Norma elected to join as the sixth LMP3 manufacturer

Hillclimb and CN prototypes are the base of Norma Auto Concept in terms of racing, and now the French manufacturer is adding another platform to its business, which is the young LMP3 category.

A statement released by Norma confirmed that ACO is welcoming them into the junior prototype class with a model that still needs to be revealed, and the presentation of the new car will occur later this year, as the plans for the machine are for a debut in the end of 2016. Norma will join Dome and Riley Technologies, which models still hadn’t a competitive debut, and ADESS AG, Ginetta and Onroak Automotive, the ones with models already competing in the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series.

In fact Norma’s new project is a return to the Le Mans Prototypes, as they built four models from the early 90s on, with the most recent attempt being the Norma M200P LMP2 car that mostly participated of the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 2010 to 2012, where reliability problems plagued it to the point that only in 2012 the M200P finished the race. Unfortunately for Norma at the moment, its last customers already have relationships with Onroak Automotive, as Pegasus Racing will use a Morgan LMP2 and Extreme Limite will race a Ligier JS P3 LMP3.

They will also have a tough mission in terms of acquiring market share, as a huge number of teams in Europe opted for the Ligier JS P3, while Asia seems to not have a preference of model as most of the manufacturers seem to be in the same level of development. The Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup will act as a booster for LMP3 entries in the continent as it tries to create a culture of prototype racing there.

IMAGE: Norma Auto Concept