Significant BOP adjustments for the Le Mans test day

FIA Endurance Commision has announced the Balance of Performance for the Le Mans test day on Sunday next week.

BOP is used in the GTE categories to equalize the different car models, so everybody can battle side by side with the others.

Let’s start out the with GTE Pro cars.

The model most affected by this BOP change compared to the first two FIA WEC races of the year is the Ford GT. They need to weight 15 kg more than before and will have less boost. They can, however, carry three more litres of fuel in the tank.

The Ferrari 488 GTE cars will have four litres less in the tank, and less boost as well.

Porsche 911 RSR GTE will have a significant smaller air restrictor, which will give them less horsepower. They can bring one litre more in their tank.

While these three cars are held back, Aston Martin V8 Vantage will have positives on all three parameters. They will be 15 kg lighter, have a bigger restrictor and can bring two litres of fuel more than so far in the season. They have been the by far slowest GTE Pro car this year in the FIA WEC this year, so they are welcoming that change for the British team.

Corvette C7.R will have a bit more horsepower, but then have to fill a few more rubber balls in the tank, so they will have four litres less than originally planned. We haven’t seen any C7.R in WEC this year, since it’s only Corvette Racing who participates with that model in GTE Pro, and they have only raced in USA this year. So this BOP is based on knowledge from last year, compared to the competitors data from last year, and the two WEC races this year.

Aston Martin Racing #95, Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK #67
Photo: JJ Media

If you think that there are many changes in GTE Pro, just wait for GTE Am… All parameters has been adjusted here.

Porsche will need 10 kg more, less horsepower but a litre more in the tank.

Corvette C7-Z06 may weight 20 kg less, get more horsepower and four litres more in the tank. That is on the background of the knowledge from the ELMS race at Monza earlier this month.

The Ferrari 488 GTE will weight 10 kg less, two litres less in the tank, and quite a bit lower on the boost levels.

Oddly, Aston Martin will get a 5 kg weight break, a bit more horsepower plus three litres more. The reason why we say oddly, is because they have been on Pole Position for both of the opening rounds this year, and if it hadn’t been for a misjudged outbraking manouvre by Miguel Molina at Silverstone, and subsequent collision between his Ferrari and the Aston Martin, they would have had two class wins too.

There are still possibility to adjust the BOP after the Le Mans test day, so this might not be the final one for the race.

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