New regulations win praise.
The World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the North American counterpart, IMSA, met in January during the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Weeks later at Sebring, the two were expected to meet again–this time to introduce technical regulations. But COVID-19 did in both the race and the meeting. However, the pandemic only meant a lapse in the collaboration.
Last week, the pair met for a second time, and they finalized the technical regulations. Along with the Automobile Club de L’ Quest, which runs the 24 Hours of Lemans, a dozen automobile manufacturers and four known chassis manufacturers (Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic, and Oreca) will supply the sport with its materials.
The news was revealed during a virtual presentation using WebEx software technology. A new competition, known as LMDh (or Lemans Daytona h), will have these technical regs for the 2022 racing season.
The rules include
• LMDh is a common car created by ACO-IMSA and will be able to race in both WEC and IMSA.
• LMDh based on a cost-capped car and will have the same spine (spine=complete car without bodywork, engine, hybrid) as the next generation of Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2).
• Only mainstream automotive manufacturers (associated with one of the four chassis constructors) can homologate an LMDh car.
Also included was
• A manufacturer-branded and stylized bodywork
• A manufacturer-branded engine
• A common single source rear-wheel-drive hybrid system
• A minimum homologation period of five (5) years
• A minimum car weight at 1030 kg
• 500 kW peak of combined power (sum of power resulting from internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid system)
• One bodywork package with identical aerodynamic performance
• A single tire supplier (i.e., Michelin)
• A global BOP to harmonize the overall performance of the LMDh and LMH cars.
The collaboration and its outcomes won uniform praise.
Pierre Fillon (photo, Lemans.org)
ACO President Pierre Fillon put the regs in perspective: “The ACO-IMSA convergence is now entering an important phase in its implementation. We are unveiling the basic technical details of this new LMDh category, which will see the same car being allowed to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship without any modification necessary to the car.”
IMSA CEO Ed Bennett was just as excited. “These regulations provide a roadmap for manufacturers and constructors to embark on the design process for new LMDh race cars that will revolutionize the top category of premier sports car racing around the globe.”
Gerard Neveu, head of the WEC, felt that the recent pandemic had a lot to do with the two factions agreeing much quicker than expected. “Since the coronavirus pandemic, how motorsport will be thought about in the future has undoubtedly been affected. Our strategy for LMDh is to try to find the best answer to manufacturers’ technical and competitive wishes, as well as offering them the greatest global visibility for their brands.”
John Doonan (photo, Motorsport.com)
IMSA President John Doonan felt that the convergence would make the sport grow much better for both parties. “As these technical regulations will attest, LMDh is a logical and appropriate next step to follow the successful Daytona Prototype international (DPi) in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.”
While other formulas are trying to figure out their future, many believe that this convergence will help advance the discipline for many years to come.
