Polish Ace Robert Kubica to Test LMP1 WEC Car

[Nick Gregory]

LMP2 never really had factory teams tbh. So that move isn't the same.

About a decade or so ago, Lola had a factory team. Radical had a factory team. Honda (as Acura) had multiple factory teams. Even Porsche had a factory team in LMP2.

 

[Matheus Machado]

About a decade or so ago, Lola had a factory team. Radical had a factory team. Honda (as Acura) had multiple factory teams. Even Porsche had a factory team in LMP2.

Not by current LMP2 regulations.

 

[Andrew Harper]

Not by current LMP2 regulations.

Exactly my friend, the ACO don't want to allow factory LMP2 entries. That's what the ACO and the FIA ideally want. LMP1 should be factory only according to them, LMP2 is for privateers. Then of course we have the privateer LMP1's which confuse the issue!

The reasoning behind the current LMP2 rules was because once factories started taking an interest in LMP675 (as it was then) they started pouring millions into it and it nearly killed the category off. The ultimate version of this was the Porsche which was like an F1 car underneath compared to the other cars it was running with in the same category (which had chassis that were 4-5 years old). I'd like to keep P2 as privateer ideally as it's a more level playing field

The issue with not selling LMP1's to privateers was probably started around the time the diesel's were introduced. These cars had so much hi-tech secrecy built into them that the manufacturers didn't want to sell the cars to anyone. Also they were considerably more difficult to run compared to the last major private le mans prototype the Audi R8 which was almost a turn up and drive sportscar in comparison.

I really like WEC as it is at the moment (it should be experimental with lots of differences between cars) but the ACO and FIA have to keep a close eye on costs just in case, and they need to listen to the manufacturers as well

 

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The issue with not selling LMP1's to privateers was probably started around the time the diesel's were introduced. These cars had so much hi-tech secrecy built into them that the manufacturers didn't want to sell the cars to anyone. Also they were considerably more difficult to run compared to the last major private le mans prototype the Audi R8 which was almost a turn up and drive sportscar in comparison.

Not to say you're wrong, but Kolles was allowed to run two older R10 (open cockpit?) when not many other manufacturers were taking part. Maybe no secrets to loose by that time.

 

[Andrew Harper]

Not to say you're wrong, but Kolles was allowed to run two older R10 (open cockpit?) when not many other manufacturers were taking part. Maybe no secrets to loose by that time.

Hiya,

Ah yes, sorry I stand corrected but I think you see what I mean. Compared to the R8 I would imagine the running costs for a season would have been huge and yes Audi had moved onto the R15 by then so I guess they'd developed a whole new bunch of secret stuff to play with!

The only other one similar to this was probably the ORECA Peugeot but as above it was run almost under the works team guidance rather than a proper customer effort but that's probably just the manufacturer protecting their little baby