Ferrari and Toyota Lighter for Qatar World Endurance Championship
Ferrari and Toyota are set to enter this month’s Qatar World Endurance Championship (WEC) season-opener with significantly lighter vehicles compared to their performance a year ago. The Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar will race at a minimum weight of 1037kg, a reduction of 38kg from last year’s 1075kg. Meanwhile, the Toyota GR010 HYBRID LMH will start at 1065kg, down from 1089kg at the Losail International Circuit in 2024. For Ferrari, the 1037kg also represents a 16kg decrease from the weight at which the 499P raced at the WEC series finale in Bahrain last November, while Toyota’s weight remains unchanged.
Power Adjustments and Last Year’s Performance
Alongside the weight reductions, both Ferrari and Toyota have experienced power adjustments. Ferrari has lost 2kW in maximum power under 250km/h (155mph) compared to last year, and will race at 501kW (671bhp). Toyota, on the other hand, has seen a 7kW reduction, bringing its power down to 503kW (674bhp). Last year, Ferrari’s best result in Qatar was a fourth place with its customer entry driven by Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, and Robert Shwartzman. Toyota secured fifth place with Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, and Nyck de Vries. These changes in weight and power are part of the Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments, which are designed to level the playing field among competitors.
Porsche and the New Entrants
Porsche’s 963 LMDh, which dominated the Qatar race last year, has not been as fortunate in the latest BoP adjustments. The German car will race 16kg heavier at Losail than it did last year, although it is only 8kg heavier than it was in Bahrain. Despite this, Porsche will be slightly more powerful, with a base figure of 508kW (681bhp), a 3kW increase from last year’s Qatar race but a 6kW decrease from Bahrain. BMW and Alpine, newcomers to the WEC’s Hypercar class last year, have also seen weight reductions. The BMW M Hybrid V8 will race at 1037kg, a 23kg reduction, while the Alpine A424 LMDh will race at 1043kg, a 27kg decrease. Both cars will have reduced base power, losing 9kW each, to 505kW (677bhp) for BMW and 508kW for Alpine.
Policy of Helping Newcomers
The FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest have a stated policy of assisting new entrants in the championship by implementing conservative BoP adjustments throughout the season. This approach is designed to help new teams like BMW and Alpine reach the front of the field. The first BoP figures for the Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH, which will make its race debut in Qatar, are set at 1042kg and 504kW (675bhp). Peugeot’s 9X8 2024 LMH remains at the maximum power of 520kW (697bhp) and 1kg above the 1030kg minimum weight. The Cadillac V-Series-R LMDh, on the other hand, will race at the minimum weight and will run at 503kW, a 4kW increase from last year. It will also benefit from a 3.2% increase in power above 250km/h under the power gain element of the BoP introduced at the Le Mans 24 Hours last June.
Prologue Testing and Race Schedule
The official WEC prologue test, which precedes the Qatar 1812Km 10-hour race on February 28, begins on Friday, February 16, with the first of four sessions totaling 13 hours of track running. Testing kicks off at 13:00 local time in Qatar. This prologue is crucial for teams to fine-tune their cars and strategies, preparing them for the intense competition ahead. The Balance of Performance values for Qatar were published on Thursday, providing teams with the necessary information to make the required adjustments before the test sessions. The prologue test is a vital part of the WEC calendar, offering teams the final opportunity to optimize their setups and ensure they are in the best possible position for the season opener.
Conclusion
The Qatar World Endurance Championship season-opener is shaping up to be a highly competitive event, with significant changes in the Balance of Performance for several teams. Ferrari and Toyota’s lighter and slightly less powerful entries, Porsche’s increased weight but slightly more power, and the weight reductions and power adjustments for BMW and Alpine, all contribute to a more balanced field. The introduction of the Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH and the continued presence of strong contenders like Peugeot and Cadillac add to the excitement. The prologue test will be a key moment for teams to finalize their preparations, setting the stage for an intense and thrilling start to the 2024 WEC season.
