WEC Hypercars shift into hyperdrive at Sebring season opener
When the green flag dropped on the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January, it not only marked the start of a new motor racing year, it also ushered in a new chapter of prototype sports car racing with the return of the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class in IMSA. The classic Sebring circuit played host last weekend to not only round two of the IMSA Weathertech series, but also the opening race of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and with it another wave of new machinery, in this case the debut of several Hypercar programs.
By way of comparison, both GTP and Hypercars are built to two sets of regulations, but are intended to compete on a level playing field. This is accomplished through the use of “Balance of Performance” (BOP), which is the means by which the governing bodies continually tweak the regulations to ensure that all competitors are in the hunt. Various performance parameters are monitored, measured and compared. If it is judged that one OEM has gained an unfair advantage, they get “Bopped”.
It is this ongoing process, coupled with rules that limit a number of aspects of the design of these cars that has attracted some of the biggest manufacturers back to sports car racing. Cost effectiveness. Spec hybrid systems. Relevance to their road going machines. And most importantly, the chance to compete for wins at some of the sport’s most legendary and coveted endurance events, with the 24 Hours of
Le Mans in June being the holy grail. So far, Acura, Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota have stepped up, with more on the way.
While Toyota, Peugeot and Alpine have already been racing in Hypercar since last year, the big news is that Ferrari has returned to prototype sports car racing with its 499P. The prancing horse is offering to sell examples of this beauty to privateers, and the line is getting longer. The mystique of the Ferrari brand adds cachet and prestige to an already stellar field, and as the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. In this case, it is the dawn of a new era that many are comparing to the halcyon days of the 1980’s/ early 90’s when the Group C/GTP cars held sway.
In addition to these global brands, there is also a group of smaller scale constructors who are also producing and racing their own Hypercars. Perhaps the best example of this is the American Glickenhaus program, which has been punching above its weight since they entered last year. A newcomer is the resurrected Vanwall name, which has gotten off to a somewhat rocky start, but does count former Indy 500 winner and Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve as one of the pilots in its lineup.
Consider also that in addition to the premier prototype classes, there is also a robust field of GT entries that offer a “race within a race” featuring these production-based machines. Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mclaren, Mercedes and Porsche are all in the fray with their Gt3-spec hardware. It is worth noting that the dollar value of a full grid of prototypes and GT cars that you can find at any given IMSA or WEC event is measured in literally tens of millions of dollars. Gives new meaning to the term “sticker shock”.
The advantages of this crosspollination of sports cars is evidenced in the full grids of high quality cars, top flight drivers, media spotlighting, and most importantly fan interest at its highest level in years. While it is still early days, the example that has been set by the FIA, WEC and IMSA in terms of collaborating is both refreshing and compelling. They are to be applauded for their efforts.