Toyota Penalized for Home WEC Race at Fuji
Toyota’s GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar will face additional penalties at this weekend’s Fuji World Endurance Championship round due to the Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations. This comes after a near-miss at the previous race in Austin, where Toyota’s #7 entry narrowly missed victory due to a late drive-through penalty.
The BoP adjustments announced on Tuesday for the penultimate round in Japan include a reduction in maximum power and an increase in minimum weight for Toyota’s GR010. The car will now run with 493kW (661bhp) of power, down by 13kW (17bhp) from the original specification. Additionally, the minimum weight has been raised to 1070kg, making it the heaviest the GR010 has been since the season opener in Qatar.
Despite these setbacks, Toyota will benefit from the new Power Gain element of the BoP, which allows for an extra 0.8% power above 250km/h (155mph). This could help offset some of the performance loss from the hybrid powertrain adjustments.
Ferrari Maintains Competitive Edge
Following their victory at Austin, Ferrari’s AF Corse team will race at Fuji with the same BoP as in North America. However, the team will face a slight reduction in power above 250km/h (155mph), which could impact their performance on the fast straights of the Japanese circuit.
Porsche and Peugeot Receive BoP Adjustments
Porsche, currently leading the Hypercar drivers’ points standings, has been granted a weight break of 4kg and a power increase of 3kW for the Fuji round. This comes after a disappointing performance in Austin, where the 963 LMDh dropped out of the lead battle.
Peugeot, on the other hand, has been handed a significant reduction in weight and an increase in power for their 9X8 2024 LMH. These adjustments could give the French manufacturer a competitive edge at the Fuji 6 Hours.
Other BoP Updates for Fuji
Several other manufacturers have also received BoP adjustments for the upcoming race at Fuji. The Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh, which finished fourth in Austin, has been given a slight boost in power and a reduction in weight. Alpine and BMW have both received power increases, while Lamborghini’s specifications remain unchanged from the previous round.
Overall, the BoP adjustments for the Fuji round of the WEC aim to level the playing field and ensure close competition among the manufacturers. Fans can expect an exciting race weekend with each team looking to maximize their performance within the regulations.