

Hmm. In iracing that is the virginia grand east configuration...?
http://members.iracing.com/mem ... amp;nocache=1326823386480

Quote from Hyperactive :

Hmm. In iracing that is the virginia grand east configuration...?
http://members.iracing.com/mem ... amp;nocache=1326823386480

take one more look, it still is the grand west

Yeah they renamed it, no idea why.

Toyota LMP1

Peugeot no more

Wow....

Ending sportscar racing programme with immediate effect.

Another link

Quote from DevilDare :

Peugeot no more

Wow....

Ending sportscar racing programme on immediate effect.

Another link

could anyone expect this? Holy ****

^ Actually yes, there were rumours in past weeks, of reduced program too...

The category can't rely on couple of manufacturers forever but it feels like economy has once again ruined the whatever momentum there was (compare to ALMS after 2008).

Peugeot sucks...

Quote from JackDaMaster :

Toyota LMP1

Back looks like the Peugeot, front looks like the Courage LC75.

was sort of expecting it, from Peugeot using basicly the same car (extensively modified, I know) for all the years while Audi had the R10, R15 and now R18.

Wonder how the new Toyota turns out, hope it is fast enough for some battling with the Audi, or it will become quite dull.

Quote :

@twitter
as we have been reporting the choice given to Quesnel was budget for this year OR for 2014 development NOT both.

https://twitter.com/#!/specuta ... status/159671581579296769

Quote :

Peugeot's Sport department has not been closed as part of today's announced changes – [---] – and it is understood that the door has been left open to future racing programmes should funds once again become available in 2013.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97084

on the brighter side, Pescarolo will enter two cars into the LeMans 24h. It is said, he negotiates with ACO to transfer his spots to the LMP2 class sothat he can enter the (European) LeMans series. If it is not possible he will enter ALMS or WEC.