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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Shanghai WEC Notebook
News and notes on the eve of the FIA WEC season-ending Six Hours of Shanghai...
Check out the latest news and notes ahead of Sunday's FIA WEC Six Hours of Shanghai. (Photo: John Dagys)
ASIAN LE MANS SERIES LAUNCHED — This weekend’s Six Hours of Shanghai was site of the official launch for the new Asian Le Mans Series, which will see a six-race calendar in four countries for 2013. The season kicks off at Zhuhai in April, followed by rounds in Shanghai, Ordos, Autopia (South Korea), Fuji and ending in Sentul, Indonesia in December.
Craft Racing AMR was among the teams represented during Saturday’s press conference, with the GT Asia squad confirming it will enter a pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT3s in the GTC category. Team owner Frank Yu and commercial director Darryl O’Young will be among the team’s drivers, with Aston Martin Racing providing technical support.
Mark Thomas, managing director of S2M Group (Asian LMS promoter), says they aim to have between 18-20 entries next year spread among the LMP2, LMPC, GTE and GTC categories, which will all embrace the Pro-Am driver format. Additionally, each entry must have at least one Asian driver.
REBELLION CONSIDERING HYBRID — Fresh off overall victory in last weekend’s Petit Le Mans, Rebellion Racing is already looking ahead to next year, and that could include the addition of a Flybrid mechanical hybrid system to its Lola B12/60 Toyotas, according to team manager Bart Hayden.
"When Lola did the update they specifically did the bell housing so it can accommodate the Flybrid and we have that right now in our car," Hayden told SPEED.com. "In theory, we could bolt the hybrid system in today.
"We're talking with the guys. Flybrid are obviously developing it. It's great that Dyson has bitten the bullet and have gone with it because there's no doubt testing it in tests and racing it in races are two different things.
"So they're getting through the teething problems. We'd be interested in looking at it."
NOTES FROM PADDOCK
** All six of Toyota’s drivers will be re-upped for 2013, with the Japanese manufacturer working towards a two-car full-season FIA WEC entry and three cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Due to their Super GT and F1 commitments, Kaz Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi are not expected to contest every round.
** Porsche confirmed to SPEED.com Saturday that the end of the 997 development program has also resulted in Team Felbermayr-Proton and Manthey Racing also not continuing in a factory supported capacity. No word has been given on the race debut of the 991-model Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, which would see a heavy factory presence during its testing phase.
** Aston Martin Racing managing director John Gaw told SPEED.com that he’s hoping to field between two to four Aston Martin Vantage V8s next year in WEC, ideally a pair each in GTE-Pro and GTE-Am.
** Just two weeks after clinching the FIA WEC LMP2 title, Starworks Motorsport team owner Peter Baron is not here in Shanghai this weekend. Revealed in a SPEED.com exclusive, Baron is working to confirm a two-car HPD assault for 2013, with Enzo Potolicchio going his separate way.
** Jan Charouz has replaced Vitantonio Liuzzi at the wheel of the class pole-sitting No. 32 Lotus LMP2 Lola B12/80 Lotus this weekend. The Czech driver, who started the year with ADR-Delta, will share the wheel with James Rossiter and American Kevin Weeda.
** There are indications that the new Lotus T128 will make its on-track testing debut in December. Five chassis will initially be built, with two going to the Kodewa team for a full-season FIA WEC program. Talks, meanwhile, continue with prospective customer teams in both North America and Europe. The car can be sold with or without the Lotus-badged Judd V8 powerplant, per the spirit of LMP2 cost-capped rules.
** No fewer than ten drivers had raced at Shanghai International Circuit prior to this weekend. With six starts in Formula One, Giancarlo Fisichella has the most experience of the 3.38-mile circuit, including a podium finish in 2007.
WATCH THE RACE LIVE — While you can catch highlights of every FIA WEC race on SPEED2, those wanting to follow the action live tomorrow can tune into: http://live.fiawec.com for video streaming and commentary from Radio Le Mans, beginning Saturday at 11 p.m. ET. Live Timing and Scoring and text updates are also available in the portal, making it a one-stop for everything you need in order to keep up with the action.
SPOTTERS GUIDE— Thanks to the support of EYECOON, Andy Blackmore’s popular Spotter’s Guide, a mainstay in the ALMS and 24 Hours of Le Mans, is now available for the FIA WEC. Featuring all 28 entries for Sunday’s Six Hours of Shanghai, Andy’s guide is a must-have, whether you’re headed to the circuit tomorrow or will be watching it from home.
Click Here to download Andy’s guide.
PHOTOS: Six Hours of Shanghai Gallery
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Craft Racing AMR was among the teams represented during Saturday’s press conference, with the GT Asia squad confirming it will enter a pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT3s in the GTC category. Team owner Frank Yu and commercial director Darryl O’Young will be among the team’s drivers, with Aston Martin Racing providing technical support.
Mark Thomas, managing director of S2M Group (Asian LMS promoter), says they aim to have between 18-20 entries next year spread among the LMP2, LMPC, GTE and GTC categories, which will all embrace the Pro-Am driver format. Additionally, each entry must have at least one Asian driver.
REBELLION CONSIDERING HYBRID — Fresh off overall victory in last weekend’s Petit Le Mans, Rebellion Racing is already looking ahead to next year, and that could include the addition of a Flybrid mechanical hybrid system to its Lola B12/60 Toyotas, according to team manager Bart Hayden.
"When Lola did the update they specifically did the bell housing so it can accommodate the Flybrid and we have that right now in our car," Hayden told SPEED.com. "In theory, we could bolt the hybrid system in today.
"We're talking with the guys. Flybrid are obviously developing it. It's great that Dyson has bitten the bullet and have gone with it because there's no doubt testing it in tests and racing it in races are two different things.
"So they're getting through the teething problems. We'd be interested in looking at it."
NOTES FROM PADDOCK
** All six of Toyota’s drivers will be re-upped for 2013, with the Japanese manufacturer working towards a two-car full-season FIA WEC entry and three cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Due to their Super GT and F1 commitments, Kaz Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi are not expected to contest every round.
** Porsche confirmed to SPEED.com Saturday that the end of the 997 development program has also resulted in Team Felbermayr-Proton and Manthey Racing also not continuing in a factory supported capacity. No word has been given on the race debut of the 991-model Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, which would see a heavy factory presence during its testing phase.
** Aston Martin Racing managing director John Gaw told SPEED.com that he’s hoping to field between two to four Aston Martin Vantage V8s next year in WEC, ideally a pair each in GTE-Pro and GTE-Am.
** Just two weeks after clinching the FIA WEC LMP2 title, Starworks Motorsport team owner Peter Baron is not here in Shanghai this weekend. Revealed in a SPEED.com exclusive, Baron is working to confirm a two-car HPD assault for 2013, with Enzo Potolicchio going his separate way.
** Jan Charouz has replaced Vitantonio Liuzzi at the wheel of the class pole-sitting No. 32 Lotus LMP2 Lola B12/80 Lotus this weekend. The Czech driver, who started the year with ADR-Delta, will share the wheel with James Rossiter and American Kevin Weeda.
** There are indications that the new Lotus T128 will make its on-track testing debut in December. Five chassis will initially be built, with two going to the Kodewa team for a full-season FIA WEC program. Talks, meanwhile, continue with prospective customer teams in both North America and Europe. The car can be sold with or without the Lotus-badged Judd V8 powerplant, per the spirit of LMP2 cost-capped rules.
** No fewer than ten drivers had raced at Shanghai International Circuit prior to this weekend. With six starts in Formula One, Giancarlo Fisichella has the most experience of the 3.38-mile circuit, including a podium finish in 2007.
WATCH THE RACE LIVE — While you can catch highlights of every FIA WEC race on SPEED2, those wanting to follow the action live tomorrow can tune into: http://live.fiawec.com for video streaming and commentary from Radio Le Mans, beginning Saturday at 11 p.m. ET. Live Timing and Scoring and text updates are also available in the portal, making it a one-stop for everything you need in order to keep up with the action.
SPOTTERS GUIDE— Thanks to the support of EYECOON, Andy Blackmore’s popular Spotter’s Guide, a mainstay in the ALMS and 24 Hours of Le Mans, is now available for the FIA WEC. Featuring all 28 entries for Sunday’s Six Hours of Shanghai, Andy’s guide is a must-have, whether you’re headed to the circuit tomorrow or will be watching it from home.
Click Here to download Andy’s guide.
PHOTOS: Six Hours of Shanghai Gallery
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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