LMP2 has entered into a brave new world with four new chassis manufacturers granted licenses for 2017.
The four constructors are: Dallara (Italy-United States), Onroak Automotive (France), Oreca (France-United States) and the joint-venture Riley Tech/Multimatic (USA, Canada and the United Kingdom), subject to validation of the regulations by the World Motor Sport Council on 10th July.
In ACO and FIA governed series, LM P2 cars will be powered by a single engine manufacturer to be selected this September. The target horsepower for cars in all series is approximately 600bhp, and an Adjustment of Performance process will be used to ensure competitive balance.
The ACO, FIA and IMSA also will select a single electronics supplier for all cars this September.
With the category being somewhat of a revolving door for small and large manufacturers alike, numbers and competition had a tendency to fluctuate seasonally, leaving the LMP1 feeder category without much direction.
The tightness of the 2017 technical directives will have frightened off some entrants hoping to develop their own chassis/drivetrain combinations and as such have prompted shock moves from British outfit Strakka, to chance their arm in the LMP1 category.
While less wriggle-room for technical innovation will have an immediate negative impact on LMP2’s subjacent entries, the ACO’s reasoning for the changes is to create a more durable commercial environment for both customers and suppliers; and in turn, grid numbers.
As such, the category will lose faithful servants in Gibson-Zytek and HDP, with BR Engineering also opting out of the tender process.
“Our priority is to supply the teams and drivers entered in this category with the best options and solutions to race in endurance on a long-term basis”, said Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. “Thanks to the decisions taken jointly by the ACO, IMSA and the FIA we have managed to bring together a high-quality pool of constructors which reinforces the interest in the series and its glowing future prospects.
The Dallara, Onroak Automotive, Oreca and Riley Tech/Multimatic teams now will join the technical working group jointly managed by the ACO, the FIA and IMSA to define the final details of the regulations. One of the main objectives of this working group is to optimise all of the parameters to ensure the most economically viable set of rules for the teams.
The cars must be homologated by, and available for use in January 2017 for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the first race at which the new TUDOR Championship Prototype / LM P2 category regulations will be applied.