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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Shanghai WEC Preview
John Dagys previews this weekend’s FIA WEC season-ending Six Hours of Shanghai...
The FIA WEC Drivers' World Championship will be decided between the two Audi squads this weekend in China. (Photo: John Dagys)
After visiting seven countries on four continents and logging nearly 70 hours of race time, the inaugural season of the FIA World Endurance Championship comes to a close this weekend in China, with the first-ever running of the Six Hours of Shanghai.
Held at the ultra-modern Shanghai International Circuit, Sunday’s season finale will see Audi and Toyota go head to head for one final time this year, with two titles also still on the line in the globe-trotting sports car championship.
While Audi has already clinched the Manufacturers’ World Championship some three months ago, the Drivers’ World Championship has come down to the factory squad’s two lineups.
Two-time and defending 24 Hours of Le Mans winners Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler hold a 16.5-point lead over teammates Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen.
A fifth place finish overall result or higher for the No. 1 trio, no matter where the No. 2 car of McNish and Kristensen finish, would make Lotterer, Treluyer and Fassler World Champions.
It could be easier said than done, though, especially with Toyota, fresh off its second victory in the last three races, likely being a formidable contender to the pair of R18 e-tron quattros yet again.
“We want to battle for race victory at the finale; it’s important for us to finish in front of Toyota,” Treluyer said. “At the same time, for my team-mates and me, it’s also about the drivers’ world championship."
For McNish and Kristensen, their only real hope will come if the No. 1 car hits problems, and even then, they’ll have to push for the overall win.
“The race will be the high point of the season,” McNish said. That’s when the drivers’ world championship will be decided. For Tom and I to have any chance left at all we’ll have to clinch victory."
Fresh off a monumental win on home soil, Toyota’s TS030 Hybrid will be looking for its third win of the year, in what’s turned into a surprisingly impressive second-half of the season for the Japanese manufacturer.
With Kaz Nakajima again on Super GT duty, it will be Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre handling driving duties of the No. 7 entry this weekend.
The other title race still up for grabs is in GTE-Am, with the team’s Endurance Trophy set to go to either championship leaders Larbre Competition or Team Felbermayr-Proton, currently on a 20-point spread.
The German squad could have their work cut out for them, as Larbre will be crowned champions if just one of their Corvette C6.Rs makes it to the checkered flag.
Larbre’s No. 50 entry of Pedro Lamy, Julien Canal and Patrick Bornhauser has been the front-runner all year, but prone to post-race exclusions, leaving the Christophe Bourret, Pascal Gibon and Jean-Philippe Belloc-driven No. 70 machine as crucial support in the title race.
Felbermayr-Proton’s No 88 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Christian Ried, Gianluca Roda and Paolo Ruberti, meanwhile, has enjoyed quite a season with four class victories (compared to Larbre’s two), although bolstered by a double-points win at Le Mans for the French team.
Other GTE-Am entries this weekend include Krohn Racing, still in search of its first class victory of the season, as well as the AF-Waltrip Ferrari squad, which returns to action in the hands of Rui Aguas, Marco Cioci and Rob Kauffman.
United Autosports regular Matt Bell, meanwhile, has been a late addition to the No. 55 JWA-Avila Porsche, joining Joel Camathias and Paul Daniels.
Held at the ultra-modern Shanghai International Circuit, Sunday’s season finale will see Audi and Toyota go head to head for one final time this year, with two titles also still on the line in the globe-trotting sports car championship.
While Audi has already clinched the Manufacturers’ World Championship some three months ago, the Drivers’ World Championship has come down to the factory squad’s two lineups.
Two-time and defending 24 Hours of Le Mans winners Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler hold a 16.5-point lead over teammates Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen.
A fifth place finish overall result or higher for the No. 1 trio, no matter where the No. 2 car of McNish and Kristensen finish, would make Lotterer, Treluyer and Fassler World Champions.
It could be easier said than done, though, especially with Toyota, fresh off its second victory in the last three races, likely being a formidable contender to the pair of R18 e-tron quattros yet again.
“We want to battle for race victory at the finale; it’s important for us to finish in front of Toyota,” Treluyer said. “At the same time, for my team-mates and me, it’s also about the drivers’ world championship."
For McNish and Kristensen, their only real hope will come if the No. 1 car hits problems, and even then, they’ll have to push for the overall win.
“The race will be the high point of the season,” McNish said. That’s when the drivers’ world championship will be decided. For Tom and I to have any chance left at all we’ll have to clinch victory."
Fresh off a monumental win on home soil, Toyota’s TS030 Hybrid will be looking for its third win of the year, in what’s turned into a surprisingly impressive second-half of the season for the Japanese manufacturer.
With Kaz Nakajima again on Super GT duty, it will be Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre handling driving duties of the No. 7 entry this weekend.
The other title race still up for grabs is in GTE-Am, with the team’s Endurance Trophy set to go to either championship leaders Larbre Competition or Team Felbermayr-Proton, currently on a 20-point spread.
The German squad could have their work cut out for them, as Larbre will be crowned champions if just one of their Corvette C6.Rs makes it to the checkered flag.
Larbre’s No. 50 entry of Pedro Lamy, Julien Canal and Patrick Bornhauser has been the front-runner all year, but prone to post-race exclusions, leaving the Christophe Bourret, Pascal Gibon and Jean-Philippe Belloc-driven No. 70 machine as crucial support in the title race.
Felbermayr-Proton’s No 88 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Christian Ried, Gianluca Roda and Paolo Ruberti, meanwhile, has enjoyed quite a season with four class victories (compared to Larbre’s two), although bolstered by a double-points win at Le Mans for the French team.
Other GTE-Am entries this weekend include Krohn Racing, still in search of its first class victory of the season, as well as the AF-Waltrip Ferrari squad, which returns to action in the hands of Rui Aguas, Marco Cioci and Rob Kauffman.
United Autosports regular Matt Bell, meanwhile, has been a late addition to the No. 55 JWA-Avila Porsche, joining Joel Camathias and Paul Daniels.
FIA WEC Six Hours of Spa
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