Some drivers unimpressed by WEC's shift to two-class structure

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest and the FIA announced last year that it will not be able to accommodate LMP2 cars in standard WEC rounds in 2024, restricting the class to the Le Mans 24 Hours and regional championships such as the European Le Mans Series.

It means there will be just two categories in WEC next year, Hypercar and the new LMGT3, a major departure from the four-class structure that had been prevalent since the rebirth of the series in 2012 until the end of last year.

The ACO/FIA had already phased out GTE Pro after the 2022 season, while the GTE Am category is also being dropped next year in favour of a GT3-based class as part of a major overhaul of the championship.

While the addition of BMW, Lamborghini and Alpine to the Hypercar division next year, coupled with the expected variety in the new LMGT3 category, is expected to lead to a further surge in WEC's popularity, some question whether the series' new structure goes against endurance racing's multi-class ethos.

Multiple LMP2 race winner Gabriel Aubry, who tested for Hypercar newcomer Isotta Fraschini earlier this year, has voiced his disappointment about the move to drop the secondary prototype class from the championship.

"The history of endurance racing is multi-class, right? So having just two classes into the race to me doesn't make a lot of sense," Aubry, who competed for Vector LMP2 team this year, told Motorsport.com.

"We've seen from the 60s, maybe six or seven class racing together and it's part of our racing where we have to play with the traffic, driving in a higher class and also in the lower class managing the hypercar coming to you. So I don't want that history and that part of racing to go away from WEC.

"We are not doing sprint races, we are doing 24-hour races with multi-class racing. We are living together on the same track and this is what is so unique to endurance races."

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The decision to eliminate the LMP2 class from WEC could have an impact on the very nature of racing in WEC, especially traffic management, because of the pace difference between LMDh/LMH and GT3 cars.

Moreover, Hypercar drivers will not have to worry about lapping relatively quick LMP2 cars from next year, a task that was particularly difficult given how fast they were in corners due to lower weight.

United Autosports' Filipe Albuquerque, who won both the Le Mans 24 Hours and the WEC class title with the Anglo-American team in 2019/20, warned that the removal of the LMP2 category could lead to some boring phases in races.

"The most important [thing] in endurance racing and why endurance racing is so much fun is because one lap is never the same to the other and traffic helps both categories," the 38-year-old told Motorsport.com.

"The GTs use the traffic better to get advantage and the prototypes use the GTs to get advantage. The more of a mess, [the more] different classes and the more cars there are in different classes, the better it is for the competition.

"If you are just going for less cars it means that you are going more to a sprinting way [of] racing, single class racing which then becomes boring, because when you are following somebody you lose downforce.

"That is why other series implement DRS to be able to pass on a straight. Well, we don't have DRS.

"If we run out of other cars to be fighting to have in the mix maybe it can become a problem there."

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Porsche LMDh driver Andre Lotterer gave a more diplomatic view about the decision to phase out the LMP2 class, highlighting how there will be more cars fighting for the overall win next year.

Asked for his thoughts on the decision to turn WEC into a two-class series, the three-time Le Mans winner told Motorsport.com: "It's hard to say. I have to say yes to support the championship but three classes were also very interesting, but with more difference in speed [it would have been ideal].

"It was nice [during] LMP1 because they allowed LMP2 cars to be faster and us [in LMP1] were [even] faster. And you could see a difference between the cars. So that was cool.

"On the other hand it's very nice to see so many cars in the top category which we never had the luxury of.

"So in that sense I would need to say it's better because you want to have a big field of a lot of winning potential cars which was never the case. Historically we were at a very little amount. That will be nice."

Despite some criticism, many drivers have put their full support behind the move to eliminate LMP2, pointing out WEC's popularity has boomed following an influx of manufacturers in 2023.

Alex Lynn, who drove for Cadillac this year after previous stints in both GTs and LMP2, said: "I guess right now WEC and sportscar racing in general is in a really cool position where the top class is so popular. so have it while it lasts.....

"[Hypercar] is an achievable category for LMP2 teams to step up. Also gives ELMS and other championships and a chance to have more grid. So I think it's cool."

Toyota LMH technical director Pascal Vasselon explained that it was simply not possible to accommodate LMP2 next year given the high interest from manufacturers for Hypercar and LMGT3 categories.

Only 37 cars will be allowed to take part in the series in 2023, the same number as this year.

"The problem is that the WEC is running out of garages," Vasselon said. "What is clear is that Hypercar has to be there and GT3 has to be there. When you go by these two you have no more space.

"Also, I think the decision they have made is the decision by default because no one wanted to push out LMP2 but it's just I would say a consequence of what is going on with huge interest from manufacturers for Hypercar and GT3."

Despite the departure of the LMP2 class and the shift to a two-class structure, WEC is expected to become more popular than ever in 2024 due to increased manufacturer presence in Hypercar and LMGT3. There will be a whopping 19 entries in the top class next year, representing nine different manufacturer. The new division for GT3 cars will feature 18 cars from the likes of Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, McLaren, Lamborghini, Corvette, Lexus and Ford.