[WEC] New rules. New manufacturers. The 2021 and beyond positivity thread!

[Napolis]

Originally Posted by CTD

Looking awesome!
I do not believe that there are anyone here on this forum who is not rooting and believing in you!

Thanks! That tub gives you an idea of just how small the LMH cockpit's are.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Napolis

Thanks! That tub gives you an idea of just how small the LMH cockpit's are.

Still possible to fit two people in there?

[chernaudi]

Sadly, it's IMSA who are at fault for that. I'd bet that if it was a sure thing that LMH could run in IMSA after 2022, I'd bet that Audi and Porsche would love to build their own cars if they could do it for what Toyota are doing it for.

Besides, Audi never built the tubs for their LMP900/LMP1 cars. They may've designed them, but they had no in-house manufacturing capabilities. So they were usually made by Dallara (R8, R10, R15, 2011-2013 R18) or YCom (subsequent R18s). Even TMG didn't build the tubs for the GT-One as they didn't have that ability at that time so Dallara built the tubs for the GT-One to TMG's design.

Also, if what I think about the Cadillac DPI is true (that Dallara designed it first before the LMP2 version), I'd bet that Audi and Porsche will have quite some say in the design of the next Multimatic DPI chassis.

Also, lest we forget, it was IMSA not wanting to play ball with the ACO on spec ECUs (after Cadillac wanted to run the Bosch ECU from the Corvette DP) that caused the DPI/LMP2 schism.

Also, I didn't hear many complaints about when Aston Martin did the same thing with the Ur-DPI, the DBR1/2, better known simply as the Lola-Aston Martin LMP1.

[Mike E]

Phoenix Racing to run Kelvin vd Linde and Nicki Thiim in LMP2 is ALMS.


Preparation for LMDh?



http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...ns-series.html

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Phoenix Racing to run Kelvin vd Linde and Nicki Thiim in LMP2 is ALMS.


Preparation for LMDh?



http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...ns-series.html

Definitely signs that AMR is not fielding a normal GTE line up

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Phoenix Racing to run Kelvin vd Linde and Nicki Thiim in LMP2 is ALMS.

Looks like they've found a time machine. Do I also need one to watch the races?

[Napolis]

Originally Posted by CTD

Definitely signs that AMR is not fielding a normal GTE line up

We think GTE will be scrapped for GT3 in 2022.

[Napolis]

Originally Posted by CTD

Still possible to fit two people in there?

If one is VERY small...

[Napolis]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CI895tYA...=1gx5bvgafuqj9

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Napolis

https://www.instagram.com/p/CI895tYA...=1gx5bvgafuqj9

Thank you! Please keep posting these and sharing the magical journey. I get giddy with excitement each time.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Thank you! Please keep posting these and sharing the magical journey. I get giddy with excitement each time.

I can't wait to see the thing actually roar down a track. And also, hoping for a cool livery, as opposed to what GG recently called "graphic designer's wet dream" that we often see on works cars

[Aysedasi]

With you there - something simple and sharp - none of this normally appalling 'art car' stuff.....

[Adam43]

Simply white, red and black.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Simply white, red and black.

[Napolis]

Glickenhaus 007 LMH

[Napolis]

Bonding roof to tub.

[Spyderman]

Interesting program on RLM yesterday :http://www.radiolemans.co/2020/12/24...ototype-panel/

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Interesting program on RLM yesterday :http://www.radiolemans.co/2020/12/24...ototype-panel/

Interestingly, Andrew Cotton suggested that OEMs will make decisions on which LMP2 chassis to go with based on actual on track testing performance of all chassis. Is this even realistic?

For some reason I was convinced LMP2-spec cars won't even be complete until after LMDh race debut, with OEM partners bearing some of the development workload for the future LMP2 chassis. Am I wrong?

When is the planned debut for the next-gen P2 as things stand now?

[FIRE]

Someone knows more about interest from Mercedes to join LMDh? According to well informed journalist René de Boer there are some rumours.

IIRC in 2019 HWA Racelab had interest to race in LMP2 last season.

[Simmi]

Acura committed yesterday to LMDh for 2023 - only specifically mentioning IMSA.

I'd imagine they do the US domestic programme in year one and maybe have a look at how things play out at Le Mans and WEC. No details yet on customer programmes or who is running the cars.

But still great news.

[canaglia]

le mans aside (maybe) I don't think IMSA manufacturers are actually interested in WEC

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by canaglia

le mans aside (maybe) I don't think IMSA manufacturers are actually interested in WEC

Agree. Privateer cars could help get them involved and perhaps that might be enough.

For Acura the big question is whether Honda badge up a car to take on Toyota. That's the dream but I wouldn't be surprised if it remains US-only.

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Agree. Privateer cars could help get them involved and perhaps that might be enough.

For Acura the big question is whether Honda badge up a car to take on Toyota. That's the dream but I wouldn't be surprised if it remains US-only.

I think it's a completely different approach, honda looks at gt500 and IMSA/indycar programs like a way to promote honda/acura brand in domestic japanese and USA market, following basically the old motto: win on sunday, sell on monday. I don't think they are really interested in something much bigger and huge effort/budget demanding like a WEC program.
I don't even think there will be real private acura lmdh actually, likely there will be one or two teams backed by the manufacturer running in IMSA as ever happened. The same can be said about mazda.

[Mike E]

Both WTR and MSR have said they want to race at LM. Fingers crossed.

[Mike E]

What do we know so far?



2021
Toyota GR010, LMH, 3.5l V6 turbo hybrid
2x works

Buemi, Conway, Hartley, Kobayashi, Lopez, Nakajima


SCG 007, LMH, 3.5l V8 turbo

1x works, 1x customer (run by the works team)

Briscoe, Menezes


Alpine A480, LMP1, 4.5l V8

1x works

Lapierre, Negrao, Vaxiviere



2022
LMDh admitted to WEC although there probably won't be any cars unless the 2023 entrants try to get a run late in the season


2023
Peugeot, LMH, 2.6l V6 turbo hybrid
2(?)x works
Auto Hebdo published a list of 6 drivers they thought might get a Peugeot ride although that list included Menezes. The others were all plausible and you would expect some of them to end in Hypercar - di Resta, Duval, Jensen, Magnussen, Vergne.



Acura LMDh
Wayne Taylor Racing and Meyer Shank Racing expected to continue as customer teams? Both have made excited noises about the LMDh announcement, both have said they want to race at Le Mans and they must surely have chosen to switch from Cadillac and graduate from GTD respectively with an eye on the possibility of running in LMDh with Acura.
They will presumably continue in IMSA anyway.
Their driver line ups for Daytona are not too shabby - WTR: Albuquerque, Castroneves, Rossi, R. Taylor. MSR: Allmendinger, Cameron, Montoya, Pla.



Audi LMDh
Customer cars only? WRT have entered LMP2 in the WEC this year and seem certain to run a car or two in the new formula. Robin Frijns is the only named driver so far.
Phoenix Racing is running in LMP2 in this year's Asian Le Mans Series.

Audi GT drivers suddenly expressing an interest in prototypes include Kelvin van der Linde, driving for Phoenix in the Asian Le Mans Series, and Christopher Mies, running in the Daytona 24h this weekend.



Porsche LMDh
Also customer cars?
Porsche have plenty of associated or contracted teams and drivers to draw on.


Who is next? Will Cadillac and Mazda continue in LMDh? I think Caddy will at least.


The Aston Martin Valkyrie seems like a long time ago...