Prodrive says it is exploring a return to top-level prototype competition, describing the current endurance racing landscape as "very appealing".

The British engineering firm is one of the notable absentees from the WEC's thriving Hypercar class, which has attracted unprecedented manufacturer interest under the LMH and LMDh regulations.

While Prodrive remains involved in the WEC through the LMGT3 ranks, the Aston Martin AMR-One from 2011 remains the last prototype built by Prodrive for the top echelon of sportscar racing.

Although he stopped short of confirming any concrete plans or timeline, Prodrive CEO David Richards revealed that the company is considering at a possible manufacturer tie-up to fight for outright victories at races such as the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Porsche says 2030 WEC Hypercar rules mark “significant step” but no decision on comeback

Asked what would bring Prodrive back to prototype racing, Richards told Motorsport.com: “Obviously, a partner, a manufacturer partner, and we've got some ideas around that at the moment, and we're exploring some ideas there, but it's certainly very appealing now.

“The thing I like about it is that it's such a competitive series now. and so popular. That's a measure of the success that the ACO have done with putting the regulations together. I think they've done a superb job.

“And what don't I like about it? Well, inevitably it's quite expensive, but that's a consequence of popularity as well.

“It's more expensive than I anticipated. It's just the competitiveness of the whole series now. With so many competitive manufacturers, everyone's come into it, and when that happens, costs go up.”

The Aston Martin Racing AMR-One was Prodrive's last prototype entry

However, Richards warned that the current level of manufacturer participation in sportscar racing isn’t sustainable, suggesting Hypercar and IMSA’s GTP class could eventually follow the boom-and-bust cycles that have characterised sportscar racing in the past.

Lamborghini has already pulled out of both WEC and IMSA, while Acura’s successful programme with the ARX-06 will also be halted at the end of the year. Further, Porsche also exited Hypercar last year to focus on its involvement in IMSA.

Richards believes more manufacturers could eventually leave once success becomes harder to achieve.

“You watch, though, what happens in motorsport at the top level with car manufacturers' interest,” he said.

“Car manufacturers sort of rush in with the new regulations, but if you actually do a bit of research on this, go back over the years and find out the average number of car manufacturers participating in a championship, it always ends up at about three.

“Because you get to six or seven and the people at the back of the grid say, ‘we can't justify being here and not winning. So, they drop off.

“And then once it gets down to three, four, two, three, suddenly they say,’ well, there's an opportunity to come back in again now’ and you get new people coming back in again. So, it's a cycle that's inevitable and car manufacturers don't like losing. And so that's a fact of life.”

How Ford will fast-track hypercar development with ex-Acura signing

Why Le Mans wasn't a manufactured illusion

How a gulf nation is working on nurturing homegrown talent

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.