[WEC] BoP. Brilliant or Pants.

[Mike E]

I am genuinely surprised by this. Seemed locked in until now. Presumably there has been some serious lobbying going on behind the scenes. And also did the teams have to agree to this since it's a change to the previous approach that they agreed to.

[J Jay]

I'd be surprised if the ACO didn't have a catch-all clause for BoP changes, which every manufacturer would have agreed with if they were the ones on the "wrong" side of the BoP running up to Le Mans.

Welcome to the other side of convergence.

[Adam43]

Well I didn’t see that coming. Especially as it is granular to make rather than type of car.

Certainly gives those behind a leg up. It will be closer at Le Mans. Interestingly, Ferrari were looking pretty good on pace and they get a leg up. Could be good for pole there, and certainly in the race. Especially now the cold tyre thing is helped too.

Assuming it doesn’t change for the race week?!

Ooo, interesting.

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

You are truly L'Homme de Table.........

I’ll update!

[Adam43]

Here we go.

Weight (Kg)

-- Bulletin --	--- Track ---	TOYOTA	GLICKENHAUS	ORECA	PEUGEOT	CADILLAC	FERRARI	PORSCHE	VANWALL
23/4/2021	Spa	1040		930
28/4/2021	Spa	1040		930
2/6/2021	Portimao	1066	1030	952
5/6/2021	Portimao	1066	1030	952
12/6/2021	Portimao	1066	1030	952
8/7/2021	Monza	1066	1030	952
4/8/2021	Le Mans	1066	1030	952
2/11/2021	Bahrain	1040		930
3/4/2022	Sebring	1070	1030	952
27/4/2022	Spa	1070	1030	952
1/6/2022	Le Mans	1070	1030	952
9/6/2022	Le Mans	1070	1030	952
10/6/2022	Le Mans	1070	1030	952
5/7/2022	Monza	1071	1030	952	1079
3/9/2022	Fuji	1053	1012	952	1061
6/9/2022	Fuji	1053	1012	952	1061
4/11/2022	Bahrain	1053		952	1049
8/3/2023	Sebring	1062	1030		1049	1038	1057	1048	1030
8/3/2023	Portimao	1043	1030		1042	1035	1040	1045	1030
31/5/2023	Le Mans	1080	1030		1042	1046	1064	1048	1030
		GR010 Hybrid	-- 007 LMH --	---- R13 ----	---- 9X8 ----	- V-Series.R	--- 499P ----	---- 963 ----	Vandervell 680

Toyota is at it's heaviest weight it has been in WEC. 9kg more than the previous peak at Monza last year.
The Ferrari looks meaty too.

Energy Allocation (MJ)

-- Bulletin --	--- Track ---	TOYOTA	GLICKENHAUS	ORECA	PEUGEOT	CADILLAC	FERRARI	PORSCHE	VANWALL
23/4/2021	Spa	964		920
28/4/2021	Spa	964		920
2/6/2021	Portimao	962	965	918
5/6/2021	Portimao	962	965	918
12/6/2021	Portimao	962	965	918
8/7/2021	Monza	962	965	918
4/8/2021	Le Mans	962	965	844
2/11/2021	Bahrain	909		816
3/4/2022	Sebring	898	910	797
27/4/2022	Spa	898	910	797
1/6/2022	Le Mans	898	910	774
9/6/2022	Le Mans	898	910	785
10/6/2022	Le Mans	898	910	753
5/7/2022	Monza	905	921	795	909
3/9/2022	Fuji	905	921	752	909
6/9/2022	Fuji	905	921	752	909
4/11/2022	Bahrain	901		763	908
8/3/2023	Sebring	913	911		909	905	908	912	900
8/3/2023	Portimao	904	913		908	904	899	910	901
31/5/2023	Le Mans	908	913		908	905	901	910	901
		GR010 Hybrid	-- 007 LMH --	---- R13 ----	---- 9X8 ----	- V-Series.R	--- 499P ----	---- 963 ----	Vandervell 680

Small tweaks here. Toyota have a little more than last year at Le Mans> Glickenhaus a tiny amount more.

I could probably have done this year only, but at the moment I still think it gives context. Probably going forward I will truncate for 2023 onwards.

No changes to power, pit stop docking time, and front wheel drive minimum speed (wet or dry). I'd not captured the last couple in a table so I will post it for record, boring that it is. It's a reminder of the difference between Peugeot and the other two.

Ft.Depl. Speed (kph in DRY

-- Bulletin --	--- Track ---	TOYOTA	PEUGEOT	FERRARI
8/3/2023	Sebring	190	150	190
8/3/2023	Portimao	190	150	190
31/5/2023	Le Mans	190	150	190
		GR010 Hybrid	---- 9X8 ----	--- 499P ----

Ft.Depl. Speed (kph in WET)

-- Bulletin --	--- Track ---	TOYOTA	PEUGEOT	FERRARI
8/3/2023	Sebring	190	150	190
8/3/2023	Portimao	190	150	190
31/5/2023	Le Mans	190	150	190
		GR010 Hybrid	---- 9X8 ----	--- 499P ----

[RL17]

Benefit Of Peugeot adjustments

[Simmi]

Thanks for the revised tables sir.

Originally Posted by Adam43

Assuming it doesn’t change for the race week?!

This is the big question I have. Now they've essentially gone back on what they said publicly I do believe they'll reserve the right to tinker during race week. It's always felt inevitable to be honest - when the stakes are this high and you have so many levers and tweaks you can make.

Maybe that's where they'll make some smaller power adjustments perhaps.

But what it does mean is that we'll be back to that issue of teams possibly having to hide performance during the practice and Hyperpole sessions. And for sure the test day.

[J Jay]

Hopefully the changes will be relatively small during race week.

I dare say this was always the intention, but the ACO wanted to see if they could get away with not feeling the need/being lobbied into making adjustments for Le Mans.

[Steve McQ]

Porsche made public comments on the BOP even before Spa, so I can guarantee that there was some intense lobbying behind the scene.

[GT6]

The bigger the company the larger the team of team of people lobbying for help on BOP. The ACO should take the view that the louder they complaint the less in need of help they are,

[Mike E]

In theory the changes they have made should be apparent in a simulation. If the on track performance doesn't match the simulation then there is less grounds for further tweaking. Or am I being naive/hopeful/too trusting?

[RL17]

It seems odd to take away with one hand (extra weight for Toyota, Ferrari & Cadillac (more to less extra) and-

At the same time give those same cars extra energy - again more for Toyota, bit less Ferrari and not much for Caddys

So the cynic in me may say its just to help certain French cars look not so bad in qualifying but after the swings and roundabout effect have very little impact over 24 and a bit hours.

Seems bizarre to mess around with energy and fuel capacities in GTE Am etc - those things should be a given when designing to the regs. Putting more than one adjustment factor in just makes it harder and muddier to get right and for teams to adapt.

[Adam43]

I was actually surprised that Le Mans was always going to be the same as the last two races. The unique characteristic of the circuit may warrant a difference. Like they approached Sebring v. Portimao/Spa. But they said it was the same when they set. Surprising to me at the time, but now surprising to me that they’ve changed their mind!

The changing the weight and energy at the same time I think is pretty normal. Might even be (partially) that if you’re carrying more weight you are less efficient.

[Sodemo]

Ugh, one step forward, two steps back. Way to **** off the people who have invested millions into developing leading cars... So they have also gone against their word, so now there are trust issues. ACO is gonna ACO.

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Way to **** off the people who have invested millions into developing leading cars...

Everyone knew they're going to compete in a BOP class, not engineering class. That change was just needed, considering the performance of different cars in the first three races. While I don't expect this is going to make backmarkers of Peugeot, Glickenhaus and Vanwall competitive, we should see some close action between 4 other brands.

[kvenom]

Ferrari sitting pretty if (big if) they stay out of trouble. Kobayashi is livid on Twitter.

[joeb]

I gotta say this isn't a surprise to me at all.

I was surprised when the ACO said they won't adjust bop until after Le Mans, because I didn't think that was a realistic approach for their biggest race.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by joeb

I gotta say this isn't a surprise to me at all.

I was surprised when the ACO said they won't adjust bop until after Le Mans, because I didn't think that was a realistic approach for their biggest race.

Agreed. Let's face it, however cosy their relationship has become with Toyota over the last few years, they want a really good race at their Centenary Edition. Get the crowds to come back again. So they can create the same ticketing havoc for us next year as well.....

[Matador]

https://www.autosport.com/le-mans/ne...ges-/10476636/

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by kvenom

Ferrari sitting pretty if (big if) they stay out of trouble.

Oh yes, pace-wise they will be monsters I suppose. However I have big concerns regarding their strategy and execution

Originally Posted by kvenom

Kobayashi is livid on Twitter.

Typical for Toyota. Reminds me of Vasselon's "reinvention of physics" after Alpine got too close to them last year in quali.

[S griffin]

Very controversial decision by the FIA/ACO. They better hope the changes work or they will be shown to have done all that for nothing. But I see not much benefit to this, as either way there will be some very unhappy people after LM if they didn't get the performance they expected

[J Jay]

It's only controversial because the ACO gave the impression they wouldn't BoP hypercar in this way. Even when a gift horse is given to them, leave it to the ACO to look it in its mouth.

As for the manufacturers, as much as they wouldn't dare admit it, this is what they signed up for. Toyota have the right to feel aggrieved, but if they in Peugeot's position, they would be banging on the ACO's door just as hard to be given a leg up.

[seanyb505]

As silly as the politics and the will they won't they why aren't they why did they has been...

I feel that much more excited for Le mans. Was getting pretty bummed about another Toyota walk over especially with all these new entrants. The pants are brilliant now, with sequins and all sorts of bedazzling. Now to pick a out a shirt or seven...

[Gingers4Justice]

It’s in everybody’s interest, including Toyota, to make this race as exciting as possible.

They remain the overwhelming favourites, not least because you can’t BoP the drivers.

[Sodemo]

I guess the rest are paying now for Peugeots flawed design concept.

What they are basically saying here is that “we can’t slow down Ferrari and Toyota with a ‘platform change’ because that would slow down Peugeot too” (and we can’t have that).

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Very controversial decision by the FIA/ACO. They better hope the changes work or they will be shown to have done all that for nothing. But I see not much benefit to this, as either way there will be some very unhappy people after LM if they didn't get the performance they expected

To be honest, I'm not really sure what this means?

Originally Posted by J Jay

It's only controversial because the ACO gave the impression they wouldn't BoP hypercar in this way. Even when a gift horse is given to them, leave it to the ACO to look it in its mouth.

As for the manufacturers, as much as they wouldn't dare admit it, this is what they signed up for. Toyota have the right to feel aggrieved, but if they in Peugeot's position, they would be banging on the ACO's door just as hard to be given a leg up.

Exactly so.

Let's face it, none of us like the change of heart, but if it gives us a great race, we probably won't complain as much as we would have done after another Toyota walkover.