First off, it won't be that hard to "design" a next-gen P2 spec chassis because about everything will be determined by the ACO-FIA. It's not "clean sheet of paper," it's "Connect the dots and color in the resulting picture any way you like."
Second, Ford was going to GT with Ganassi likely being the team, so Riley not being one of the four won't matter ... Riley can do GT. Dallara can knock out a couple CF tubs in no time, it has tons of experience, as do Oak and Oreca. Mutimatic has been building cars for a long time and I have no doubt they are already tooling up for the 2017-2021 life of the first-gen next-gen ****-2s.
I doubt Riley, which has a couple Starworks, a couple Ganassi, the Fifty-Plus car, and couple oddities floating around at the Rolex, will mind not being part of the business considering most of the Euros will probably by Euro-built cars (think Oak and Oreca will work out some "customer appreciation" deal?) I doubt there will be a difference in price from constructor to constructor—I expect FIA to fix the price, and I expect Oak and Oreca to offer the best deals on replacement/repair parts to their loyal customers.
The TUSC market is likely to be ten to twenty cars and a few replacements over four years (plus lots of bodywork, which will probably come from a partnership with the manufacturers.) The manufacturers (or Manufacturer, as Chevy is the only one likely to stay) might even mandate a specific chassis ... probably not i figure.
If four constructors split the TUSC market, each will get four to six cars over four years—maybe 16 up front for teams a couple spares, and a couple more the next year when 2016 cars are no longer grandfathered, and a few replacements when a car can't be repaired.
I don't see a constructor fighting too hard to get to build two or three chassis at a fixed price point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizardfolk
It's highly ironic that, when USCR first came up a year ago everyone was screaming for ACO/Le Mans relevance or else USCR is doomed and now it's the exact opposite (and this time USCR is following their original plan...)
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I wonder if the spec motor was a NASACR plan—I kind of doubt it. I'd bet Jim France pushed for a common engine specification, but not a single supplier, but FIA, not needing or wanting factory support in P2, figured a single supplier would be pure profit.
Jim France got out-NASCAR'd by France.