WEC post 2023, pre 2024 Season

I am hearing rumors that the Aston Martin Valkyrie, is coming to the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2025. Anyone heard this and in what class if true as it cant be in the LMh

 

that is correct. they are reviving the Valkryie hypercar program, to be run by Heart of Racing in both WEC and IMSA

Aston will have GT3 cars in WEC as well.

https://media.astonmartin.com/aston-martin-returns-to-le-mans-to-fight-for-overall-victory-with-valkyrie-hypercar/

 

in other WEC 2024 news, Nick DeVries has been signed to Toyota GR for hypercar, replacing Lopez (who switches to the Toyota/Lexus GT3 program)

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Why not ? The Aston Martin Valkyrie is a LMH with its own chassis.

 

LMh was original going to be based off Hyper road cars. and if I remember correctly AM were pushing for it and and then they pull out.
So Ferrari and others then came along and joined and shortly after that it was changed from road based GT1 style hyper cars to more a modern twist on the classic LM prototype racers. Valkyrie is a extreme Road / Track car a newer combo of say a LaFerrari /FXX-K. It has no place in the current LMh and that's if they don't pull out again lol

 

https://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/kubica-set-for-ferrari-wec-hypercar-drive-in-2024-after-joining-af-corse/10550090/

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Mick Schumi to Alpine (open secret, but confirmed)

otherwise an odd lineup. wonder if Habsburg is bringing $$$?

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Everytime I see a photo of that car I think it is the WTR Acura GTP car at first.

 

it kinda is....

 

No, I don't understand your explanation at all. If Aston Martin, or their clients, want to enter it in 2025, they have more than a year to develop it before it is submited for approval. From what I read, it could be raced as non-hybrid, and 2WD with an atmospheric V12 engine, so different from the road version. That fits exactly the LMH definition, since hybrid and 4WD are not mandatory in that category.
But AM will be at a disadvantage, for sure.

 

Which only make sense if they add a GT1 style Hyper category as it also seem bugatti with the bolide maybe interested.

 

BoP is going to be the life and/or death of Hypercar. I think the AM will be competitive in IMSA where they are 2WD as well. Will be interesting to see if the 2WD and 4WD cars can really be balanced. Also interesting that AM will be the first Hypercar in IMSA.

 

Following the initial enthusiasm with 4WD when the Hypercar rules were discussed, the ACO introduced a restriction on the use of the front axle on 4WD cars. Apparently power can be applied on the front axle ONLY above 120 mph, which means it can not be used under acceleration at the exit of corners where it would be more beneficial.
One of the posters on this forum @LMPDesigner explained it better than I can.
I think that restriction reduces greatly the advantage of 4WD.
In any case, the BoP is supposed to "equalise" the performance of cars of different definition.

 

Correct. But so far only the 4WD cars have had a chance. Could just be down to development. Could be BoP. We shall see.

 

Could each series favour cars of their definition?
Like WEC giving an advantage to LMHs, and IMSA helping LMDhs ?
We don't know, since no LMH has entered an IMSA race, so far.

 

They aren't supposed to...but who knows.

 

Third 499P confirmed for next year with Kubica as one of its driver.
What a entry list we have for this championship !
No wonders why Le Mans 2024 is already fully booked..

 

golden age.

enjoy it while it lasts

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I hate how they have handled the GT3 class.

 

I think it's genius.

you want manufacturers involved long term.

the Audi R8 GT3 was the "killer app" for a number of years. pushed out sales of other cars. then, Audi closes their customer GT program. oops

this will prevent that scenario from occurring.

yes, it is forcing teams/drivers out but they can go any number of other places (ELMS, SRO, NLS, DTM, etc etc). but not IMSA because that's full too

 

Oh I didn't say it wasn't genius...I just don't like it.

If it is a customer based class, the customers should be free to enter and run whatever they want and through whatever team they want.

 

IMSA is full because they keep LMP2, which is wrong, IMO.

 

Le Mans is keeping P2 as well when they don't need to. old habits die hard

 

The ACO created the category, so I can understand why they want to respect their engagement to the constructors and the team by going to the end of the homologation. 2024 should be the last year of that category at Le Mans.

 

I think this would kill P2 participation in ELMS and AsLMS. But they seem to be really dragging their feet on the new regs so maybe there is something else planned.

More customer GTP/Hypercars being available would help making killing off P2 if that is the plan.