2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar ChampionshipSports Cars 

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Actually it seems just the two different teams running the program split. AIM Autosport who was essentially the entire physical aspect of the team is exiting. Former IndyCar champ Jimmy Vasser and James Sullivan (who has done everything in Motorsport) seems like they will continue with their own program. But given AIM’s history in single seaters and GT racing, it will be a big step back.
 


https://www.motorsport.com/imsa/news/kevin-magnussen-ganassi-cadillac-imsa-2021-switch/4916048/


From article
Since Wayne Taylor Racing elected to clean house regarding driver line-up as it switches from Cadillac to Acura for next year, it means WTR’s 2020 full-timers Ryan Briscoe and Renger van der Zande became available to partner Magnussen. Motorsport.com is given to understand that van der Zande will be confirmed as the second full-timer in the Ganassi Cadillac. Ganassi’s six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon is set to join Magnussen and Van der Zande for IMSA’s four endurance rounds – the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, Sebring 12 Hours, Watkins Glen 6 Hours and Petit Le Mans.
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HaydenFan69
So does this mean that the WEC Hypercar class is all but dead?

That’s a big change in direction.
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Were there ever rumors for Audi entering Hypercars? If anything, LMDh seemed for me always a more popular option among automakers.
 
HaydenFan69
So does this mean that the WEC Hypercar class is all but dead?

That’s a big change in direction.
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I don't think it is dead. Glickenhaus and Toyota will be racing there next year. Peugeot is joining them in 2022.

It looks like both classes will do well in the future.
 
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TheHun99
Were there ever rumors for Audi entering Hypercars? If anything, LMDh seemed for me always a more popular option among automakers.
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That’s the thing. Not anything but rumors in that category, then IMSA gets this one kinda out of nowhere.

And absolutely. From just a cost standpoint, having a good portion of the car already developed makes the LMDh class so much more appealing across the board.
 
Putting on my tinfoil hat: long time Audi team Phoenix Motorsport goes into LMP2 as they want to be in LMDh and the boss their said that he thinks factory support will be crucial. I wouldn’t be surprised if they would be one of the main Audi LMDh teams laters.
 
Finally! With 10 years of delay (2012) we will finally be able to see these 3 there (Audi / Peugeot / Toyota) fight against each other at Le Mans. Stunning!
 
So am I right in thinking that lmdh and hypercars are equal? With the understanding that lmdh means they are also eligible for imsa?

I'm still confused even now.
 
Rossell2
So am I right in thinking that lmdh and hypercars are equal? With the understanding that lmdh means they are also eligible for imsa?

I'm still confused even now.
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suomi1
Hypercar is the new top category at Le Mans, it englobes both LMH and LMDH.
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Hypercar is LMH only (Le Mans Hypercar), LMDh is not Hypercar, its maiden name was DPi 2.0.

LMH can be basically whatever, hybrid or non-hybrid, prototype of production-based.

LMDh has spec hybrid and is based on LMP2 like the current DPis.

Theoretically BOP will equalize them in Le Mans for example. IMSA at this point hasn’t said anything definitive about letting LMH cars race in the Weathertech races while ACO has confirmed that LMDh will be eligible to run at Le Mans.
 
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HaydenFan69
Actually it seems just the two different teams running the program split. AIM Autosport who was essentially the entire physical aspect of the team is exiting. Former IndyCar champ Jimmy Vasser and James Sullivan (who has done everything in Motorsport) seems like they will continue with their own program. But given AIM’s history in single seaters and GT racing, it will be a big step back.
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https://www.imsa.com/news/2020/12/0...r-full-season-in-no-14-vasser-sullivan-lexus/
 
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I thought Milner got the axe as there was no mention of him with the team after Petitt. Was Tandy this, Gavin that. That’s good. A bit of the quiet one on the team (When you have a Taylor brother everyone is going to seem quiet in comparison), but the team has always thrived on their consistency. Glad he’s back.
 
Busy IMSA news day today: similar to the Daytona 500, the Daytona 24 qualifying will be a 100-minute race at the Roar:

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/qualifying-race-at-roar-to-set-rolex-24-starting-grid/

I like regular quali but certainly don't mind having a race.

HaydenFan69
I thought Milner got the axe as there was no mention of him with the team after Petitt. Was Tandy this, Gavin that. That’s good. A bit of the quiet one on the team (When you have a Taylor brother everyone is going to seem quiet in comparison), but the team has always thrived on their consistency. Glad he’s back.
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I never felt that kind of sentiment. I heard about Fassler and of course Gavin leaving the team but I always felt that Milner was staying.
 
Audi plans both factory and customer LMDh participation from 2023 on. No specific plans shared regarding IMSA WSC and WEC participation, only Daytona 24h and Le Mans 24h. I personally would assume factory participation at the big races, some chances on WEC and less for IMSA but I would most certainly expect full season customer teams in WEC and IMSA.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/audi-to-support-both-factory-customer-teams-in-lmdh/

(cross-posting from the Audi LMDh thread)

On another note. pre-season testing is on at Daytona (#48 Cadillac, MSR Acura DPi, Riley LMP3 and Supra) and at Sebring (Tandy and Sims for Corvette):

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/imsa-teams-begin-pre-season-testing-at-daytona/

2021 WSC and MPC will be quite interesting, even if GTLM will be potentially a Corvette one-make series for the most part.
 
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Acura is the first of the current DPi manufacturers to show serious interest in the new regs. Hopefully Cadillac and Mazda are not far behind.

https://racer.com/2020/12/14/acura-initiates-lmdh-design-study-with-oreca/

AF Corsa will also their their hat in the ring for Daytona, GTD is going to be nuts. It makes you wonder what the field would look like if they did what they should have done already and replaced GTLM with an all-pro GTD class.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/af-corse-to-tackle-rolex-24-with-italian-gt-class-champions/
 
Well seeing that the Corvette project will have to eventually drop to a more consumer based class, I don't see why GM will not allocate additional funds to stay in prototypes.

I really don't care about Daytona only entries. Like Le Mans, it's great to see 50+ cars line up. But when the grids start to look like the end of days ALMS (with 20 cars spread amongst 4 categories), it will eventually effect the top races. We do already see it this year as many of those Daytona entries are not continuing to Sebring.
 

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