LMP2 drivers question moves to slow class for Rolex 24

In the name of adequate separation with the new GTP machines that will make their debut in this weekend's IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship curtain-raiser, the Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2 has been slowed down substantially with a suite of technical changes announced last month.

These include a 10kg weight increase, a power reduction by way of a 35mm air restrictor, and a reduction in revs from 8,700rpm to 8,000 in gears one to five and 8,500 in sixth gear.

PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports driver Ben Keating set the fastest time in LMP2 in last weekend's qualifying session during the pre-event Roar test of 1m40.451s - more than three seconds slower than the equivalent pole time in 2022.

Keating's pole time was around 2.6s clear of the best lap recorded in the LMP3 class, a gap that was almost five seconds this time last year, while the slowest LMP2 with a representative laptime was less than a second clear of the LMP3 pole-winning Sean Creech Motorsport Ligier JS P320.

Meanwhile, Tom Blomqvist's pole-winning effort in the Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06, a 1m34.031s, was virtually identical to the top time set last year in the final outing for the DPi cars.

Nicolas Lapierre, who shares the #52 PR1/Mathiasen car with Keating, Paul-Loup Chatin and Alex Quinn, said that the relatively small gap to the LMP3 cars could cause some issues come the race this weekend.

"For sure it's hard to understand because the GTP are going the same speed as the DPis before," Lapierre told Motorsport.com.

"Changing the gap between the classes makes our life a lot more difficult with the LMP3s. But in the end, it's the same for everybody, so I don't really mind it.

"So far we've had no issues, but in free practice everyone takes a bit of margin. In the race it could be a problem."

 

Josh Pierson, who is part of the line-up for the #35 TDS Racing car, echoed Lapierre's opinion and said he had found navigating LMP3 traffic much more challenging than previously.

"I think where it becomes an issue is with the bronze drivers," said Pierson. "There's quite a big gap between the different bronzes, and some are struggling more [passing the LMP3s].

"I wouldn't have said it was super-necessary because the GTP cars are just as fast as the DPis were. It's definitely a big speed delta now and a closer gap to the LMP3s than it should be.

"Right now it's a struggle to even pass P3s in the draft, it's definitely noticeable. If you aren't careful you can get stuck behind one for the whole infield.

"It's a big adjustment but it's a matter of figuring out where you can get by them and how to manage it."

Pierson and his teammates, Giedo van der Garde, Job van Uitert and Francois Heriau, qualified second in last weekend's Roar, just over 1.2sec shy of the pole time set by Keating, although that margin wasn't representative, since a red flag curtailed the LMP2 session early.