The FIA Endurance Commission has approved a number of adjustments to the regulations for the Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) category in order to save costs and match the recently released draft technical regulations for the LMDh class.
The changes, which were approved during a recent meeting of the FIA Endurance Commission, serve two important purposes. Firstly, the changes will make the cars more cost-saving, both in terms of development and running costs.
Secondly, the changes will allow the aimed convergence between Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh following the confirmation that both classes will be able to compete alongside each other in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The changes to LMH have been made in three key areas: power, weight and aerodynamic performance. The maximum power output for LMH machinery has been brought down from the initial 585kW (795 hp) to 500kW (670 hp), which puts it in line with the proposed power output for LMDh. The minimum weight for LMH has also been decreased down to LMDh level: from 1100kg to 1030kg.
As a result, the minimum weight, the maximum power and the aero performance will be identical for both Le Mans Hypercars and the LMDh class cars.
“We need to consider the evolution of the economic environment and adopt cost-saving measures to support the efforts of the manufacturers,” said Richard Mille, President of the FIA Endurance Commission. “With the announcement of the ACO/IMSA outlining the basic details of the LMDh platform and the decision of the FIA Endurance Commission to modify the technical specification of the Le Mans Hypercar category, we are finally moving towards the convergence.
“Having both platforms eligible for the future top class in the FIA World Endurance Championship will allow more diversity in the technical approaches and thus attract more competitors. This is something that all parties involved – including the manufacturers committed to the Le Mans Hypercar category, the FIA and the ACO – have been working towards since the beginning. This is an important step for the future of endurance racing.”
“ACO and IMSA have now laid solid foundations for convergence allowing the top class of competitors to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship and in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship,” added Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. “LMDh and Le Mans Hypercar will be governed by convergent regulations to ensure similar performance characteristics. The technical teams at the FIA and the ACO have worked hard to adapt the LMH regulations and the result has been warmly welcomed by manufacturers. We must be proactive to build the future of Endurance. This announcement is further evidence of the constructive collaboration that is crucial to our discipline.”
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