IMSA / ACO convergence

[Coupe_bloke]

Well this could be good news!

Fingers crossed this gives the likes of Lambo, McLaren and maybe even Ferrari the green light to commit to LM in particular, but also IMSA. I thought the American Le Mans Series was fantastic entertainment and sadly missed - hope bringing back an international top class rekindles the magic of that era once again.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/01/24/imsa-aco-...

[LawrieC]

This does seem to be lurching into yet another calamity, just when the LMP1 privateers had got a reasonable race going, and LMP2 is even better.

Major manufacturers interest in Hypercars was waning, as they need a chance of winning to justify the mammoth budget, and it wouldn't be much cheaper than LMP1, which they've already given up on. Plus top end manufacturers like Bentley don't think that wins at Le Mans or Daytona will sell many cars - they're too expensive for the race fans. Peugeot are giving up and looking at DPi, or LMDh as it becomes

The Daytona Prototypes are lower budget, so should be the better option, but use LMP2 chassis, and will have to look like road cars. This gives LMP2 a problem, as they may be quicker, so their power will be reduced, and they'll then be about as fast as the GTs, or teams might move into DPi/LMDh/LMP1. Either way, it wrecks a popular class

Confused? I sure am

Edited by LawrieC on Saturday 25th January 00:44

[Red Firecracker]

Whatever happens, they'll all do their best to screw it.

The really interesting sub story will be who gets to set the BoP. Will the French be happy for a BoP that means their much vaunted vanity project, the 'Hypercar' is beaten by an LMP2 on steroids at a fraction of the cost?

I can imagine the phone calls from Peugeot/Rebellion to Oreca last night......

[Tyre Smoke]

The manufacturer's seem to want it though. Certainly Aston are lauding it as a major breakthrough.

But does this mean that ultimately there is only one class of car racing either side of the pond, the LMDh? No LMP2 or GT cars?

[Red Firecracker]

Tyre Smoke said:

The manufacturer's seem to want it though. Certainly Aston are lauding it as a major breakthrough.

But does this mean that ultimately there is only one class of car racing either side of the pond, the LMDh? No LMP2 or GT cars?

This is only convergence of the 'top class', there will still be GTE / GTLM, GTD / GT3, LMP2, LMP3 etc etc, which to be fair are very much like for like on both sides of the pond. 'Same man, different hat', type thing.

The LMP2 chassis contracts are up for renewal anyway, so this is a convenient way of allocating them as well. LMDh is far far closer (it seems) to DPi than Hypercar, being based on an LMP2 chassis, as are DPi, just with the addition of an annoying bit of weight with the KERS system (all hail Hydrogen). There will be lots of OEM whispers as it should be so much cheaper than Hypercar, but whether those whispers become reality is another thing. The timescale is very very tight.

Why would an OEM invest in a Hypercar when there is now a cheaper, simpler alternative that 'should' have a chance of an overall win?

It will be a very interesting set of regulations to look over when they are finally ratified.

Edited by Red Firecracker on Saturday 25th January 18:48

[FredericRobinson]

I don't think there's a massive difference between P1 and P2 chassis, the Oreca / Rebellion isn't much different to the Oreca P2 chassis wise

[Red Firecracker]

Quite, anything out of the Oreca design book, be it P2, Rebellion or Toyota all share some design elements/ethos'.

Of course, speaking of P1, there will now need to be discussions and decisions regarding the grandfathering in or not of the current P1 chassis, which was planned for the 20/21 season. If they backtrack on that decision, I can see a paddock of some very unhappy campers.

Plus it creates a further BoP headache.... There could be an overall LMP2 winner at Le Mans yet.

[LawrieC]

Red Firecracker said:

... Will the French be happy for a BoP that means their much vaunted vanity project, the 'Hypercar' is beaten by an LMP2 on steroids at a fraction of the cost?.....

I think we all know the answer to that

The LMP2s will be slowed to the pace of a GT. And the thick traffic there will lead to accidents, especially as the LMP2s are quicker in the corners, but slower on the straights. It'll be messy

[Red Firecracker]

The Hypercar projected race laptime at Le Mans is 3:20 (compared to a lap record in 2019 of 3:17).

LMP2 fastest lap was a 3:27, so maybe, just maybe they won't feel the need to tinker too much, but that will all depend on how fast the Toyota really turns out to be and how much they sandbag before Le Mans.