Le Mans Wholescale Revisions Expected For Hypercar BoP

The Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar, which has been victorious in the three of the first rounds of the 2023 WEC, faces the most substantial weight increase of 37kg. But, the Porsche 963 LMDh will only see a slight weight increase of 3kg.

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There have been no explanations given by the FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, so it’s unclear how far the deal spans, and the finer details of the BoP tables remain under wraps. This also allows for further changes between Test Day and the race, which is taking place the next weekend.

Cadillac, Ferrari and Toyota have all had the amount of energy allowed increased, to reflect the increased weight. This is four MJs for the GR010, one MJ for the V-Series R and two for the 499P.

Maximum Energy Allowed Also Changed for Le Mans

The BoP table was released last week, and showcases that Ferrari’s 499P LMH will be 24kg heavier than it was at Spa and Portimao. Additionally, the Cadillac V-Series R LMDh has had an 11kg increase. However, Peaugeot’s 9X8 is unchanged, as are the Vanwall-Gibson Vandervell 680 and Glickenhaus-Pipo 007 LMHs.

Interestingly, the information that oversees the BoP at Le Mans is hidden, which has led to confusion surrounding the change. For example, there is no set information about when the change will happen. According to Toyota, the change should only happen after the first two races, which are held at Portimao and Sebring. This would mean the revisions would happen before the Spa 6 Hours, which is scheduled for the end of April. However, Thomas Laudenbach, of Porsche Motorsport, has argued that a revision after the Spa 6 Hours would also mean a revision being put into place after two races.

This change comes as a result of an agreement among the manufacturers involved in the Hypercar category, who agreed to modify the Balance of Performance (BoP) for Le Mans. Le Mans is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, and so it’s a monumental year for change. The manufacturers involved are all part of a new system introduced recently, that allows for a change in the balance between LMH and LMDh equipment over four rounds, which includes Le Mans. With two different rules in use in Hypercar, changes to the BoP were not possible until Le Mans agreed to go ahead.

The focus round on the World Endurance Championship on 10th and 11th of June will see Toyota, Cadillac, Porsche and Ferrari with increased minimum weights. The Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar, which has been victorious in the three of the first rounds of the 2023 WEC, faces the most substantial weight increase of 37kg. But, the Porsche 963 LMDh will only see a slight weight increase of 3kg.