After just one year in LMP2, Rebellion Racing are looking to return to their LMP1 privateer status for the 2018-19 World Endurance Championship superseason.
The Swiss team – a mainstay of the championship since its induction – made the step down to the LMP2 class for the 2017 season citing cost reasons, but are considering reverting their status once more, given the influx in customer LMP1 teams expected for the series’ first ‘superseason’.
Rebellion clinched both the LMP2 Drivers’ and Teams’ championship in Bahrain last weekend and whilst Team Principal Bart Hayden admitted an “appetite” to return to the P1 class, a decision is yet to be made.
“There is an appetite at Rebellion to do P1 again,” Hayden told Motorsport.com.
“But there is no decision at the moment and there is unlikely to be until the middle of December.”
Hayden’s worry is time, despite the season starting in May with the 2018 6 Hours of Spa for the first time in its history, believing that there would be little chance of securing a new engine and chassis deal – having made the choice of resisting their old R-One chassis. Instead, Hayden wishes to build a chassis in house, rather than relying on new suppliers BR Engineering – like class movers DragonSpeed – or Ginetta, who have partnered up with Manor Motorsport.
The most likely route is for current partners ORECA to provide a chassis, however Technical Director David Floury was cautious to commit when quizzed about the situation, saying there is “no decision” as of yet, again citing time constraints.
As for the immediate future of the team, Hayden said that there were options available for next year, including staying in the P2 class of the WEC or switching to the European Le Mans Series.
However, Hayden ruled out a move to North America.
