Porsche to return to endurance racing in new LMDh prototype class (w/VIDEO)

Piston.my

Porsche to return to endurance racing in new LMDh prototype class (w/VIDEO)

With the new LMDh (Le Mans Daytona h) category having been confirmed earlier in the year and being adopted for endurance racing on both sides of the Atlantic, interest from carmakers has been strong. Both the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the Le Mans organisers, and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), North America’s endurance racing sanctioning body, will have the same regulations for a new that will be the top level of prototype racing from September 2021 onwards.

The latest to announce its commitment to participate is Porsche, with its management giving the green light for the development of an LMDh prototype earlier this month. From 2023, the LMDh cars will race in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Both championships are hugely significant for Porsche which has been a strong contender in endurance racing but absent since 2017.

Racing in Europe and America with same cars
“Endurance racing is part of our brand’s DNA,” said Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche AG. “The new LMDh category allows us to fight for overall victories with a hybrid system at the Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring classics – without breaking the bank. The project is extremely attractive for Porsche.”

For the first time in more than 20 years, it will be possible to fight for overall victories with identical racing cars at endurance races around the world. Moreover, the new LMDh category focuses on high cost-efficiency. The cars are based on an upgraded LMP2 chassis, and the spec for the hybrid system including the control electronics is standardised.

Chassis from four different manufacturers are available. Each brand is free to select the concept for the combustion engine and the body design within the framework of the regulations.

LMDh prototype closes the gap in drive concepts
“In the medium term, Porsche focuses on three different drive concepts: fully electric vehicles, efficient plug-in hybrids and internal combustion engines. We want to represent this trilogy in both the development of our cutting-edge road cars and in motorsport,” explained Michael Steiner, Board Member for Research & Development at Porsche AG.

“We use the all-electric drive to contest the FIA Formula E as part of our works commitment, and the highly efficient combustion unit in GT racing. Now, the LMDh class closes the gap for us. There, powerful hybrid drives – like the ones that are mounted in many of our brand’s models – go up against each other. If the regulations eventually allowed the use of synthetic fuels, then that would be an even greater incentive for me in terms of sustainability,” he said.

The racing cars, which will weigh around 1,000 kgs, will have powertrains generating an output of up to 500 kW (680 bhp). Four LMP2 manufacturers can provide the chassis – Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic, and Oreca. Onto this, a bodywork developed by the carmaker can be used.

*Porsche holds the record of 19 outright wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and has been a strong contender in endurance events.*

“There has been huge interest from other manufacturers. I hope we can pick up where we left off with the famous clashes against many other marques in the 1980s and 1990s. That would give the entire motor racing scene a huge boost,” noted Fritz Enzinger, Vice-President of Porsche Motorsport.