Imsa 2024

[CurtEgerer]

The annual IMSA Sanctioned Test is coming up in a few weeks at Daytona. The Aston Martin Valkyrie GTP will make it's public debut.

[astrochex]

How about a movie about the Whittington brothers, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tom-holland-austin-butler-american-speed-amazon-mgm-1236051827/

[CurtEgerer]

^^^ definitely be watching that one.

For some reason, the Bahrain 8 Hours is streaming live on YouTube. Pretty sure this is not supposed to be live on this guy's channel, so it will probably come to a crashing halt at some point. But until then ....

WEC Bahrain 8 Hour LIVE

[astrochex]

^Awesome, thanks.

[Scott Watkins]

[CurtEgerer]

With under 3 hours to go, Toyota - the only ones with a realistic chance of toppling Porsche - appear to be in a bit of trouble ....

[Scott Watkins]

I've got 6:42 to go.

Always cracks me up when the commentators talk about the lack of tire warmers and having to do an additional warmup lap to get the tires to temp. Its the tire warmers that's gonna to help the globe from spontaneous combustion, but we can ship the cars, equipment, and the personnel, all over the place

[CurtEgerer]

^^^ Not really sure how it works, but if you just clicked the YT vid it might be starting at the beginning and you can jump forward? I've been watching since nearly the start and it's showing 2:29 remaining.

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by Scott Watkins

I've got 6:42 to go.

Always cracks me up when the commentators talk about the lack of tire warmers and having to do an additional warmup lap to get the tires to temp. Its the tire warmers that's gonna to help the globe from spontaneous combustion, but we can ship the cars, equipment, and the personnel, all over the place

It's so incredibly ridiculous with the tire warmer issue Let's wreck a few cars and put the drivers' safety at high risk to "save the planet".

[Scott Watkins]

I started the YouTube after the race began and backed up to the beginning.

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

It's so incredibly ridiculous with the tire warmer issue Let's wreck a few cars and put the drivers' safety at high risk to "save the planet".

I like that they don’t have tire warmers. Its another element that drivers have to manage and its the same for everyone.

[CurtEgerer]

^^ there's that, but it IS very dangerous trying to warm up the tires on a crowded track full of faster cars. They say it's like driving on ice. There've been so many crashes. I say, either allow tire warmers (no brainer), or change the tire compounds so there's not such a drastic difference cold-to-warm (extremely expensive).

[astrochex]

The HSR race at Daytona is on now https://youtu.be/K4K9pJadeJ4

[CurtEgerer]

Well, no manufacturer title but Porsche did win the Driver Championship. Great IMSA/WEC season for Porsche - almost perfect.

[CurtEgerer]

DPi prototypes getting ready to run in the rain at Classic 24!

[rfuerst911sc]

The # 51 Ferrari hypercar was stripped of its 2nd place finish . It was determined after the race the team used too many tires .

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/ferrari-stripped-of-8h-bahrain-podium-finish/

[CurtEgerer]

Porsche had NO tires left at the end and first the Toyota passed (for the championship win), then the Ferrari passed like he was standing still (now understandable). I wonder if the tire strategy could've been played differently for Porsche? I have not seen an analysis of exactly how Toyota managed to go from trouble all race to the win, but I suspect the full-course yellows were heavily in their favor I guess this is the new era of endurance racing with the BoP keeping nearly the whole field on the same lap. If you look through the results of races in years past, it was common for the winner to be a lap (or several laps) ahead of second place in the endurance events!

[CurtEgerer]

2024 Season Final Standings, nobody's perfect

1st - IMSA GTP Manufacturer - Porsche
1st & 2nd - IMSA GTP Team - Porsche Penske
1st - IMSA GTP Driver - Dane Cameron, Porsche
1st - IMSA GTP Endurance Cup Manufacturer - Porsche
1st - IMSA GTP Endurance Cup Team - Porsche Penske
1st - IMSA GTP Endurance Cup Driver - Dane Cameron, Porsche
1st - IMSA GTD Pro Manufaturer - Porsche
1st - IMSA GTD Pro Team - Porsche AO Racing
1st - IMSA GTD Pro Driver - Laurin Heinrich, Porsche
2nd - WEC Hypercar Manufacturer - Porsche
1st - WEC Hypercar Drivers - Lotterer/Estre/Vanthoor, Porsche
1st - WEC Hypercar World Cup - Hertz Team Jota Porsche
1st - WEC LMGT3 Team - Manthey Porsche
1st - WEC LMGT3 Drivers - Malykhin/Sturm/Bachler, Porsche

Also, surprising that Porsche let Dane Cameron go at the end of the season!

[rfuerst911sc]

Lamborghini is assessing its future in IMSA/WEC .

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/lamborghini-assessing-lmdh-future-wont-rule-out-axing-programme/10670674/

[CurtEgerer]

^^^ It would be a shame to see them go. A VW decision I'm sure - why pour money into another hypercar program when they're winning with Porsche and have a massive financial burden looming with the new Audi F1 team. But I think Lambo's IMSA GTP program gives them a marketing leg up on Ferrari here in the US.