WEC Sebring on right now

The WEC Sebring 1000 is on Motor Trend right now. First real look at the super cars for me. 
 

edit Hypercar. 

Poor Peugeot. The wingless ground effect concept doesn't seem to be working well on a bumpy track.

Thanks for the heads-up!  Forgot that was today.  Cool to see Cadillac Racing out there in Hypercar.

I am remembering how annoying ads during a race are, though.

Cadillac (Lynn) and Porsche (Vanthoor) having a brilliant tussle for 3rd.

Setting up new laptops in our Training Room. 
 

j_tso said:

Poor Peugeot. The wingless ground effect concept doesn't seem to be working well on a bumpy track.

I kind of wonder how many European racing fans think this is just another US track- when it's been this bumpy for the entire time it's been a race- for 73 years now.  It's the defining feature of the race.

For a while, there was a long conversation about porpoising and ground effect- where this track is just a bear on that given how rough the surface is.  It causes porpoising just because and it kills ground effects with the uneven surface.  Nuts.  Then again, if you can run fast and survive here, that's normally a great sign for any endurance car.

In reply to alfadriver :

I'm not sure. Circuit of the Americas gets the most international exposure with F1 and WEC used to race there. Some European race fans also follow IMSA and IRL.

I think like Monaco in F1, Sebring is regarded as the freak of the calendar. The history of the place makes people want to win there.

Even back in ALMS the European teams would come over only for Sebring for the punishing track as a dry run for Le Mans.

I remember watching the Audi R10's go around the track. I concluded that Audi had perfected levitation and just hadn't told anybody yet.

Interesting how well they can see the Starlink launch from Sebring.  

With a handful of laps left, it sure seems that 1000 miles won't be hit.  But it's also the first year for the Hypercars.  And it sure *seems* that the Ferrari is super quick- being one lap down with 3 more stops than the leader.  Hard on their tires.  And the Cadillac is going to make a race of 3rd.

I've been watching on and off for a good part of the day.

It was a happy surprise to find it being televised.

Kind of a heartbreak in LMP2, where the leading car had to pit for fuel with just over 3 min left.  And they finish 3rd.

alfadriver said:

j_tso said:

Poor Peugeot. The wingless ground effect concept doesn't seem to be working well on a bumpy track.

I kind of wonder how many European racing fans think this is just another US track- when it's been this bumpy for the entire time it's been a race- for 73 years now.  It's the defining feature of the race.

For a while, there was a long conversation about porpoising and ground effect- where this track is just a bear on that given how rough the surface is.  It causes porpoising just because and it kills ground effects with the uneven surface.  Nuts.  Then again, if you can run fast and survive here, that's normally a great sign for any endurance car.

I believe most European fans  of sports car racing know that Sebringis very unique and it's one of the oldest of most well known endurance events. Plus Europeans fans love tracks like spa so they love many of the North American tracks rather then the bland by comparison fl style tracks.