Porsche AG will develop an LMDh prototype that can compete in both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) beginning in 2023.

Porsche Motorsport becomes the first manufacturer to confirm its intent to enter the hybrid prototype category. The LMDh was announced in 2020 as a shared platform between IMSA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), allowing it to compete in some of the world’s greatest endurance races, including the Rolex 24 At Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

“The new LMDh category allows us to fight for overall victories with a hybrid system at the Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring classics–without breaking the bank. The project is extremely attractive for Porsche. Endurance racing is part of our brand’s DNA,” said Oliver Blume, CEO at Porsche AG in Stuttgart, Germany.

The LMDh is based on a cost-capped car and will have the same spine (the complete car without bodywork, engine, or hybrid system) as the next generation of the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2). The LMDh chassis will be built by one of four approved constructors – Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic, or ORECA. Each competing automobile manufacturer may develop its own branded engine and stylized bodywork.

Bosch, Williams Advanced Engineering, and Xtrac will provide the spec hybrid powertrain system for all LMDh cars. Each LMDh vehicle will have a combined power output of more than 670 horsepower (500 kilowatts).

For more information, visit the Porsche website here.