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American LeMans
ALMS: Tech Regs Released For Sebring, Season
IMSA releases LMP and GT starting points for Long Beach, confirms regulations for Sebring.
John Dagys  |  Posted March 01, 2010   Chicago, IL
Patron Highcroft Racing is among the LMP2 teams that move into the combined LMP category from Long Beach-on. (John Dagys)
Following months of questions and speculation over how prototypes for the new-look LMP category will be balanced, IMSA released Monday the much-anticipated technical specifications for the 2010 American Le Mans Series season. The two specifications - for season-opening Twelve Hours of Sebring and bulk of the season - differs only slightly, with a more rigid adherence to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest rulebook.

In accordance to the French rules makers, Sebring and the 1,000-mile/10-hour Petit Le Mans will be run in full ACO specification, with a split LMP1 and LMP2 category. Exceptions, however, have been made with cars utilizing E85 fuel, where previous restrictor and weight waivers from last season will still be in effect. E85 fuel capacity will remain at 110 liters, compared to the 90 liters for E10-fueled prototypes, with a pit tank height of 2.2 meters still being allowed for the alternative-fueled machines.


LMP2 cars at Sebring will still conform to ACO specifications, but can also run in 2009 IMSA spec. These provisions include a 25 kg weight break to a minimum weight of 825 kg, which IMSA put into effect last August. Cars also must utilize the 2000 mm full-width rear-wing and 20 mm wicker-bill, but by doing so will not be eligible for automatic selection for 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2011. With Sebring no long being a selection race, it appears to be a non-issue for now.

In GT2, all cars will be in full ACO-spec, other than the Doran Ford GT, which is being allowed to run its 2009 IMSA-spec restrictor. This exception will also be in effect for the full-season. Other cars given allowances last year by IMSA include the BMW M3, which ran at a minimum weight of 1220 kg instead of the ACO-mandated 1245 kg that it will have to run this year. The Panoz Esperante, Riley Corvette and Dodge Viper were also given breaks last year, but all three cars are not expected to compete this season.

The regulations will only change slightly starting at the second round at Long Beach. As announced last August, LMP1 and LMP2 cars will compete under a single LMP category, with the initial balancing procedures consisting of subtle changes to Sebring-spec.

To bring the lighter and more nimble P2 machines in line with the more powerful and heavier P1 cars, all E10 and diesel-fueled P1 cars will receive a 5 percent air restrictor reduction, while E85-fueled P1 entries will no longer have its weight and restrictor allowances its enjoyed for the past two seasons and at Sebring.

LMP2 cars will be run in Sebring specification - using IMSA’s sporting adjustments from last year, plus the wide rear wing - but with one difference. The 1600 mm wing, which became mandatory in the European-based Le Mans Series and 24 Hours of Le Mans last year, may be approved for ALMS competition at a later date. If and when it does, teams that switch to it cannot revert back to the 2000 mm wing later in the season.

This stipulation could affect Patron Highcroft Racing, as team owner Duncan Dayton told me last week that they’d hope to run 2010 ACO-spec HPD ARX 01-C bodywork at Long Beach and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as a warm-up to their Le Mans debut in June. With a tight schedule prior to the twice-around-the-clock French classic, Highcroft was planning to use those two races as its test for Le Mans. But they may now have to think twice if being forced to run the less downforce-producing smaller rear wing for the remainder of the season, which could hurt it championship hopes.

With less than 20 days before the start of the Twelve Hours of Sebring, some teams have said the confirmation of the regulations came too close to the season-opener. But IMSA has promised its technical specifications for the Petit Le Mans, the second and final race to be run in full ACO-spec, will be released 60 days prior to the event.

It’s unclear what changes could be made for the Series blue-ribbon event, but with it being a selection race for Le Mans 2011, and also a round of the new Le Mans Intercontinental Cup, there will no doubt again be a strict adherence to ACO rules.

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