Developmental History
On 2 July 2015, IMSA announced the base regulations for its then un-named new for 2017 Prototype class of the WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, which would succeed and replace the Gen 3 Daytona Prototypes, and Le Mans Prototype LMP2 class cars, which would become obsolete due to new global regulations on the LMP2 category. These base regulations would spell out the restricted areas, where custom manufacturer bodywork was disallowed, and the base prototype's parts would be needed to be used. The main restricted areas would be the rear wing, rear wing mount(s), and engine cover fin, in addition to the bottom the car, the splitter, floor, and diffuser. In addition, a control zone for the splitter was defined, to prevent splitter modifications behind the approximate front axle centerline. Restrictions at the front of the bodywork would also prohibit manufacturers from styling the outer regions of the nose, the area traditionally reserved for dive planes on a prototype. Additional restrictions also bar development in the region directly behind the front tyres of the car, while the diffuser section located aft of the rear tire was also prohibited to be developed. In opened areas for development, the creation of Wing Profiles was also prohibited.
Production-based engines would be utilised in the class, with the targeted engine weights and maximum engine displacements being released. Turbocharging would be available for 4 and 6-cylinder engines. Sonic air restrictors would be used for Naturally Aspirated engines, but turbocharged engines would operate without restrictors, with boost levels being RPM-based to balance the acceleration advantages of turbocharged engines compared to Naturally Aspirated engines. [3]
On 1 October 2015, IMSA confirmed the release of engine and bodywork guidelines, and announced the name of the then unnamed class - Daytona Prototype International. [4] It was also announced that DPi would be homologated for a minimum of four years, from 2017 through 2020, with the aim of allowing competitors to maximise their investments. To achieve performance parity in the top Prototype class of the championship, IMSA also announced a Balance of Performance (BoP) for both DPi and LMP2 specifications. [5]
On 11 January 2016, IMSA Director of Racing Platforms, Mark Raffauf confirmed that each manufacturer would be required to commit to both an engine and bodywork package , and would be locked into an alliance with the selected chassis manufacturer, unlike the previous DP formula, which had allowed bodywork such as the Corvette DP outfitted on multiple chassis, and various chassis options for the same engine. Raffauf also stated that manufacturers would be allowed to make changes to the appearance of the bodywork or even debut new engines and/or branding over that period, subjected to approval and homologation by IMSA. [6] Subsequently, Raffauf also confirmed that factory teams would be allowed, and that manufacturers would not be required to sell any chassis to customers. [7]
On January 24 2018, IMSA extended the homologation periods for LMP2, DPi and GTE-spec machinery in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship by an additional year, due to the FIA World Endurance Championship’s transition to a winter calendar, which would delay the homologation periods in the championship by roughly six months. As such, DPi and LMP2 cars, which had been originally confirmed for a four-year period through 2020, would now be eligible for competition, until at least the end of the 2021 season. [8] In 2020 it was announced that DPi cars would be eligible until the end of 2022, due to the COVID pandemic and LMDh cars not being ready in time for the 2022 season. [9]
A Le Mans Prototype (LMP) is a type of sports prototype race car used in various races and championships, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA SportsCar Championship, European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series. Le Mans Prototypes were created by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The technical requirements for an LMP include bodywork covering all mechanical elements of the car. As of 2023, there are two classes within Le Mans Prototypes, designated LMP2 and LMP3.
A Daytona Prototype was a type of sports prototype racing car developed specifically for the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series as their top class of car, which replaced their main prototype racing class, specifically Le Mans Prototypes (LMPs). The cars later competed in the merged series of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, from 2014 to 2016, before being phased out and replaced by the Daytona Prototype International class in 2017. They are named after the main series event, the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The IMSA SportsCar Championship, currently known as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship under sponsorship, is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada and organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). It is a result of a merger between two existing North American sports car racing series, the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Sports Car Series. At its inception, the name was United SportsCar Championship, which subsequently changed to IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2016. Rolex SA's Tudor brand was the championship's title sponsor in 2014 and 2015, and since 2016 WeatherTech has served as title sponsor.
The 2017 IMSA SportsCar Championship was the 47th season of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) GT Championship that traces its lineage to the 1971 IMSA GT Championship. It was the fourth season of the United SportsCar Championship and second under the name as the IMSA SportsCar Championship. It began on 28 January with the 24 Hours of Daytona, and ended on 7 October with the Petit Le Mans.
The Oreca 07 is a Le Mans Prototype built by French manufacturer Oreca to meet the 2017 FIA and ACO LMP2 regulations. It made its official race debut in the opening round of the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and its FIA World Endurance Championship debut at the 2017 6 Hours of Silverstone. The car is the successor to the Oreca 05.
The Ligier JS P217 is a Le Mans Prototype built by Onroak Automotive and named in a partnership with French racing driver Guy Ligier. The Ligier JS P217 was built to meet the 2017 FIA and ACO regulations for 2017 for the LMP2 category in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The car also meets the regulations for the International Motor Sports Association’s (IMSA) WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the Prototype class. It was active in both of these championship series as well as the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series. The prototype made its racing debut at the 2017 24 Hours of Daytona and its FIA World Endurance Championship debut at the 2017 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
The 2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship was the 48th motor racing championship sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). It was the fifth season of the United SportsCar Championship and third to be held under the name as the IMSA SportsCar Championship. It began on January 27 with the 24 Hours of Daytona, and ended on October 13 with the Petit Le Mans.
The Dallara P217 is a sportscar prototype built by Dallara Automobili to the 2017 FIA/ACO regulations for the Le Mans Prototype LMP2 class. The car also meets the regulations for the Le Mans Prototype 2 Class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. It was active in the FIA World Endurance Championship, and the European Le Mans Series. The prototype made its debut at the 2017 4 Hours of Silverstone.
The Riley-Multimatic MkXXX, also known as the Riley-Multimatic Mk.30, or simply the Riley Mk.30, is a Le Mans Prototype 2 built to the 2017 FIA/ACO regulations. This car can be raced globally in the European Le Mans Series, Asian Le Mans Series, the FIA World Endurance Championship, and the IMSA sanctioned WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. It made its racing debut at the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona, scoring a podium finish, with Spirit of Daytona Racing.
The Ligier JS P320 is an LMP3 Le Mans Prototype. It was created by Onroak Automotive, and named in partnership with former French driver Guy Ligier. It was built to meet ACO Generation II LMP3 standards, and can be built through an update kit for its predecessor, the Ligier JS P3. The car is set to be eligible in a series of Championships worldwide, such as the Michelin Le Mans Cup, Prototype Cup Germany, Asian Le Mans Series, European Le Mans Series, IMSA Prototype Challenge and IMSA SportsCar Championship. The car was launched on 4 June 2019, and was the first Gen II LMP3 to be revealed.
The 2020 IMSA SportsCar Championship was the 50th racing season sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). This was also the seventh United SportsCar Championship season and fifth under the name as the IMSA SportsCar Championship. The series began on January 25 with the 24 Hours of Daytona, and ended on November 14 with the 12 Hours of Sebring.
The Ligier Nissan DPi, also known as the Onroak Nissan DPi is a Daytona Prototype car built by Ligier Automotive. The car is based on the Ligier JS P217, which was built to meet the 2017 FIA and ACO regulations for 2017 for the LMP2 category in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The prototype made its racing debut at the 2017 24 Hours of Daytona, with the Tequila Patrón ESM team, finishing 4th on its debut.
The Mazda RT24-P also known as the MazdaRoad to 24 – Prototype is a Daytona Prototype International built to the 2017 IMSA DPi regulations. The car is designed and built by Mazda Motorsports, in collaboration with Multimatic Motorsports, and is based on the Riley-Multimatic Mk. 30 LMP2 chassis. This car is eligible for use in the Daytona Prototype International (DPi) class of the IMSA sanctioned WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. It made its racing debut at the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona, with SpeedSource Race Engineering, running under the Mazda Motorsports banner. There have been plans to open the car to customer sales, although none have come to fruition so far.
A Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) is a type of sports prototype race car that competes alongside LMDh entries in the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship. It will also compete in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship from 2023.
An LMDh is a type of sports prototype race car that competes alongside Le Mans Hypercar entries in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship from 2023. It also competes in the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The 2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship was the 51st racing season sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) which traces its lineage back to the 1971 IMSA GT Championship. This was also the eighth United SportsCar Championship season and sixth under the IMSA SportsCar Championship name. The series began on January 30 with the 24 Hours of Daytona, and ended on November 13 with the Petit Le Mans after 12 races.
The 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship was the 52nd racing season sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), which traces its lineage back to the 1971 IMSA GT Championship. This was also the ninth season of the IMSA SportsCar Championship since the merger between the American Le Mans Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2014, and the seventh under the sponsorship of WeatherTech. The series began on January 27 for the 24 Hours of Daytona, and ended on October 1 with the Petit Le Mans after 12 races.
The Porsche 963 is an LMDh sports prototype racing car designed by Porsche and built by Multimatic, to compete in the Hypercar and GTP classes in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship, respectively. The 963 name draws inspiration from the Porsche 956 and Porsche 962 that raced in the 1980s, which also competed in American and European racing series. The car was revealed at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed, with a traditional red, white, and black livery.
The 2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship was the 53rd racing season sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association, which traces its lineage back to the 1971 IMSA GT Championship. It was also the tenth season of the IMSA SportsCar Championship since the merger between the American Le Mans Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2014, and the eighth under the sponsorship of WeatherTech. The 2023 season marked an overhaul season for the championship, with a change in class structure and a new race on the season calendar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The championship began with the 24 Hours of Daytona on January 28 and concluded with the Petit Le Mans on October 14 after 11 races
The 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship is a planned motor racing championship, set to be the 54th racing season sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association, which traces its lineage back to the 1971 IMSA GT Championship. It will also be the eleventh season of the IMSA SportsCar Championship since the merger between the American Le Mans Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2014, and the ninth under the sponsorship of WeatherTech. Following a change in class structure for the 2024 season, the IMSA SportsCar Championship is poised to see a major expansion of its full-time grid across all of its classes.
