- Chery announced plans to race at Le Mans within five years.
- It will first compete in the Asian Le Mans Series with Exeed.
- Chery and ACO will build a Le Mans-grade circuit in China.
One of China’s big four carmakers, Chery, is setting its sights on the world’s most demanding endurance race: the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The brand has declared its ambition to enter the legendary event within five years.
See: Chinese Carmaker Tried Land Rover’s Viral Stairway Climb, And It Didn’t End Well
This announcement comes not long after a very public misstep, an unsuccessful attempt to scale 999 steps to China’s Heaven’s Gate in a stunt that didn’t quite land. Racing at Le Mans, however, poses a far more complex and technical challenge.
Chery’s motorsport push is being led by its Exeed sub-brand, which has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the French organization that runs Le Mans. While a start at the legendary race is the long-term goal, Exeed is planning a more gradual ramp-up to get there.
To gain the experience it needs, Chery is launching its own Exeed Unified Race series. This in-house competition will allow the company to develop its racing technologies and identify drivers capable of stepping up to international endurance racing.
Testing the Waters
Following its domestic race series, Chery intends to move into the Asian Le Mans Series. This will be its first test on a global stage, though it hasn’t confirmed which category it plans to enter. The options range from Le Mans Prototype 2 and 3 to the GT3 class. Each comes with different technical requirements, performance ceilings, and costs.
From there, the plan is to graduate to the full 24 Hours of Le Mans. Again, it’s not clear what class it will enter, and if it will compete for outright honors in the Hypercar class, among brands like Ferrari, McLaren, Toyota, and others.
Read: Chinese Brand Reveals Game-Changing 808-Mile Solid-State Battery
If Chery is seeking maximum exposure from its foray into motorsport, it’d probably be wise to pursue a Hypercar entry, although this would obviously be a lot more costly than some of the other classes, like GT3.
Chery, in partnership with the ACO, has also agreed to construct a Le Mans-certified racetrack in Wuhu, near the company’s headquarters that will host various racing events. This circuit will also be used as a test circuit to help develop future models from the brand.
