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Opinion: Why the WEC can't celebrate Rebellion's win
Rebellion broke Toyota's stranglehold on the WEC at Shanghai, but the series just swapped domination by one car for domination by another. The LMP1 success handicaps are creating variety but not decent racing, says Gary Watkins.
At last, a victory by someone other than Toyota in the FIA World Endurance Championship! But was Rebellion Racing's win in Shanghai last weekend really what the series needed? Yes and no is my answer to that one.
Yes, because an unbroken run of victories for the Japanese manufacturer stretching back more than a year has been sucking the life out of the WEC. No, because the series doesn't require a dominant win by one team simply being transposed with an equally dominant victory by another. That's what we got over four hours of racing around the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday.
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How stumbling Toyota drew first blood in the WEC's new era
Amid concerns that the new Hypercar class would be upstaged on debut by the spec LMP2 machines at Spa, Toyota delivered the pole and victory that the vast majority of observers expected. But neither car had a clean run, which gave the grandfathered Alpine LMP1 an unexpected shot at glory.
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How Aston Martin scaled new heights in the Prodrive era
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How 'Brilliant' Bob Wollek lived up to his nickname
Sportscar racing lost one of it's greatest talents 20 years ago today when Bob Wollek was knocked from his bicycle prior to the Sebring 12 Hours. The enigmatic Frenchman never won the Le Mans 24 Hours, but many still remember today why 'Brilliant Bob' became a legend
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Why Ferrari is ending its 50-year top-flight sportscar racing exile
Making a return to top-flight sportscar racing after 50 years away, Ferrari will enter the Le Mans Hypercar ranks in 2023. The Italian marque denies the link with Formula 1's new cost cap that frees up resources, but it's certainly no coincidence...
The GTE dilemma that IMSA has created for the WEC
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About this article
| Series | WEC |
| Event | Shanghai |
| Teams | Rebellion Racing , Toyota Gazoo Racing WEC |
| Author | Gary Watkins |