WEC
Glickenhaus tackles Porsche on the idea of LMH – LMDh unification in WEC
Jim Glickenhaus stepped up to the plate in the face of Porsche's proposal concerning the future of Hypercars © Germain Hazard / DPPI
James Glickenhaus does not speak the language of wood. The American film director, also founder and president of the Team Cameron Glickenhaus, intervened on social networks to give a muscular (but clean) tackle to Porsche. The reason ? Recent statements from Thomas Laudenbach, Porsche competition manager, concerning the future of the premier category in Endurance.
From 2023, Hypercars and LMDh will coexist in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), with the notable arrival of Porsche, Cadillac and Ferrari. The Stuttgart manufacturer chose the LMDh option, a car that relies on a standard supplier-built chassis from the LM P2, as well as a standard hybrid system on the rear axle only. A simpler and less expensive solution than Hypercars, designed and built from A to Z by the teams.
A unification towards the LMDh, Glickenhaus is against
Two polar opposite regulations and two quite different types of cars, which will require the intervention of a very careful BoP (balance of performance). If this dual proposition has attracted many manufacturers to commit to WEC, LMH / LMDh cohabitation could pose several problems for quantifying and applying this famous BoP. Thus, Thomas Laudenbach proposed a unification of the regulations for greater simplicity... and proposed keeping the LMDh model as a basis, as used by Porsche with the 963, according to comments relayed by our colleagues at Motorsport.com.
A proposal which is far from being favored by Jim Glickenhaus. His team having produced its own Hypercar, the SCG 007 LMH, the American stepped up to defend the Hypercars… and throw a dig at Porsche. “I find it amusing that we designed, designed and built our own car when Porsche grafted supplier parts onto a standard chassis and mated its engine to a hybrid system that they rented, he reacted on Facebook. And it would be Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot , Vanwall and us to stop designing complete cars to do like them…”
A reaction that resonates like a little rant, while Glickenhaus worked body and soul to build his own Hypercar despite limited resources, while Porsche preferred the LMDh route to participate in the WEC championships and IMSA. It remains to be seen whether the BoP will be sufficiently effective (and fair) for this debate to no longer be one…
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Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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18/01/2023 at 05:33 a.m.
That being said, at one time, it was possible to race on both sides of the Atlantic with the same cars... but that was before and a while ago! That being said, for cost reasons, Porsche's approach makes rather sense and would avoid any BOP which will inevitably lead to discussions at some point!