Prototype and GT Racing 2021

[rikardo]

The IMSA Sportscar Championship kicked off this category of racing for the year (as is usual), with their blue-ribbon event, the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Round 1, Saturday 30 January.
Full replay here (part 1 of 7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxenoSjQodE

The 100 minute qualifying race was held on the previous Saturday, see here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4SNtOdEdaE

The start of the Asian Le Mans Series is next up, over the weekend of 13/14 February, details nearer the time.

[rikardo]

Asian Le Mans Series

This year, due to the ongoing world-wide health crisis, the organisers (ACO) have compacted the season of 4 races into the weekend of 13 & 14 February and the following Friday & Saturday/19 & 20 February, all held in the United Arab Emirates. The first 2 races are at the Dubai Autodrome and the second 2 at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Round 1
4 hours of Dubai
Saturday 13 February
Full replay here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt3d2PyPE_g

Round 2
4 hours of Dubai
Sunday 14 February
Full replay here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCTdT9anj2E

Unfortunately, the TV direction was typical of the genre. It is no wonder plenty of people consider motorsport boring.
There were numerous examples of an uninformed and unimaginative mind - or minds - at work.
The most infamous example being the mantra........must........show........the.........winning.........car (on the last lap).
In race 2 this robbed us of a 3-car battle to the line in GT (that had been building to a crescendo for several laps) and a sudden loss of a podium place in LMP3 for one car, neither were shown. You could hear the frustration in the commentators voices.
Instead, we saw the winning car with a very healthy lead and then a locked-off camera at start/finish  
As to whether things are improved for next weekend remains to be seen. I hope my suspicions - no improvement- are proved wrong.

[rikardo]

Asian Le Mans Series

Round 3
Friday 19 February
4 hours of Abu Dhabi
Full replay here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwiL-0Xg7vI

Round 4
Saturday 20 February
4 hours of Abu Dhabi
Full replay here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9vugofLkzI

Unfortunately, my suspicions were met (see comments above).
Having said that, I/we should be grateful that these events actually took place and that they were broadcast to the world. And for that I am indeed grateful.

Next up is the IMSA Sebring 12 hours on Saturday 20 March.

[rikardo]

IMSA Sportscar Championship
Round 2
12 hours of Sebring
Full replay here (part 1 of 4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBGof65ljyk

If there is another "Super-Sebring" as occurred back in 2019 (both WEC and IMSA endurance races in one weekend), I can highly recommend getting yourself to that event. You will be thoroughly entertained by our American cousins going all-out partying. On top of that, there is virtually no catch-fencing to obscure your view of the cars, as we seem intent on installing all over the UK and Europe, when its only really required at certain locations. Only very rarely does it appear at Sebring when theres a particularly "tricky" corner, I think I spotted just one example. As it states on the reverse of any entry ticket, motorsport is dangerous, etc etc.