Is Honda about to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
The Japanese manufacturer has undergone a major restructuring within its ranks. And this, to include its American branch, HRC US. With an Hypercar involved in IMSA and eligible for the WEC, Honda could join the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the coming years.
A team more in Hypercar for the WEC and Le Mans? That seems very possible. Since the introduction of Hypercar in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and IMSA, many manufacturers are knocking on the door. While Peugeot, Vanwall, Porsche, and Ferrari have recently entered the WEC, others will join the party next year. BMW, Isotta Fraschini, Lamborghini, and Alpine will reinforce an already unreal Hypercar grid, following the LMP1 crisis.
Some brands have in mind a Hypercar project like McLaren, Aston Martin. Honda also has one and is involved in IMSA, the American endurance championship, through Acura (Honda’s luxury brand). But for the future, the program could expand.
« We have an extraordinary ARX-06 »
Our goal is to increase the brand awareness of HRC and sustain the success of our racing activities, and we believe that bringing together Honda’s global sports branches under one organization will help us achieve this goal. Our race engineers in the United States and Japan will be stronger together, and I am very pleased to welcome our American partners to the HRC team, specifies Koji Watanabe, president of HRC.
David Salter, head of HRC USA, acknowledges that Honda (or Acura) must take an interest in the WEC. We have an extraordinary ARX-06, which is the result of our team, Oreca, and our racing teams doing an amazing job. We are very attached to this car, and it is eligible for the WEC. We have always said that it has to make sense commercially, for the brand and for marketing. What is very important to me is that it makes sense in terms of competition. We don’t compete to not be competitive, it’s too tough.
A space issue?
However, David Salter does not get carried away and does not confirm the arrival of Honda in WEC in 2024. « It is not defined, so we are constantly working on the subject to see what makes sense for the future. »
If the Japanese brand were to join the World Endurance Championship, some circuits would have to review their facilities or the FIA would have to increase the number of cars allowed per round. Considering that there must be 16 GT3 cars, this only leaves room for 20 Hypercars, a total that could already be reached next year.
