Simtek wrote:roblomas52 wrote:mario wrote:For what it is worth, according to an article on the Dailysportscar website, one of the preconditions that Audi has insisted on before entering F1 would be the right to enter additional cars "in the most important races". If the sport does make a serious effort to lure VW in, that might lead to a renewed push to allow third cars.
That was an April fools joke that particular article was.
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/04/0 ... paign.html
Even so, at least half the conditions listed in that article are probably true
If it was indeed the case that it was an April Fools Day joke, then I guess I really was more tired and less alert that day than I first thought - as Simtek says, the problem is that a number of those conditions in that article sound like the sorts of things that Audi would demand, and indeed in the past has demanded to see, from the sport as preconditions of entry.
Miguel98 wrote:Wallio wrote:CoopsII wrote:If this is the end of the road for Sauber I won't be able to let go. It's unnatural, Sauber belongs to F1 and F1 belongs to Sauber.
Still I can't let go.
Well they started in sportscars. Maybe they can go back? It's infinitely cheaper than F1, assuming you don't try to outspend Audi.
Well, if your talking about doing a LMP1-H car, it's impossible for Sauber. BMW were interested in entering LMP1-H, but backed off after realizing that in order to be competitive, they need to spend at least €150 million.
If we are talking about LMP1-P, like Rebellion do, it's a whole another question. Is it worth it really? Only Rebellion races there, and while they do make some money I imagine from spending less (their budget seems to be around the €10 million mark), it's a question if they are making any profit what so ever. Probably are, since they are still going, and seem this year a bit stronger than last year.
LMP2 no way, obviously, with the 2017 rules coming in.
So, unless Sauber wanted to start a privateer GT program, if they wanted to come to WEC, they would follow the Rebellion way. The question is, seeing how Sauber has a partnership with Ferrari, if Ferrari would want them to race on GT racing as a privateer squad, using them to develop a fleet of drivers to use in a future LMP1 program. It's really interesting if Marchionne wants Ferrari to join LMP1 in the near future.
Whilst running in the privateer LMP1 class might be possible, it is worth noting that Strakka were planning on entering that class, but they appear to have cancelled all plans for an LMP1 spec car because they thought that it would be too expensive to compete.
There have also been other issues raised about competing in that class, especially given concerns over a prospective shortfall in engine supplies, particularly given that there are no manufacturers that are supplying engines and there are currently no affordable hybrid power units (either from manufacturers or from independent suppliers) for the privateers.
There are also substantial changes to the monocoque coming up in 2018 and, because they relate to changes in safety provisions, the ACO has made clear that there will be no "grandfathering" of older cars - all cars must comply with the new regulations, and there are a lot of concerns that those changes will simply be unaffordable for the privateers.
Hughes de Chaunac pointed out that Rebellion asked Oreca (who produce Rebellion's chassis) not to incorporate any updates into their 2016 chassis, which de Chaunac believes is because Rebellion can't afford to pay Oreca to do any development work. He has made it clear that he is very worried that we could see the privateer class disappear altogether given that they cannot afford to compete (especially since, for political reasons, the manufacturers refuse to allow the privateers to be competitive given it undermines their marketing messages) and none of the LMP2 teams can muster the resources to move up into the LMP1 category.
