WEC 2023 Calendar Update: Toyota Receives BoP Adjustments for Austin Round
In the latest round of Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments for the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), Toyota has been handed a reduction in power and an increase in weight for the upcoming Austin round.
The two Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercars have lost 12bhp in base power and gained 5kg in minimum weight for the Lone Star Le Mans six-hour race at the Circuit of The Americas on September 1st. This BoP change comes after the Japanese manufacturer’s victory in the previous WEC round at Interlagos in July.
However, Toyota has received an upward adjustment in the power gain feature of the BoP, which was introduced starting from the Le Mans 24 Hours WEC round in June. Above 250km/h (155mph), the Toyota will now be allowed 4.6% more power, an increase of 1.8% over the Interlagos event.
“The Toyotas will race at 666bhp base power and 1060kg minimum weight at COTA, compared to 682bhp and 1060kg in Brazil.”
Championship leader Porsche, which finished second to Toyota in Brazil, has also been affected by the BoP changes. The factory Porsche Penske Motorsport and the customer Jota and Proton 963 LMDhs will race at 682bhp, down 4bhp on Interlagos, and 1053kg, up 2kg.
Ferrari’s double Le Mans-winning 499P LMH, which struggled in Brazil, has had its minimum weight lowered by 5kg, but lost 3kW in base power under the Austin BoP. Peugeot’s 9X8 2024 LMH has received a 14kg weight reduction and a 1kW reduction in base power, with a further 1.2% loss above 250km/h.
BMW’s M Hybrid V8 LMDh will run 7kg lighter than in Brazil and with an extra 1kW, while the Lamborghini SC63 LMDh has lost 9kg and gained 1kg. The Alpine A424 and Cadillac V-Series.R LMDhs have been given respective weight reductions of 3 and 2kg while losing 1kW in base power.
The WEC action at COTA begins on Friday at 12:40 local time.
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