IMSA: Honda interested in 2017 P2 contract

Honda Performance Development would like to continue its role as a global P2 vendor, but could face a significant obstacle to remain in the game once the new 2017 rules come into play. Drafted by the ACO, FIA, and IMSA, the final document circulated to interested P2 constructors contains an interesting twist that could drive HPD from the class.

An entry in the 2017 P2 guidelines for potential chassis suppliers states, “The candidate declares to be entirely independent of a major car manufacturer,” which seems to serve the European P2 model where manufacturers are prohibited from directly participating in the class. Yet with P2 set to continue as the top prototype category in America with the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – one where major car manufacturers Chevy, Ford, Mazda, and Honda – have competed this year, the rule appears to ignore the differing needs on both continents.

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“We’ve certainly told IMSA we’d like to be part of the activities going forward, however, as the 2017 image became more concrete, it was clear there’s a bigger distinction between what’s legal to run at Le Mans and what’s available to you in the U.S.” HPD vice president Steve Eriksen told RACER.

“Of course, you’re trying to serve two masters where in one hierarchy (Le Mans), P2 is a non-manufacturer class, but in the U.S., it’s the top level of prototype racing here. That’s where the challenges and potential opportunities come in. We recently had a meeting with IMSA about the tender process, expressed some of the concerns that we’ve seen, and asked them to circle back with the ACO and FIA about those concerns.”

The tender restriction isn’t limited to Honda. If Chevy wanted to have its competition arm at Pratt & Miller build a 2017 P2 car, or Mazda had an interest in SpeedSource constructing a customer P2 carrying its name, the new Franco-American rules stand in the way of those desires becoming a reality.

With IMSA directly involved in the formation of the rules, it’s hard to fathom how a sentence like “The candidate declares to be entirely independent of a major car manufacturer” was allowed to make it into the final document without a provision to include IMSA’s unique needs.

Eriksen reiterated HPD’s interest in earning one of the four 2017 P2 chassis supply contracts, and with the submission deadline coming next Wednesday, quick changes to the guidelines will be required to bring Honda into the conversation.

“We certainly have a desire to become a supplier, because our experience is when we’re able to control all aspect of the design, it results in a better integrated product,” he said. “That said, the whole thing obviously has to work from a financial aspect, and some of the things that have come out from the tender are different than what we expected. Until we hear more, we’re in a holding pattern.”