Plans Taking Shape For New Prototype To Debut In 2017 TUDOR Championship - Speedway Digest

As the 2015 World Endurance Championship (WEC) season opens this weekend at the UK’s famed Silverstone circuit, officials from the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) provided updates on a new, common Prototype format to be used globally beginning in 2017.

The new format will be used in the IMSA-sanctioned TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Prototype (P) class, which is the top class in the series. It also will be used in the LM P2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA WEC, the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and the Asian Le Mans Series (Asian LMS).

A number of objectives for the new Prototype regulations have been established:

· A better car for a lower budget

· Fair and close competition

· A proper business model to build and run cars in LM P2

· Protection from unfair competition or technology

· A universal class allowing teams to run LM P2 cars in the Asian LMS, ELMS, FIA WEC, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the TUDOR Championship, with some specific exceptions required by IMSA

Officials from IMSA, FIA and the ACO are currently working to finalize technical specifications and begin the selection process to identify and approve chassis constructors for all series and events. The selection process is expected to be completed by midsummer.

IMSA and the ACO will use the same technical regulations and share the same Prototype racecar constructors. However, while the FIA and ACO plan to utilize a single engine supplier and only original bodywork provided by each chassis constructor, the 2017 TUDOR Championship Prototype will feature the following key differences:

· Multiple engine manufacturers will be eligible to participate in the Prototype class

· Manufacturers will have the option to incorporate limited styling cues into the bodywork

All TUDOR Championship Prototypes will be eligible to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the same drivetrain configuration they use for the full season in North America. However, the original, constructor-specific bodywork will be required.

All LM P2 cars will be eligible for participation in all TUDOR Championship events. An “Adjustment of Performance” process will be used by IMSA and the ACO to ensure competitive balance.

“IMSA, the ACO and the FIA are diligently working toward the common goal of ensuring competitive Prototype racing for teams and drivers worldwide,” said IMSA President Scott Atherton. “We all are in agreement that close competition with sustainable budget and business parameters is the way forward for all involved. We also recognize that we must retain a platform to attract multiple automotive manufacturers to participate in the top class of the TUDOR Championship.”

Further details will be provided during the ACO Press Conference prior to the 83rd 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Next up for IMSA and the TUDOR United Championship is the Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach on April 18.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.