Details of the joint draft technical regulations for Le Mans Daytona “h” (LMDh), which will be eligible for the top category of international sports car racing in both the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, were released to interested automotive manufacturers and chassis constructors. 

The comprehensive and detailed regulations are the result of many months of collaborative work by the technical departments of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), together with more than a dozen automotive manufacturers and the four nominated chassis constructors (Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic and Oreca).
 

Following a joint press conference at Daytona International Speedway in January announcing plans for convergence, a full detailed public presentation of the technical regulations was originally intended to be held in March at Sebring, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, the presentation was made to interested automotive manufacturers and chassis constructors last week using WebEx remote group presentation software technology.

The global description of the LMDh platform will correspond to the following points:

• LMDh is a common car created by ACO-IMSA and able to race in both WEC and IMSA 
• LMDh based on a cost-capped car and will have the same spine (spine = complete car without bodywork, engine, hybrid) as the next generation of Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) 
• Only mainstream automotive manufacturers (associated with one of the four chassis constructors) can homologate a LMDh car 

The cars will feature: 

• A manufacturer branded and stylized bodywork 
• A manufacturer-branded engine 
• A common single source rear wheel drive hybrid system 
• A minimum homologation period of five (5) years 

The basis of the joint regulations to govern the new LMDh category is comprised of the following points: 

• Minimum car weight at 1030 kg 
• 500 kW peak of combined power (sum of power resulting from internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid system) 
• One bodywork package with identical aerodynamic performance 
• Single tire supplier (i.e. Michelin) 
• Global BoP to harmonize the overall performance of the LMDh and LMH cars

The introduction of LMDh race cars continues to be targeted in the 2022 racing season for both the ACO and IMSA. Final regulations are anticipated to be released on or before the 24 Hours of Le Mans in September 2020.

For more information, visit fiawec.com.