After Daytona, should Porsche and BMW be worried in LMDh?

Facts : Highly anticipated for the grand premiere of the GTP at the 24 2023 Hours of Daytona, the German manufacturers disappointed. Between lack of reliability at Porsche (but also BMW…) and muted performance from the propeller brand, the results are hardly glorious. Simple false start or real cause for concern? After Daytona, should the alarm ring in Zuffenhausen and Munich?

Yes, by Julien Billiotte

Faced with Acura and other Cadillacs, the German Porsche and BMW were defeated at Daytona last weekend. However, it was not for lack of having filed down the Florida asphalt upstream, especially on the Porsche side where we had swallowed 33 kilometers in testing before this great first in GTP.

A 36-hour test was even completed at Sebring. But nothing replaces competition, real competition. Between the non-imposed figures of a surprisingly messy Nick Tandy and the various mechanical problems, the results are hardly rosy.

Small reason for consolation: when it was pointing in the right direction, the 963 showed promising pace. But the setbacks suffered by Tandy, experienced pilot and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, question. In addition to being fragile, would Zuffhausen's LMDh be difficult to tame?

On the BMW side, ambitions were much more measured, given the delay in the development of the M Hybrid V8. Unsurprisingly, the Munich prototypes were neither very reliable (technical problems linked to the hybrid system), nor frankly efficient.

By aiming for a return to Le Mans for the 2024 edition, BMW had played it safe by giving itself room to progress its Hypercar. But will the choice of LMDh, preferred to LMH, prove profitable for the propeller brand, as for its Germanic counterpart?

Because although it is less expensive, the LMDh imposes standard elements (chassis from the LM P2 supplied by an approved manufacturer, hybrid system on the rear axle) where the brands having opted for the LMH (Ferrari, Peugeot , Toyota, Glickenhaus) design their car from A to Z, with more freedom.

In other words, will Porsche and BMW be able to develop their cars as quickly as their LMH rivals? Time is already running out, especially for the Stuttgart brand which has the most victories at Le Mans (19).

The 1000 Miles of Sebring, opening handle of WEC 2023 is tomorrow (March 17). And the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 10-11), the day after tomorrow.

There is no doubt that these two prestigious manufacturers have the resources and skills necessary to be at the forefront, but the disappointment of Daytona should not be taken lightly.

No, by Medhi Casaurang-Vergez

As my colleague clearly explained above, we are not talking here about the first manufacturer that comes along. BMW, and even more so Porsche, are two major companies in the motorsport landscape, and have never accustomed us to failing in every project.

The Stuttgart brand's last prototype excursion, with the 919 in LM P1 in 2014, was crowned with success, with three consecutive WEC world titles from 2015 to 2017 and as many victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the same period. .

However, Porsche's debut in LM P1 in 2014 was more difficult. The top 10 in Sarthe had been narrowly missed (11th), and we had to wait until the final round of the WEC in Brazil to see a victory for a crew aboard a 919, against the better prepared Toyota and Audi because they have been present in the WEC since the creation of the championship two years ago.

This upward trajectory must therefore not be lost sight of at the start of the 2023 season. Even for a giant of theEndurance like Porsche, it is difficult to catch the train on the road, despite the introduction of new regulations. In the United States, Chip Ganassi Racing and Cadillac have worked together for several seasons in the DPi class, as have Acura and Meyer Shank Racing or Acura and Wayne Taylor Racing, three entities which were at the top of the field in these 24 Hours of Daytona.

Regarding BMW, we could definitely see the glass half full regarding their strategy. The Propeller brand will only tackle the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024, a year after Porsche, Ferrari, Peugeot or Toyota. The lack of experience in Sarthe could be counterbalanced by more extensive preparation in private tests. In addition, BMW Motorsport is most likely using the 2023 campaign toIMSA to prowl, and not necessarily to crush the competition, which would be unrealistic at this stage.