LM P2 – The rumble of the Bronze drivers

For several months, the governing bodies have been looking for the right equation which would give equal chances – on paper – to everyone in LM P2, and therefore allow crews including a Bronze driver to compete with those who have opted for a Silver.

To relaunch its LM P2 category, theIMSA decided to force each team to call on a Bronze. Would this be the right solution? “ I think that this would amount to masking the problem which is, in reality, the poor qualification of certain Silver, Gabriel Aubry told us in Austin at the end of February. We will end up with Super Bronze and the gap will be even more glaring. I'm in a good position to know this since I was teamed up at the 24 Hours of Daytona with Ben Keating, who is a real Bronze, but who is impressive behind the wheel. »

Today we are moving more towards a new distribution of mandatory minimum driving time and towards Silver drivers who would drive more than their Bronze counterparts. But here too, a problem arises: that of the excessive time spent behind the wheel by Silvers who, by definition, are not professional, with the safety concerns that this generates.

While waiting to put their finger on the most appropriate formula, some are expressing their desire to start, like Frits van Eerd who, after seeing Henrik Hedman exult on the top step of the 24 Hours podium of Daytona, no longer hides his desire for IMSA, where he would have a chance of victory.

Frits van Eerd (Racing Team Nederland) has his sights set on IMSA. © DPPI / Clément Marin

The three Italians from Cetilar Racing will also leave the category during the off-season, probably for GTE Am, while Cool Racing has already made it known that it will not leave for a second world campaign, prefeWanting to focus onELMS.

With High Class Racing having no certainty of staying, the contingent of entrants in the category could decrease suddenly, even if we can count on Jota Sport and United Autosports – or even Signatech Alpine if the LM P1 project does not succeed – to respond. Mistrust…