It is an understatement to say that the World Endurance Championship (WEC), which organizes the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is coming out of a period that is, to say the least, unusual. Following successive withdrawals of major teams at the highest level, Toyota found itself at the top for five years in a row, winning each time at the famous Sarthe event while winning all the world titles. Problem: the Japanese firm was a bit on its own, with no real competition…
Faced with this distressing situation, a very promising revolution has been underway for two years. An in-depth change, the beneficial effects of which are particularly felt this year, and which will make it possible to enhance the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. While suggesting the best for the future. Explanations.
For the first aspect, it’s already won: by drastically simplifying the entry conditions, the World Endurance Championship (WEC) has at the same time made it possible to reduce costs considerably, by around 80%. Toyota, which won the last three events of the previous era, has thus divided its budget by three with its Hypercar. Moral: some very big names in automotive and motorsport have jumped in to come back.
“We are entering a new golden age”, welcomes Frédéric Lequien, general manager of the WEC, during an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP). “Among the brands present in 2023, some have a fantastic historical past in the discipline, such as Porsche, Peugeot, Toyota of course, but also Ferrari, back after fifty years of absence. »
Added to the prestige of returning big names is strength in numbers. In 2022, the two LMhs entered by Toyota faced only three competitors: a total of five cars for the main category, the showcase of the discipline. This year there will be sixteen of them competing for victory, representing seven different brands: Porsche, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Glickenhaus, Vanwall and, of course, Toyota.
This new era was built at the expense of performance. These hypercars are thus heavier – at least 1,030 kg – and a bit less powerful than their illustrious elders, going from 1,000 horsepower to around 700. Thus, a complete lap of the ultra-fast 24 Hours circuit is completed, at best , around 3 minutes and 24 seconds, when the record is 3 minutes, 14 seconds and 791 thousandths of the LMP1 time (Kamui Kobayashi on a Toyota TS050 Hybrid in 2017). Another consequence: the little sisters of the LMP2 category are now only a handful of seconds from the front rows.
The example of Formula 1, precisely, should encourage us to be cautious. Pinnacle of motorsport, the discipline has also experienced many technical revolutions over the past fifteen years which have rarely had the expected effects in terms of spectacle and competition. In fact, Toyota, with its experience and its current hegemony, will once again be the favorite this year in the WEC as well as at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
