The ACO towards a new regulation

If the press conference given at Le Mans by the ACO is above all a communication operation, its president, Jean-Claude Plassart, could not escape certain questions. And even anticipating these questions, the members of the ACO management team gave their ideas for the future of 24 Hours of Le Mans. Concerning the premier category, that of LMP1, the ACO wishes to continue its action in different directions. Equivalence between different types of engines will be advocated, as requested by many teams (Oreca, Pescarolo?). The ACO will thus modify the regulations concerning the pressure and the turbo flanges.

Another measure aims, by reading between the lines, to satisfy the demands of Peugeot against the Audi R15. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest wishes to review the aerodynamic efficiency of cars through some regulatory adjustments. The organizer of the 24 Hours completes its orientation by specifying that it will clarify the interpretations of the regulations. Finally, hybrid cars will be accepted under conditions.

If most team bosses recognize that all this is going in the right direction, all condemn the ACO's delay in these developments. They also remain on the defensive, since no concrete measures have been announced. Finally, they congratulate the round table which will be organized by the end of June with the teams. But, for 2009, the teams who consider themselves wronged will only have to put their ambitions in their pockets.