Team founder Jim Glickenhaus has stuck to his vow not to continue in the series this year with his Pipo-engined 007 Le Mans Hypercar without sponsorship.
No funding was forthcoming before the freight left by sea this week for the Asian leg of the WEC comprising the Fuji 6 Hours on 10 September and then the eight-hour fixture in Bahrain on 4 November.
Glickenhaus hasn’t ruled out rejoining the WEC with its solo full-season entry for the finale in Bahrain, but he appeared pessimistic that sponsorship can be found in time.
“I’ve said that unless we find serious sponsorship that would allow us to continue this year in a good way and then go on into next year, then it makes no sense for us to continue,” he told Autosport.
“Bahrain is still a possibility for us because we are still talking to people.
“But if we don’t get something in place for then, I’d say it’s very unlikely that we’d get something for next year, though it’s not over ’til it’s over.”
The US entrant opted to miss Fuji and Bahrain last year and didn’t commit to returning in 2023 until December. It again filed one full-season entry and fielded a second 007 at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Glickenhaus explained that it was increasingly difficult for independent teams to compete against the growing number of major manufacturers competing in the Hypercar class of the WEC.
Source: Autosport