Endurance Racing

[Rich]

The new LeMans Daytona hybrid (LMDh) and LeMans Hypercar (LMH) regulations have led to a resurgence in manufacturer involvement in endurance racing that I have not seen during my lifetime, and I think the most OEM interest in endurance racing in the history of motorsport.  These categories will be allowed to race in the World Endurance Championship, LeMans 24h, as well as IMSA racing (in the GTP category) here in the US.  Looks like most manufacturers are targeting 2023 for their entries, so let's keep our fingers crossed that conditions will keep them on course.



Cadillac - Dallara LMDh 2023
https://www.carspin.club/index.php?topic=36389.0


Acura ARX-06 Oreca LMDh 2023
https://acuranews.com/en-US/releases/acura-teases-new-arx-06-prototype


BMW M Hybrid V8 Dallara LMDh 2023
https://www.bmw-motorsport.com/en/topics/bmw-m-motorsport/race-cars/bmw-m-hybrid-v8.html


Porsche 963 Multimatic 2023 LMDh
https://motorsports.porsche.com/usa/en/category/cars/lmdh-prototype-963


Toyota GT010 Hybrid LMH 2021
https://toyotagazooracing.com/wec/cars/2021/


Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH 2021
https://glickenhausracing.com/scg-007


Peugeot 9X8 LMH 2022
https://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/peugeot-9x8-hybrid-lmh/


Ferrari LMH 2023
https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/competizioni-gt/2023-le-mans-hypercar


Alpine Oreca LMDh 2024
https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/24-hours-of-le-mans-alpine-to-compete-in-hypercar-starting-in-2024-55678

Lamborghini Ligier LMDh 2024
https://www.lamborghini.com/en-en/motorsport/news/lamborghini-announces-development-of-its-lmdh-hybrid-sports-car-prototype-racing-program

[r0tor]

This will be exciting for LeMans which hasn't really had a decent battle outside of 1 or 2 manufacturers at the top level in decades.

[Rich]

yup.


https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/cadillac-lmdh-completes-rollout/
GM's testing has begun. 

[Rich]

Corvette wins at Monza 6h unexpectedly after Ferrari runs out of fuel on the last lap. Sounds like the F1 and WEC Ferrari teams both struggle with strategy.

[565]

I'm mixed on this.  Yes there are many new manufacturers,  however now it's a balance of performance class.  There won't be the no holds crazy engineering that went into the previous top level Lemans classes before.  The LMDh cars all have to choose between just a few chassis manufacturers. I won't be interested for the same reason why LMP2 wasn't ever interesting to me.

They will also handicap the bespoke LMH cars so they can race with the LMDh cars which totally ruins the point of Lemans.

When Audi was racing with a V6 diesel flywheel electric hybrid against Porsche with a V4 turbo battery electric hybrid against Toyota with a NA V8 supercapacitor hybrid against Nissan with a V6 gas turbo front engined front wheel drive car (that didn't really work, with a planned mechanical only flywheel hybrid that never made it to the race),  that was the peak of modern LeMans racing.  Despite no balance of performance, Audi Porsche and Toyota were all neck and neck.

[Rich]

I would enjoy a racing series where the only rules were impact standards and either

1) For electric-only series, a 1 hr charging time before the start (at any charge rate)  It'd be up to the teams to figure out battery capacity/recharge stop frequency and length.
2) For fuel powered series, a set amount of fuel to be used for the whole event.

The costs would deter manufacturers, but I'd enjoy seeing the innovations that come with trying to go as fast as possible with provided fuel/electricity.

Unfortunately, the only way to get manufacturer involvement was to go the LMDh route.  I think there were only 3 LMH hypercars planned before LMDh was announced. Costs were too high for good LMP1 involvement too.

[CaminoRacer]

It is a shame that F1 and LeMans aren't all-out anymore. BoP, cost caps, and too many regs now.

[r0tor]

I've often said a series should just give a team an allotted amount of fuel (or electrons), basic safety standards, and let the teams have at it

[Rich]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs-cETEpsPY

[Rich]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLGDTnHDZ8A&t=12s

[Rich]

https://youtu.be/CJctWKE83XU

[GoCougs]

Not sure how "endurance" it is but cool nonetheless in the variety. The Capri didn't want to give way to the much faster Heavy Chevy but toward the end Camaro driver had had more than enough and that was that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z90-dqrWZ0Q

[giant_mtb]

Daaaaang those guys were rippin'.  Fun little group action right there.

[FoMoJo]

Production car racing was a good leveler.  It didn't take just power to win.

[GoCougs]

Daaaaang those guys were rippin'.  Fun little group action right there.

This or NASCAR or CART or whatever?

Pro racing lost its allure once the hegemony of rules came, particularly those that made the cars little if any different (NASCAR is probably the worst starting with its "Car of Tomorrow").

The money seems bigger than ever esp. in F1 but boring AF, and now it's much more about the drama (and in F1's case, esp. the whining and the woke).

[giant_mtb]

This or NASCAR or CART or whatever?

Pro racing lost its allure once the hegemony of rules came, particularly those that made the cars little if any different (NASCAR is probably the worst starting with its "Car of Tomorrow").

The money seems bigger than ever esp. in F1 but boring AF, and now it's much more about the drama (and in F1's case, esp. the whining and the woke).

Pretty much the only motorsports I actually enjoy watching are the ones that happen on un-paved tracks...motocross, enduro, rally, trophy trucks, etc.  There's plenty of rules in just about any pro level motorsport with regards to the vehicles that helps level the playing field, but it's a lot more interesting to me if some dirt's flying around as well.

[r0tor]

I would still love some series that would spec a certain amount of starting energy, some safety requirements, and let the rest to the teams to figure out....

The racing would probably be terrible.  The costs would be extraordinary.  But the level of intrigue is infinite.

[FoMoJo]

I would still love some series that would spec a certain amount of starting energy, some safety requirements, and let the rest to the teams to figure out....

The racing would probably be terrible.  The costs would be extraordinary.  But the level of intrigue is infinite.

Can-Am, Trans-Am, the Golden era.

[Rich]

Jim Farley, Ford CEO, signed up to run a support race of the Daytona 24h

[Laconian]

I would still love some series that would spec a certain amount of starting energy, some safety requirements, and let the rest to the teams to figure out....

The racing would probably be terrible.  The costs would be extraordinary.  But the level of intrigue is infinite.

Energy, as in a joule budget, but no constraints for storage? Yeah that would rule

[FoMoJo]

Jim Farley, Ford CEO, signed up to run a support race of the Daytona 24h

What's he driving?  He's a pretty good race driver with a lot of wins in vintage racing.

[Rich]

mustang gt4

What's he driving?  He's a pretty good race driver with a lot of wins in vintage racing.

[GoCougs]

Can-Am, Trans-Am, the Golden era.

NASCAR in the '60s too!

[FoMoJo]

NASCAR in the '60s too!

Yes, big lumbering sedans with lovely great big blocks. 

[CaminoRacer]

I enjoy the Goodwood videos with the full size American cars on bias plys drifting all 4 wheels through every corner. (The Camaro is fun but I really like the big Fords)

Anything Goodwood is great fun. I had a blast at the Festival of Speed last summer, I want to go again.

[FoMoJo]

I enjoy the Goodwood videos with the full size American cars on bias plys drifting all 4 wheels through every corner. (The Camaro is fun but I really like the big Fords)

Anything Goodwood is great fun. I had a blast at the Festival of Speed last summer, I want to go again.

The '63 Galaxies were fun to watch in BTCC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSkrR6ANP34

...and listen to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHzZbZFKc7s

The 427 (mid) big block was the best racing motor of that era, imo.

[Rich]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3EwMOgliqc

[Rich]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wSuOGCc-fE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xqRB0hi12U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRvn0utijUo

[Rich]

qualifying up soon at 1:45 ET

imsa.tv

[Rich]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdyYWfQFU4k