Strakka announce LMP1 programme for 2017

Yesterday’s announcement of the four chosen chassis manufacturers in LMP2 from 2017 (WEC-Magazin reported) has laid the foundations for the ACO’s second category moving forward. However, a number of chassis manufacturers appear to have been left out in the cold. One of them, the Strakka-Dome partnership, has now announced its plans to switch to the LMP1 category of the WEC in two years’ time.

The news comes as a big boost for the FIA WEC. Not only will Strakka remain a part of the endurance racing scene, they will also be a welcome addition to the ailing privateer LMP1 market, which currently only has two representatives in the shape of Rebellion Racing and ByKolles. Strakka themselves are no strangers to the LMP1 grid, having run HPD ARX-03 LMP1 cars at Le Mans and in the WEC as recently as 2012 and 2013.

The change in plans also mean that Strakka will switch to the Gibson chassis for the remainder of the 2015 season, as well as for 2016. This will allow Strakka and Dome to use the S103 as a test mule for the 2017 LMP1 car. Strakka intend to run the rule over the Gibson chassis at the upcoming test at the Nürburgring in late July, ready for the six-hour race there in late August.

“The 2017 LMP2 regulation changes that restrict the number of chassis manufacturers meant we had to evaluate our current business strategy and seriously look at projects that would enable us to draw on the experiences we have from our LMP2 car,” says team principal Dan Walmsley. “After evaluating all the options, the LMP1 Privateers’ category now offers the best arena to create our own car, which we will use to showcase our growing knowledge of new design and manufacturing processes to build a cost effective car in the shortest timeframe.”

Source: Strakka Racing press release
Image source: Strakka Racing