WEC: the Balance of Performance rebalances Ferrari and Toyota | FP

The World Endurance Championship is about to restart its engines, with the tests in Qatar now imminent. We're back to talking about the track and with it also the Balance of Performance, with the FIA ​​and ACO having published the tables for the first event of the season. In the Hypercar class there are small corrections in the approach to the BoP, which is completely revolutionized for the GTs. As for the premier category, at least on paper the new Balance of Performance brings Ferrari closer to world champions Toyota.

What's new for 2024

Last season the organizers chose to publish the BoP in advance for the next 3 or 4 events. Although the choice was motivated by the understandable intention of preventing participants from strategically hiding their potential, to enjoy more favorable parameters in the most prestigious and rewarding races in terms of points, it was not free from side effects. Even in the case of obvious imbalances in the Balance of Performance, in fact, the FIA ​​and ACO were unable to correct the tables before several months.

With 2024 we return to a BoP defined race by race, with the newly published tables which for the moment are valid only for the inaugural event in Qatar. During the tests, a new parameter will also be tested, which will reduce or increase the power that can be delivered above 200 km/h. The impression is that the FIA ​​and ACO want to equip themselves with an additional tool to compensate for the differences in straight-line performance due to the different aerodynamic efficiency of the cars, a solution which in any case will not be used for the first race. However, the reduction of the extra parking time for hybrid Hypercars is official, which goes from 1.2 to 0.2 seconds, while the LMDh will be able to restart immediately, without waiting for the mandatory 2 tenths until 2023.

Corrections to the BoP

Overall, the Balance of Performance for the first race sees the hybrid Hypercars given greater power but also a higher minimum weight, with the sole exception of Peugeot, in an attempt to reduce their advantage over the rear-wheel drive LMDhs. In the specific case of the two great protagonists of 2023, Toyota gains 9 kg compared to the last 8 hours of Bahrain, against Ferrari's 6 kg excess. The Japanese cars will also enjoy an additional 3 kW of power, but for the 499P the gain rises to 6 kW. Overall, the two rivals now stand at a similar weight-power ratio of 2.13 kg/kW, while at the end of 2023 Ferrari was still limited to 2.13 kg/kW against Toyota's 2.15.

As regards the minimum threshold for activation of the front electric motor, Toyota and Ferrari will not be able to use all-wheel drive before 190 km/h, like the debutant Isotta Fraschini. Once again however, Peugeot will enjoy a lower threshold by virtue of the different tire sizes, set at 150 km/h, still higher than the 135 km/h of Bahrain. Finally, as regards Cadillac and Porsche, the only LMDhs already present in 2023, the BoP presents minimal corrections.

The tables for Qatar

Ferrari hoped for a free Balance of Performance, at least for cars compliant with the same technical regulations, such as the all-wheel drive Hypercars. This was not the case, but by calculating the impact of the BoP, estimated at 0.15% of lap time per 10 kg of weight and 0.3% for every 10 kW of power, this is identical for both the 499P and the Toyotas, while on paper in Bahrain the Reds were braking by 1.4 tenths per lap. Taking a lap time of 1'30'' as a reference, Cadillac, Porsche and Lamborghini theoretically enjoy a help of 4 tenths from the BoP, while BMW and Alpine stop at 2.8 and 2.6 tenths respectively.

LMGT3

The arrival of the GT3 coincides with a BoP distorted compared to that previously in force for the GTE. In the past, in fact, the Balance of Performance indirectly controlled engine performance, acting on upstream parameters such as diameter of the intake ducts, turbo pressure and composition of the air-fuel mixture. From 2024 however, the race direction will directly limit the power output, using the torque sensors mounted on the axle shafts, according to the same principle used for the premier class. Thanks to the same tool, the duration of the stints will no longer be limited by the fuel that can be carried on board, but by the energy calculated as thrust work transmitted to the wheels.

Unlike in the Hypercar class, in LMGT3 the power correction at high speeds will debut from the first race, with the threshold currently set at 200 km/h, but reviewable throughout the season. Finally, the maximum angle for the incidence of the rear wing is introduced, while the inevitable minimum weight is always present, which sees Lexus and Porsche as the heaviest and lightest cars respectively.