With the 2022 season now in the books for the FIA World Endurance Championship, focus shifts to 2023 and a look at what the grid next season might look like for the full season outside of Le Mans.
There are several ‘known knowns’ to take into account, GTE Pro is gone leaving the GTE Am class as the sole production-based class in the World Championship whilst paradoxically the LMP2 Pro-Am class for crews featuring at least one Bronze-rated driver is gone too, though it will remain in the European Le mans Series, again effectively counting out a return from a number of 2022 entrants.
Add into the mix the significant boost incoming to the HyperCar class and the grid is is set to have a very different look and feel!
In 2022 39 cars were named as full season entrants, but outside of Le Mans a maximum of 38 entered just one race, Monza, with Penske’s LMP2 programme, fielded as preparation for their entry into HyperCar with Porsche next season, ending after Le Mans, Glickenhaus not taking the trips to either Fuji or Bahrain, but Peugeot’s pair of 9X8s joining post Le Mans.
A maximum grid in the mid to high 30s is therefore likely for 2023 and the WEC will have little trouble filling every available slot with more than one team already telling DSC that their aspirations to enter, or to double up, in LMP2 or GTE Am have already received a response the success is unlikely.
Hypercar
DSC expects 11-13 cars to be named for the full season:
Nine of those should be pretty firm for every race with the return of Toyota Gazoo Racing with a pair of revised GR010s, and the Peugeot TotalEnergies Peugeot 9X8s joined by the debuting pair of Ferrari AF Corse 499Ps, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s pair of Porsche 963s and a solo Ganassi Racing supported factory Cadillac V-LMDH.
Joining probably post-Sebring will be a pair of privately-entered Porsche 963s, a single car apiece in 2023 from Hertz Team Jota and Proton Competition, the final timing of the start of their campaigns still to be confirmed with no little politics in play chez Porsche right now!
The next most likely car to feature on the season-long list is Glickenhaus Racing’s likely single SCG 007 Hypercar, the Pipo-powered car most likely to be seen for a part season, the team in active negotiations with potential backers and with Championship organisers.
Beyond that there are two other potential additions, both with significant question marks:
‘Vanwall Vandervell’ are still looking to secure the nod from the FIA as a legitimate manufacturer with questions as yet unanswered about both the confirmed ownership of the Vanwall brand in the relevant marketplaces and the sign-off from the rulemakers of either or both of the Vanwall or Vandervell monikers as a true road car builder. Those question may only be answered with the appearance, or not, of the team on the full-season entry.
The team continue to publicise their testing, but the trademark matter is not over.
Also unclear is the status of the Isotta Fraschini HyperCar effort, a collaboration between the new owners of the historic Italian brand and Michelotto.
The car exists, with further details of the car released only yesterday, the brand is undeniably a road car manufacturer, though the FIA will likely need to be persuaded of the plans for the current owners to continue that history into the contemporary automotive world, but there are, as yet, no clear plans for the outfit to deliver on their aspirations to join the WEC for Spa and beyond.
In conclusion, a 50% boost to the 2022 high water mark of 6 cars is all but guaranteed with a likely doubling of that level for some non-Le Mans races post Sebring.
For Le Mans expect additions to the Cadillac roster and that at least two other factory teams might also be considering applying for an additional car to join the grid for the centenary race.
