Next-Gen LMP1 Prototypes Could Be Closer To Road Cars

Future LMP1 vehicles could more closely resemble road cars in an attempt to make the racing series’ more relevant.

During roundtable discussions between the FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, it has been revealed that rules similar to the GTP prototypes from the late 1990s and early 2000s are being considered.

“At the moment an LMP1 is a kind of generic prototype and you have to paint it to put your mark on it. The idea could be to go towards bodywork that is clearly closer to real cars — it could interest manufacturers who at the moment who are not interested in a generic LMP,” Toyota Motorsport GmbH technical director Pascal Vasselon told Motorsport.

If such rules were approved, manufacturers in the LMP1 championship would have to ensure the aerodynamic performance of their vehicles sits in a specific window, helping to ensure a level playing field.

New regulations are set to come into force for the 2020/21 World Endurance Championship.