The extension of the lifespan of the GTP class within the IMSA SportsCar Championship might pave the best way for brand spanking new producers to hitch, collection boss John Doonan believes.
Doonan reiterated IMSA’s place that there’s curiosity from main automotive makers to hitch the highest class of the collection within the wake of the announcement forward of this month’s Le Mans 24 Hours that the LMDh and Le Mans Hypercar rulesets were being expanded through to the end of 2029 in each North America and the World Endurance Championship.
“I really feel there’s actual curiosity; there are no less than a pair [of manufacturers] who’re critically wanting on the platform,” stated Doonan.
“The [new] homologation offers stability for many who are right here and alternative for these researching entry.
“Now they know that in the event that they got here, for instance, in 2026 they’d have 4 years of competitors with the identical rules.
“We’ve seen GTP racing in North America is mega and it’s only going to develop.”
When pushed about possible new entries, Doonan replied: “Extra particulars to return.”
#31 Motion Categorical Racing Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images
McLaren has once more started talking publicly about its sportscar aspirations at the highest level following the announcement of the foundations extension, whereas Alfa Romeo has lengthy been recognized to have curiosity within the prime class of IMSA.
Jean-Philippe Imparato, the CEO of the Italian model that’s a part of the Stellantis group together with Peugeot, spoke overtly about its WEC aspirations on the conclusion of its badging cope with the Sauber Formulation 1 group on the finish of final season.
The door can also be open to the LMH producers competing within the WEC’s Hypercar class to hitch the IMSA collection.
Aston Martin would be the first when it arrives subsequent 12 months with a solo Valkyrie AMR-LMH run on a manufacturing facility foundation by the Coronary heart of Racing squad, which can also be mounting a two-car WEC marketing campaign.
“Aston has introduced its intentions to return and we actually welcome them as the primary LMH producer in IMSA competitors,” Doonan stated.
“We’d like to see some others be part of now that the time interval has grown.”
Doonan harassed that room will likely be made for added GTP automobiles past the 11 competing this 12 months despite the fact that the IMSA grid is presently at capability.
They’d be “welcomed with open arms”, he stated.
#6 Porsche Penske Motorsports, Porsche 963, GTP: Mathieu Jaminet, Nick Tandy #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Acura ARX-06, GTP: Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque #01 Cadillac Racing, Cadillac V-Sequence.R, GTP: Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais Inexperienced Flag, Race Begin
Picture by: Josh Tons / Motorsport Images
Additions subsequent 12 months will embody the Aston and most probably an additional Cadillac when it’s anticipated that Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti strikes over from Acura equipment to the Normal Motors model to run a pair of V-Sequence.R LMDhs instead of Chip Ganassi Racing.
On Thursday, Honda Racing Corporation USA confirmed Meyer Shank Racing will return to its Acura programme for 2025.
Doonan additionally expressed a hope that a number of of the producers presently competing in GTP will be part of Porsche in supplying automobiles to prospects in some unspecified time in the future in the course of the prolonged lifetime of the class.
Cadillac and Lamborghini have acknowledged that they don’t have any plans to launch automobiles to prospects and Acura has additionally advised that it’s unlikely, whereas BMW has thus far left the door open.
The prospect of the present producers competing in GTP doubtlessly revising the styling of their LMDh contenders was additionally raised by Doonan.
“Perhaps there will likely be alternative for styling upgrades – this will likely be as much as the technical groups from IMSA and the FIA/Car Membership de l’Ouest [which run the WEC],” he defined.