IMSA Remains Open to LMH Possibility

Image: ByKolles

IMSA has remained open to the possibility of allowing Le Mans Hypercars into the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship according to series president John Doonan, who indicated next year’s ‘Super Sebring’ event could provide clarity of the technical feasibility.

While set to share its jointly developed LMDh platform with the FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA has been hesitant to confirm full convergence with the WEC’s LMH platform, with Doonan previously stating the need for on-track data before coming to a conclusion.

It’s understood establishing an automotive partnership with IMSA is also one of the prerequisites.

Doonan, who didn’t acknowledge the marketing agreement when asked by Sportscar365, instead stressed the importance for technical equivalence between the LMH and LMDh platforms on tracks in North America.

“Mr. France and everyone at IMSA is very open to the idea that LMH and LMDh could compete on the same tracks globally, and in multiple championships,” said Doonan.

“We need an opportunity to see the cars compete… As soon as we get those cars on-track, get them to dynos and get them to wind tunnels together and make sure that we have a platform that allows for what we’re after…”

Next year’s Sebring event, where the WEC is slated to debut its LMH formula with cars from Toyota, Glickenhaus and ByKolles, has been earmarked as a potential opportunity for IMSA to evaluate the platform’s capabilities.

“It’s very exciting and we both hope that LMH and ‘Super Sebring’ can come to Sebring in March 2021 to see those committed LMH manufacturers compete on a track that we know well,” Doonan said.

“For me and all of us, that’s an example of the convergence when all of the manufacturers and competitors are on track at the same time.”

Doonan said the strength of the IMSA and ACO technical departments, along with the FIA, has helped get them to the point of the common LMDh platform and is optimistic for the future.

“I think that starts with the technical teams that Pierre [Fillon, ACO. President], myself, Gerard [Neveu, WEC CEO] and Richard [Mille, FIA Endurance Commission President] are very proud of the way the technical teams have come together on LMDh.” he said.

“And the input from the manufacturers. Everyone wants the same thing for the sport and our collective fans.

“So we’re doing what we said in January with LMDh and converging, and we hope that we do it for the better of the whole sport.”

Daniel Lloyd contributed to this report

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John