[WEC] LMP Future Regulations (was Le Mans EVO rules - now hypercar rules)

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

That was a non-hybrid that was adapted. It was only a 2MJ system. I mean I guess you could do that, but you couldn't just whip a 6 or 8 MJ hybrid system out of a car now. They're so deeply incorporated that they just don't work without it.

It still has an issue that even if the cars did work like that, that the cost targets are out by an order of magnitude. The ACO also requires manufacturers to run a hybrid, so the IMSA cars still wouldn't be legal until they added it, so still wouldn't come to Le Mans.

We've got two series trying to achieve two different sets of goals with one set of regulations. That's VERY hard.

That was a 3.5 MJ rated system, but your argument stands. Audi were able to at times to deactivate their systems when they suspected that they were having issues with them in '12-14, and it didn't harm the performance of their cars. The lower MJ rating (3.5 in '12-13 and 2 in '14) probably helped, as well as the fact that the 2012/13 cars were designed to be converted back and forth into hybrid or non-hybrid specs. It was probably harder to re-decal the car than it was to swap out/in hybrid systems back then.

Now, the systems are so hard-wired into the cars that it'd be extremely difficult to just delete the hybrid system. That for the future might depend on if the ACO continues to allow non-hybrid cars beyond 2020.

Also, when you have two goals trying to be met with the same regs, that's impossible to do without some major compromises on both sides. And right now, I don't see the ACO and IMSA budging.