Prodrive says it’s exploring a return to top-level prototype competitors, describing the present endurance racing panorama as “very interesting”.
The British engineering agency is likely one of the notable absentees from the WEC’s thriving Hypercar class, which has attracted unprecedented producer curiosity underneath the LMH and LMDh laws.
Whereas Prodrive stays concerned within the WEC via the LMGT3 ranks, the Aston Martin AMR-One from 2011 stays the final prototype constructed by Prodrive for the highest echelon of sportscar racing.
Though he stopped in need of confirming any concrete plans or timeline, Prodrive CEO David Richards revealed that the corporate is contemplating at a potential producer tie-up to struggle for outright victories at races such because the Le Mans 24 Hours.
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Requested what would convey Prodrive again to prototype racing, Richards instructed Motorsport.com: “Clearly, a accomplice, a producer accomplice, and we have got some concepts round that in the mean time, and we’re exploring some concepts there, but it surely’s actually very interesting now.
“The factor I like about it’s that it is such a aggressive collection now. and so common. That is a measure of the success that the ACO have completed with placing the laws collectively. I believe they’ve completed an excellent job.
“And what do not I like about it? Effectively, inevitably it is fairly costly, however that is a consequence of recognition as effectively.
“It is costlier than I anticipated. It is simply the competitiveness of the entire collection now. With so many aggressive producers, everybody’s come into it, and when that occurs, prices go up.”
The Aston Martin Racing AMR-One was Prodrive’s final prototype entry
Picture by: Sutton Photos
Nevertheless, Richards warned that the present degree of producer participation in sportscar racing isn’t sustainable, suggesting Hypercar and IMSA’s GTP class might finally comply with the boom-and-bust cycles which have characterised sportscar racing prior to now.
Lamborghini has already pulled out of each WEC and IMSA, whereas Acura’s profitable programme with the ARX-06 may even be halted on the finish of the 12 months. Additional, Porsche additionally exited Hypercar final 12 months to concentrate on its involvement in IMSA.
Richards believes extra producers might finally depart as soon as success turns into tougher to realize.
“You watch, although, what occurs in motorsport on the prime degree with automobile producers’ curiosity,” he stated.
“Automobile producers form of rush in with the brand new laws, however if you happen to really do a little bit of analysis on this, return over time and discover out the common variety of automobile producers collaborating in a championship, it all the time finally ends up at about three.
“Since you get to 6 or seven and the folks behind the grid say, ‘we won’t justify being right here and never successful. So, they drop off.
“After which as soon as it will get down to 3, 4, two, three, immediately they are saying,’ effectively, there’s a possibility to return again in once more now’ and also you get new folks coming again in once more. So, it is a cycle that is inevitable and automobile producers do not like shedding. And in order that’s a truth of life.”
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