WEC: KCMG drops LMP2 program

The Chinese KCMG squad has opted against continuing in the LMP2 class of the World Endurance Championship in 2016 and could switch to the GTE ranks instead.

KCMG, which was runner-up in the P2 points last season and third in 2014, has revealed that it is working on a plan to join the GTE Am class with a 991-shape Porsche 911 RSR to replace its campaign with an ORECA-Nissan 05 in LMP2.

Team owner Paul Ip, whose squad dominated P2 at last year's Le Mans 24 Hours, said: "We have decided not to do LMP2, not for any special reasons but because I just wanted a change after two and a half seasons. The other program isn't finalized, but the chances are better than 50-50."

At the same time, he didn't rule out a return to the P2 class in 2017.

Ip denied that the decision was anything to do with the events of last October's Fuji WEC round, when the KCMG driver Richard Bradley was blamed for an incident with the rival OAK/G-Drive squad that derailed the team's title bid.

KCMG would continue is relationship with the German Proton team at whose premises it was based in 2015, should its GTE Am campaign go ahead.

"We will use Proton's Porsche expertise, but the car will still be run by KCMG," explained Ip.

Ip revealed that neither KCMG P2 stalwarts Bradley nor Matt Howson would be involved in the program and that he had yet to decide who would race the Porsche and if he would require any of the drivers to bring money.

Entries for this year's Le Mans close on Jan. 22.

Originally on Autosport.com