American Le Mans Series President/CEO aiming for Sebring and Petit Le Mans to be included in 2012 World Endurance Championship calendar...
ALMS President and CEO Scott Atherton is hopeful of the series again joining forces with the ACO's global sportscar championship for the Twelve Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans. (Photo: LAT)
With the ACO and FIA’s recent announcement of the World Endurance Championship, there’s certainly been questions surrounding the schedule of the new-look global sportscar series, which evolves from the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup beginning in 2012.
Seven rounds have been confirmed for the WEC, comprising of two events each in Europe, Asia and the Americas, plus the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will remain the cornerstone of the season-long championship. But beyond the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic, the ACO has yet to name specific venues.
READ: World Endurance Championship Launched
While the European-based Le Mans Series is poised to hold standalone races next year, separate from the WEC, American Le Mans Series President and CEO Scott Atherton is hopeful that its two signature events, the Twelve Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans, will be part of the World Championship in 2012.
“I continue to be optimistic and supportive of the plans that were announced,” Atherton told SPEED.com. “I think we have a way forward that’s going to provide what we need to make sure that the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron continues to thrive and also incorporates the WEC into our agenda.”
Atherton said he had two “very productive” meetings with the ACO at Le Mans a few weeks ago, with further conference calls and emails having been exchanged since then. While the new FIA branding has certainly brought added attention, Atherton doesn’t expect it to bring new challenges in terms of scheduling.
One concern, though, has come with the WEC’s rapid growth and what effect it could have on the Le Mans-branded continental series. Launched as a three-race pilot series in 2010, the ILMC grew into a seven-round championship this year, attracting teams from around the world, including U.S.-based squads Level 5 Motorsports and Krohn Racing.
With additional American teams evaluating possible programs in 2012, including Corvette Racing and current GRAND-AM outfit Dempsey Racing, Atherton doesn’t necessarily want the new-found interest of the World Championship to put a dent in the car count and visibility of the ALMS.
“Our position hasn’t changed,” Atherton said. “We are going to be aggressive in our defense in what we’ve spent the last 14 years building and developing. What we don’t want to have is a situation where the success of the World Endurance Championship comes at the expense of the American Le Mans Series.
“That’s what the focus of our discussions with the ACO are. Thankfully, those feelings are mutual. It’s in the best interest of the ACO to have a healthy American Le Mans Series as well.”
It appears the Patrick Peter-run Le Mans Series could be taking a different approach to the ALMS next year. The LMS is likely to move away from shared races with the WEC, partly because of oversubscribed grids.
Six registered full-season LMS entrants could be turned away from next weekend’s Six Hours of Imola, the second of three combined LMS/ILMC races this year, due to exceeding the circuit’s 53-car limit. ILMC entries have taken priority, according to the ACO.
While there could also be more radical changes to the LMS next year, including the elimination of the LMP1 category and shortened races, Atherton doesn’t anticipate any issues accommodating the grid for this year’s Petit Le Mans, the second and final joint ALMS/ILMC event of the season, which is likely to bring in upwards of 60 entries.
With the WEC schedule set to be confirmed in September by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, it’s still early days for both sides as they continue to iron out a stable plan to benefit both the ALMS and budding WEC.
“As is the case with anything like this that’s new and going through it for the first time, there’s going to be some bumps in the road,” Atherton said. “There’s going to be some toes that get stepped on. But the strength of our relationship with the ACO is what enables us to manage through these things.”
Would you like to see the World Endurance Championship be a part of the Twelve Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans? Or would you prefer another circuit in North or South America? Add a comment below.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at askdagys@gmail.com
Seven rounds have been confirmed for the WEC, comprising of two events each in Europe, Asia and the Americas, plus the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will remain the cornerstone of the season-long championship. But beyond the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic, the ACO has yet to name specific venues.
READ: World Endurance Championship Launched
While the European-based Le Mans Series is poised to hold standalone races next year, separate from the WEC, American Le Mans Series President and CEO Scott Atherton is hopeful that its two signature events, the Twelve Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans, will be part of the World Championship in 2012.
“I continue to be optimistic and supportive of the plans that were announced,” Atherton told SPEED.com. “I think we have a way forward that’s going to provide what we need to make sure that the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron continues to thrive and also incorporates the WEC into our agenda.”
Atherton said he had two “very productive” meetings with the ACO at Le Mans a few weeks ago, with further conference calls and emails having been exchanged since then. While the new FIA branding has certainly brought added attention, Atherton doesn’t expect it to bring new challenges in terms of scheduling.
One concern, though, has come with the WEC’s rapid growth and what effect it could have on the Le Mans-branded continental series. Launched as a three-race pilot series in 2010, the ILMC grew into a seven-round championship this year, attracting teams from around the world, including U.S.-based squads Level 5 Motorsports and Krohn Racing.
With additional American teams evaluating possible programs in 2012, including Corvette Racing and current GRAND-AM outfit Dempsey Racing, Atherton doesn’t necessarily want the new-found interest of the World Championship to put a dent in the car count and visibility of the ALMS.
“Our position hasn’t changed,” Atherton said. “We are going to be aggressive in our defense in what we’ve spent the last 14 years building and developing. What we don’t want to have is a situation where the success of the World Endurance Championship comes at the expense of the American Le Mans Series.
“That’s what the focus of our discussions with the ACO are. Thankfully, those feelings are mutual. It’s in the best interest of the ACO to have a healthy American Le Mans Series as well.”
It appears the Patrick Peter-run Le Mans Series could be taking a different approach to the ALMS next year. The LMS is likely to move away from shared races with the WEC, partly because of oversubscribed grids.
Six registered full-season LMS entrants could be turned away from next weekend’s Six Hours of Imola, the second of three combined LMS/ILMC races this year, due to exceeding the circuit’s 53-car limit. ILMC entries have taken priority, according to the ACO.
While there could also be more radical changes to the LMS next year, including the elimination of the LMP1 category and shortened races, Atherton doesn’t anticipate any issues accommodating the grid for this year’s Petit Le Mans, the second and final joint ALMS/ILMC event of the season, which is likely to bring in upwards of 60 entries.
With the WEC schedule set to be confirmed in September by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, it’s still early days for both sides as they continue to iron out a stable plan to benefit both the ALMS and budding WEC.
“As is the case with anything like this that’s new and going through it for the first time, there’s going to be some bumps in the road,” Atherton said. “There’s going to be some toes that get stepped on. But the strength of our relationship with the ACO is what enables us to manage through these things.”
Would you like to see the World Endurance Championship be a part of the Twelve Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans? Or would you prefer another circuit in North or South America? Add a comment below.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at askdagys@gmail.com
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