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And again we can blame the ACO for that to a large degree. Like IMSA late in the ALMS days, the ACO relied too much on OEMs for things other than entries. OEMs, namely Audi Sport, pumped millions of dollars into advertising and promotion. Now that money is gone.
Fact is that money isn't floating around like it once was, and it's not just dieselgate. Purse strings were tightening for others way before this. A lot of them balked at spending well into the mid and upper 8 figures for a program where success was far from guaranteed, ROI was shaky, and exposure revolved around one race a season.
IMO, the biggest problem with the regs and the technology involved is no scope for customer cars. Even when Audi only supported privateers on a semi-factory basis with the R8 program back in 2003-05, they were still able to maintain a factory presence and their promotion structure, but were spending quite a bit less on the actual program (though most of that funding was diverted to what would be come the R10 program).
If the cars were less expensive and less technology dependent on performance, Audi Sport or Porsche could sell their cars and still be involved for way reduced outlay. IMO, it's almost bizarre to say that the Audi R10 is almost primitive compared to the current LMP1s. Or any of the pre-2014 R18s or the TS030 are almost insanely simple compared to the current cars.
But I do think that in reality, LMP might be a dying breed without privateers. Car makers are flocking to Formula E because it's seen as "green" and it's cheap. And there's also no slowing down in GT racing, because of stable rules and being able to actually do the "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" deal. Not to mention that GT racing is dominated by customer racing outside of GTE/GTLM.
LMP1 priced itself out of the market place, and when the guys who were there decided to cut the cord, the class was in trouble, though that storm was brewing for quite a while before hand.
And I know that some of you will rip on me for talking about LMP900, but at least Audi Sport back then sold customer cars (including to Champion who quickly became an even bigger thorn in Joest's side than Panoz was), and Panoz even sold some customer cars (though none raced in the ALMS, only LM and in Europe).
I don't know how much longer TMG will bother with the class when they can go to FE to learn more about battery tech for hybrids and EVs for less outlay.
Even with dieselgate, I'd think that Audi Sport and/or Porsche might still be around if they were able (or willing) to spend significantly less. And that's also a term and condition that Peugeot made known to the ACO for their return.
Now, the future depends on what the ACO decide. Do they press on ahead with their proposed 2020 plans, which have received a lukewarm reception it seems? Or do they cave at least to some of Peugeot's alleged demands as highlighted in RCE magazine, such as a 4MJ hybrid cap?
Also, to be honest, I do think that maybe hybrid tech should've been a field for Garage 56 or maybe even GT racing. As long as it passes ACO safety regs, G56 is very open about technology. And GT cars is kinda where hybrids in racing got started. Also since GTs are heavier and potentially have more places to stick stuff like batteries and generators, I'd have to say that's maybe where hybrids should've been allowed first.
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