Development of an LMP1 program is horror-story expensive. I can't see a new player in prototype in the short-term. Looking back at the demise of the Porsche 917, P4, Matra, 936/956/962, Jaguar XJR, Peugeot 906 programs before the current Audi R8 domination, the void was always filled by GT derivatives (Porsche 935K3, McLaren F1 etc.)
Unless another heavily cash-rich manufacturer steps up to the plate in LMP1, once the R8 is obscelete or ruled inadmissible through reg changes - we could see a bit of a renaissance in GTS/GT, which would probably attract more manufacturer interest, due to the relative cost effectiveness of those more lowly racing classes.
A good thing, in my view - until the ACO sticks it's bloody oar in, of course. How they could rule-out the technically super advanced Porsche 961/959 - which turned into a genuine (if rather exclusive) production model - but accept the Dauer 962 as a road derivative is total French logic (apologies, Gilles - but you're all mad as cheese).
