LMH and LMDH will be present in IMSA and WEC from 2023 – Le Mag Sport Auto
The process of convergence of the top category of prototype sports racing between the FIA WEC and the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship is nearing completion. The North American series are set to welcome LMH class cars in their top class, alongside the new LMDH class, in a unified top class from 2023.
An insertion prepared in advance:
At the start of 2020, the ACO, FIA and IMSA announced their intention to work hand in hand to create a common top category for endurance racing. The three parties have now reached an agreement on the technical specifications of the new category, this gateway allowing the acceptance of LMH prototypes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship from 2023.
The convergence work carried out by the ACO, FIA and IMSA to align their technical regulations aims to allow cars with different technical definitions to compete side by side on both sides of the Atlantic, in the World Championship. FIA endurance and the WeatherTech Championship. This new agreement encompasses the LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) group, which currently includes cars from Toyota and Glickenhaus, with Peugeot due to present its new car in 2022 and Ferrari in 2023, which will be officially introduced in 2021, and the LMDh group ( Le Mans Daytona h), which will be introduced in 2023. Audi, Acura, Porsche and BMW have already committed to these rules and more are expected to be added soon.
A meeting was held recently to sign everything the last documents
A high-level technical meeting bringing together the ACO, the FIA, the IMSA and all the manufacturers officially involved in the LMDh and LMH programs resulted in an agreement aimed at balancing the performance of these different types of cars (more particularly the group powertrain and four-wheel drive configuration) so that LMH cars can compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Statements by members present at the meeting:
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest : “This major announcement stems from our ambition to forge a common future for Endurance racing. We all worked together to achieve this historic agreement and I would like to sincerely thank all stakeholders. This is great news for the teams and the fans, which opens up a bright future for Endurance. The manufacturers dreamed of being able to participate in the biggest endurance races in the world with the same car model: this will now be a reality. ”
Richard Mille, President of the FIA Endurance Commission: “The FIA, ACO and IMSA have worked towards a common future where teams racing in LMH and LMDh will be able to race on both sides of the Atlantic. Today we can see that this convergence has come closer to reality, which is great news for everyone involved in endurance racing. The principles were accepted by all parties. The dream of teams and constructors of power, for the first time, to participate in all major endurance races with the same car is now within reach. This represents an important moment in the history of motor racing ”.
John Doonan, President of IMSA: “What we achieved as a group a few weeks ago in Paris has the potential to revolutionize prototype sports car racing around the world. The stage is set for a highly competitive top class that will include many of the world’s leading automakers, showcasing relevant technology in the world’s most prestigious endurance races. Collectively, we have the opportunity to engage with the next generation of endurance racing fans and elevate our sport to the highest level. I could not be more proud of the spirit of collaboration between our IMSA team, our ACO and FIA colleagues, and all of our automotive partners. ”
