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The governing body of the 24 Hours of Le Mans—Automobile Club de l’Ouest—surprisingly introduced weight additions to the leading Hypercars.
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It added 81.5 pounds to the Toyota GR010 Hybrid, as well as additions to the Ferrari 499P (59 pounds), the Porsche 963 (24 pounds), and Cadillac V-Series.R (6.6 pounds).
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Teams also each got some power changes in what is known as a “platform” adjustment i.e. for all cars.
Under World Endurance Championship procedural rules, competitors are advised not to discuss the BOP or Balance of Performance publicly. But on Test Day, the teams’ actions spoke louder than words. The marquee Hypercars waltzed around testing mostly cornering speeds as teams stayed on their toes to avoid another sudden rule change.
Once bitten, twice shy, as the saying goes.
Despite a publicized commitment not to change the BOP for the first four races of the WEC season, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest surprisingly introduced weight additions to the leading Hypercars ahead of Le Mans. It added 81.5 pounds to the Toyota GR010 Hybrid, as well as additions to the Ferrari 499P (59 pounds), the Porsche 963 (24 pounds), and Cadillac V-Series.R (6.6 pounds). They also each got some power changes in what is known as a “platform” adjustment i.e. for all cars.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing team didn’t like what it learned about its speed on test day. Officially, the Japanese position was expressed by Kazuki Nakajima, a spokesman and reserve driver. “Well, the day was quite challenging for us,” said the three-time Le Mans winner, using typical Japanese party-line phrasing to avoid challenging the WEC. “Ferrari and Porsche had a lot of speed and we have a lot of work to do to overtake them.”
No one else had any complaints, not surprisingly, after the bullseye on Toyota’s back got bigger.
With the arrival of this year’s new Hypercar entries, engine power and aerodynamic testing were once again used to produce standardized power and downforce to keep the race competitive. But after Toyota swept the first three races of the 2023 season, with their last winning by more than a minute at Spa in a six-hour race, ACO officials decided to step through the loophole in the platform.
In a sport that so often relies on aerodynamics, the BOP adjustment is often a reminder of an old saw. “Is this any way to run an airline?”
Adding weight doesn’t account for aerodrag, which is adjustable and perhaps that’s what the ACO intended – a focus on what teams can do in terms of adjustments as they increase speed.
The rules call for one adjustable aerodynamic device, always the rear wing. From the start, Ferrari’s rear wing with its support from the end plates and center fin, as well as a “kick-up” fixed wing, looked more promising when it comes to adjusting downforce and drag. Others have their tricks at their disposal, although on the outside Peugeot looks in with its wingless 9X8 that has not received a BOP change.
The extra weight is usually added to the cars by making items lower in the chassis heavier, such as the floor. But it’s a challenge to maintain cornering speed when so much “ballast” is added. Toyota and its lead chassis engineer, Pascal Vasselon, have acknowledged that race preparations have become testing sessions for its drivers and engineers to adjust to the new weight. When driver Mike Conway went off on test day and damaged the bodywork, he was probably testing the cornering limits of a tougher, less cushy race setup.
The changes certainly screwed up a Centenary race where tickets sold out months in advance.
On Wednesday’s return to the track, Toyotas set the pace in first free practice before Ferrari claimed first place in the first qualifying session and Porsche was fastest in night practice. Thursday night is still scheduled for the final eight-car shootout in front of the pole, designed to create more promotional excitement on the TV airwaves and in the media – and to tone down the sandbags seen on test day.
This 24-hour race is looking more and more like a battle of performance, with all four expected contenders, including Cadillac, only able to take a look at the top step of the podium at pace. The favourites, Toyota may now need a perfect race to win if its rivals do too.
Like it or not, the BOP has become an adjustable device that sports car races are now addicted to putting on a better show. In this case, it’s a lightning-fast counterattack in front of 300,000 fans and a worldwide TV audience.
