WEC boss Gerard Neveu can’t wait for the introduction of the new Hypercar regulations coming later in 2020.
The endurance series is replacing the LMP1 class, that has been dominated by Toyota in recent years since Audi and Porsche left for Formula E, and moving back to essentially extreme road cars, akin to the McLaren F1 and Mercedes GTR that raced in the 1990s.
Indeed, per the regulations, all companies must build at least 20 road-going versions of the model they enter in the Hypercar class and its a move Neveu hopes can revitalise WEC’s fastest category.
“For the last five years, we played with the LMP1 hybrid, with Toyota, Porsche, and with Audi of course. Now, this is a new cycle we’re entering with the Hypercar,” he told Crash.net at the Autosport International show last weekend.
“It will be a different look of car, more aggressive, a fantastic car. The design will be something very spectacular, and still of course the hybrid technology that is very important.
“We already have three major manufacturers committed to join, we have Toyota, we have Peugeot, and we have Aston Martin with the Valkyrie programme. It’s something very spectacular and the idea is to develop this category in the future.”
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In fact, WEC is already looking forward to the next big innovation in propulsion, with organisers at the Le Mans 24 Hours planning another new category.
“With the ACO, we have already developed the long-term visibility, and the idea is to open the sports car and the top categories to the hydrogen technology from ’24,” Neveu said.
“So this is another step, but it can provide a long-term view for the technology.”