TBK-Light.com

Of course not but while that's still over VAG's head they won't justify the costs because they still have Porsche. I'm sure there will be a few people researching behind the scenes on their own time though. Maybe it won't be all that long before they're back with an alternative fuel engine but who knows if WEC will still have an LMP1 class.

Did I just find myself agreeing with Jacob? Someone call the quack!

Formula E is about as environmentally friendly as a cows fart, you people seriously don't think all those concrete walls and steel fences are forged in some magic carbon nuteral factory somewhere, or all the gear is hauled around the world on solar powered trucks? It's a gimmick, about as authentic in it's message as that old book about some guy in the sky building the world in 7 days.

Talking to Peugeot and BMW are open secrets, Peugeot wants lower costs. BMW pushes for hydrogen (so not something happening in next couple of years). BMW will enter GTE in 2018.

Who knows, maybe Peugeot announces a comeback next week, but better get used to just Toyota and Porsche at least for a year. A lot would be salvaged if Toyota is competitive and they'd both run 3 cars at Le Mans. But then it is one pullout away from total doomsday.

ACO is either good at PR or confident: http://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/wec- ... ng-843146/

They can, however manufacturers have to have ERS. The way the rules are now...

Costs are the main issue with privateer LMP1, so ERS sounds pretty counter-intuitive.

How and where JOEST RACING will be involved in motorsports in the future will be announced at a later date. After the joint WEC project with Audi is completed in the short term, the rich in tradition and successful Odenwald racing team will now be exploring the market and searching for new motorsport challenges. JOEST RACING would like to thank Audi for the good cooperation in recent years and wishes its long-term partner all the best in its motorsport future.

https://www.facebook.com/JoestRacing/ph ... 92/?type=3

So at least it still exists as a separate entity in some form at least.

Maybe Toyota will call them up to run the LMP1 team






















HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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I don't think anyone is claiming that Formula E is anything near carbon neutral, because that just isn't realistic on a bigger level than a household or small business. No-one involved in motorsport is aiming to save the world, no matter how green the claims.

What it *is* is a great research bed and marketing scheme for car manufacturers, in exactly the same way that WEC has been. Let's face it, Audi can't dump diesel fast enough, and given that its whole WEC campaign for the last decade has been an advert for TDI engines, what choice did it have? The amount of manufacturers getting involved in FE shows us where they are hedging their bets on their core business over the next 20-30 years. Hydrogen fuel cell technology and the required infrastructure isn't likely to mature enough in that time frame, whereas electric cars are literally on the edge of being a legitimate choice for new car buyers. VW, Audi and BMW have a lot of electric models in the pipeline (and some out right now), and others are beginning to follow their lead. A car company cannot throw its corporate weight behind electric road cars when their cutting edge racing technology still burns petrol or diesel*.

I'm still inclined to put a tenner on Mercedes pulling out of F1 after 2017 for the same reason.



* Toyota get a bye on this on account of their focus on hybrids. WEC will work well for them.

I had a nice reply typed out but then read your link Scotty, fair play they are trying, but originally they were exaggerating their claims on how environmentally friendly it was.

As for the forklifts and planes, those are not emissions they can't control, they are emissions they decided not to address, until Enel came on board (thanks for the link btw, those glycerine generators sound interesting since it's the same stuff that's in e-cigarettes that the cigarette companies want the world to think is more dangerous than anthrax) and yes they are trying much more than other motorsport categories.

It does pose the question of just how much of an effect motorsport has on the environment in comparison to say, livestock a year?

Edit: Oh FFS, Aquafuel is behind the generators, I remember the guy from that from years back before he started it, he's much nicer than Musk.

The matter of consumer habits is what Formula E and WEC has the power of changing, rather than being a direct influence on environmentally friendly work ethics. In WEC, they can show that new technology can beat the conventional engines in a straight fight, while in FE it's a demo derby against other electric cars. There is no actual "consumer advice" in FE.

I think you are being far too complimentary to the average consumer

I think most people who don't share our love for the sport don't really care what hybrid somethingorother beats a V8 - Audi took to plastering TDI all over their car, but I would still say that the average person wouldn't be able to tell the top cars apart. Formula E doesn't tell the same people any more about what is underneath than WEC, but it does have the ENORMOUS advantage of being able to go to where people are and draw them to it, rather than hoping they will spend a day at a racetrack. I think the series itself is shedding the gimmicky image, but the fundamental gimmick of futuristic-looking cars swishing around in the middle of a city is one of its greatest strengths.

I would be genuinely interested to see what the series has done to public perception and awareness of electric cars.

I don't see Formula E being a massive rival of WEC in the short or even long term.

If anything, if they had the relevant programs they could use Formula E to advertise their electric cars and WEC for hydrogen or longer endurance type stuff and race in both.

Formula E is much more a rival to F1, which F1 seems blase about and that might be to its cost if any of its current manufacturers suddenly decide they get more PR value from it.

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RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/paulhadsley