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Virtual Motorpix

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WEC Shanghai 6-Hours

October 30, 2015 by: Virtual Motorpix | Leave a Comment

#18 Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team driven by Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb, FIA WEC, 6Hrs Nurburgring, 2015
#18 Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team driven by Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb, FIA WEC, 6Hrs Nurburgring, 2015

This weekend sees the penultimate round of the 2015 WEC series, the WEC Shanghai 6-Hours, and frankly, we haven’t seen such a closely fought title in many years. With Porsche’s rise to prominence, Audi have had a challenger that has not only been able to match them, but also to threaten their position at the top of the tree.

#17 Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team driven by Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley, FIA WEC, 6Hrs Nurburgring, 2015
#17 Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team driven by Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley, FIA WEC, 6Hrs Nurburgring, 2015

The WEC Shanghai 6-Hours sees Porsche leading the FIA World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship (LMP1 class) with 264 points to Audi’s 211 points. Toyota is lagging behind in third place, but then their car hasn’t been a strong contender this year. In the driver’s stakes it is much closer with Porsche #17 drivers Webber, Bernard and Hartley on 129 points apiece, while last year’s winners, the #7 Audi drivers Lotterer, Tréluyer and Fässler are just a point back on 128 each.

#7, Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Audi Sport Team Joest, driven by Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer, FIA WEC 6Hrs Nurburgring, 30/08/2015
#7, Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Audi Sport Team Joest, driven by Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer, FIA WEC 6Hrs Nurburgring, 30/08/2015
#1, Toyota TS040 Hybrid, Toyota Racing, driven by Anthony Davidson, Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, FIA WEC 6Hrs Nurburgring, 30/08/2015
#1, Toyota TS040 Hybrid, Toyota Racing, driven by Anthony Davidson, Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, FIA WEC 6Hrs Nurburgring, 30/08/2015
#8, Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Audi Sport Team Joest, driven by Lucas di Grassi, Loic Duval, Oliver Jarvis, FIA WEC 6Hrs Nurburgring, 30/08/2015
#8, Audi R18 e-tron quattro, Audi Sport Team Joest, driven by Lucas di Grassi, Loic Duval, Oliver Jarvis, FIA WEC 6Hrs Nurburgring, 30/08/2015

In the LMP2 class, G-Drive Racing are in a strong position in first and third places with 134 points and 119 points respectively. But with a home race ahead of them, the KCMG team is poised in second place with 122 points.

#28 Ligier JS P2 Nissan, G-Drive Racing driven by Gustavo Yacaman, Luis Felipe Derani, Ricardo Gonzalez, FIA WEC 6Hrs Nurburgring 2015
#28 Ligier JS P2 Nissan, G-Drive Racing driven by Gustavo Yacaman, Luis Felipe Derani, Ricardo Gonzalez, FIA WEC 6Hrs Nurburgring 2015
#26, Ligier JS P2 - Nissan, G-Drive Racing, Sam Bird, Julien Canal, Roman Rusinov, Le Mans 24H, 2015
#26, Ligier JS P2 – Nissan, G-Drive Racing, Sam Bird, Julien Canal, Roman Rusinov, Le Mans 24H, 2015

This year the LM GTE Pro class has been a rather close run affair too, with Porsche being gifted some slack on the Balance of Performance front. This has resulted in some close racing, and currently the Porsche Team Manthey (car #91) leads the class with 119 points, followed very closely by two AF Corse cars, the #71 car with 117 points and the #51 car on 111 points. Porsche driver Richard Lietz leads the driver’s Pro class table with 110 points, while Rigon and Calado have 103 points each with Bruni and Vilander in third place with 93.5 points each. In the LM GTE Am class, the #72 SMP Ferrari leads the class with 140 points followed by the #83 AF Corse Ferrari on 111 points and the #77 Patrick Dempsey Porsche in third.

#91 Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey, Jorg Bergmeister, Michael Christensen, Richard Lietz, Le Mans 24H 2015
#91 Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey, Jorg Bergmeister, Michael Christensen, Richard Lietz, Le Mans 24H 2015
#71 Ferrari 458 Italia, AF Corse, Olivier Beretta, James Calado, Davide Rigon, Le Mans 24H 2015
#71 Ferrari 458 Italia, AF Corse, Olivier Beretta, James Calado, Davide Rigon, Le Mans 24H 2015
#88 Porsche 911 RSR and #95 Aston Martin Vantage GTE, FIAWEC 6 Hours of Silverstone 2015 (Saturday)
#88 Porsche 911 RSR and #95 Aston Martin Vantage GTE, FIAWEC 6 Hours of Silverstone 2015 (Saturday)

It has emerged this week that the #95 Aston Martin GTE Pro car driven by the Danish trio of Sorensen, Nygaard and Thiim has been withdrawn from the WEC Shanghai 6-Hours. This is down to disappointing performances allegedly due to an unfavourable BoP ruling. This is a great shame, as in the end it is the spectators who are the losers. Porsche too has suffered at the hands of the WEC authorities here, as the German manufacturer has not scored one pole position in the last two seasons.

KCMG Oreca 05 Nissan #47 driven by Matthew Howson / Richard Bradley / Nicolas Lapierre, WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2015
KCMG Oreca 05 Nissan #47 driven by Matthew Howson / Richard Bradley / Nicolas Lapierre, WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2015

A point that is raising some eyebrows and a few hackles too, is the fact that next year’s F1 Azerbaijan GP date clashes with the Le Mans race on 18/19 June. One could ask the question as to whether any of Le Mans’ hardened fans would give this any thought, “Possibly for a millisecond,” said VMP snapper John Mountney with a grin. The loss though would be felt as Nico Hülkenberg would be unable to defend his title.

Nico Hülkenberg, #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid, at Le Mans 24H, 2015
Nico Hülkenberg, #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid, at Le Mans 24H, 2015

This comes at a time when the WEC is gaining in popularity and as a result is attracting more manufacturers into the sport. It wouldn’t be the first time that Bernie Ecclestone has intervened when sports car racing has threatened to encroach on his F1 empire. But in the meantime enjoy the WEC Shanghai 6-Hours!

Written by: Glen Smale

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Categories: Automotive Photography, Car Racing, Featured Articles Tags: AF Corse, Aston Martin, Audi, Ferrari, G-Drive, KCMG, Le Mans 24H, Nurburgring, Porsche, Spa, Toyota

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