Dakar Rally News: Ferrari’s 499P Faces Increased Weight and Power Reduction for Spa 6 Hours
In a move that will challenge Ferrari’s dominant performance in the recent Imola round, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) has announced Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments for the 499P Hypercar ahead of the upcoming Spa 6 Hours race.
The Italian manufacturer’s 499P will now carry an additional 12kg in minimum weight and a 4kW (5bhp) reduction in maximum power output for the third round of the 2024 WEC season on Saturday.
This BoP adjustment follows Ferrari’s impressive showing on home ground at Imola last month, where the 499P failed to clinch victory despite its dominant pace, due to a double tactical error in the final two hours of the race as the weather conditions changed.
The new regulations set the Ferrari’s minimum weight at 1060kg and maximum power output at 506kW (678bhp). In comparison, the Toyota GR010 HYBRID, Peugeot 9X8 2024 LMH, and Porsche 963 LMDh have been granted 4kg weight gains, while their maximum power has also been reduced by 1-2kW.
“Interestingly, the Cadillac V-Series.R remains at the lowest possible weight of 1030kg, but has lost 1kW in power. The BMW M Hybrid V8, Alpine A424 LMDhs, Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 LMH Competizione, and Lamborghini SC63 have all been subject to weight and power adjustments as well.”
The upward shift in weight and downward shift in power for the Hypercar class at Spa-Francorchamps partially reflects the circuit’s characteristics, which differ from those of Imola. However, it remains unclear if there has been any platform adjustment between the LMH and LMDh machinery for this round.
The new BoP methodology, including the provision for across-the-board adjustments when the gap between the fastest LMH and LMDh exceeds a certain percentage, will be closely watched by enthusiasts. Additionally, the much-anticipated “power gain” feature, designed to more equally match the cars’ acceleration and top speed, has yet to be implemented.
The stage is set for an intriguing battle at the Spa 6 Hours, as the WEC grid gears up to tackle the challenging Belgian circuit with the new BoP regulations in place. Fans of the Dakar Rally and GT racing will be eager to see how the adjustments impact the on-track performance and the ultimate outcome of the race.
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