Quote:
Originally Posted by J Jay
I get your frustration, but the mid-80s, and the mid-10s, are gone. You can either choose to find pleasure in what we have, or be perpetually angry about it. I've tried the latter, but for my own sake, I'll stick with the former.
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You left out the third option that's most terrifying for anyone worried about viability as a spectator sport: apathy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike E
This is a funny conversation. The central premise of LMDh is that it is relatively affordable because of the extensive use of spec components, notably the tub, and the fact that the tub is a homologated component. The tub is cheap because it can be produced in large numbers to satisfy a small LMDh market and a large LMP2 market. The two go together. Even the ACO can understand that.
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Which is the segue to me asking if everyone missed what I found the most amusing part of that DSC article.
tl;dr:
If there's a lot of Hypercar entries then there is potentially not enough spots for LMP2 at Le Mans for teams to feel justified in the expense of buying a new car
But if a bunch of LMP2 teams don't buy the new cars then the budget projections for many of the LMDh programs using the ORECA or Dallara chassis fall apart
Multimatic is in a unique position because they intend to sell some number of Porsche and Audi customer cars instead but in general you have an issue of LMDh consuming the source of its viability. But an important takeaway from this is to remember that the current LMP2 hasn't been so successful numerically just because of its cost control aspects but largely because it's been by far the most accessible and simplest way to successfully enter a car at Le Mans. If they have to really start fighting factory teams for entries like GTE a few years ago things will become very different.