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 Motorsport.com 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. 

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

Photo by: Marc Fleury

The rules extension, which was rubber stamped by this week’s FIA World Motor Sport Council in Macau, was announced only in broad principles.

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.

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

Photo by: Shameem Fahath

“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.

“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

Photo by: Marc Fleury

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.

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.