Not sure if anyone has been keeping up with the changes to the old LMP1 class, however, things have changed a lot this year and for the next couple of years.
This year has been a race between the Toyota's and the Alpine. While the Toyata has won both races so far this season the Alpine is catching up. The Alpine is effectively last year's Rebellion which a couple of updates.
You also have the newly released Glickenhaus which is a interesting project and certainly draws a different idea to the racing.
As a part of the Hypercar movement Peugeot have just released images of its racer for next season which is radically different even will not have a rear wing at all which I find very odd.
You also have Bykolles releasing their car soon and the big news to the Hypercar class is that Ferrari will be returning with a full works program which will be exciting to see them at Le Mans in 2022.
This will be expanding rapidly in the next couple of years as they have done a deal with the Daytona Prototype's so that they will also be classed as the top for Le Mans as a part of convergence between the two series. This has introduced Acura (Honda) BMW, Audi and Porsche all making a return to the top class and therefore you would think will all be making a tilt at Le Mans.
Could this be that there is a start of a missive resurgence at the top end of Le Mans. There is to be BOP between the hypercars and the LMDh so the racing will hopefully be very close across the board.
The only group that I really see any concerns with is the GTE Pro series. This will be dropped from the IMSA series and I cannot see Ferrari and Prosche both running factor teams in this as well as the Hypercar programs that could be a huge amount of money tied up then.
I am very excited for this class going forward. It will be amazing to see several manufacturers battling for the 24 Hour.
To be honest even the battle at the front this year has not been too bad. The Alpine has the outright pace over the Toyota however, the Toyota can just run so much longer on fuel which is why it usually ends up winning. I fully expect that the Toyota's will make it 4 in a row at Le Mans this year however, it they strike problems the Alpine will certainly be up there.
We had the 6 hours of Monza at the weekend and one of the LMP2 cars ended up on the overall podium after trouble struck one of the Toyota's. I am looking forward to Le Mans this year to see if one of the LMP2 car's could end up on the overall podiums again as the Glickenhaus cars do not have huge pace yet as they still are learning their car.
I welcome the new rules which creates a class of similar cars which should minimise the balance of performance type handicaps.
What's our best bet for watching the race this year?
Officially Eurosport have the rights in Australia otherwise it is on the WEC app. Sky for those in NZ.
Thanks meha.
I've taken the weekend and Monday off so I don't need to worry about sleep ;D.
now that is the approach that I should have taken. ;D
The Toyota's looks like it will run away with things at the front at the moment they are up by nearly a second a lap plus they have better fuel range.
Yep, hard to see Toyota losing it unless something dramatic happens.
When I looked up the weather forecast yesterday it did predict rain for the first 8 or 9 hours of the race. The forecast today is not as bad but some light rain may still fall.
Was not a bad race all told. The Toyota's finished one two as expected although experienced a few fuel dramas. The LMP2 race was really close all through the field.
I do worry for the future of the GT Pro category though. With Ferrari and Porsche both fielding Hypercar programs soon, plus IMSA dropping the category in favor of a GT3 based regulations you have to wonder if there will be any teams left in the coming years.
Still can't believe the finish in LMP2. Leader drops out on the final lap and then second and third battling for the win right on the tail of the Toyotas. Close call for the chequered flag waver! Gutted for Deletraz, Kubica and Ye, but from an Australian point of view it did put James Allen's car onto the podium.
I thought the first corner was an indicator for a crazy race to come, but it was fairly settled after the second lot of rain.
I would love to see LMP2 as the premier class.
The end to the LMP2 race was just heartbreaking to watch for WRT.
As much as it would be interesting to see, the current Hypercar regs look like they are going to attract a number of manufacturers returning plus there are rumor's of Bently and Mclaren are both looking at the Hypercar class.
The fact that it is a BOP based system is attracting a lot of them as it will generally be close racing despite some of the issues with BOP