Should the FIA bring back the World Sportscar Championship?

[FIA]

Should the FIA bring back the World Sportscar Championship?

I was basically equal to Formula 1 at one point, then it was ruined really by the concorde agreement which saw less and less and then no F1 drivers enter Sportscar races. It would be great has it could unite the LMS. ALMS and JLMS, and could include the Le Mans 24 as part of championship or a Non-Championship race.

Please bring it back!

[Sleeper]

I would love to see it happen but I cant see it happening anytime soon. The collapse of Group C really screwed over sportscar racing.

[FormerFF]

The FIA is too wrapped up in Formula 1, and will prevent any series it controls from ever diluting fan interest by becoming too popular. Better to leave sports car racing in the control of the ACO or an independent sanctioning body.

[wedge]

No

Obviously ALMS is top dog but would be nice for those guys run somewhere like Suzuka 1000, let alone Europe!

LMS is superb now we have the Joest Audis fighting in P1 with Peugeot. Can't wait till end of the summer for Silverstone 1000 - the highlight of my spectating calender!

ACO and IMSA have an outstanding job so there's no reason for them to concede to the FIA.

[AndyRAC]

The FIA is too wrapped up in Formula 1, and will prevent any series it controls from ever diluting fan interest by becoming too popular. Better to leave sports car racing in the control of the ACO or an independent sanctioning body.

Anything that threatens F1 is soon killed off - just look at the WRC and WTCC, both struggle for mainstream coverage, Sportscars was getting far too popular.

[BDunnell]

I don't think the lack of coverage given to the WRC and WTCC is down to the FIA deliberately trying to divert attention away from them in favour of F1. There are other issues behind this, I feel.

As for the return of the World Sports Car Championship, I vote 'yes'. If sportscar racing is to have any decent profile, it needs a proper world series.

[AndyRAC]

I don't think the lack of coverage given to the WRC and WTCC is down to the FIA deliberately trying to divert attention away from them in favour of F1. There are other issues behind this, I feel.

As for the return of the World Sports Car Championship, I vote 'yes'. If sportscar racing is to have any decent profile, it needs a proper world series.

I'd agree, especially the WRC which continues to shoot itself in the foot - penalising the Championship leader.

It would be nice to think there was a World Sportscar Championship - which Manufacturers would be involved, what races, TV coverage, who would govern it ( ACO, FIA )?

[wedge]

Give it to ACO/IMSA.

FIA have ruined some championships with their made-for-TV packages.

Rallying is now a series of stage sprints, FIA GTs are now primarily 2hr races.

ALMS has a mixture of the short races for TV and longer enduros like Petit LM and Sebring.

Saying that, I wouldn't know how to set up the calender, which races should be sprints or enduros!

[call_me_andrew]

A new WSC would be great, but not if the FIA is controlling it. And I don't think the current owners could agree on technical specs let alone race locations.

ALMS and LMS can't even agree on weight for LMP2.

[harvick#1]

The FIA is too wrapped up in Formula 1, and will prevent any series it controls from ever diluting fan interest by becoming too popular. Better to leave sports car racing in the control of the ACO or an independent sanctioning body.

100% agree.

no need for the FIA to take control the sportscar series again

[F1boat]

A new WSC would be great, but not if the FIA is controlling it. And I don't think the current owners could agree on technical specs let alone race locations.

ALMS and LMS can't even agree on weight for LMP2.

Run the US races with ine rule and the European ones with another ;)
Honestly, both series look cool and are different, it's pointless to unify them, I think.

[MAX_THRUST]

With talk of the new asian Lemans series coming on line soon, there will almost already be a world series. If the three series align the dates properly a team in theory could run all three series in one year.........

[Oli_M]

Can't see teams wanting to do a series which means week 1 in Asia, week 2 in America, week 3 in Europe and then week 4 back again in Asia, would be a LOT of travelling. Perhaps more likely could be a "World Cup" or something where 1 event from each series counts towards it, (just picking some here), Maybe Sebring, Fuji and Spa races perhaps with Le Mans too???

[MAX_THRUST]

Sorry, you are right, what I should have said, If the Asian races were made into a winter series as GP2 asia series, and involved tracks in the middle east as well, i think teams would jump at the chance. If you have a global sponsor as well that would help.

But the idea of three races one from each region, sounds great. Clearly Europe would be Lemans, North America, I guess sebring 12 hours, although the track isn't the USA best track. Which would be the Asian, the Susuka 1000km.

I'm starting to appreciate endurance racing more and more. I think many other fans are as well. The time is right to start expanding.

[Claus Hansen]

I stil think there is room for something like a proper series... The ACO should include Le Mans 24hrs in the LMS, then go to Suzuka for a 1000 km race late in the year, that would be series !

Its a joke, that Le Mans 24hrs does not count for any championship, and to have a race where your invitete is crazy, anybody should have a chance to qualify, not just the darlings of ACO !

[wedge]

The other problem is cost.

ALMS tried to run on the old Adelaide GP circuit.

I suppose Suzuka 1000km could be Asia's Petit LM if they could persuade the big teams.

[ShiftingGears]

The other problem is cost.


Bingo. A globetrotting world series would only work if you got some major investors with a lot of money to spend (see, Middle Eastern oil tycoons, A1GP).

At the moment, besides the Le Mans 24h, sportscars can be ignored by major auto racing series as they just are not a threat at all. And with series like ALMS, the prize money is "barely enough to pay the hotel bills". I'm not sure what ALMS team boss said that, but that does not at all paint a picture of a stable series.

[F1boat]

I thought that ALMS is stable. :(

[wedge]

I thought that ALMS is stable. :(

Only for its Can-Am schedule and you've got the factory teams like Audi Sport North America, Penske and Chevy.

ACO recently persuaded the European privateers for LMS after ELMS disbanded. Some teams struggle with Laguna Seca let alone Petit LM.

[FormerFF]

I thought that ALMS is stable. :(

It is more than stable, it is actually growing. It just doesn't pay a lot of prize money.