The 2021 season of the World Auto Endurance Championship (WEC) - the centerpiece of which, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, takes place this weekend - sees the introduction of a new premier class replacing LMP1: 'Hypercar.
This category will eventually include two types of vehicles with specifications (minimum weight: 1030 kg, power: 500 kW, or about 680 hp) and similar performance:
The “Le Mans Hypercar” (LMH), which will be racing this year, are designed entirely by the manufacturer who enters them.
They may or may not have a hybrid drive.
By designing its body, the manufacturer can design a prototype or take inspiration from a model of a road hypercar.
This is the option chosen by Toyota and the American Glickenhaus this year, Peugeot and the Austrian team ByKolles next year, then Ferrari in 2023.
The “Le Mans Daytona h” (LMDh), which will run from 2023, will have in common a chassis supplied by Multimatic, Oreca, Dallara or Ligier and a standard hybrid system, while the committed manufacturer will design its engine and bodywork.
Porsche, Audi, BMW and HPD, a subsidiary of the American branch of Honda, will align themselves in LMDh.
These two types of cars will be able to compete together in the WEC as in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the American endurance championship, and therefore in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as in the 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2021, the old non-hybrid LMP1s are still admitted to the premier class, with balanced performance. This is the case of the Alpine entered at Le Mans.