LMDh with Hypercars at Le Mans in 2022

In accordance with what we have revealed to you in recent months, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and theIMSA have reached an agreement concerning the regulations of their future premier categories. A regulation which will come into force from the 2021-2022 season of WEC and from the 2022 IMSA campaign.

A press conference, organized on the sidelines of the 58th edition of the Florida double clock tower this Friday, January 24, confirmed this information. Thus, the manufacturers will be able to play for overall victory in 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the 24 Hours of Daytona or even at the 12 Hours of Sebring with one and the same car meeting the LMDh regulations (Le Mans Daytona h).

They will be based on one of the four chassis accepted in LM P2 (always Oreca, Onroak, Dallara or Multimatic) onto which the competitors will graft the engine of their choice, a standard hybrid system and a bodywork strongly reminiscent of the brand's production vehicles including they defend interests. In the World ChampionshipEndurance, they will therefore operate alongside the Le Mans Hypercar, in one and the same class.

ACO and IMSA Forge Future of Endurance Racing

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— #IMSA / #Rolex24 (@IMSA) January 24, 2020

“The big winner today is Endurance, as the door is now open for many more competitors to compete at the highest level on both sides of the Atlantic with the same car, declared Gérard Neveu, director of the WEC. 

Both organizations should be commended for their vision and spirit of collaboration. Le Mans Hypercars and the new LMDh cars racing together at Le Mans or Daytona will be an incredibly exciting prospect for endurance fans around the world. »

For his part, the President of the ACO Pierre Fillon targets “a crucial starting point for the future of common Endurance. This platform demonstrates the convergence achieved by our two entities. This is a tremendous success for Endurance. A manufacturer will soon be able to enter the premier category of the two championships, FIA WEC and WeatherTech Championship. This long-term sporting and marketing vision, which is rare enough to be underlined, will offer numerous opportunities. »

According to John Doonan, Director General of Imsa, “At the start of the 51st IMSA season, endurance racing enthusiasts can consider this day as one of the most significant for IMSA, the ACO and Endurance. Proposing a common platform to have a premier category operating at international level has always been a goal for our entities, our manufacturers and above all, most importantly, for all endurance fans in the world, especially in the long term. . 

So we are proud to announce today that this is now possible. We are very grateful for the collaboration with our ACO partners and the very open dialogue with the manufacturers which allowed us today to present this LMDh platform. »

Further details regarding the technical regulations of the LMDh will be revealed in mid-March, during the Super Sebring.