2012 FIA World Endurance Championship

[OverTake.gg]

Porsche returns to Le Mans with a works-run LMP1 sports prototype. The first outing of the completely new developed race car is planned for the year 2014. With 16 overall victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in Le Mans.

What do you think, will this be a hybrid entry?

 

[Chris Heller]

I know, it says it's gonna be a new developed car, but since the 918 RSR hasn't taken part in a race yet it's pretty likely Porsche will use it at Le Mans

 

[Ramon Alonso]

What about Audi?

 

[Mapu]

Audi's gonna cry. :tongue:

 

[thewarmer]

Well VW own both as we know Audi say they are staying & look forwards to the competition Porsche will bring.

Gives Audi three more years at LM 24hrs if they stay on till 2014.

Anyone know if the rules are been changed for 2013/14 maybe smaller greener engines with Kers.

Sure it will be a Hybrid that one of Porsche projects in racing these days.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Footage taken directly taken from the pitbox of Xavier Maassen and his team. Yoeri and I were there visiting his team and this is what happens during a nightly pitstop with a GT1 Corvette!

Watching this video (not taken by us btw) totally represents the LM24 feeling. Awesome sounds, hardworking pitcrew and goosebumps all over the place when they fire up their engines after a stop.

Video sounds don't do justice as watching it live on site where the sounds are x50 louder Amazing!

 

[Thomas Dougherty]

This one of the reasons why its a mission of mine to go to the LM24 before i die. whether it be as working on a team or spectating. i'd love to see it at night. working in the pits during the night sounds hardcore.

god i want to be a race engineer/mechanic...

 

[Nick Brooke]

Sounds brilliant and it has always been a dream of mine to go. Maybe next year i dunno as i always planned to go with my dad but now i dont know who i could go with. This sort of thing is not a solo trip lol.

 

[Xosé Estrada]

This morning it was officially announced that the first round of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship, promoted and organized by Automobile Club de l’Ouest, will kick off with the Sebring 12 Hours on 17[SUP]th[/SUP] March 2012.



The agreement reached with the promoters of the American Le Mans Series was announced this morning at Road Atlanta (Georgia, United States) in the context of the Petit Le Mans, the sixth round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, which will take place tomorrow.

The integration of the Sebring 12 Hours into the world endurance championship calendar for 2012, and beyond, is the extension of the partnership between the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the American Le Mans Series, which began 13 years ago.

The Sebring 12-Hours race, which will host the first event in the history of the new world endurance championship, will celebrate its sixtieth anniversary in 2012, and the Le Mans 24- Hours event on 16-17 June will celebrate its eightieth anniversary. The Florida classic will also be the first round of the 2012 American Le Mans Series.

The full calendar of the FIA World Endurance Championship in partnership with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest will be announced shortly.

Jean-Claude Plassart, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “Thanks to the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series in Europe and the Asian Le Mans Series, the ACO continues to promote the Le Mans values throughout the world. These series have led to the creation of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2010 and now the FIA World Endurance Championship in partnership with the ACO. We’re delighted that the first round in the history of this new endurance championship will take place at Sebring, consolidating our historic links with Don Panoz and the American Le Mans Series.”

Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series: “We’re very happy with our partnership with the ACO, as our cooperation helps develop the American Le Mans Series and Le Mans-type races in North America.”

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

This series is going to be on top of my list for next year, closely followed by DTM. Really looking forward to it!Sebring, one of the many new classic events that will be on the calendar. Can't wait!

 

[Unregistered]

great great! after f1 cars the prototyps are most beautiful racecars....

 

[OverTake.gg]

Toyota Motor Corporation has announced yesterday, Friday 14th October 2011, its comeback to top-level motor racing, and the Japanese manufacturer has chosen endurance events.

Toyota's return to the Le Mans 24 Hours, thirteen years after its last official participation, follows in the wake of Porsche’s announcement that it is entering in the top category in 2014, and highlights even further the fidelity of the major manufacturers like Audi and Peugeot, which have made such a contribution to the success of Le Mans-type events.

In 2012, the Japanese giant will enter for the 80th Le Mans 24 Hours with an LM P1 prototype, the top category in long-distance racing, which will be powered by a hybrid petrol engine developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan.

The chassis has been designed, developed and built by the Toyota Motorsport GmbH’s High Performance Centre in Cologne (Germany) where the team will be based.

The size of the programme and the exact name of the car will be revealed at a later date. Its shakedown will take place at the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012 followed by an intensive test programme.

This announcement strengthens the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s determination to continue its on-going work of developing endurance racing in the wake of the Le Mans 24 hours, which has been given concrete form by the creation of the World Endurance Championship in partnership with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), and will kick off in March 2012 with the Sebring 12 Hours.


What’s more, the Toyota project is built around a petrol-powered hybrid engine. This dovetails perfectly with the ACO’s expressed desire to ensure that its events are races in which cutting-edge technology combines with top-level sportsmanship.

Since 1923, the Le Mans 24-Hours race has been the greatest test bed for the major car manufacturers, and has led to an incredible number of innovations that were revolutionary at the time of their appearance, and have now become part of everyday motoring.

These include windscreen wipers and disc brakes, which contribute not only to improving mobility, but also to saving lives thanks to a reduction in the number of accidents on roads throughout the world.

The participation of this innovative prototype from a major manufacturer in the motor car economy is another big step in this direction.

 

[Jonathan Johansson]

Awesome, first porka now Toyota Enduracers mod team will have their hands full

 

[Mitt Wilson]

Finally TOYOTA BACK IN THE GAME! There needs to be more Toyotas in rFactor anyways!

 

[OverTake.gg]

Gulf Racing has announced its participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship 2012. Fabien Giroix will enter two Lola LMP2 thanks to his partners Jean-Pierre Valentini and Frederic Fatien. The latter will also be one of the team drivers.

Recently installed at Dubai Autodrome, Gulf Racing now has a major technical base and is involved in a number of different race programs. This team represents the main base of motor racing in the UAE. For the WEC program, it will also use its existing base in Magny Cours, France.

For the World Championship, the entry will be run under the UAE flag and will benefit from the strong support of the main businesses and personalities in the Emirates.

Frederic Fatien, current leader of the UAE GT Championship with Fabien comments:
" I am happy to continue this adventure that started three years ago to take gentlemen drivers to the highest level of motor racing competition in the World Endurance Championship. This extraordinary experience is above all based on friendship and a strong team spirit."

Fabien Giroix: "We are strengthening our current team thanks to our partners but also thanks to the growing support from the Emirates, to help us take Emirati drivers to the highest level of motorsport, especially in Endurance. This year, with the quality of the new LMP2 Lola coupé and the driver pairings we will have, we are aiming to win the World Championship and to obtain victory in the 24H of Le Mans in the LMP2 category. We are also proud to once again represent the Gulf brand in Endurance. In continuation with the work we have done over the last two years with ACO members and the entry of a Lamborghini GT2 last year and an Aston Martin this year, we are happy to continue in this great championship. Moreover the LMP2 category has a great future ahead of it and allows us to run some fantastic, attractive racing cars."

via: lolacars​

The FIA World Endurance Championship 2012 will feature multiple classes of cars competing in endurance races, with sports prototypes competing in the Le Mans Prototype categories, and production-based grand tourers competing in the GT Endurance categories. World champion titles will be awarded to the top scoring manufacturers and drivers over the season, while other cups and trophies will be awarded for drivers and private teams.

 

[Manuel Spierenburg]

looks gorgeous

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

I am so looking forward to the WEC. Together with DTM this will be the serie that keep me in front of the TV in 2012

 

[Xosé Estrada]

On Saturday 16[SUP]th[/SUP] June 2012 a prestigious event will be held as curtain-raiser to the 80[SUP]th[/SUP] Le Mans 24 Hours. One field will only consist of Aston Martin GT3 and GT4s. An open race for Group C will complete the festivities of the weekend.



After Porsche in 2010 and Ferrari in 2011, it will be the turn of Aston Martin, another emblematic make of the Le Mans 24 Hours, to come and race on the big circuit. The event in which the magnificent cars from the Abington factory will take part, will see GT3S and GT4s going head-to-head – Vantage GT4s and N24s, and the new Vantage GT3s, which will be homologated in 2012.

Free practice will be held on Wednesday and qualifying on Thursday; a 45- minute race on the Le Mans circuit on Saturday 16[SUP]th[/SUP] June will provide a mouth-watering programme for the crowd.

Furthermore to this event, Group C will be back for the opening of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A race restricted to thirty of these cars that made the glory of the great endurance classic in the 80s will be scheduled on Saturday, June 16[SUP]th[/SUP] in the morning.

The detailed programme will be announced later.

Picture by | exfordy

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Press release from the ACO

Taking into account the results of the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours as well as the Le Mans Series and American Le Mans Series Championships, seventeen teams have been given automatic invitations to take part in qualifying for the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours.​

​

As laid down in the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s sporting regulations, entrants can obtain an invitation for the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours due to their results in the events and series agreed by the ACO in keeping with the automatic selection process. Seventeen teams have benefitted from this system, which represents the possible entry of 23 cars maximum out of the 55 places available at the start of the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours.​

The following teams have won these much sought-after invitations.​

One invitation​

Audi Sport Team Joest: victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours in the LM P1 category. LM P1 category invitation. ​

Larbre Compétition: victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours in the LM GTE AM category. LM GTE Am category invitation.​

Rebellion Racing: victory in the Le Mans Series LM P1 category. Invitation in the LM P1 category.​

Strakka Racing: second Le Mans Series LM P2. Invitation in the LM P2 category.​

JMW Motorsport: second Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro. Invitation in the LM GTE Pro category.​

IMSA Performance Matmut: victory in the Le Mans Series LM GTE Am. Invitation in the LM GTE Am category.​

Pegasus Racing: victory in the Le Mans Series in FLM. Invitation in the LM P2 category.​

Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing: second American Le Mans Series LM P1. Invitation in the LM P1 category.​

Peugeot Sport Total: victory in Petit Le Mans LM P1 category. LM P1 category invitation.​

Level 5 Motorsports: victory in Petit Le Mans LM P2 category. LM P2 category invitation.​

Krohn Racing: victory in Petit Le Mans LM GTE Am category. LM GTE Am category invitation.​

Two invitations ​

Greaves Motorsport: victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours and victory in the Le Mans Series LM P2. Two invitations in the LM P2 category. ​

Pescarolo Team: second in the Le Mans Series LM P1 and victory in the Le Mans Series Michelin Green X Challenge LM P*. Two invitations in the LM P1 category.​

Corvette Racing: victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours in the LM GTE Pro category and second place in the American Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro category. Two invitations in the LM GTE Pro category.​

Dyson Racing: victory in the American Le Mans Series LM P1 and victory in the American Le Mans Series LM P Michelin Green X Challenge. Two invitations in the LM P1 category.​

BMW Team RLL: victory in the American Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro and victory in the American Le Mans Series LM GTE Michelin Green X Challenge. Two invitations in the LM GTE Pro category.​

Four invitations​

AF Corse: victory in the Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro, in Petit Le Mans LM GTE Pro category, second Le Mans Series LM GTE Am and victory in the Le Mans Series LM GT Michelin Green X Challenge. Three invitations in the LM GTE Pro category, one in the LM GTE Am category.​

Please note that an entrant cannot have more than two entries so AF Corse will have to choose between the four awarded thanks to its results in 2011.​

To validate these invitations the teams in question must enter for the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours, and also enter for at least one of the following championships in 2012: Le Mans Series and the American Le Mans Series.​

Please note that all teams entered in the FIA World Endurance Championship are automatically qualified for the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours.​

Entries open and publication of the supplementary regulations on 19th December 2011. ​

Entries close on 18th January 2012.​

The full list of entries for the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours and the FIA World Endurance Championship will be published on 2nd February 2012.​

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Jean-Claude Plassart, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest President, Pierre Fillon, ACO Vice President and Gérard Neveu, the FIA World Endurance Championship manager gave details of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar. The programme will include eight races in eight different countries on three continents. Four races will take place on Saturday, three on Sunday and one - the Le Mans 24 Hours - on Saturday/Sunday.
2012 Calendar*

• 17th March 2012: Sebring 12 Hours (USA)
• 5th May 2012: WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (B)
• 3rd June 2012: Le Mans 24-Hours test day (F)
• 16th/17th June 2012: 80th Le Mans 24 Hours (F)
• 25th August 2012: 6 Hours of Silverstone (GB)
• 16th September 2012: 6 Hours of Sao Paulo (BR) tbc
• 30th September 2012: 6 Hours of Mount Fuji (J)
• 20th October 2012: 6 Hours of Bahrain (BAH)
• 11th or 18th November 2012: 6 Hours of TBA (CH)

The entries for the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship and the Le Mans 24 Hours will be announced on 2nd February 2012 after deliberation by the Selection Committee.

All entrants in the FIA World Endurance Championship have an automatic invitation for the 80th Le Mans 24 Hours.

You can find the trailer of the 2012 season here