Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global
Breaking news

Four chassis builders selected for global prototype

New regulations begin at Daytona in 2017.

Night lights at Le Mans

Night lights at Le Mans

Eric Gilbert

Race start of the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans
Flag for 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans billboard advertising
No more cars on track as the 24 Hours of Le Mans comes to an end
ACO president Pierre Fillon
ACO president Pierre Fillon
ACO president Pierre Fillon and Tudor United Sportscar's Jim France
Scott Atherton
Scott Atherton, CEO, American Le Mans Series

A two-month selection process has come to an end as the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), have chosen four chassis builders to supply cars that will compete beginning in 2017.

The cars will run in the Le Mans Prototype 2 category in ACO- and FIA-governed series, and will form the new Prototype class of IMSA’s TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. The current IMSA Prototypes, particularly the Daytona Protoype cars that make up most of the current field, are not expected to be grandfathered in.

The four constructors: Dallara (Italy-United States), Onroak (Ligier) Automotive (France), Oreca (France-United States) and the joint-venture Riley Tech/Multimatic (USA, Canada and the United Kingdom). This is assuming the plans are vaildated by the World Motor Sport Council tomorrow.

The cars will be eligible to run in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Asian Le Mans Series (Asian LMS), the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. In ACO- and FIA-governed series, LM P2 cars will be powered by a single engine manufacturer to be selected this September. Nissan is a likely choice.

Multiple engines in IMSA

In the TUDOR Championship, Prototypes can be powered by engines from a variety of manufacturers and the chassis will include manufacturer-specific styling elements. Announcements on participating manufacturers will be made as programs are confirmed. Target horsepower for all the cars is about 600 bhp.

TUDOR Championship Prototype teams will be eligible to use the same engines and chassis they race with in the United States at the Le Mans 24 Hours and in ELMS events, providing they utilize the constructor-specific bodywork as used in all championships outside North America. Likewise, all LM P2 teams will be eligible to race in all TUDOR Championship events using the same chassis and engine configuration they use in their home championship.

The Dallara, Onroak Automotive, Oreca and Riley Tech/Multimatic teams now will join the technical working group jointly managed by the ACO, the FIA and IMSA to define the final details of the regulations. One of the main objectives of this working group is to optimize all of the parameters to ensure the most economically viable set of rules for the teams.

The cars must be homologated by, and available for use in January 2017 for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the first race at which the new TUDOR Championship Prototype / LM P2 category regulations will be applied.

Said Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “The Automobile Club de l’Ouest is proud of the work that’s been done on the future LM P2 category regulations, which has resulted in the selection of four prestigious chassis constructors: Dallara, Onroak Automotive, Oreca and Riley Tech/Multimatic.

“Our priority is to supply the teams and drivers entered in this category with the best options and solutions to race in endurance on a long-term basis. Thanks to the decisions taken jointly by the ACO, IMSA and the FIA we have managed to bring together a high-quality pool of constructors which reinforces the interest in the series and its glowing future prospects.”

'Unprecedented'

Said Scott Atherton, President of IMSA “The process we followed with our partners at the ACO and the FIA to select these four chassis constructors was unprecedented in its level of professionalism and collaboration among three major governing bodies in international motorsport. It was the most thorough and detailed selection process we’ve ever seen in the sport.

“Arriving at this decision was not easy, as there were many qualified candidates, but it represents a key landmark as we chart the future of the sport in the United States and abroad. However, this is only the beginning. There are many other important stops along the way before we have the honor of debuting the new Prototype at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2017, but this process confirmed a good result and is a major step forward.”

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Le Mans winner Bamber reflects on 'incredible' week
Next article Inside story: How Audi lost Le Mans to Porsche

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global