LEMANS: 2011 Regulations Finalized

Le Mans / ALMS

LEMANS: 2011 Regulations Finalized

SPEED.com breaks down the changes in store for competitors in the ALMS, LMS, ILMC and at Le Mans next year...

John Dagys | Posted December 20, 2010 Chicago, IL

Audi and Peugeot will again face off in 2011, albeit with different machinery. (Photo: Dan Boyd/LAT)

With 2010 nearly in the books, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has been hard at work finalizing the regulations for Le Mans-branded championships for next year. A final draft of the technical and sporting regulations were released to teams late last week, confirming previously announced changes while revealing some further tweaks for the upcoming season.

Here’s a detailed class-by-class overview of the changes in store for 2011, including some of the category wide adjustments:

LMP1

One of the biggest changes for 2011 comes with revised prototype regulations in both categories. New cars such as Audi’s R18 and the Peugeot 90X must conform to revised aerodynamic requirements and smaller displacement engines, while existing 2010-spec LMP1 cars will be grandfathered in for next year.

All cars will have a significant reduction in fuel capacity. Gasoline-powered LMP1s will have 75 liter tanks, while diesel-powered prototypes will be allowed 65 liters, compared to their previous 90 liter and 81 liter allowance, respectively. While grandfathered LMP1s will have also 75 liter fuel tanks, they’ll be subject to smaller air restrictors to give new 2011-spec cars a “slight advantage” over its predecessors.

Downsized engines, essentially 2010-spec LMP2 power plants, will be enforced in new-for-2011 LMP1 cars. Teams will have a variety of options, including 3.4-liter naturally aspirated V8s, 2.0-liter turbos, or a 3.7-liter diesel turbo, which Audi has opted for with its V6 TDI.

Audi's R18 TDI features the ACO's mandated new shark fin. (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

In terms of aerodynamics, a number of changes have been made, including the adoption of a shark fin mounted to the engine cover. All new cars must sport the new device, with grandfathered cars having until 2013 to comply.

The ACO has also officially added the much-publicized ‘Article 19’ to the regulations, providing an overview into its revised Balance of Performance procedures. Adjustments to a car’s minimum weight, air restrictor size and fuel tank capacity can be made to keep the performance levels of diesel, gasoline and hybrid prototypes within a two percent window.

If the performance levels exceed the two percent threshold, calculated by lap time averages, in the opening rounds at Sebring and Spa-Francorchamps, an adjustment will be applied in time for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. The ACO reserves the right to make two adjustments to each technology per season.

With Hope PoleVision Racing having already announced its Flybrid flywheel-based hybrid and continued speculation that Peugeot will employ a similar unit in its new 90X, the topic of hybrids have been highly contended in recent months.

Some of the more recent changes to the hybrid regulations include the addition of flywheel-based units and the choice of distributing stored power to either the front or rear axle. If manufacturers opt for the former, it could effectively turn a LMP1 into a four-wheel drive car.

And after much contention, hybrids will begin the season with the same minimum weight (900 kg) but with a two liter smaller fuel capacity (73 liters/gasoline, 64 liters/diesel) as the competition, although subject to Balance of Performance adjustments prior to Le Mans.

LMP2

LMP2 features a complete overhaul for 2011 in efforts to keep the second-tier prototype division a cost-effective option for privateers. The biggest change comes in cost-capped chassis and engines, now eligible through 2015, along with the enforcement of driver categorizations.

Under the new regulations, a complete new car, minus engine, cannot exceed $452,000. Only one evolution of the prototype will be permitted each season, excluding a low-drag Le Mans body kit that can be homologated as long as its sold for less than $13,000.

Level 5 Motorsports became the first team to commit to the new LMP2 ranks in the ALMS. (Image: Level 5)

Production engines, either derived from the GT category or from the showroom floor, are the new wave of power plants for the future. With options ranging from a 5.0-liter naturally aspired V8 to a 3.2-liter V6 turbo, the costs for each engine cannot exceed $98,000 and must last for 30 hours without a rebuild, with the ACO targeting a 50-hour lifespan by 2013.

Current 2010-spec LMP2 chassis will be permitted to run until 2013 but will run 20 kg heavier (920 kg) than the new cars. Additionally, bodywork modification will be prohibited and the grandfathered chassis will be subject to balancing to ensure that it does not exceed the performance levels of a 2011-spec LMP2 car.

After a successful trial run in the LMP2 category of the Le Mans Series last year, the ACO’s driver categorization system is being expanded class-wide to all Le Mans-branded championships. Featuring a four-tier medallion system, each driver will be classified according to his or her previous levels of success under the ACO’s Sport Committee.

Platinum, the highest category, is reserved for professional drivers under the age of 55 who have either been a factory driver or have a distinguished background in open-wheel or sportscar racing.

Gold drivers are those with a considerable amount of sportscar racing under their belts but are considered ‘semi-pro’, while Silver and Bronze are reserved for lesser experienced amateur and/or gentlemen drivers.

In the case of LMP2, at least one Silver or Bronze driver must be in each of the team’s lineups. LMP1, on the other hand, prohibits any Bronze driver from competing.

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John Dagys

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