21123
24 Hours of Le Mans 2012 : Special Preview
Posted on 
The 2012 World Endurance Championship is just round the corner and this year's season promises a whole lot of action. ZigWheels gives you an exclusive insight in to what to expect in 2012
It’s that time of the year again. 2012 sees the birth of a brand new World Championship. The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is collaboration between the FIA and the ACO, the body responsible for running the Le mans 24 Hours and for putting together the rules and regulations that have governed Endurance racing worldwide for decades. Born from the basis of the successful Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) the WEC is designed to attract manufacturer interest back to the endurance racing discipline and the early signs are that it has been very successful indeed thus far in that regard.
The inaugural season will see 8 races around the globe with a class structure familiar to anyone who keeps track of happenings at Le Mans. The top LMP1 category is for the fastest prototypes, pure racing cars. This is a class that has been dominated in recent years by diesel powered cars from Peugeot and Audi but 2012 will see the diesels reeled in a little, the factories though are looking for an edge once again with Audi and the back in action again, Toyota both fielding hybrid versions of very different nature though.
There’s a supporting cast of privateers as usual with the Toyota powered Lolas of Rebellion Racing looking set to return. The ‘baby’ prototype class, LMP2, looks set to be hotly contested too with a hefty grid of production engined, Pro-Am crewed cars currently assembling – Lola, HPD, Pescarolo and Oreca chassis are likely with Nissan, Honda and Judd BMW power – It looks likely to provide a real race within a race for 2012. Aston Martin are set to return to the GT ranks with a full factory effort and they look set to be joined on the grid by several examples of the near all conquering Ferrari 458, Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 997 (plus more besides we hear!). GTE racing is well worth watching as a stand alone formula – Put the Prototypes into the mix and there is never a dull moment.
2012 has already seen the WEC join forces for a combined grid with the hotly contested American Le Mans Series and the traditional curtain raiser for the Le Mans 24 hours, the 6 hours of Spa Francorchamps, that was held on 5th May. The big one however, is on the 16th and 17th June, the Le Mans 24 hours, 56 cars, 24 Hours and the biggest race meeting in the world, with pre race razzamatazz and on track action for a full week before the race proper – It’s a double points scoring round too for the WEC, the season’s regulars being joined by strengthened factory teams and the best of the rest from the European and American Le Mans Series.
It will also be the first time that the spectacular and controversial Deltawing racer which has been accepted as the 56th entry for 2012 will take to the track to show what can be done via radical aerodynamics with a much smaller engine than the norm. Whether it works or not is yet to be seen. Keep watching this space as we give you constant updates about all the happenings at Le Mans.
Do you like this story?
- Previous Story
- Next Story
Readers' opinions ( 0 )
Post a Comment
Post a CommentLe Mans 24 hours Nissan race review
by Team ZigWheels
With everything from never-seen-before technology...
Audi R18 e-tron quattro at Le Mans 24 Hours
by Team ZigWheels
Audi R18 e-tron quattro at Le Mans 24 Hours
24 Hours of Le Mans 2012 : Special Coverage
by Team ZigWheels
2012 has already seen the WEC join forces for a...
The Ferrari Way : Special Coverage
Ferrari has been voted as the most powerful brand in the world according to Brand Finance and the...
Chevrolet Enjoy : Special Coverage
Designed to take on everything from the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga to the Toyota Innova the Enjoy is...
