ORECA continue to find healthy demand for their 07 LMP2 chassis as the start of the penultimate season for cars in the current regulations in IMSA and ACO-rules racing draws near.
The 07 is currently being produced at the rate of a car per month, with the potential to double that output if demand requires it.
Current orders see confirmed production until the end of April 2022 at which point well over 90 ORECA 07 chassis will have been produced (including eight chassis for the Acura ARX 05 DPI programme, and nine updates for the Oreca 05, but not including the Rebellion R-One (based on the 05) or R13 (based on the 07) – or indeed the grandfathered Alpine A480). The total does include the re-named but identical Alpine LMP2s and Aurus 01s.
With the outline plans of Prema PowerTeam to enter FIA WEC plus confirmation of a part season in the FIA WEC for Team Penske, some of the more recent new-build cars have clear destinations, others will emerge in the coming days and weeks, including several potential new cars for teams stepping up from LMP3 or GTE, plus additional cars and attrition replacements for current LMP2 squads.
DSC’s current prediction is a boost to the full-season grids for both the FIA WEC (10-12 cars currently envisaged) and IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship (6-8 cars for a full season and/ or full four-race IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup), with likely near stability fo the European Le Mans Series (12-15 cars).
ORECA’s facility expanded significantly in 2019/ 2020 will also welcome at least two LMDH programmes with work underway with Acura for their planned 2023 cars, and with Alpine for 2024. Both will see cars being offered for customer operation.
Additionally, unconfirmed by ORECA, there are two other programmes to be accommodated. One potential additional customer in LMDH, which DSC sources have confirmed is McLaren, the UK-based supercar manufacturer currently engaged in a search for an engine supplier partner, 2024 the earliest possible start date for that programme if green-lit
The other, which not for the first time elicited no comment whatsoever from ORECA, is the preparation for production for competition use in 2023 of the Ferrari replacement to the current 488 GT3.
The French motorsport giants were the surprise recipients of a long-term contract to produce the car, expected to be based on the forthcoming 296 road car (pictured above) with both the road and race cars being designed and developed in-house by Ferrari, ORECA succeeding Michelotto who produced the 360, 430, 458 and 488 GT3 and GTE cars up to and including the current 488 GT3/ GTE Evo.
