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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: WEC Silly Season Heating Up
John Dagys breaks down the confirmed, likely and rumored entries for the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship...
Silly season is heating up in the FIA World Endurance Championship. (Photo: John Dagys)
While the first season of the new-look FIA World Endurance Championship is less than two weeks in the books, manufacturers, teams and drivers are already looking ahead to the possibilities of 2013.
Silly season is already in full swing, with numerous new and existing programs in the process of being confirmed over the coming weeks. Despite the entry deadline not being until mid-January, FIA WEC CEO Gerard Neveu’s prediction of 32-33 full-season teams appears to be well in order.
READ: Revised Driver Classifications For 2013
SPEED.com breaks down some of the confirmed, likely and rumored entries for next year’s championship, which kicks off at Silverstone in April.
LMP1
Audi Sport Team Joest — While no formal announcement has been made, Audi is no doubt expected to defend its World Championship, with no fewer than two 2013-spec R18s in the capable hands of Audi Sport Team Joest.
Upgrades to the diesel-powered coupe are expected, especially considering Toyota’s impressive performance in the second half of the season. Tire wear, its front wheel-driven hybrid system and aerodynamics are all likely to be under evaluation. Audi could debut its 2013 model at Sebring, one month prior to the WEC season opener.
On the drivers front, there are no indications of any major shakeup for the German manufacturers’ full-season WEC pilots, although Porsche factory drivers on-loan Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas are not expected to feature in the four rings’ lineup amid development of Porsche’s new LMP1 contender.
Toyota Racing — Following an impressive three wins in the final four races, Toyota heads into 2013 with plenty of momentum and will be looking to challenge Audi on equal grounds. The Japanese manufacturer has essentially confirmed at least one full-season entry for next year, with work continuing to field a second Toyota TS030 Hybrid for all eight rounds as well.
A third car is also likely for Le Mans, which would result in a drastically expanded program that would require additional drivers. For now, though, it’s known that all six of Toyota’s 2012 pilots - Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre, Kaz Nakajima, Stephane Sarrazin, Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi - have been retained. If a second full-season car gets confirmed, it’s likely Sarrazin and Davidson that would be pulled into action.
Rebellion Racing — The breakout LMP1 Privateer team of 2012, Rebellion Racing is expected to return with its pair of Lola B12/60 Toyotas, possibly with some key upgrades, including Flybid’s mechanical hybrid system. All privateer teams in the premier prototype category are poised to receive a performance increase, to help close the gap to the factory competition.
OAK Racing — Having battled through a challenging season, which saw Guillaume Moreau, one of its star drivers, on the sidelines with a broken back, OAK Racing will be looking for better fortunes in 2013.
With an engine contract with HPD for supply of its 3.4-liter V8s already in place, look for at least one of its Onroak Automotive-built LMP1 contenders to be on the grid. A second entry is likely dependent on the outcome of its LMP2 customer sales and potentially funded drivers.
Strakka Racing — Following a return to LMP1 in 2012, the all-British squad is set to continue with its HPD ARX-03a, which will see aero and tire upgrades for next year. While there had been rumors of a possible switch to the ALMS, it’s believed those talks were a last resort if new BoP measures for the LMP1 Privateers were not put into place.
JRM Racing — The series’ second team campaigning the Wirth Research-designed prototype is expected to also return, potentially as a two-car operation if funding is sourced. A switch to full-size front tires and other aero updates should make the HPD ARX-03a a more competitive package next season, in what will be a transitional year until the new class regulations take effect in 2014.
ORECA — As providers of trackside operations for Toyota’s factory program, there has been whispers that the successful French organization may field its own semi-works TS030 Hybrid next year, similar to its previous campaign with Peugeot. It’s unclear if a potential ORECA Toyota would be for a full-season WEC attack or just for Le Mans... or just wishful thinking altogether.
LIkely Entries: 8
Possible Additional Entries: 2-3
Silly season is already in full swing, with numerous new and existing programs in the process of being confirmed over the coming weeks. Despite the entry deadline not being until mid-January, FIA WEC CEO Gerard Neveu’s prediction of 32-33 full-season teams appears to be well in order.
READ: Revised Driver Classifications For 2013
SPEED.com breaks down some of the confirmed, likely and rumored entries for next year’s championship, which kicks off at Silverstone in April.
LMP1
Audi Sport Team Joest — While no formal announcement has been made, Audi is no doubt expected to defend its World Championship, with no fewer than two 2013-spec R18s in the capable hands of Audi Sport Team Joest.
Upgrades to the diesel-powered coupe are expected, especially considering Toyota’s impressive performance in the second half of the season. Tire wear, its front wheel-driven hybrid system and aerodynamics are all likely to be under evaluation. Audi could debut its 2013 model at Sebring, one month prior to the WEC season opener.
On the drivers front, there are no indications of any major shakeup for the German manufacturers’ full-season WEC pilots, although Porsche factory drivers on-loan Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas are not expected to feature in the four rings’ lineup amid development of Porsche’s new LMP1 contender.
Toyota Racing — Following an impressive three wins in the final four races, Toyota heads into 2013 with plenty of momentum and will be looking to challenge Audi on equal grounds. The Japanese manufacturer has essentially confirmed at least one full-season entry for next year, with work continuing to field a second Toyota TS030 Hybrid for all eight rounds as well.
A third car is also likely for Le Mans, which would result in a drastically expanded program that would require additional drivers. For now, though, it’s known that all six of Toyota’s 2012 pilots - Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre, Kaz Nakajima, Stephane Sarrazin, Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi - have been retained. If a second full-season car gets confirmed, it’s likely Sarrazin and Davidson that would be pulled into action.
Rebellion Racing — The breakout LMP1 Privateer team of 2012, Rebellion Racing is expected to return with its pair of Lola B12/60 Toyotas, possibly with some key upgrades, including Flybid’s mechanical hybrid system. All privateer teams in the premier prototype category are poised to receive a performance increase, to help close the gap to the factory competition.
OAK Racing — Having battled through a challenging season, which saw Guillaume Moreau, one of its star drivers, on the sidelines with a broken back, OAK Racing will be looking for better fortunes in 2013.
With an engine contract with HPD for supply of its 3.4-liter V8s already in place, look for at least one of its Onroak Automotive-built LMP1 contenders to be on the grid. A second entry is likely dependent on the outcome of its LMP2 customer sales and potentially funded drivers.
Strakka Racing — Following a return to LMP1 in 2012, the all-British squad is set to continue with its HPD ARX-03a, which will see aero and tire upgrades for next year. While there had been rumors of a possible switch to the ALMS, it’s believed those talks were a last resort if new BoP measures for the LMP1 Privateers were not put into place.
JRM Racing — The series’ second team campaigning the Wirth Research-designed prototype is expected to also return, potentially as a two-car operation if funding is sourced. A switch to full-size front tires and other aero updates should make the HPD ARX-03a a more competitive package next season, in what will be a transitional year until the new class regulations take effect in 2014.
ORECA — As providers of trackside operations for Toyota’s factory program, there has been whispers that the successful French organization may field its own semi-works TS030 Hybrid next year, similar to its previous campaign with Peugeot. It’s unclear if a potential ORECA Toyota would be for a full-season WEC attack or just for Le Mans... or just wishful thinking altogether.
LIkely Entries: 8
Possible Additional Entries: 2-3
Monterey
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