LMP2 class - real thriller of 2017 WEC season

New season of World Endurance Champions is in full deployed mode, finished 6hrs of Silverstone and SPA, but there is always a time to recap what is new, specially before endurance highlight which definetly is - as per tradition - 24hrs Le Mans.

Biggest changes in terms of regulations between two seasons happened to LMP2 class. And this time changes for better, at least what we can see so far. Of course all eyes are on LMP1Hy category, where extreme laboratories on wheels will battle for life and death. But major news have been that the AUDI decided to leave after 2016. So the competition is only between Toyota and Porsche. So far they are quicker than last year, but no significant change in the prototype regulations. LMP2 however, is a different story.

Starting with the engine. Major difference, as this year all teams are obliged to use the same supplier which is Gibson ( former well-known company Zytek ) who replaced for e.g. Nissan with their VK45DE 4.5 L V8 producing something between 450 and 500 BHP. Gibson however is putting from their GK-428 - 4,2L V8, exactly 600 BHP and 555Nm , which is - thank God - still naturally aspirated. It only weighs about 135kg. Gibson claims, that power supply for LMP2 should be also very reliable, as on dynamo it survived 57 hours straight of simulation of Le Mans, rewing up-to 9000rpm...

Gibson GK-428

Gibson GK-428

Alongside with new engine there is new chassis, now delivered specially by four "tender-winning" manufacturers : Dallara, Oreca, Ligier and Riley Technologies. Competition has been set high, so chassis are newer, well specialised. With all these the weight of whole car risen only for 30 kilos up-to 930kg of overall weight. With new aero, which is stealing ideas or better say borrowing brilliance from bigger brothers, from LMP1 class; this whole package is making LMP2 for 2017 really fast cars.

How fast you might ask. Well here are some comparisons with last year. In the traditional opening of the season in Silverstone, cars have been about 3 seconds quicker per lap during race this year than the last ! Unfortunatelly we cannot compare qualifycation times, as best times possible, as last year we had raining cats and dogs. In second round in Belgium, in the famous SPA-Francorchamps, the quali times were 2:07.3 vs 2:02.6 which is 4.7 second faster year-to-year. Last weekend there has been official tests in Le Mans before the main race. Difference between test and last qualification ? Well astonishing 7 seconds. And in straight it has been quicker than Porsche or Toyota. Hybrids were topping 316-319kph but LMP2 class was about 327kph. I know it is not always about top speeds. Still I would like to see how they are pulling over on the straight line in front of Porsche/Toyota tandem during race.

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So just to sum up. My focus during this years 24hrs Le Mans race, would be definitely on LMP2 Class. It is quicker, more specialized, and has the biggest starting grid containing of 25 cars !!! That is 5 cars more than current F1, 20 cars more than LMP1hy. ( in regular WEC season, it is "just" 9 cars, still most of the grid ). And with driver names such as Piquet Jr, Vergne, Petrov, Lammers, Senna, Albuquerque, Chandhok, Brundle, it gets even more interesting. Even Rubinho will race after a few years, and guess what...yes for LMP2 class. Lets all hope for real fast thriller.