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8th December 2008 |
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FIM Permanent Teams Meeting Suzuka Optional – Doha Compulsory – Osch on Sunday / Monday... Following a meeting between the FIM and the world endurance championship permanent teams last week, the following information has been released by the FIM: Suzuka 8 Hour Optional There will be a maximum of 20 teams given 'permanent' status for the 2009 season, with the list announced in January. These 20 teams will “commit themselves to take part in all rounds of the World Championship, except to the Suzuka Eight Hours whose participation in it will be facultative for cost reasons”. Facultative isn't a word I'd come across before, but it apparently means “not compulsory, optional, discretionary or elective”. So we're back to the situation a few years ago, where only a handful (or fewer) permanent teams would attend the Suzuka 8 Hour race, because of the costs involved. The situation may in fact be even worse, given the current economic climate and the fact that it is now much more difficult for permanent teams to score points at Suzuka. 
Suzuka 8H, 2008
In 2008 only four permanent teams finished in the points, taking four of the last five points scoring positions: YART were 11th, Folch 12th, Phase One 13th and SERT 14th. Even the top teams will be asking themselves if it's worth travelling halfway round the world for a handful of points, particularly with the Suzuka race coming so soon after Albacete. The other expensive 'fly away' round of the champonship is Doha, the home round for the series sponsor, and this remains a compulsory event for the permanent teams. Calendar Changes The Oschersleben 8 Hour race will take place on Sunday 31st May, finishing in the night as Monday June 1st is a public holiday in Germany. So that's alright then. The Albacete race – scheduled for the 4th of July – will be an 8 hour rather than 6 hours event, and the Doha race will take place on Saturday the 14th of November, one week later than originally scheduled. Superpole A Superpole system will be put in place for the fastest 10 teams after qualifying has taken place, to decided the final grid positions. This additional stage will take place on the day prior to the race, and will be run under dry conditions only. No word yet on whether this will be televised in any way. Someone needs to come up with a new name for this, by the way, as the word “Superpole” is an FGSport registered trademark... Got some World Endurance news? send it to info@redleg.co.uk |
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