P1racenews AI automatic summary:
New WEC BoP created "to let the manufacturers race"
Automobile Club de l’Ouest competition director Thierry Bouvet announced new Balance of Performance (BoP) procedures for the upcoming WEC season opener in Qatar. Bouvet emphasized that BoP won’t compensate for factors like tire choice and driver performance, as they want to leave those aspects up to the teams. The BoP will set a window for Le Mans Hypercars and LMDhs in the top class, adjusting it for cars outside the defined range. Calculations will be based on data from the fastest car of each manufacturer after analyzing numerous laps. Bouvet did not disclose the exact size of the window but hinted that it would not be as large as two seconds. Changes to the BoP will be made at different rates for cars that are faster or slower than the defined window. Le Mans will have its own BoP reflecting the unique characteristics of the Circuit de la Sarthe. The new system will also consider fuel loads, aerodynamic setups, and introduce a “power gain” adjustment to equalize speed differences among cars.
