ByKOLLES have announced on their website today their car for the 2017 WEC season will be powered by Nismo. The V6-Turbo engine is the same used in the Nissan GT-R LM that raced in the 2015 24 hours of Le Mans.
There had been rumors of the engine possibly serving as the power unit in a DPi car for IMSA, but it appears Nissan have found a home for their V6-Turbo in the WEC via ByKOLLES. Looking back at Nissan’s effort in the 2015 Le Mans race, the engine was perhaps the highlight of the GT-R LM. In a straight line, the car was on pace with the other LMP1 Hybrids, recording some of the highest top speeds down the Mulsanne straight in 2015.
Ultimately the car was uncompetitive in the race due primarily to suspension and other reliability issues not associated with the engine. Nissan also had difficulty with their ambitious dual-hybrid system, providing hybrid power to both the front and rear axles. The car underwent some testing at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin Texas post-Le Mans, but sadly would not see the racing grid again.
ByKOLLES is moving on from their AER engine used in 2016 which proved to be unreliable. Retirements were the norm for the team. As a result, they were not competitive with the other LMP1 non-hybrid team, Rebellion. ByKOLLES are optimistic their package will be able to produces better race results in 2017. Boris Bermes, ByKOLLES’ Head of Operations, via their website explains, “After having to deal with many setbacks in the past due to engine reliability issues, for the 2017 season, we’re expecting a significant improvement in terms of both reliability as well as performance.”
Team ByKOLLES LMP1 2016 ByKOLLES CLM P1/01 Photo Credit: ByKOLLES
Part of this optimism stems from their CLM P1/01 car receiving additional upgrades. Bermes describes, “We’re relentlessly working on numerous additional improvements to our car. As a result of the changes in regulations for 2017, we will be able to make big improvements to both the front and the rear, particularly in aerodynamics.” The Audi-esque approach by ByKOLLES in their 2016 aero package, opting for a F1 inspired raised nose, was one of the better looking aero solutions on the WEC grid. Building upon the 2016 base could feature prominently in a category desperately needing some visual variation.
Barring any last minute surprise entries, ByKOLLES is set to be the only LMP1 non-hybrid car in the 2017 WEC lineup. The privateer team will hope with their upgraded package they can be within striking distance at race end to achieve podium positions.
Regardless of their competitiveness, seeing powered by Nismo across the dorsal fin of an LMP1 again feels right. One can hope Nissan leaving a foot in the WEC pool via ByKOLLES means they will someday soon be fully immersed again.
The WEC full season entry list is scheduled to be revealed live from Le Mans on Thursday February 2nd.
Mercedes, Mercedes, Mercedes, Mercedes… The 2016 F1 season could be summed up in two words, Mercedes dominance. The hybrid engine era that began in 2014 has given teams running Mercedes engines a massive advantage. Three of the top five teams at seasons end in the Constructors Championship ran Mercedes engines. Force India, who finished fourth in the standings, did not even have its 2016 chassis until the fifth round. Yet the team was still able to be competitive in the opening races scoring points.
The factory Mercedes team, Mercedes AMG, secured 20/21 pole positions and 19/21 race victories. Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull Racing (RBR) was able to claim the only non-Mercedes AMG pole at Monte Carlo. RBR was also able to take both non-Mercedes AMG wins in Spain and Malaysia due to mishaps by the Silver Arrows. On merit, Mercedes AMG were bullet proof, often cruising to victory unchallenged from other teams.
PRELUDE TO 2016
The intra-team battle between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton began in the pre-season and carried on even after the final chequered flag flew in Abu Dabi. Prior to becoming teammates at Mercedes AMG, the two became close while being teenagers on go-kart tracks and raced against each other in GP2. Each viewed the other as the closest friend they had on the grid in their years in F1 leading up to becoming teammates. Lewis joined Mercedes AMG in 2014 following the departure of Michael Schumacher and it seemed the perfect pairing. Lewis dominated the 2014 season with Nico picking up occasional wins on Lewis’ off days. However, Nico eventually grew tired of living in Lewis’ shadow and a rivalry was born…
The Genesis for the rivalry took place on a wet and windy day at The Circuit of The Americas in Austin Texas. A wet track is known in F1 as the great equalizer. Advantages from superior equipment are almost entirely negated. Race wins in these conditions ultimately come down to the sharpness of the driver toeing the razor thin margin of control and speed. Many breakthrough drives for the greats of F1 have taken place in conditions as such, and Nico was set up to take such a win as the laps ticked away at the 2015 United States Grand Prix.
With about 8 laps remaining, Nico lead Lewis comfortably and looked set to claim the win. Although Nico had beaten Lewis before, usually the circumstances of those races played a role. No one had seen Nico dominate Lewis like he did in Austin this weekend. Entering turn 16, the tracks quadruple apex right hander, Nico momentarily lost control and went off track, handing Lewis the lead and eventually the win. Dejected, Nico sat in the post-race cool down room awaiting the podium ceremony having finished second. Lewis entered, donned his first place Pirelli hat, grabbed Nico’s second place hat from the table, and threw it in Nico’s lap while he was sulking. Nico quickly grabbed the hat and threw it back at Lewis who turned and left the room without exchanging a word. Lewis later dismissed the incident as “just our typical games…” Sure.
In the following interviews and briefings, Mercedes AMG declared Nico lost control due to an unexpected gust of wind. Bear in mind there had been sustained winds of 20-40 Mph the entire race weekend. The loss for Nico changed his mentality, and shaped what followed for the remainder of the 2015 season.
With a comfortable points lead, Lewis cruised in the remaining three races to claim his second straight Drivers Championship and third overall. Nico’s response? He won out. Taking home the largest trophy of the podium offerings at Mexico, Brazil, and Abu Dabi.
Just prior to the 2016 season, Mercedes AMG curiously switched the assignments of the mechanics in their garage without giving much reason. Those responsible for Lewis’ 2015 car were now at the disposal of Nico. Not happy with the decision, Lewis carried on without voicing much opposition. For the time being. The table was set for 2016 headlined by a head-to-head battle between teammates.
2016 F1 SEASON
The multi-billion dollar circus that is F1 kicked off in Melbourne Australia as it frequently does. Pre-season hopes of the competition gaining ground on Mercedes were quickly put to rest. A Merc 1-2 at Melbourne with Rosberg winning indicated another dominant season for Mercedes AMG yet again. A bad start for Lewis allowed Nico to jump into the lead, who controlled the race through the final flag. Fernando Alonso had the scariest crash of the season in Australia. Shards of carbon filled the air as the car rolled and flipped to a stop. Traveling at about 200 Mph at contact, Fernando walking away with only a few broken ribs is a testament to the level of safety modern F1 cars possess.
The following rounds went Nico’s way as well. Wins at Bahrain, China, and Russia made it seven straight for Nico carrying over from the end of 2015. Lewis was suffering from poor starts and reliability issues he later would attribute to the mechanic swap. At one point in the season Lewis asked Nico directly, “tell me, what reasons were you given for the changes before the season? I’d love to hear if they told you the same they told me… Maybe I’ll put it in my book someday.”
All was not well at Mercedes AMG. At the fifth round of the Championship, and the beginning of the European leg of the season, the intra-team battle came to a boil. Hamilton claimed pole, Nico second, followed by the two Red Bulls, and two Ferrari’s. Hamilton needed to win to get his title defense back on track. A good start was crucial. As the cars lined up on the grid at the Circuit de Catalunya, near Barcelona, Hamilton angled his car towards Nico’s line, a classic blocking tactic to defend down the long straight. The starting lights illuminated one by one until are were red. The drivers BPM and their engines RPM seemingly synced. The lights went out, the race was on!
Lewis flew to the center of the track and Nico quickly tucked in to get a tow down the straight. The two had nearly identical starts but the draft meant Nico would have the higher speed into turn one. Lewis knew he had to act. He began to weave slightly to try to create turbulence for Nico and disrupt the airflow over the hyper sensitive carbon flicks, frills and gills that make up an F1 chassis. As he angled to the inside of the track, Nico saw his opportunity and carried his momentum to the racing line on the outside of turn one. Lacking the grip due to being off-line, Lewis was unable to drive deep into the corner and had to brake early allowing Nico to go around the outside to take the lead.
Another botched start meant Lewis was staring at the back of his teammate through turn two. Seething his mistaken launch, an opportunity literally flashed right in front of Lewis’ eyes.
The complexity of the hybrid power unit in F1 means that cars are often not running at their full power potential. The driver controls the engine settings using a dial on their steering wheel. The dial allows the driver to toggle between modes that determine the amount of engine power going to the wheels. In this case, Nico was in the wrong setting…
Ahead, Lewis could see his teammates brake lights flashing indicating the engine was harvesting power for the hybrid system. Lewis had to act fast.
Coming out of turn three, Lewis dove dramatically down the inside of Nico who immediately chopped across the full width of the track blocking Lewis into the grass. Unable to control his #44 Mercedes, Lewis spun sideways, ultimately collecting Nico in the process.
When the gravel finally settled. The two drivers emerged from their cars in a scene reminiscent of Senna and Prost at Suzuka in 1990. The acrid smell of burnt rubber filled the air as the noise of the remaining cars faded further away. Albeit the one at fault, the move demonstrated Nico would no longer bow to his teammate. Lewis’ title defense was in severe jeopardy.
Daniel Ricciardo inherited the lead, but it would be his new teammate Max Verstappen taking the win for Red Bull Racing (RBR), the first of his career. The race not only marked Nico as the title favorite for the Drivers title, RBR became the favorites to pick up the pieces should either Merc encounter problems during a race.
The accident lit a fire under Lewis, who won back to back at Monaco and Canada. Nico responded at the European Grand Prix claiming top spot of the podium at the new Baku City Circuit. Nearing the mid-point of the season, the Austrian GP was next on the calendar.
A wild race from start to finish, Hamilton lead until pitting on lap 21 where a slow stop handed the lead to Nico. Lewis stayed within striking distance and as the laps wound down, he had the advantage with fresh rubber. On the final lap, Lewis pulled to the outside on the back straight in an attempt to pass Nico and pulled ahead going into one of the last corners. Instead of turning in towards the corners apex, Nico continued straight causing contact with Lewis sending him off-track. As Lewis rejoined the track, Nico’s wing shook loose sending sparks in the air. Unable to maintain race speed with the damage, Nico fell behind Lewis who waved as he passed for the lead to claim the win. Nico hobbled his Merc to the line, finishing fourth behind Verstappen’s RBR and Raikkonen’s Ferrari.
Boo’s welcome faultless Hamilton at the podium ceremony who responded at the podium interview, “it’s not my problem it’s theirs.” Toto Wolff dodged questions regarding the incident and simply said he was fed up with answering questions regarding accidents between the two emphasizing such incidents needed to stop.
Lewis won the next three races at Silverstone, the Hungaroring and the Nurburgring making it four straight. Nico then claimed Spa, Monza, and Singapore. The points gap over this time was virtually unchanged. Round 16 at Malaysia proved to be another pivotal point in the season.
Nico entered Sepang with an eight point lead over Lewis. With a win, Lewis would be at worst one point behind Nico heading into the final four races. Lewis took pole position in qualifying, Nico second. In the first corner, four time World Champion Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari clipped and spun Nico. As the grid passed, Nico found himself in 20th position. Lewis controlled the race ahead of the two Red Bulls while Nico climbed his way back through the grid. On lap 40, the near bulletproof Mercedes engine in Lewis’ #44 failed in a plume of smoke, forcing him to retire the car. Daniel Ricciardo would take the win ahead of his teammate Max Verstappen. Nico was able to climb to third rounding out the podium positions and take critical points in his Championship push.
Lewis won four out of the five remaining races but would ultimately come up five points short of Nico in his title defense. Nico Rosberg was World Champion.
Shortly after the end of the season, Nico Rosberg retired from racing in a move that shocked many. His retirement opened a seat in the most desirable car on the grid. Weeks of speculation and rumors culminated in Valteri Bottas from Williams receiving the drive. The partnership between the two Mercedes powered teams ultimately played a role in the final decision. 2017 testing was under way.
2017 RULE/SPECIFICATION CHANGES
The governing body of F1, the FIA, have introduced some specification changes in an effort to produce quicker lap times. When the new engines were introduced in 2014, the cars were 2-3 seconds a lap slower than they’re V8 predecessors. Many began to scrutinize F1 citing that the element of danger had been taken away from the sport. Some noted the LMP1’s of the WEC were producing lap times within the same range as F1 cars. In the FIA’s eyes, sports cars producing comparable times to the top level of racing in the world was unacceptable.
Beginning in 2017; cars will be running taller, wider tires. Rear wing height has been lowered. Aerodynamicists also have more freedom in front wing design and along the cars’ sidepods.
The changes should result in a more aesthetically pleasing car as well as 2-4 second faster lap times. The cars will most noticeably faster in the corners due to the increased grip levels. Some are estimating drivers will be able to travel about 40 Kph faster in the quickest corners.
With the throwback look pairing tire sizes from the 80’s-90’s era and the low wings of the 90’s-00’s, F1 organizers hope to attract more attention to the sport through the cars visual appeal. The question remains, will these changes result in more entertaining races?
2017 NOTABLE TEAMS AND DRIVERS
THE CHALLENGERS: The team posing the most threat to Mercedes dominance is Red Bull Racing. In 2016, RBR was the only team to draw blood against the Goliath Silver Arrows. Recording pole at Monaco, and wins at the Spanish and Malaysian GP’s, RBR was there to claim top honors after Mercedes mishaps. The team also has the fortune of rostering the two best young drivers on the grid.
Daniel Ricciardo; magnetic, charming and hungry for his first title, will be in his third season with the team. Ricciardo has been impressive since joining the team as Mark Webbers replacement in 2014. The Australian out-performed reigning four time Champion Sebastian Vettel in his final year with RBR in 2014. The young Aussie has claimed wins in each of the three years with RBR and has been the most successful non-Merc pilot in the F1 lineup. His energetic personality, enormous grin, and shoey podium celebration have made him a fan favorite. However, there is another…
Max Verstappen; undeniably fast, wreckless, and fearless is the driver coupled with Ricciardo. The teen burst onto the scene for RBR’s junior F1 team, Toro Rosso, in 2015 and immediately flashed his potential. The Dutchman is undoubtedly the most exciting driver to watch on the track. He recorded most passes in 2015. However, controversy has arisen over the drivers defensive tactics. Verstappen has drawn criticism about moving off his line in the braking zone effectively blocking and, in some cases, causing accidents with other cars. Most notably, Sebastian Vettel has made his displeasure quite clear over numerous radio transmissions during the 2016 season. The FIA took action declaring they would begin penalizing drivers who changed their line under breaking. And so became “the Verstappen rule.” Predictably, enforcing the rule became a fiasco, and the FIA declared they removed the rule for 2017.
Verstappen beat Ricciardo for the victory at the Spanish GP to claim his first career win. The two were neck and neck the entire race, but Verstappen ended up on the better tire strategy in the end. The inverse proved to be true in Malaysia where Ricciardo took his only win of the season. Arguably, this is the most competitive pairing in F1. Ricciardo is more consistent, poised, and calculating. His nickname as “The Smiling Assassin,” represents both his character and race craft. Finishing third in the 2016 Championship, the Aussie is right there on the brink of competing for a title of his own. Max will need to harness his raw, daring, and aggressive style to create something magical. Something he is certainly capable of as demonstrated by his march through the grid in pouring rain at Interlagos (Brazil) in 2016.
As impressive as RBR’s driver lineup is, the rock star of the team is Lead Aerodynamicist Adrian Newey. He has designed cars for multiple World Champions in his career, and is looking to add another. Preferring his pencil and sketchpad to computers and CADD systems, Newey may be able to put his brilliance on display with the freedoms afforded aerodynamically due to the 2017 regulations.
If RBR challenges Mercedes AMG for the tile this year it will have to overcome the deficiencies of their Renault power unit. The engine is the weakest on the grid save for Honda, maybe. RBR complained so much about the lack of push from the engine in 2015 they rebranded the engine as a TAG Hauer, named after the Swiss watchmaking brand, one of their title sponsors. Renault did so to avoid the negative press they were routinely receiving. The 2017 regulations scrapped the token system which assigned values to upgrading various engine components, limiting the engine suppliers to a certain number of tokens per year. This should allow Renault to claw back some competitiveness relative to Mercedes by being allowed to freely develop their engine.
THE DARK HORSES: Scuderia Ferrari. No team has more trophies. No team has more Championships. Scuderia Ferrari is F1.
The burden of such prominence has been weighing down the prancing horse since last claiming the Constructors Championship in 2008. The team did not achieve success with Fernando Alonso, who many experts say is the best driver on the grid, nor has it with Sebastian Vettel. Can the scarlet red cars from Marenello take the fight back to Mercedes?
Four time Champion Sebastian Vettel envisioned bringing titles back to Ferrari when he joined the team from RBR in 2015. Initially, his optimism was contagious with the team, picking up a race win in his second race with the team at Malaysia. He would win two more Grand Prix’s that season. The expectation by fans and F1 pundits was that once Ferrari came to terms with their engine, Vettel would be routinely challenging Hamilton for wins. Instead, the gap between the teams have widened. Vettel has grown visibly more and more frustrated with the team. In his years with RBR, the German seemed cheery, thankful and generous to fans, mechanics, media, and fellow drivers. Now he has become short tempered and noticeably frustrated by any adversity he encounters. His talent level is still as high as anyone’s on the grid. Vettel needs to recapture his mental toughness if he is going to maximize his chances in 2017. Despite being off his game, Vettel has the honor of being the most difficult driver to pass as he was only over taken once during the entire 2016 season. The single overtake? Max Verstappen, in the pouring rain at Brazil.
“Leave me alone I know what I am doing…” The Iceman, Kimi Raikonnen. Always one for (few) words. Perhaps the perfect teammate for Vettel at Ferrari, the Iceman brought Ferrari it’s last Drivers Championship in 2007, and if it were not for a spin in a legendary duel with Hamilton at Spa in 2008, could have repeated as Champion the following year. Past his prime, Raikonnen still has the pace to compete… when he feels the urge to. Although still consistently among the sharp end of the grid (frequently finishing in the top 5), the Finn is not at the point in his career where he is trying to challenge for Championships. The Iceman is content with remaining part of the F1 circus as a means to go to the best parties in the world and drive fast cars. Not such a bad life, right?
The Championship drought Ferrari find themselves in is unacceptable in the eyes of their fans. Expectations for the team necessitate consistent race wins and season long titles. Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene is on the hot seat as the future of Ferrari is listing away from equilibrium. The tension in the garage is felt by everyone. Can Ferrari get off the mat and fight back in 2017?
In his breakthrough win at Monza (Italian GP) in 2008 for Toro Rosso (Red Bulls junior team who runs a Ferrari engine) Sebastian Vettel stood atop the podium looking out at the sea of red Ferrari fans, the Tifosi, as they cheered and celebrated the victory. In that moment, Vettel knew he one day wanted to race for Ferrari. To bring victories and Championships to the Tifosi as his idol Michael Schumacer did so many times. The reality has been a far cry from the dream to this point. If Vettel is to make good on his dream, he, and Ferrari, need to act soon.
The disarray at the team makes it difficult to pinpoint the issue with the car. Their engine is undoubtedly better than the Renault RBR runs. But down on power significantly from the Mercs. With the aero heavy regulation changes for 2017, Ferrari can make the most significant gains in their aero package. The F1 equivalent of rock, paper, scissors may be engine, aero, drivers. RBR has been fighting Merc’s rock (engine) with their paper (aero) with some success. While Ferrari seems to place emphasis on fighting rock with a less powerful rock of their own. If Ferrari can improve their aero package for 2017, they can take the fight to Mercedes and Red Bull. 2017 is a crucial year for Ferrari as their title drought nears the decade mark.
THE WILD CARDS: Other teams that may stand on the occasional podium and, with a considerable amount of luck, attain a shocking win, include; Williams, Sahara Force India, and McLaren.
Of the three, McLaren field the best driver and have the greatest potential. Returning to their classic orange livery in 2017, the team looks to find their form as the second most decorated team in F1 behind Ferrari. As the only team running a Honda engine, the team has been behind on the development curve from the start of the hybrid era. Honda opted for an aggressive and risky engine design that has yet to pay off. With the removal of the engine token system, Honda now have the freedom to make some much needed upgrades to their power unit. Potentially, Honda have the most to gain in comparison to their competitors.
Lead driver for McLaren, Fernando Alonso, impressed with blistering starts in 2016. The Spanish driver would regularly pass between 3-8 cars in the opening laps of races. Unheard of in F1. In the hands of former Champion Fernando Alonso, McLaren/Honda could shock the F1 community and challenge for podiums on a regular basis.
Both Williams and Sahara Force India benefit from the luxury of running Mercedes engines. The lump pushing their cars keeps them in competition for points at every stop on the calendar. Given the right conditions, both teams will be right there to collect podiums. Challenging for race wins is very unlikely.
THE YANKS: Hailing from Charlotte NC, Hass F1 flies old glory in an attempt to make F1 great again. In their maiden season, Haas was able to get off to a good start achieving points in the first few races. As the season wore on, Haas wore down, languishing towards the back of the grid. It remains unlikely Haas can make significant gains on the field this coming season. The team’s realistic goal is to be in competition for points at more races in 2017.
THE SPOILERS: RBR’s junior team Toro Rosso operates as a means for young drivers in the Red Bull Racing program to get F1 experience before joining the senior team. Both Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen have been successful following the programs design. The teams cars have been racey in the past, most notably in 2008 when Sebastian Vettel took the teams first and only win at Monza. The F1 paddock is already buzzing about Toro Rosso’s 2017 car. Their livery is undoubtedly the best on the grid. With a very similar design to the 2017 Mercedes AMG, drivers Daneil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz Jr have the potential to steal podium positions under the right circumstances. This should be the funnest team to watch in the upcoming season.
THE SILVER ARROWS: Dominance for Mercedes AMG is nearing historical proportions. The team has won all but five races in the last two seasons. Their biggest opponent is the team itself. Botched pit stops and accidents between their two drivers have been the team’s only source of vulnerability. 2017 is set up for another year of Silver bringing home gold.
Lewis Hamilton will take the grid for his fourth season with the team in 2017 as the undisputed number one driver. Lewis possesses the full range of driving skills in his race craft. He is fast over a single lap, a terrific defensive driver, and a bold overtaker. Conveniently for him, he also drives the best car on the grid. This combination is deadly. To put it into perspective, the biggest question that troubles Lewis this season might be whether or not he can win EVERY race… Seriously.
Filling the void left by Nico Rosberg is former Williams driver Valteri Bottas. The move for Valteri is a significant step up from his days with Williams. The Finnish driver has flashed potential in his short career, however it is difficult to get a true measure of his capabilities. The gap between he and his former Williams teammate, Felipe Massa, was not significantly noticeable. Felipe was able to compete with Valteri despite being well past his prime. Most likely, Valteri will make the ideal teammate for Hamilton. His name can be penciled in for a podium every race, but does not pose a real threat to Hamilton.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN 2017
All eyes will be on the timing sheets in Melbourne when the season kicks off. Mercedes AMG was usually a half second to a full second ahead of the grid during the final qualifying session in 2016. This is a massive gap to overcome for the rest of the field. The margin is comparable to a three-touchdown lead in football.
The new regulations do throw a wrench in Mercedes’ dominance. If a team can close the performance gap between their engine and Mercedes, AND come up with a clever aero package, Mercedes may be in trouble. It seems an impossible task with just how brilliantly the Mercedes engine has performed. Even if Merc’s aero package is inferior to another teams, Mercedes can add down force to their wing settings and their brutish engine will push through the increased straight-line drag virtually unaffected. The faster cornering speeds projected in 2017 may play a role in the balance of power if teams like RBR gain a significant advantage over Mercedes.
Silly season looms in 2017 as well . Interestingly, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso all have contracts that expire in 2017. If any of these drivers appear unhappy with the performance of their team, do not rule out a change in team for 2018.
Technical infringements may play a role in 2017 as well. Any time there is a significant change in the regulations, teams often look for grey areas they can exploit to gain an advantage. Typically, this course of action comes from teams looking to take a step up, not from title defenders. Ferrari has already petitioned the FIA regarding Mercedes AMG’s controversial intra-link suspension system. This leaves some questioning if Ferrari have a unique suspension system of their own.
The overarching question for 2017: Will the regulation changes for 2017 afford RBR or Ferrari the opportunity to overcome the disparity between their engines and Mercedes? Or is the Mercedes engine so bullet proof it can power through inferior aero? The answer will be evident in the first few rounds of the Championship.
POINTS SYSTEM AND RULES
Points are awarded to the top ten finishers at each Grand Prix. The points system is as follows:
Each race is about 305 KM long. With the exception of Monaco, which is 260 KM long.
There is a 2 hour cut off. If a race exceeds 2 hours long, the lead driver is given the chequered flag.
If a race is suspended or cut off at the two hour mark without going 75% of the race distance, half points are awarded to the finishers.
Teams choose 3 dry tire compounds to bring for the race weekend out of the 5 Pirelli offers. The tires they select must last through all sessions. Intermediate and full wet tires are unlimited and do not count towards the 3 dry tire compounds teams are allowed to bring.
Teams must use 2 different tire compounds during the race. In the event of rain, the race is declared a wet race and teams no longer are required to use different compounds.
Race stewards police the race with a rotating former driver as part of the team at each Grand Prix. Stewards can assess penalties for any driving infraction that occurs during the race. Penalties include drive-thru, stop-go, and race suspension.
Each Grand Prix is a three day event. Friday consists of two 90 minute free practice sessions (Thursday at Monaco). Saturday consists of one 90 minute free practice session and Qualifying. A knockout system is used for qualifying. There are 3 qualifying sessions. The first session (Q1) lasts 18 minutes and the bottom 6 are eliminated. Q2 lasts 15 minutes and the field is cut by another 6 drivers down to 10. The grid is set in Q3 based on each of the 10 remaining drivers’ single quickest lap time.
Races begin with a standing start. New for 2017, there will be standing restarts after caution periods as well.
The European season kicks off at the Spanish GP and is viewed by many as the true start the season. Most teams are still rolling out upgrades from the off-season in the preceding rounds. The Circuit de Catalunya serves as the testing grounds during the winter break. The track is the truest balance of long straights and corners on the calendar. A car that wins here can win any GP and should be considered the favorite for the Constructors title.
Monte Carlo is special to all drivers. Its history and unique street circuit layout make it a stunning race to watch. The driver’s performance plays a bigger role at Monte Carlo than any other track.
The Belgian Grand Prix is the most scenic and longest track on the calendar. Set in the Ardennes Forrest where the Battle of the Bulge took place in WWII. Soldier pines stand watch outside the courses fences.
Singapore is becoming a favorite for many. The race is the only full night race of the season. Sparks and glowing disc brakes are a spectacular sight at this street circuit set downtown in heart of the small nation.
The season finale at Abu Dabi is perhaps the greatest display of opulence in the world. Million dollar yachts line the marina to take in the final race. The smoothness of the tarmac and elegance of the surrounding facilities are rivaled by no other sporting venue in the world.
2017 is set to be an interesting season. The world counts down the days to see the machinery when car launches begin in late February.
The smell of petrol is in the air again as the first revs of prototype engines turn at the ROAR before the 24 in Daytona Florida. The first major test session of the year brings together teams who will compete in IMSA for the season as well as teams running LMP2’s from other series. A lot of new machinery on the track enhanced the excitement of the event and many were eager to see how the cars would perform. The visuals and performance of the cars did not disappoint.
Headlining the entry list were the four Multimatic/Riley DPi chassis run by Cadillac and Mazda. IMSA’s DPi rules give teams the freedom to run branded aero kits, and headlights among other minor differences from the global LMP2 Multimatic/Riley chassis. The ROAR is the first public test where the performance of the Multimatic/Riley would be compared to the ORECA 07 and Ligier JS P2. Although the DPi bodywork differences make it difficult to forecast who will have the advantage on the track in ELMS and the WEC, the ROAR offers the first opportunity to make such projections.
For much of the weekend, the three Cadillac DPi’s were off the pace ending most sessions around a second slower than the fastest times. Ultimately, the fastest of the Cadillac DPi’s managed fifth in the combined session results posting a 1:38.693 in the #5 car.
The two visually stunning Mazda’s fared better with the #55 car in the hands of Jonathan Bomarito posting the second fastest lap of the weekend at 1:38.363. The #55 car also recorded the fastest speed in the speed trap exceeding 194mph. Clearly, the car has potential, however suspension issues for the Multimatic/Riley’s were prevalent in the early sessions and indicate there is still some development work to be done.
Nissan only recently began testing its new Ligier based DPi run by Tequila Patron ESM. Admittedly, the team is behind on development. However, the Nissan was able to log many laps that will be valuable in the ongoing development of the car. The #22 posted the team’s best time at 1:39.608. The pace of the lap indicates there may be a lot of work ahead for Tequila Patron ESM if they hope to repeat their 2016 Daytona win.
The majority of the sessions were topped by the menacing black #13 ORECA run by Rebellion Racing. Le Mans winner Neal Jani piloted most of the session topping times throughout the event and ended the weekend with the third fastest time at 1:38.408. Competing in IMSA’s Tequila Patron Endurance Cup means the DPi’s will be up against the reigning WEC LMP1 non-hybrid champions in Daytona as well as the other 3 major endurance races of the season. This should offer the WEC and its teams a level plane to measure the DPi’s against its four LMP2 approved chassis if the series wants to allow DPi’s on the Le Mans grid.
On the final day of testing, an ORECA set the fastest time of the weekend at 1:38.343 just two tenths ahead of the #55 Mazda DPi. Former GP2 driver Ben Hanley, in the #81 car run by team DragonSpeed took the honors of fastest man. DragonSpeed is hoping a good performance at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona will translate into a good 2017 season when the WEC kicks off in Silverstone in April.
At the conclusion of the ROAR, the best times produced by the three LMP2 chassis were separated by just over a quarter of a second. With performance equalization playing a factor in IMSA, some teams may have been sand-bagging their times for fear of showing their hands too early. Nonetheless, competition worldwide at the sharp end of LMP2 classes should be exciting to watch. The Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona kicks off the year of prototype endurance racing on January 28th. Better stock up on your popcorn now!
The most pressing matter facing the WEC at the moment is filling the gaping hole left by the withdrawal of Audi from the sports top-level of competition. Paired with the introduction of new LMP2 regulations in 2017, a certain degree of uncertainty exists regarding prototype filed. However Ginetta’s announcement to begin production on an LMP1 chassis suggests the WEC and it’s prototype classes still have a strong pull on manufacturer interest.
Ginetta aims to produce 10 chassis with the hopes of providing three teams with a pair of cars for full-season entry in the 2018 WEC season. The task of leading the aero development of the new Ginetta chassis has been given to Adrian Reynard, who was also involved with the design of Ginetta’s LMP3 chassis.
The Leeds based manufacturer also announced Paolo Catone will be heavily involved in designing Ginetta’s new LMP1. With the inclusion of Catone in the design process, Ginetta will have the knowledge of a designer who built a Le Mans winning car in the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.
Some of Ginetta’s LMP3 privateer customers have already expressed interest in the LMP1 chassis and talks with potential engine suppliers, Honda and Mecachrome, have begun.
The news comes as a welcome to those who expressed concerns over the declines in the prototype field for the WEC’s 2017 lineup due to Audi’s withdrawal from the sport and Rebellion moving to IMSA for a full season effort in the United States. The potential of an additional six Ginetta LMP1 cars on the grid in 2018 would nearly double the number currently expected for the 2017 season.
It remains to be seen whether Toyota will be running an additional TS050 at Le Mans and possibly the European leg of the WEC season. The possibility also remains for Porsche of running a third 919 Hybrid at Le Mans and Spa with any additional races run by the third car unlikely.
In advance of the Ginetta news, former LMP2 manufacturer BR Engineering, and current LMP2 manufacturer Dallara have begun working on a LMP1 project of their own which would be run by privateer SMP Racing in WEC for the 2018 season.
With both Ginetta and BR Engineering having missed out on securing one of the four manufacturer slots per the new LMP2 regulations, their efforts to field LMP1 privateer cars is a clear indication of where smaller manufacturers will turn for joining the series and securing grid spots in future runs at Le Mans.
The prototype grid for the 2018 Le Mans race at current estimate appears to be in the neighborhood of the 2015 event which saw fourteen LMP1’s on track. One can hope a privateer is brave enough to take up the challenge and field Audi’s R18 as a non-hybrid entry and further strengthen the field. That would be a sight to see!
ByKOLLES have announced on their website today their car for the 2017 WEC season will be powered by Nismo. The V6-Turbo engine is the same used in the Nissan GT-R LM that raced in the 2015 24 hours of Le Mans.
Team ByKOLLES LMP1 2016 ByKOLLES CLM P1/01 Photo Credit: ByKOLLES
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