WEC | Because not everyone likes the transition to two classes in 2024

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest announced last year that it will not be able to host LMP2 cars in the standard rounds of the WEC in 2024, limiting the class to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and championships such as the European Le Mans Series .

This means that next year there will only be two categories in the WEC, namely Hypercar and the new LMGT3; a major departure from the four-class structure that had been prevalent since the series' revival in 2012 until late last year.

The ACO had already eliminated GTE Pro after the 2022 season, while the GTE Am category will also be removed next year in favor of a GT3-based class as part of a major overhaul of the championship.

While the addition of BMW, Lamborghini and Alpine to the Hypercar category next year, along with the diversity expected in the new LMGT3 category, should lead to a further surge in the WEC's popularity, some question whether the new series structure is in contrast with the multi-class ethos of endurance racing.

Multiple LMP2 race winner Gabriel Aubry, who had been testing the new Isotta Fraschini Hypercar, expressed his disappointment at the decision to drop the second prototype class from the championship.

“The history of endurance racing is multi-class, right? So having only two in the race doesn't make much sense to me,” the Frenchman, who competed for the Vector team in LMP2 this year, told Motorsport.com.

“Since the '60s we've seen maybe six or seven classes race together and it's a part of our racing where we have to play with traffic, driving in a higher class and also in a lower class managing the Hypercars that come at you. So I don't want that this story and this part of racing disappear from the WEC.”

“We're not doing sprint races, but 24-hour and multi-class races. We live together on the same track and that's the unique aspect of endurance racing.”

The decision to eliminate the LMP2 class could have an impact on the very nature of racing in the WEC, particularly traffic management, due to the difference in pace between the LMDh/LMH cars and the GT3s.

Furthermore, from next year Hypercar drivers will no longer have to worry about lapping the relatively fast LMP2 cars, a particularly difficult task given their cornering speed due to their low weight.

United Autosports' Filipe Albuquerque, who won both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the WEC class title with the Anglo-American team in 2019/20, highlighted that the removal of the LMP2 category could lead to boring phases in racing.

“The most important thing about endurance racing and why it's so fun is that one lap is never the same and traffic helps both categories,” the 38-year-old told Motorsport.com.

“GTs make better use of traffic to gain advantages, as do prototypes with GTs. The more confusion there is, the more different classes there are, the better it is for the competition.

“If you only aim for a smaller number of cars, it means that you're moving more towards a sprint, single-class way of racing, which then becomes boring, because when you follow someone you lose downforce.”

“This is why other series use DRS to be able to pass on a straight. We don't have DRS. If there aren't other cars fighting to get into the fray, maybe it could become a problem.”

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Porsche LMDh driver André Lotterer expressed a more diplomatic view on the decision to phase out the LMP2 class, stressing that next year there will be more cars fighting for overall victory.

Asked what he thought of the decision to turn the WEC into a two-class series, the three-time Le Mans winner replied to Motorsport.com: “It's difficult to say. I have to say yes to support the championship, but also three Classes were very interesting, with a greater speed difference it would have been ideal.”

“It was nice during the LMP1 era because they allowed the LMP2 cars to be faster and we were even faster. And you could see the difference between the cars. It was nice. On the other hand, it's very nice to see that many cars in the higher category, something we have never been able to do.”

“So, in that sense, I would say it's better, because you want to have a large grid with many potentially winning cars, which has never happened. Historically we were at a very low level. It will be a good thing.”

Despite some criticism, many drivers have given their full support to the move to scrap LMP2, pointing out that the WEC's popularity has increased following the influx of manufacturers in 2023.

Alex Lynn, who drove for Cadillac this year after previous experience in GT and LMP2, said: “I think WEC and sportscar racing in general are in a really fantastic position right now, where the top class It's very popular. So, take advantage of it while it lasts.”

“Hypercar is an attainable category for LMP2 teams who want to move up a level. It also gives the ELMS and other championships the opportunity to have a larger grid. So I think it's a good thing.”

Pascal Vasselon, technical director of Toyota LMH, explained that it was not possible to include LMP2 next year, given the high interest from manufacturers in the Hypercar and LMGT3 categories. In 2023, only 37 cars will be able to participate in the series, the same number as this year.

“The problem is that the WEC is running out of pits – said the Belgian – It is clear that the Hypercar must be present and the GT3 must be present. When you move on from these two there is no more space”.

“Moreover, I believe that the decision taken is automatic, because no one wanted to eliminate LMP2, but it is only a consequence of what is happening, with the enormous interest of manufacturers in Hypercars and GT3.”

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