COTA WEC Friday Notebook

Photo: Keith Rizzo/COTA

***Jim Hall will serve as Grand Marshal for tomorrow’s Lone Star Le Mans event. The founder of Chaparral Cars posed for a photo (above) with a number of series and circuit dignitaries, including FIA WEC CEO Gerard Neveu, IMSA President and COO Scott Atherton and ACO President Pierre Fillon.

***The eventual LMP2 class pole-sitting No. 26 G-Drive Racing Ligier JS P2 Nissan rebounded from a collision with the No. 77 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR in Free Practice 3. Roman Rusinov was handed a drive-through penalty, which is suspended until the end of the event, for the collision.

***A direct comparison between qualifying times from the FIA WEC and those set in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship shows that the WEC LMP2 cars are nearly 2 seconds quicker than the IMSA-spec prototypes, while IMSA’s GTLM cars are roughly 1.5 seconds faster than the GTE-Pro machines in WEC.

***To help combat the near 100-degree temperatures this weekend, Michelin has rolled out with a ‘soft hot weather +’ tire for LMP1 cars for the first time this year. “We have analyzed how our tires performed at the last two 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas races and that data has allowed us to develop tires which are suited to the track’s specific demands,” said Jerome Mondain, manager of Michelin’s FIA WEC program.

***Michelin has brought 2,300 tires to COTA this weekend for its WEC partner teams, which totals 23 of the 31 cars. Additionally, the French tire giant has seven entries in Saturday’s TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race.

***Earl Bamber, who is one of three drivers pulling double-duty this weekend between the FIA WEC and TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, may have an additional outing in the No. 88 Abu Dhabi Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR this year, again filling in for Klaus Bachler.

***David Hallyday is eyeing a return to LMP2 for next year. The French singer/song writer has been in discussions with a number of WEC teams.

***Be sure to download Andy Blackmore’s NISMO Spotter Guide, featuring all 31 starters for Saturday’s race. Andy’s guides are a must-have, whether you’re at the track or following from home.

***The Six Hours of Circuit of The Americas will be broadcast live and in its entirety on FOX Sports 2, beginning Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. FS2 will feature the international broadcast team of John Hindhaugh and Graham Goodwin, with FOX Sports’ Calvin Fish as host.

***Eurosport will also provide lights-to-flag coverage, starting at 11 p.m. British time, with hosts Mark Cole, Johnny Mowlem and Jack Nicholls. Motors TV will show the race live and in its entirety as well. Click Here for the full broadcast schedule.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John