24 Hours of Le Mans
ACO: 2012 technical and sporting regulations
In 2012, the safety of all prototypes will be reinforced, and the equivalences between the different engines powering the LM P1 cars in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Le Mans Series and American Le Mans Series will be readjusted.
Following the undertaking given after the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the FIA have worked together to modify the Le Mans 24-Hours regulations which, in keeping with the agreement signed with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), form the basis of the rules governing the future World Endurance Championship.
Three main areas were at the centre of the discussions:
1. The equivalences between diesel and petrol engines
In this context, the ACO and the FIA carried out a wide-ranging study to analyze the performances of the cars, and then to decide on the appropriate measures to be taken. A number of tools were used in the context of this survey: readings by timing systems specially installed at Spa-Francorchamps and at Le Mans, some of which the teams entered for the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 km (7th May 2011) and the Le Mans 24 Hours (10-11 June 2011) were unaware of, the information provided by the data loggers installed on the cars this year and all the times recorded on the different circuits.
In addition, the engineers were contacted and asked to provide under guaranteed secrecy all the technical information about their engine.
Finally, all these data and analyzes were restudied, interpreted and validated to calculate the new equivalences.
Results
All the refuelling equipment will have the same flow.
No modifications will be made to the petrol engines.
The performance of the diesel engines will be pegged back by around 7% by decreasing the size of the air restrictors and the supercharger pressure. The diameter of the restrictors will be reduced from 47.4 mm to 45.8 mm for engines that have a single restrictor, and from 33.5 mm to 32.4 mm for those engines that have two. In addition, the supercharger pressure of the turbos will be reduced from 3 000 to 2 800 milibars.
The fuel tank capacity of diesel-engined LM P1 cars will be reduced by 5 litres (65 to 60 litres).
2. Safety
Following the accidents in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours the ACO and the FIA have had fresh discussions, and have carried out new tests to improve the safety of the cars, the first priority of the FIA-ACO regulations. The following measures will come into force for the 2012 season.
After the work carried out by the FIA Safety Commission with the manufacturers/constructors the dorsal element on the engine cover, the shark’s fin, will become mandatory on all LM P1, LM P2 and FLM prototypes and openings will be made above the front and rear wheels.
To improve rearward visibility (with the exception of the LM P1s), the size of the rearview mirrors will be increased, and they must be equipped with a night mode as well as an electrical adjustment system that enables the driver in the cockpit to alter the rearview mirrors to meet his needs. The camera system at the rear will be mandatory on LM GTE cars and allowed on all the others.
3. Hybrid engines
The release of energy is allowed on the front wheels but only above 120 km/h. Safety measures concerning the specific brakes for hybrid engines have also been defined.
Sporting regulations
This extract is taken from a document called “Sporting guidelines 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship.” The complete sporting regulations will not be announced before the 30th November 2011 after the next meeting of the Endurance Commission scheduled for 21st November 2011.
FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
As previously announced, the FIA World Endurance Championship – in partnership with the ACO – will comprise a minimum of six events, including the “Le Mans 24 Hours”. Apart from this event, the duration of the races will be six to 12 hours. The Championship is exclusively reserved for Le Mans Prototype (LMP) and Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance (GTE) cars, although vehicles using technologies considered to be innovative may be admitted without scoring points.
FIA World Endurance Championship titles will be awarded to the champion drivers and manufacturer (reserved for the LMP1 category). In addition, a World Cup will be awarded to the winning LM GTE Manufacturer (including Pro and Am), as well as FIA Endurance Trophies to the winning teams in LM P2, LME GT Am, LM GTE Pro and best private LM P1.
For all events other than the Le Mans 24 Hours, points will be awarded according to the following scale for all categories:
1st 25 points
2nd 18 points
3rd 15 points
4th 12 points
5th 10 points
6th 8 points
7th 6 points
8th 4 points
9th 2 points
10th 1 point
And 0.5 point (awarded to any car classified lower than10th in the general classification)
For the Le Mans 24 Hours only, these points will be doubled.
In each category an additional point will be awarded to the car on Pole Position and each driver of its crew.
For 2012, the number 1 will be attributed to the manufacturer having won the 2011 LM P1 manufacturers’ title in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.
Vincent Beaumesnil, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s Sports Manager: “Every year we progress by carrying out analyses to establish the equivalences between the different engines. The groundwork carried out with the FIA demanded in-depth research. Our main objective was not to put everybody on an equal footing in terms of performance (lap times), but to define the true potential of each of the competing technologies. In terms of security the work carried out in collaboration with the FIA and the manufacturers – who made a decisive contribution to our research – will reinforce safety even further. I can only say that I’m delighted with the efficient and rapid technical teamwork between the ACO and the FIA.”
Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, FIA Endurance Commission President: “The closeness of the collaboration between the FIA, its Endurance Commission and l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest, his highlighted by the excellent work that has been undertaken by all parties since the announcement of the new FIA Endurance Championship on June 3rd. This bodes well for a successful 2012 season when technical innovation will marry with sporting excellence to provide a memorable inaugural championship for so many fans and industry stakeholders.”
The entrants in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the FIA World Endurance Championship and the various Le Mans Series have all been informed of these modifications to the rules. They will come into force at the first event on the 2012 calendar reserved for cars complying with the ACO technical regulations governing the Le Mans 24 Hours.
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This will probably kill the ALMS. Without Sebring being on the calendar, it will be tough for teams who don’t comply fully with ACO regs. to attract sponsors, as it says that entries in all the ILMC rounds will have to be ACO cars, and quite a few ALMS cars aren’t quite there.
Those regulation changes for the diesels will have NO EFFECT, the audi and peugeots will still rule the track.
Because its fair simple , both peugeot and audi has a huge budget. You could almost compare it to a budget F1 Teams use.
While the other lmp1 teams are privateers with very limited budget.
And when the time comes that the ACO will make petrol cars equilevant of the diesels , both audi and peugeot will have there hybrid system ready and will then again fly away.
I would have to say that I believe the FIA will see a few of Dr. Panoz $1000 dollar bills floating around and will miraculously make an exception for ALMS teams at Sebring. The reason I say this is because of the size of the US auto market and the number of entries that (Porsche, MM-AMR, Mazda) base a lot of their sales statistics on the racing in ALMS. Just look how the FLM class was added to Europe after it did so well here, and how this years Petit was a full field because of the LMPC Porsches. Money is a crafty little politician.
Schellz, I don’t see where it makes reference to your comment.
It used to be that the winner of LeMans usually had the priority on carrying the “1″ designation and his teammates were 2 and 3.
So despite having won lemans Audi will not have #1 since Peugeot won the ILMC. I guess other than at lemans, Peugeot dominated everywhere else.
Hopefully Dyson and Muslce Milk don’t decide to bolt for Grand Am based on their results at petit LeMans. Because their cars were simply not as well prepped as the European teams, and much less up to the task of challenging the cutting edge diesels.
Having almost no competitors dulled their fighting instincts, and given the long ALMS schedule and with nothing on the line, i don’t believe they had any motivation.
SchellZ,
Sebring is the opening race of the WEC and the ALMS. It has already been announced that the 60 car grid for the event will be split evenly between WEC and ALMS entries.
Dyson & Muscle Milk are already working on their ALMS plans for 2012.
Dex
“For 2012, the number 1 will be attributed to the manufacturer having won the 2011 LM P1 manufacturers’ title in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.”
Kind of down plays the importance of the 24 Hours of Le Mans don’t you think?
Yeah, I noticed that. The article reads “The Championship is exclusively reserved for Le Mans Prototype (LMP) and Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance (GTE) cars, although vehicles using technologies considered to be innovative may be admitted without scoring points.”, but now that I think about it, I may have misinterpreted it
That statement is meant to exclude Formula LeMans and GT3 Cup cars
A lot of pseudo technical and semi intellectual talk about the diesel vs. petrol regs, which all pans out at again a very,very tiny decrease in the power of the diesels.
Like in politics, coming out for the truth, namely the ACO wanting to keep the diesels fastest to keep Peugeot and Audi in, is ofcourse a no no.
I fully agree with Sam123
Boss B: Yeah, I realise it now. It only means that for point scoring, but in the ALMS round (Sebing), the cars that don’t meet ACO regs can still run as ALMS classes
Semi intellectual talk GTfour?
I don’t think you read everything on here.
@everybody still complaining about the Diesel or Hybrid situation in LMP1:
The fact that different engine concepts are allowed in LMP1 is the reason that keeps manufacturers like Peugeot or Audi in sportscar racing, as here – unlike in F1 – they have the platform to show the competitiveness of alternative engine technologies. If that wouldn’t be allowed or would be restricted too much, they would all be gone. Thus, it is a logical and good decision to have an LMP1 class for world championship level motorracing that allows different engine concepts and attracts manufacturer teams, and to have an LMP2 class that allows privateers to run in nation- or European-wide championships. So why doesn’t ALMS stick to LMP2? That’s the correct and logical class for this kind of championship.
@kw
Well, if ALMS stuck to LMP2, they would have had a grand total of Zero LMPs at most rounds…
Since 2007, the main ALMS teams have had P1 budgets. Even those racing in P2 have operated with budgets as big (or bigger) than the P1 teams in the LMS.
So given the spending they already do, and given that P1 is top of the ladder in sportscar racing, they want to be known for competing in the top echelon of their sport.
If you’re already paying the price why not take the spoils.
What is some of this blathering on here?
How anything coming out of France is automatic DOOM for the ALMS is complete utter nonsense. America had a successful series before the ALMS and will have one after the ALMS.
Without a properly funded and run petrol squad we won’t know how everybody stacks up. That said, Toyota has enough data after running a car with Rebellion for a season to build something that will challenge and without the limitations of the Lola’s design. One place the Lola has historically struggled is on rough/bumpy track surfaces as the Lola design is heavily dependent on ride height.
Anyway, Sebring will be on the calendar, what’s not known is if Petit will be. And even if its not, are you telling me you’ll have no reason to go??? You mean the only reason to go is to watch some cars you don’t see often because of external issues way from the series itself?
ALMS will continue to exist so can we stop with any changes being a threat too it nonsense?
Hybrid AWD above 120km/h will contributes to enhance LMP’s high-tech image. But it will be a driver’s aid and it just spoils real racing spectacle as same as traction control, ABS and Power assisted steerings/shiftings…