The announcement at Le Mans this year of a two-year extension to the Hypercar and GTP rulesets effectively reloaded the starting gun for several potential programmes. And the certainty of the period over which investment can be amortised is now extended too.
Of course, that prompts questions over the length of commitment from the existing factory and private teams, particularly in the wake of the approval by the World Motorsport Council of the FIA WEC’s forthcoming ‘two-car rule’. This new regulation stipulates that each manufacturer registered for the World Championship from 2025 MUST enter/nominate two cars for the season.
That season looks set to welcome 10 manufacturers to the WEC, with Aston Martin joining the current nine, and at least six in IMSA’s Weathertech Sportscar Championship. The 2024 quintet will also be joined by the Valkyrie.
But, crucially, it also resets the clock for a number of manufacturers for whom a commitment to the class was becoming more difficult to justify with the door slowly closing on the viability of a multi-year investment.
So with all that in mind, which manufacturers are in play and are any of them likely to push the button?
Here’s a rundown:
McLaren
McLaren’s Zak Brown told reporters at Le Mans that the extension would give any prospective McLaren project committing to the WEC at least a three-year period to compete.
He made it clear too that the prospect was still under evaluation as McLaren’s other motorsport programmes continue to perform well, most crucially the McLaren Formula One effort, which is now back at a race-winning level.
McLaren’s potential commitment appears to be restricted, at this point, to a factory-only FIA WEC effort.
The UK-based manufacturer is known to have formally evaluated the LMDh ruleset previously, ORECA at that point was understood to have completed conceptual work, with an engine supplier also identified.
Much water has passed under the bridge since then and DSC now believes that were McLaren to commit it might well be with an alternative chassis/spine partner. Dallara is currently believed to be the preferred option.
Hyundai
Also on the ‘will they, won’t they?’ list is Korean manufacturer Hyundai.
It is known to have been tracking the potential hydrogen-fuelled ruleset for some time and is known too to have evaluated a suite of major potential motorsport programmes from Formula One to Hypercar/GTP.
Links to a potential bid for the struggling Alpine F1 effort were rife earlier this year and there have been constant questions asked about its commitment to the World Rally Championship beyond the current ruleset, which is due to switch after 2026.
Whilst all official comment on any pending commitment to a major sportscar programme has been firmly of the ‘wait and see’ variety, there are plenty of signs that this is the most immediate prospect of a confirmed expansion to the already astonishing level of manufacturer commitment to the ruleset.
Cyril Abiteboul, ex-Renault F1 boss now in overall charge of Hyundai’s current and future motorsport programmes, was at Le Mans this year. He has, quite conspicuously, not counted out a near-future announcement.
That could come as early as this month, with the Goodwood Festival of Speed in two weeks set to see the ‘dynamic’ debut of Hyundai’s premium brand Genesis’s new ‘Magma’ programme.
Any Hyundai commitment again looks set to go down the LMDh route, DSC sources suggest ORECA is the preferred chassis partner and other media reports suggest too that this programme could be dual-branded – Hyundai in WEC, Genesis in IMSA’s GTP class!
Hyundai’s current WRC engine partner Pipo Moteur already has experience in the WEC via their turbo V8 that powered the 2021-23 Glickenhaus SCG 007 and are therefore already in a strong position to support any effort.
Sources suggest that the timeline for Hyundai might be a race commitment as early as 2026 – that would indicate that even without a public commitment, significant background work may already have been undertaken, far in excess of evaluation.
Ford
The third of the trio of manufacturers still ‘in the room’ for whom the extension of the ruleset holds potential is Ford.
Whilst senior sources have been tight-lipped on any prospect of commitment, there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that, with the Mustang GT3 finding its feet in the similarly stacked GT3 ranks, the depth and quality of competition in Hypercar and GTP holds few fears for the famously ambitious ‘Blue Oval’.
Officially, the comment is that the prospect is always under evaluation.
Notably, Bill Ford was on the podium at Le Mans celebrating a podium finish for the LMGT3 car in the 60th anniversary year of Mustang. His presence was another sign that Ford still holds the race in high regard.\
No decision is expected, imminently or otherwise, against any defined timeline. But there is one other major factor that could play a part in that discussion.
Ford’s strategic partnership with Red Bull to badge an F1 engine for the current World Champions from 2026 is understood to be a nine-figure commitment.
With Red Bull emerging from the turmoil of the post-‘Hornergate’ melee, there’s still plenty up in the air. The future of several key players within the team is still in question and according to sources close to the ruleset, the 2026 powertrains are proving to be a very significant technological challenge. With all that factored in, can its commitment in that arena be considered totally secure at this stage?
We’ll see!
Who else is in play?
The presence of Lotus in the hydrogen Village at Le Mans indicates some engagement at least with the rule-makers from the Geely-owned brand, though this is far more likely to be for a further future ev/hydrogen-fuelled prospect.
Alfa Romeo has shown prior interest before committing to an F1 sponsorship programme. The rule extension again offers it the opportunity to take another look, though the success or otherwise of the sister Peugeot brand within the Stellantis conglomerate may have some influence on those prospects.
Lexus seems not to have renewed its earlier evaluation of the formula in the wake of the extension. Its primary effort in GT3 is set to be boosted by the arrival of a new car in 2026.
As for Mercedes AMG, it appears happy with its F1 programme for now, together with its successful customer racing presence. And on that front, a new car is due in 2026.
