Robert Seiwert
Head of Motorsport
Robert was already writing for sports media before his time at MSM. He has been reporting on DTM, Daytona, Le Mans and other events directly from the racetrack since 2011.MORE
Originally it was said that the Balance of Performance for the 24 Hours of Le Mans should be created independently of the other WEC races – in order to prevent possible sandbagging in the first three races in Qatar, Imola and Spa. However, looking at the BoP list for the upcoming race in Sao Paulo (12-14 July 2024), one gets the impression that the results from Le Mans had an influence on the further classification.
The Ferrari 499P, which won the 24-hour race, has the largest additional weight of all nine hypercar manufacturers. The Italians have to add 17 kilograms before returning to Sao Paulo, where the World Endurance Championship last took place in 2014. Data from previous years is therefore not available. At 1,060 kilograms, the Ferraris are now just as heavy as the Toyotas, which had to add 7 kilograms.
However, the Japanese GR010 Hybrid (-2 kW) lost 3 kW less power than the Ferrari (-5 kW) and runs on 506 kW (687 hp). At the same time, Toyota and Ferrari received concessions on the power increase from a speed of 250 km/h. This new BoP value was first used at Le Mans and will be continued in Sao Paulo on the famous Formula 1 circuit in order to equalize the cars across the entire range.
BoP for Sao Paulo: Extra kilos for Porsche and Alpine
The Alpine A424 with WEC debutant Mick Schumacher each have to add 6 kilograms (1,044 kg total weight) and thus weigh as much as the BMW M Hybrid V8 (+5 kg, +4 kW). In return, the French prototypes, which retired early in Le Mans due to engine damage, can look forward to 9 additional kW. With 516 kW (701 hp), Alpine has the fourth highest power behind Cadillac, Lamborghini (both 519 kW and 1,039 kg) and Isotta Fraschini (520 kW, 1,030 kg minimum weight).
WEC Hypercar: Balance of Performance for Sao Paulo
| Manufacturer | Weight | Performance | Additional power from 250 km/h | Stint Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota | 1,060 (+7) | 506 (-2) | 2.8% (1.9) | 912 (+6) |
| Ferrari | 1,060 (+17) | 503 (-5) | 1.8% (3.5) | 905 (+16) |
| Peugeot | 1,051 (+4) | 510 (+2) | 0.0% (0.7) | 909 (+14) |
| Isotta Fraschini | 1,030 (-18) | 520 (+5) | 0.0% (-0.9) | 915 (-) |
| Alpine | 1,044 (+6) | 516 (+9) | -1.3% (-2.2) | 910 (+7) |
| BMW | 1,044 (+4) | 512 (+4) | 0.0% (-0.9) | 908 (+4) |
| Cadillac | 1,039 (+3) | 519 (+10) | -1.5% (-1.5) | 907 (+7) |
| Lamborghini | 1,039 (-) | 519 (-) | -1.0% (0.6) | 909 (+5) |
| Porsche | 1,051 (+9) | 512 (+1) | 0.0% (0.0) | 908 (+4) |
© Motorsport Magazine