But will It Happen? Only time will tell...
Yeah, I know I've been Droning On 'n On 'bout
Sports Cars lately, which I suppose is largely due to the fact that Open Wheel
Racing really doesn't turn thou Crank right now. And I'm not even really sure
if I care about this year's racing season? Since it'll be totally surreal
watching; Err listening to a Formula 1 race for the first time in 217 Gory
Days!
Provided I Don't
have Company in town for the very first time this year due to that Blasted
Corona Virus Outbreak! Which is partially why I'm busy Bangin' out No Fenders
stories left 'N right currently...
Hmm, Funny Discovering that's 41 Days shorter
than Indy Cars El Stupidio' 2019-2020 Offseason, since it's been since December
1st when I'm pretty certain I fell Asleep during that Sleep inducing Abu Dhabi Grand
Prix Snoozer! While I currently Don't know if I'll get a chance to watch the
July 5th F1 Season Opener; But I Digress..
As it was a long, long time ago when I read Racer's Steven Kilby's article divulging
that Porsche was considering an LMDH Prototypes programme, albeit then still
awaiting the ACO and IMSA's final rules proposal in order to apparently figure
out how much it would cost for Porsche to return to Top-flight Sports Car
racing.
Yet naturally, like everything else during
our current COVID 19 Pandemic, News upon this decision seems to have gone
silent, especially since the final Rules Package has been Delayed...
Whilst Racer's Marshall Pruett notes that Ford, Lexus
and McLaren are also sniffing about future LMDH projects...
But this story got me thinking, Yeah, Shush
Y'all! Over what I've long thought is Ford's mistake currently, having eschewed
itself completely from Sports Car racing. And when they did return with the
latest rendition of their iconic Ford GT in 2016, they went for second tier GTE
Pro Class Honours instead of Bucking Up and going for Outright Glory instead!
This news also makes me wonder in spite how
wonderful it would be to have Ferrari racing in IndyCar's, I somehow Don't see
that happening, since I think they're only really interested in the
Indianapolis 500.
But why not instead focus upon a return to
Top-flight Prototypes; Err Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDH) racing instead?
Especially since if I'm interpreting this new
category's intensions correctly, then la Scuderia, nee Ferrari would be able to
contest the Rolex 24, 12 Hours of Sebring, Le Mans and Petit Le Mans amongst other
races with a single chassis.
While I've now refreshed Thy Memory over the new
"rules requiring a "mandatory" use of a Spec Hybrid system
producing 40-50bhp,. Will IndyCar be wise enough to make it the same Spec Unit,
since I believe that's the same minimal power output quoted by IndyCar, El
Correctomundo?
Or at the very least compatible with this new
LMDH category, which would give Auto Manufacturers even more Bang for their
Buck! And further solidify costs and equipment further enticing participation
in both Sports.
Alas, in this perfect Fantasy world, either
Porsche would become Indy Cars third OEM Engine Supplier. Or even Zanier yet.
The Ferrari Sports Car engine could also be "Badge" Engineered for
Alfa Romeo to return to IndyCar for a second, Uhm third and hopefully far more
successful go around in Open Wheel Racing! Leaving the door open for Scuderia
Ferrari to contest the Indy 500 as a "One-off" Works effort.
Although I have No
idea how FIAT-Chrysler's merger with PSA/Peugeot would effect this purely
Hypothetical engine programme. And Yeah, I know that Ferrari's been Spun Off
from its former "Parent Company" FIAT-Chrysler. But I'm pretty
certain it's still controlled majorly by the Agnelli Family that also has strong
linkage to FCA and Alfa Romeo, Righto?
Meanwhile, one new manufacturer Definitely
taking the Hypercar plunge is the small, boutique Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus
concern, which has previously announced it will make its race Debut at the 2021
Super Sebring outing, Arse-sumedly for just the WEC portion, since I Don't
think it's car will be eligible for IMSA competition until 2022.
Whilst I've since attempted once again
gleaming a 'lil more understanding of the proposed LMDH-LMH Hypercars Converging
intent for the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship Season, albeit I'm
Arse-sumin' it's still somewhat As Clear as Mud On A Rainy Day for All
involved, eh?
As this Dated January 24th Racer article by
Marshall Pruett (below) claims that the new LMDH class will indeed require a
Hybrid system on the vehicles rear wheels. Along with four designated chassis
suppliers allowed With each Auto manufacturer permitted to distinguish said
chassis with design queues mimicking their desired vehicle for Brand recognition.
Whilst I've read elsewhere the two Prototypes
categories, the FIA's World Endurance Championship's LMH category which goes
into service in September 2021, and the IMSA Weathertech SportsCar
Championship's LMDH category, also known informally as DPi 2.0 which begins
with the 2022 Rolex 24 will be equalized beginning in 2022 by the Dreaded BoP (Balance
of Performance) system...
As stay tuned
Kiddoes', Sports Car racing Big Boyz' category's set to get a whole lot more
interesting soon! Like beginning next year in Europe...
