Latest news with #LMDh
The Drive
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Buying a McLaren Le Mans Hypercar Gives You Front-Row Access to Its Development
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Lately, those in the top class of the World Endurance Championship and IMSA have built cars for competition, and years later announced a limited run of production versions for especially high-paying customers. Ferrari did it with the 499P, Aston Martin is about to do the same with the Valkyrie LM, and Porsche made precisely one 963 for Roger Penske. McLaren announced a few months ago that it would join the hypercar fight with an LMDh contender of its own, and over the Le Mans weekend, we got our first peek at the car. The difference here, though, is that not only will a select few be able to buy one, they'll also come along for the ride as the car is tested and developed over the next two years. Right now, it's known only as 'Project: Endurance.' Rather than building a bespoke hypercar, as Toyota, Peugeot, Ferrari, and Aston have done, McLaren is going the less expensive but also technically more restrictive LMDh, route, like Porsche, Cadillac, and BMW. The British supercar maker is working with Dallara for the chassis, and United Autosports, which is part-owned by McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, will field the race cars when McLaren officially joins the grid in 2027. At this early stage, Project Endurance looks like any other LMDh chassis, with the front end of a McLaren Senna grafted on. I've seen a lot of criticism over the exterior design, but cars in this category are very interchangeable, visually speaking, and there's nothing especially offensive or noteworthy about this rendition of the formula. It's not as instantly recognizable as the Valkyrie LMH or Peugeot 9X8, but I reckon McLaren would rather be forgettable and quick than distinctive and slow. McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown stands in front of its Project: Endurance hypercar prototype at Le Mans last weekend. Ker Robertson andThe car itself is only part of the story, though. Again, McLaren plans to sell these for an undisclosed price, and those who take the plunge will benefit from a driver development program and receive behind-the-scenes access to the car's progression and McLaren's endurance racing campaign as it takes shape. That's pretty unprecedented in the world of motorsports. Sometimes, a constructor will sell examples of its race car that buyers get to take on track days, but how often do those people get to attend closed-door testing? It stands to reason that the customers for a vehicle like Project Endurance aren't just interested in a fast, flashy supercar—they're seriously enamored with motorsports, and they expect the same article that speeds down the Mulsanne. As Aston's proven with its Valkyrie LM program, while these hypercars are very light and remarkably fast in race spec, they're also typically tuned for less power than an equivalent road car might have, per the regulations. The engine in Project Endurance will be a flavor of the twin-turbo V6 already incorporated in the Artura, with hybrid assist as mandated by LMDh rules. It'll be two more years before we see McLaren take to the track, and by that time, Genesis will join the World Endurance Championship in 2026, and Ford in 2027. The top class of endurance racing is already crowded—in a good way—and there's no sign yet that anyone currently on the grid is planning on leaving to make space for the newcomers. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BMW believes no one was sandbagging on Le Mans test day
BMW wrapped up a clean and well-executed day of testing, with its fastest LMDh prototype posting the eighth-best time, 1.374s off Toyota's benchmark. Within the German camp, just as others across the paddock, there was little interest in chasing lap times or playing games. Operating under the Team WRT banner and managed by Vincent Vosse, BMW focused solely on its own programme, keeping its eyes on preparation and setup rather than on any early comparison with rivals. Advertisement 'We worked on different set-ups, different possibilities of what we might need in the race: ride height, of course, and how the car feels for the driver. The goal is to have a car that's good for the race,' the Belgian team boss explained. As for a pecking order? It's not quite time to draw conclusions, says Vosse. 'Since I think we're still a bit far from the lap times that will be posted later in the week, it's hard to form an opinion now,' Vosse said, though he did point to the two usual suspects. 'Ferrari and Toyota seem to be very fast right now, obviously. But we're still so far from where we need to be. We'll worry about that later.' It's an approach BMW believes was shared throughout the Le Mans pitlane, with Sunday being all about preparation — no bluffing, no games. Advertisement 'No, I don't think anyone was sandbagging,' he stated. 'I think everyone's working. Everyone's doing their job, and no one's really focusing yet on chasing lap times.' #15 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, Kevin Magnussen #15 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, Kevin Magnussen Anything else worth noting? 'Nothing special to report,' Vosse said, though when pressed agreed that wasn't entirely true. The #20 BMW (Magnussen-Vanthoor-Marciello), while fastest of the two cars, was also responsible for triggering the first red flag of the day after stopping near the Porsche Curves. 'We had a small warning on the #20 and stopped the car,' Vosse confirmed. Advertisement 'We still need to check what happened, we'll see what comes of it. Otherwise, we completed all the work we needed on both cars, and the drivers on both sides are happy with the feeling.' Photos from 24 Hours of Le Mans – Test Day #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa, #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa, #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell Rainier Ehrhardt #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, Philip Hanson #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, Philip Hanson Andreas Beil #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Brendon Hartley #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Brendon Hartley Rainier Ehrhardt #183 AF Corse Oreca 07 - Gibson: François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Antonio Felix Da Costa #183 AF Corse Oreca 07 - Gibson: François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Antonio Felix Da Costa Andreas Beil #29 TDS Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson: Rodrigo Sales, Mathias Beche, Clément Novalak #29 TDS Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson: Rodrigo Sales, Mathias Beche, Clément Novalak Marc Fleury #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Ben Keating, Jonny Edgar, Daniel Juncadella #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Ben Keating, Jonny Edgar, Daniel Juncadella Marc Fleury #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica Andreas Beil #95 United Autosports Mclaren 720s LMGT3 Evo, #59 United Autosports Mclaren 720s LMGT3 Evo #95 United Autosports Mclaren 720s LMGT3 Evo, #59 United Autosports Mclaren 720s LMGT3 Evo Andreas Beil #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Nyck De Vries #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Nyck De Vries Rainier Ehrhardt #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Norman Nato #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Norman Nato Rainier Ehrhardt Iron Lynx team personnel Iron Lynx team personnel Rainier Ehrhardt #93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Jean-Eric Vergne #93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Jean-Eric Vergne Rainier Ehrhardt #85 Iron Dames Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 #85 Iron Dames Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 Andreas Beil Cars in pitlane Cars in pitlane Andreas Beil #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kevin Estre #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kevin Estre Rainier Ehrhardt #183 AF Corse Oreca 07 - Gibson: François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Antonio Felix Da Costa #183 AF Corse Oreca 07 - Gibson: François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Antonio Felix Da Costa Andreas Beil #31 The Bend Team WRT BMW M4 LMGT3: Yasser Shahin, Timur Boguslavskiy, Augusto Farfus #31 The Bend Team WRT BMW M4 LMGT3: Yasser Shahin, Timur Boguslavskiy, Augusto Farfus Rainier Ehrhardt #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, Mathieu Jaminet #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, Mathieu Jaminet Rainier Ehrhardt #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert, Andre Lotterer #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert, Andre Lotterer Rainier Ehrhardt #88 Proton Competition Ford Mustang LMGT3: Stefano Gattuso, Giammarco Levorato, Dennis Olsen #88 Proton Competition Ford Mustang LMGT3: Stefano Gattuso, Giammarco Levorato, Dennis Olsen Rainier Ehrhardt #4 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, Pascal Wehrlein #4 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, Pascal Wehrlein Marc Fleury #13 AWA Racing Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Matthew Bell #13 AWA Racing Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Matthew Bell Rainier Ehrhardt #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina Rainier Ehrhardt #60 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Andrew Gilbert, Lorcan Hanafin, Fran Rueda #60 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Andrew Gilbert, Lorcan Hanafin, Fran Rueda Rainier Ehrhardt #311 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich, Frederik Vesti #311 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich, Frederik Vesti Rainier Ehrhardt Marshals signs Marshals signs Andreas Beil #88 Proton Competition Ford Mustang LMGT3: Stefano Gattuso, Giammarco Levorato, Dennis Olsen #88 Proton Competition Ford Mustang LMGT3: Stefano Gattuso, Giammarco Levorato, Dennis Olsen Rainier Ehrhardt #007 Aston Martin Thor Team Aston Martin Valkyrie: Harry Tincknell, Tom Gamble, Ross Gunn #007 Aston Martin Thor Team Aston Martin Valkyrie: Harry Tincknell, Tom Gamble, Ross Gunn Nikolaz Godet #94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Loic Duval, Malthe Jakobsen, Stoffel Vandoorne #94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Loic Duval, Malthe Jakobsen, Stoffel Vandoorne Andreas Beil #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, Philip Hanson #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, Philip Hanson Andreas Beil #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Will Stevens, Norman Nato, Alex Lynn #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Will Stevens, Norman Nato, Alex Lynn Rainier Ehrhardt #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Will Stevens, Norman Nato, Alex Lynn #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Will Stevens, Norman Nato, Alex Lynn Rainier Ehrhardt #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Andre Lotterer #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Andre Lotterer Rainier Ehrhardt #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, Mathieu Jaminet #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, Mathieu Jaminet Rainier Ehrhardt #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Martin Berry, Lin Hodenius, Maxime Martin, #43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca 07 - Gibson: Jakub Smiechowski, Tom Dillmann, Nick Yelloly #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Martin Berry, Lin Hodenius, Maxime Martin, #43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca 07 - Gibson: Jakub Smiechowski, Tom Dillmann, Nick Yelloly Nikolaz Godet #93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Jean-Eric Vergne #93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Jean-Eric Vergne Rainier Ehrhardt #48 VDS Panis Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson: Oliver Gray, Esteban Masson, Franck Perera #48 VDS Panis Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson: Oliver Gray, Esteban Masson, Franck Perera Andreas Beil #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Martin Berry, Lin Hodenius, Maxime Martin #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Martin Berry, Lin Hodenius, Maxime Martin Rainier Ehrhardt #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Andre Lotterer #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Andre Lotterer Rainier Ehrhardt #93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Jean-Eric Vergne, #94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Stoffel Vandoorne #93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Jean-Eric Vergne, #94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Stoffel Vandoorne Andreas Beil #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid Andreas Beil #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Ben Keating, Jonny Edgar, Daniel Juncadella #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Ben Keating, Jonny Edgar, Daniel Juncadella Rainier Ehrhardt #199 AO by TF Oreca 07 - Gibson: Louis Deletraz #199 AO by TF Oreca 07 - Gibson: Louis Deletraz Rainier Ehrhardt #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Ben Keating, Jonny Edgar, Daniel Juncadella #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Ben Keating, Jonny Edgar, Daniel Juncadella Rainier Ehrhardt Alex Wurz, Toyota Kazoo Racing Alex Wurz, Toyota Kazoo Racing Rainier Ehrhardt #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Alex Lynn #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Alex Lynn Andreas Beil #99 Proton Competition Porsche 963: Neel Jani, Nicolas Pino, Nicolas Varrone #99 Proton Competition Porsche 963: Neel Jani, Nicolas Pino, Nicolas Varrone Rainier Ehrhardt #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert, Andre Lotterer #18 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert, Andre Lotterer Rainier Ehrhardt #36 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Mick Schumacher, Frederic Makowiecki, Jules Gounon #36 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Mick Schumacher, Frederic Makowiecki, Jules Gounon Rainier Ehrhardt #311 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich, Frederik Vesti #311 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich, Frederik Vesti Marc Fleury #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa, #63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Stephen Grove, Brenton Grove, Luca Stolz #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa, #63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Stephen Grove, Brenton Grove, Luca Stolz Marc Fleury #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa Marc Fleury #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Alex Lynn #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Alex Lynn Rainier Ehrhardt #92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3: Ryan Hardwick, Riccardo Pera, Richard Lietz #92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3: Ryan Hardwick, Riccardo Pera, Richard Lietz Marc Fleury #16 RLR M Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Michael Jensen, Ryan Cullen, Patrick Pilet #16 RLR M Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson: Michael Jensen, Ryan Cullen, Patrick Pilet Rainier Ehrhardt #85 Iron Dames Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3: Celia Martin, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting #85 Iron Dames Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3: Celia Martin, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting Rainier Ehrhardt #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sébastien Buemi Rainier Ehrhardt #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell Nikolaz Godet #63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Stephen Grove, Brenton Grove, Luca Stolz #63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3: Stephen Grove, Brenton Grove, Luca Stolz Rainier Ehrhardt #101 Cadillac WTR Cadillac V-Series.R: Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque #101 Cadillac WTR Cadillac V-Series.R: Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque Rainier Ehrhardt #94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Loic Duval, Malthe Jakobsen, Stoffel Vandoorne #94 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9x8: Loic Duval, Malthe Jakobsen, Stoffel Vandoorne Rainier Ehrhardt #150 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Custodio Toledo, Lilou Wadoux, Riccardo Agostini #150 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Custodio Toledo, Lilou Wadoux, Riccardo Agostini Marc Fleury #23 United Autosports Oreca 07 - Gibson: Daniel Schneider, Oliver Jarvis, Ben Hanley #23 United Autosports Oreca 07 - Gibson: Daniel Schneider, Oliver Jarvis, Ben Hanley Nikolaz Godet #311 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich, Frederik Vesti #311 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich, Frederik Vesti Rainier Ehrhardt #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina Marc Fleury #13 AWA Racing Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Matthew Bell #13 AWA Racing Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Matthew Bell Rainier Ehrhardt #4 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Pascal Wehrlein #4 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Pascal Wehrlein Rainier Ehrhardt Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 steering wheel Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 steering wheel Rainier Ehrhardt #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco Rainier Ehrhardt #311 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Felipe Drugovich #311 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Felipe Drugovich Rainier Ehrhardt #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck De Vries #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck De Vries Andreas Beil #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco Andreas Beil Ferrari fans Ferrari fans Andreas Beil Gibson engine Gibson engine Andreas Beil #183 AF Corse Oreca 07 - Gibson: François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Antonio Felix Da Costa #183 AF Corse Oreca 07 - Gibson: François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Antonio Felix Da Costa Andreas Beil #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica Andreas Beil #15 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 #15 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 Andreas Beil #4 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Pascal Wehrlein #4 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Pascal Wehrlein Rainier Ehrhardt #007 Aston Martin Thor Team Aston Martin Valkyrie: Harry Tincknell, Tom Gamble, Ross Gunn #007 Aston Martin Thor Team Aston Martin Valkyrie: Harry Tincknell, Tom Gamble, Ross Gunn Marc Fleury #81 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Tom Van Rompuy, Rui Andrade, Charlie Eastwood #81 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R: Tom Van Rompuy, Rui Andrade, Charlie Eastwood Rainier Ehrhardt To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
There's A Lot to Like About Cadillac's Chances to Win 24 Hours of Le Mans
After its four teams advanced to Hyperpole, Cadillac locked up the front row in qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There's only one goal left for the American manufacturer. Can Cadillac win the 93rd running of the world's most famous sports car race? The odds look better than any of the first two years that Cadillac V-Series.R teams have raced at Le Mans with their LMDh hybrids against the dominant LMH hybrids of Ferrari and Toyota. This year, a Cadillac was either first or second in the first three practices and in the qualifying sessions. The key is avoiding major errors, said Gary Nelson, the team manager for the No. 311 V-Series.R of Action Express Racing that qualified eighth. 'The last two years, the big thing for us was making mistakes,' said Nelson. 'We're always trying to not repeat our mistakes and hopefully we don't come up with some new ones. Then we'll see where the cards fall.' The British Jota team and its pole-winning No. 12 driven by Alex Lynn and the runner-up No. 38 of Earl Bamber contested the first three rounds of the World Endurance Championship as newcomers to Cadillac, having replaced Chip Ganassi Racing as the factory representative for the GM brand. Entering the Test Day, Jota relied on the massive compilation of digital records from Action Express's previous two trips to Le Mans. Last year, Jota won at Spa with its Porsche 963, the only privateer team to have won a Hypercar race in the WEC. With seventh on the grid its best showing, the Ferrari crews of AF Corse, winners of the first three WEC rounds and the last two Le Mans 24-hours, appeared to be focused on race preparation. The new Balance of Performance (BoP) has dictated compensating for a loss of top speed. According to drivers, the search for lap times has played havoc with the 499P's race set-up. But, throwing down a gauntlet, the Ferraris were first and second in the final night practice. Toyota Gazoo Racing also appeared to be focused on consistent race pace in place of qualifying. After the No. 7 GR010 Hybrid surprisingly missed the Top 15 in the first round, the No. 8 managed only 10th in the final round. Qualifying lasts for just one flying lap on low fuel and fresh Michelins. The grueling race is another matter. 'The hard work really starts (once qualifying ends),' said Will Stevens, co-driver in the No. 12 Cadillac. 'It's a long road ahead but after qualifying we're pretty confident.' If the new BoP has indeed brought the LMH cars of Ferrari and Toyota back to the field, it means Cadillac, including the Wayne Taylor Racing entry that starts 14th, will have plenty of competition from the fellow LMDh-based cars of Alpine, BMW and Porsche. Porsche Penske Motorsport will be in its third season of a three-car entry. But it has not been Penske perfect with the No. 6 Porsche 963 being banished to the back of the field for being underweight in qualifying. Before Mathieu Jaminet qualified his No. 5 Porsche third, a wheel came off on course. "We've had a busy and quite difficult few days, but qualifying has shown once again: When it comes down to it, our team is fully there," said Jonathan Diuguid, managing director of Porsche Penske. The No. 4 Porsche, where Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy will try to add a Le Mans victory to wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Sebring 12-Hour, starts fifth. Laurens Vanthoor, starting 21st in the No. 6, will also try to complete endurance racing's triple after co-driving with Nasr and Tandy in Daytona and Sebring. The BMW M Team WRT (fourth and sixth on the grid), and the Alpine Endurance Team (ninth and 12th) each gave Ferrari a run in the previous round at Spa and can be expected to challenge in the 24-hour, where fuel mileage, pit strategy and tire wear will be significant factors as well as track position and driving. Only the new Aston Martin Valkyrie and Peugeot's still struggling 9X8 are considered such long shots in a crowded field that they are out of the running.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hypercar, LMDh rules extended to 2032 in WEC
The lifecycle of the current generation of Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh prototypes has been extended until 2032 in the World Endurance Championship. The move, predicted by in April, means that the LMH formula is set to span 12 years following its 2021 introduction and LMDh 10 years, and follows on the two-year extension announced this time last year. Advertisement Confirmation of the plans was made by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and FIA at the traditional press conference hosted by the former organisation on the eve of the Le Mans 24 Hours WEC round. ACO president Pierre Fillon said: 'It is important to give the manufacturers and the audience a signal of stability - we need to show that this platform is sustainable and strong. 'We are guided by two principles, stability and cost control, which is why together with the FIA we have decided to extend the rules until the end of 2032. 'Giving the manufacturers a chance to get a return on their investment was the target for us.' Pierre Fillon, ACO president Pierre Fillon, ACO president The rules extension, which was rubber stamped by this week's FIA World Motor Sport Council in Macau, was announced only in broad principles. Advertisement Fillon explained that the 'practicalities need to be discussed' and that they 'will be worked out by the end of the year'. ACO technical director Thierry Bouvet would not be drawn whether there will be any attempt to remove any of the differences between LMH and LMDh cars in the WEC's Hypercar class. At the same time, IMSA confirmed what it terms its strategic alliance with the ACO until the end of 2032, which suggests it could follow the lead taken for the WEC in extending the rules for what it calls the GTP class. Hypercars now eligible for Asian Le Mans Hypercar class contenders driven by pro-am crews will be eligible to race in the Asian Le Mans Series from the start of the 2026-27 season. Advertisement An influx of LMH and LMDh machinery will create a new top-class in the series jointly run by the ACO and GT racing boss Stephane Ratel. It will sit above the LMP2 and P3 prototype classes and the GT class for GT3 machinery, which predates the introduction of LMGT3 in the WEC in 2023. Ratel explained that the move has been the result of interest from manufacturers, teams and drivers. Race 2 Start Race 2 Start 'Interest in sportscar racing is growing in Asia: we see that in the grids for Asian LMS and the GT World Challenge Asia [which Ratel's eponymous organisation runs],' he said. 'We believe there is the possibility to attract some Asian teams and drivers; for sure there are teams whose clients are interested. Advertisement 'We know we are not going to get a grid of 20 Hypercars, but I think something like six is possible in the first year.' LMP2 tenders decided French constructors ORECA and Ligier will build the next generation of LMP2 chassis due to come on stream in 2028. They came out on top in the tender process initiated by the FIA, together with the ACO and IMSA, in March. One other constructor that is known to have bid for the right to build LMP2 machinery was the relaunched Lola brand. #23 United Autosports Oreca 07 - Gibson: Daniel Schneider, Oliver Jarvis, Ben Hanley #23 United Autosports Oreca 07 - Gibson: Daniel Schneider, Oliver Jarvis, Ben Hanley The tender called for just two manufacturers to be licensed to produce P2 machinery rather than the four of the current formula introduced in 2017. Advertisement ORECA and Ligier were joined by Dallara and Multimatic/Riley, though P2 has become a de facto one-make formula for ORECA. Gibson will continue as the engine supplier for the new generation of P2 car. The new engine will be a direct-injection twin-turbo V6, as per the tender, and capable of producing 420kW (560bhp) and running 14,000km between full rebuilds. The latest Gibson powerplant replaces the existing normally-aspirated V8 used in all LMP2 chassis. Read Also: Ford reveals more details about 2027 WEC LMDh challenger United Autosports to run McLaren Hypercar programme, Dallara tie-up agreed Genesis hires Gabriele Tarquini to management team as WEC programme takes shape To read more articles visit our website.
Car and Driver
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Genesis Reveals New Details About Its Magma Racing Team at Le Mans
The Genesis Magma Racing team continues to develop its GMR-001 LMDh Hypercar, which just completed a successful dyno test. GMR team principal Cyril Abiteboul also announced a new race base in Le Castellet, France, and introduced important new members to the team. Genesis design chief Luc Donckerwolke revealed that the brand is expanding into new markets: France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Genesis is getting closer to its goal of chasing racing championships. During a press conference today ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Genesis Magma Racing team principal Cyril Abiteboul shared an update about the development progress of the GMR-001 Hypercar as well as new details about Hyundai Motorsport's expansion. Hypercar Development Speeds Up The new race car, two of which will compete in the 2026 World Endurance Championship (WEC) as part of the LMDh Hypercar class (a two-car IMSA team will follow in 2027), was first announced last year at an event in Dubai. We also learned that Genesis's Hypercar will feature a turbocharged V-8 engine with a hybrid system. Earlier this year, Genesis gave the world its first look at the GMR-001's orange-themed livery, and the racer is getting closer to reality. This content is imported from Third party. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Genesis Today, Abiteboul announced that the Hypercar has completed a successful dyno test. This is said to be the next step in validating the racing team's decision to employ a V-8 powertrain, which was designed by basically combining two of Genesis's 1.6-liter turbo fours. The latter engine has seen success in Hyundai Motorsports' participation in the WRC (World Rally Championship). Abiteboul also revealed that Hyundai's motorsports division is growing to accommodate the newly created GMR team, with the operation establishing a base in Le Castellet, France. As the team principal explained, this will help with the development testing of its first two Hypercars due to the proximity to Oreca's factory, which supplied the chassis and continues to supply parts for its LMDh race cars. New GMR Team Members, Le Mans Experience Joining Abiteboul's ranks are three new faces that the team principal says will provide valuable experience from their extensive racing backgrounds. Anouck Abadie has been named team manager. Not only does she have a history working with the FIA, the governing body of motorsports, but Abadie has also previously led endurance teams as the manager and sporting director. She is joined by Gabriele Tarquini, who has won multiple Touring Car championships and is GMR's sporting director. Justin Taylor is the team's chief engineer, with experience in both IMSA and WEC. Previously, Taylor was the race engineer for Chip Ganassi's Cadillac racing team and also for Ferrari, whose team placed first overall in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. Genesis From left to right: Justin Taylor, Anouck Abadie, and Gabriele Tarquini. "They all have great experience in motorsport, which will be complemented by additional endurance racing expertise of the other team members we will recruit in the coming months," Abiteboul said. "This mix and the management structure we announced today will be at the center of the team through our testing this year with the GMR-001 Hypercar and our race team in the FIA World Endurance Championship next year." While Genesis Magma Racing won't be competing for a Hypercar title in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, members of its trajectory team will get valuable experience for the top-dog competition in 2025. This year, GMR's LMP2 entry will be part of the action, with Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert, and André Lotterer driving the #18 Oreca 07 race car fielded by GMR's partner, IDEC Sport. Genesis Looks to Grow Its Market Share Of course, automakers don't just race for the fun of it. There's a lot of prestige involved, especially for a fledgling luxury brand like Genesis. While the company has made inroads in the U.S. market despite being a decade old, it's continuing to expand its footprint into other regions. During today's press conference, Genesis design chief Luc Donckerwolke also revealed that the brand plans to start selling models in more parts of Europe, including France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Genesis If its racing aspirations yield positive results, people around the world might take even better notice of a car company that started as a luxurious Hyundai model and could compete with the likes of Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, and Lamborghini. While the results remain to be seen, the road to victory lane is currently being paved. Eric Stafford Managing Editor, News Eric Stafford's automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si. Read full bio This content is imported from Third party. 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