[LM24] Classes at Le Mans

[BSchneiderFan]

As I was shaving this morning, I pondered, as is my wont, the state of sportscar racing. My mind strayed, for reasons unknown, to the ACO's selection procedure for this year's Le Mans. It occurred to me then that they - and, as fans, we - perhaps face a near-intractable problem.

50 cars will compete at Le Mans next year, I believe. I think it should be higher (both Sebring and Daytona can accommodate more), but there seems little chance of that happening in the near future. Is it then the case, I wondered, that we have too many classes? After all, with LMP1, LMP2, GTS and GT, you're looking at about a dozen cars per class, which really isn't many at all. But what's to be done? LMP2 can't be canned, as Courage and Lola are building new cars for the 2004 regulations. LMP1 is safe as the ACO (rightly, in my view) has stated that there must be a premier prototype class, to provide a home not only for the big motor manufacturers but also for independent chassis builders like Courage, Dome and Dallara.

GT (then GT3) was created in 1999, at least in part, because of falling numbers in other classes. With Porsche building the 911 GT3-R as an affordable turnkey racer for the class, it took off and is now massively popular; the problem being, of course, that a solution to a temporary difficulty can't now be undone. So what does one do?

I don't have a definitive answer, but how about this: gradually merge the prototypes and the newer GTS cars (Maserati, Aston Martin etc.) into something like the old GT1, allowing, of course, for spyders and coupes to compete on a reasonably level footing. It would mean, of course, relaxing a lot of the homologation requirements for ex-GTS cars, but with complaints that the Maserati MC12 is a purpose-built racer anyway, so what?

Leave LMP2 alone (no choice, really; you can't stab Courage and Lola in the back by canning it).

Then merge the slower GTS cars and the GT cars; again, this would mean changing homologation procedures, and I'm not sure how best it could be done, but I'm sure great minds would find a solution.

Well, thoughts?