Ryan O’Connor, writing on the exciting new categories that have been introduced to endurance racing, in the January issue of CAR Magazine.
We all know Formula 1 and even the least enthusiastic owner of a motor-vehicle has an inkling of the circuit and has heard the name Michel Schumacher. In 2023 Cape Town will be hosting – in the most spectacular fashion – Formula E which takes the energy and excitement of Formula racing and moves it towards an electric future.
Related: A brief history of Formula E before the Cape Town E-Prix graces SA
But racing happens on so many levels, from karting to Dakar rallies and Touring and everything in between, and there’s a new racing division of hyper-cars that you may not be aware of. But I’m sure if you’re reading this you are familiar with the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.
Related: Deon Joubert joins ROC for everything motorsport related
In 2022, we saw the 90th instalment of the famous race for touring cars and hyper cars – the oldest endurance race that exists. The Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) was introduced in 2021 to FIA World Endurance Championship as a successor to the Le Mans Prototype (LMP1) vehicles, and in 2023 we will see the Le Mans Daytona hybrid (LMHd) join the competition. At this juncture the LMH category cars have – and will continue to – race at Le Mans, while the LMDh constructors still need to choose whether they will be taking part. These two categories offer new and exciting prospects to the world of endurance racing, but not because they’re going to be faster than their LMP predecessors. In fact, they’re a little bit slower.
So, what’s the hype?
The introduction of the LMH and LMDh formula has been described succinctly by Gary Watkins of Motorsport.com, as “A brave new attempt to reset the agenda in international sportscar racing.” The LMH cars differ in cost, look, concept and speed to the LMP1 prototypes that preceded them.
Take a circuit like the F1, or even the Le Mans for that matter. They lack for nothing in terms of viewership and popularity but are governed by strict rules and regulations that ensure that the cars entered remain on level playing fields. There is slightly more freedom surrounding LMH entries into Le Mans, and this makes for a very interesting addition after so many consecutive years of the same race.
Due to the regulations introduced (or disregarded, if you will), there is significantly more creativity afforded to the team and manufacturer in designing their vehicles. This is however mainly in the LMH category, which will be my focus, as the LMDh remains fairly regulated in design.
Power and weight will be managed for the LMH cars, and factors such as maximum downforce, minimum drag, and engine power will be controlled. However, any manufacturer is allowed to enter, and they will have autonomy over choosing the powertrain, drivetrain and designing the aerodynamics.
In terms of the powertrain, only four-stroke petrol engines are allowed, but constructors or teams are free to decide on the ICE architecture, capacity, and technology. The teams are also allowed the option of either four-wheel-drive or exclusively rear-wheel drive, with the development of the gearbox entirely up to them. Bodywork and aerodynamics are also fairly open, and Peugeot has welcomed the creative freedom by producing the 9×8 LMH, a racing cart with no rear wing!
Related: Wingless Peugeot 9X8 Hybrid Hypercar artistically portrayed in photoshoot
This all makes the new racing category incredibly exciting, and testament to the revolutionary approach to racing regulations is the fact that Ferrari has re-entered the World Endurance Series after a 50-year absence. The iconic Italian manufacturers will be entering a beautiful new hypercar, the 499P in their 2023 return to Le Mans.
In 2021, Toyota debuted their GR010 Hybrid at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and in the same year Glickenhaus unleashed their SCG 007 LMH at the 8 Hours of Portimão. 2022 saw the introduction of the 9X8 Peugeot I just mentioned, and of course 2023 promises Ferrari’s exciting re-entry with the 499P. Vanwall is a prospective entry in 2023 with Bugatti rumoured – don’t take my word for it – to potentially be joining too. There aren’t too many LMHs around just yet, but the category is in its infancy and only promises to grow as it offers a refreshing approach to racing design.
While the LMH division offers far more creative liberty, the LMDh has had a huge buy-in from manufacturers, with the likes of Audi, Alpine, Acura, Cadillac, BMW, Porsche and Lamborghini already on board, and a few others likely to join in the future. 2023 promises to be a brilliant year across racing categories, from the ever-growing Formula 1 and E to the new LMH entries into the WEC, and the huge interest and investment from manufacturers in the LMDh categories. I thoroughly look forward to seeing the sort of performance on offer.
Watch: Acura claimed 1st and 2nd at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in late January 2023,
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