A lengthy conversation with Jim Glickenhaus yesterday produced a number of very interesting snippets, not all of which are for public consumption just yet.
Most importantly all aspects of the SCG 007 LMH ‘Hypercar’ programme, engine, chassis and aero, are well on track despite the difficulties imposed by the COVID-19 crisis.
And the Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus team is confirming too that they are committing two cars to the WEC season as currently announced (ie – they are committed to the currently known calendar)
When asked whether there was additional interest in the car there was at least the implication that the total might be usefully described as ‘at least’ two 007s for 2021!
Progress For 004C – And A Plan For N24
Progress is coming together too for the ‘GT3’ spec 004C which has been testing in Italy.
“We still want to get to the Nürburgring 24 Hours with the car but clearly that’s going to need help from the organisers if they are going to be confident that we are in the performance window.”
DSC believes that a proposal is in play for the car to be fielded at the last NLS round prior to the 24 Hours in competitive trim, but effectively to use by the race organisers as a BoP ‘laboratory’ to assess what needs to be done to the car to ensure that better established SP9/ GT3 performance parameters for other brands are not exceeded.
“We’re keeping an eye on what is going on in international GT racing,” said Glickenhaus. “It seems that even before the crisis there was limited appetite for the factories to invest, we’d like to think that as a company investing in a high quality product, with racing absolutely at our core, and with a customer base of owner/ drivers that want to race, that there would be interest in a structure that accommodates us.”
Unhappy With IMSA
Finally on the subject of what could be seen as a ‘spat’ with reference to the eligibility or otherwise of the 007 HyperCar in IMSA’s Weathertech Sportscar championship Jim was again pretty straightforward.
“I note their position, but fundamentally disagree that there should not be an accommodation possible for a real top class effort from a non “mainstream manufacturer” especially since IMSA’s proposed LMDh chassis are exclusively made by non mainstream manufacturers.
“A clearly re-defined set of regulations ensures that performance can be balanced between LMH and LMDh.
“As things stand I believe their position is discriminatory and indeed illegal under a variety of both European and US legislation. As many know, that’s not something that my family has a record of tolerating.”