Here we go! The 100th year since the first LeMans. June 10-11 2023 Toyota seem to be the favorite given the current state of the season...but Ferrari are fast (as are everyone else) Big questions: Has Penske Porsche been sandbagging this whole time? Will they unleash the true fury of the porsche? Can ferrari figure out their brakes? Big news: Cadillac completes a 24 hr test at Portimao.... https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/05/11/cadillac-racing-completes-pre-le-mans-portimao-test.html Tire warmer ban lifted! https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/05/11/wec-tyre-warmer-ban-lifted-for-le-mans.html
Change to the BoP before the Test day at Le Mans Toyota GR010 HYBRID (LMH) Portimão, Spa 1043 kg, 512 kW Le Mans 1080 kg, 512 kW 37kg added Ferrari 499P (LMH) Portimão, Spa 1040 kg, 509 kW Le Mans 1064 kg, 509 kW 24kg added Peugeot 9X8 (LMH) Portimão, Spa 1042 kg, 516 kW Le Mans 1042 kg, 516 kW no change Glickenhaus-Pipo 007 (LMH) Portimão, Spa 1030 kg, 520 kW Le Mans 1030 kg, 520 kW no change Vanwall Vandervell 680 (LMH) Portimão, Spa 1030 kg, 512 kW Le Mans 1030 kg, 512 kW no change Porsche 963 (LMDh) Portimão, Spa 1045 kg, 516 kW Le Mans 1048 kg, 516 kW 3kg added Cadillac V-Series.R (LMDh) Portimão, Spa 1035 kg, 513 kW Le Mans 1046 kg, 513 kW 11kg added
36kg is 1.2s/lap https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/fia-aco-explain-le-mans-bop-changes-/10476640/
I hate the fact that much of motorsports has gone from “make the fastest car possible with these rules”, to “let’s make them as even as possible.” I don’t like run away winners and boring races, but I also don’t like that they are trying to manufacture competition.
I think that reflects the change of audience in motorsports. The new fans want "action", and that can only come from close racing, therefore parity among participants. Gone are the days where run away winners would be applauded. Nowadays, those are accused of "dominance", cheating or worse. Organisers try to please the public by keeping cars in a tight bunch, hence BoP, Yes, I agree it's manufactured competition. I remember watching an endurance race near home at Brands Hatch (UK) in the 70s, where Pedro Rodriguez won by 5 laps ! Jackie Stewart once won the German GP at the Nurburgring by 5 minutes ! Those 2 races would be called boring now. Times are changing. (sigh)
it's also OEM's being heavily involved. dumped hundreds of millions in your Hypercar program? you're going to scream for parity when you're behind trying to make a profit selling GT3 customer cars? you're going to scream for parity when you're behind that's what's really behind BoP, IMO....
That is very true. Without parity in GT3, there would only be 2 or 3 manufacturers interested in the "arms race" with homologation specials like it was in the past. I guess mostly Ferrari, and Porsche. like it was in the past. BoP in GT3 has allowed at least 12 brands to compete (Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, McLaren, Aston Martin, Mercedes, BMW, Bentley, Nissan, Lexus, Acura, Chevrolet, Ford, Lamborghini) not forgetting Jaguar and Morgan (!!) on equal terms, more or less. That's the positive aspect. Without BoP that would never have existed. What chance has a Bentley Continental against a Lamborghini Huracan without BoP ? In Hypercar, without BoP, the cars with the best technical solutions (hybrid mid-engine V6 or V8 turbo and 4-wheel drive, in a bespoke carbon chassis, I guess) would soon come to the front. The others would have to pack up, or copy. That's why, I think, the ACO is trying to rein in Ferrari and Toyota; because they have, on paper at least, an in-built advantage, compared to Cadillac, Porsche, or Glickenhaus for example. Peugeot is the odd one out with different aero solutions. To keep some resemblance of competition, the best in the class are penalised to "give a chance" to the less performing. I know it's total manipulation, but this is what motorsports are becoming now, an entertainement more than a competition. That and the abuse of safety cars and red flags ...
I completely get it for the GT classes and have no problem with it. I wish the Hypercar and GTP classes didn't have BoP. I am still a believer that they should be in separate classes and not balanced together.
Toyota and Ferrari are being Nutered right before the 24 hours of Le Mans ? Porsche for the over all win. Thank you BALANCE OF POWER
So am I ! It's difficult to predict a result, and these last BoP "adjustments" have made this race even more unpredictable, IMO. I sense Ferrari could have the faster car, Toyota the most reliable. The LMDh are the big unknown. Usually Porsche are not slouch, but they had issues in previous races, and Cadillac did better than them. I don't expect much from Peugeot with their different aero concept.
You can watch live timing of today's test day 2 3 hour sessions, dry sunny weather. https://24h-lemans.tv/sportitem/646dd2ba88c3302539975f72 Practice and qualifying are Wednesday and Thursday.
Maybe this weekend we will have a good race. I would love to see a 499P on the podium! last hope this year for a good result. Our Formula One Scuderia seems completely lost..
