ACO President Pierre Fillon was interviewed on the main stage this afternoon in the Place de la Republique and used the opportunity to talk up the significance of the press conference on Friday which is set to reveal more details of the proposals for the next pair of regulation cycles for the class that is set to replace the current LMP1.

“We will present the 2020 and the 2024 regulations next Friday as we want to give constructors significant visibility,” he said.

“We really want to reduce costs after Audi and Porsche brought in a lot of technology but scared off new entrants.

“We want manufacturers to return. Le Mans must remain a laboratory for new technology. So [future] cars will have hybrid technology and bodywork allowing people to recognise a brand or make… say like Toyota or McLaren!

“We have been working with several manufacturers [including potential new ones] over the past six months. Let’s see on Friday who that could possibly be.”

In support of the positive language being used in relation to the future of the premier class, at least two current LMP2 contenders also talked up the prospect of a future in the class above today.

“There have been some movements (on the prospect of a Chinese manufacturer joining with Jackie Chan DC Racing for an LMP1 programme),” David Cheng said. “A few months back after the Paul Ricard test, we had a work group in China to figure out the potential new regulations … and there was a lot of initial interest. How to turn interest into reality takes a lot of work. It can start looking realistic once the new regulations are out.

“A lot of efforts have been made for people like myself and my team to achieve the target of bringing in a Chinese manufacturer to Le Mans. The late mayor of Le Mans has helped us tremendously in that respect. I wish to pay him my regards as well” (Jean-Claude Boulard deceased last week).

Signatech’s Philippe Sinault meanwhile, hinted that an LMP1 programme for the Alpine brand is something being considered for the future.

“I hope Alpine will take the final step to LMP1 one day,” he said. “It was part of several discussions we had over the summer. The priority of Alpine in 2018 was to launch its GT car and develop a car dealership network. It made sense… we could not do it then but a potential move to LMP1 in the future is still something we are thinking about.”