We continue our preview of the 2013 Sportscar year with the next volume of our “A – Z of what’s new in sportscar racing for 2013”.
This time our good friend Graham Goodwin from Dailysportscar.com takes a look at the alphabet from D through to F.
D is for Duval (and Dindo)
Loic Duval is the full season replacement for the now retired (from LMP racing) Dindo Capello. The fast Frenchman stunned with his pace in a Peugeot and was high on the hotlist when Ingolstadt looked to shuffle their pack.
The chemistry between him and the two established old hands in the No. 2 Audi will be the key to real results this year.
D is for Davidson
Anthony Davidson’s 2012 Le Mans may have been short, but its finale made headlines the world over after his dramatic flip at Mulsanne Corner ended the race for the No. 8 Toyota.
He’s now fully recovered, retained by Toyota for the season and likely very keen to add some silverware to a reputation as one of, if not THE, quickest men out there.
E is for European Le Mans Series
After a disastrous 2012 the European Le Mans Series gets a revamp and a relaunch courtesy of new Series organisers, Gerard Neveu and co.
Shorter races and two day race weekends are designed to help hard pressed teams with the costs and whilst that’s not been without its controversies, the season entry list is already impressive with 25 cars slated to start the season at Silverstone for the five race series.
That’s a massive recovery from 2012’s dismal 13 cars at Donington Park and whilst the prospect of sharing the weekend billing with another series might not be to everyone’s taste it makes for a potentially very interesting fan experience.
E is for Endurance Super Racing Weekend
With a revamped ELMS to support and a North American sportscar scene in some flux, the creation of these two double header weekends with ELMS supporting the FIA WEC at Silverstone and the ALMS on similar duty in Austin, Texas at the fabulous new Circuit of the Americas was something of a no brainer.
That is not to say that these aren’t a very welcome addition to the sportscar racing calendar, they are an important road sign to what the WEC wants to become, a series of big standalone events that combine to be a worthy World Championship.
With 60 or more top quality cars racing over the weekend these really should be on every endurance racing fans calendar.
E is for 8Star
Enzo Potolicchio was set to contest LMP2 in defence of his 2012 WEC title when the Venuzuelan was run by Starworks – funding issues at home though scuppered that plan and instead we’ll see the team name arrive in the WEC on an AF Corse run Ferrari 458 in the hotly contested GTE Am class.
It will be a difficult car to miss, the team’s livery is a very strident orange!
F is for Ferrari
Ferrari arrive for 2013 with a revised version of the 458 GTE that swept the prancing horse to the GTE World title in the WEC’s first season last year.
AF Corse , of course are the standard bearers once again with a revamped driver squad – more of them in a wee while.
With proven pace and reliability plus class leading fuel economy the opposition will have to bring their A Game to wrest the trophy from Maranello’s steely grip.
Our sportscar alphabet season prieview continues…. stay tuned for more news soon.