Porsche is all set to return to the Le Mans 24 Hours with an LMDh prototype in 2023 and the automaker has released the first sketches of the upcoming racecar that will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The German automaker announced that Porsche Motorsport has been given the green light to develop the prototype for the LMP2-based LMDh hybrid category. The company had announced plans to return to endurance racing back in March this year. The LMDh prototype racing cars will tip the scales around 1000 kg, are powered by a hybrid system with an output of 670 bhp.
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Porsche's LMDh prototype will compete in the FIA WEC and the IMSA and will tip the scales around 1000 kg with a power output of 670 bhp
Speaking on the announcement, Oliver Blume, CEO at Porsche AG said, "The new LMDh category allows us to fight for overall victories with a hybrid system at the Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring classics - without breaking the bank. The project is extremely attractive for Porsche. Endurance racing is part of our brand's DNA."
Pascal Zurlinden, Head of Factory Motorsport at Porsche, said, "The team is intending to run in both championships with a full commitment," starting with the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January 2023. The manufacturer is also looking at a long-term commitment to the sport and described it as "open-ended".
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Porsche's LMDh prototype development will depend on the chassis manufacturer, while the engine could be a road-going one tuned for racing duties
Porsche will return to Le Mans after a gap of five years in 2023, following the end of the 919 Hybrid LMP1 program in 2017. The new LMDh category focuses on high cost-efficiency. The cars are based on an upgraded LMP2 chassis, and the spec for the hybrid system including the control electronics is standardised. Teams can choose the chassis from four different manufacturers available - Orea, Ligier, Dallara and Multimatic. Porsche said that a lot of the technical decisions are yet to be made around the 2023 LMDh contender. These include which of the four chassis constructors are awarded the licenses to build the next-generation of LMP2 chassis. It will also influence the choice of the engine. The automaker did say that an engine developed from a road-going car is most likely and will also be more cost-effective.
Porsche's announcement follows that of its sister marque Audi, which is also developing an LMDh prototype. This brings the total number of manufacturers in the 2023 Le Mans to four with Toyota and Peugeot competing with Le Mans Hypercars.
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Porsche last competed in Le Mans in 2017 and will return to endurance racing after five years in 2023
Michael Steiner, Porsche board member in charge of motorsport, said that the LMDh entry represents the brand's trilogy of selling electric, hybrid and combustion-engined cars for the road. The company will continue to contest in Formula E as well as GT racing, creating a trifecta of motorsport commitments. "Now, the LMDh class closes the gap for us," he explained.
Porsche Motorsport is also yet to confirm if it will go racing in the WEC and the IMSA with full-factory teams and customers or both. A decision though will be made in the next few months, according to Zurlinden.
