When the World Endurance Championship returns from its two-month summer break this weekend at Fuji Speedway, it will be tough for Alpine. Not just because Toyota enjoys home advantage on its home track. The Alpine A480-Gibson has also been curbed in the Balance of Performance (BoP), while Toyota and Peugeot are favoured.
The Peugeot 9X8 and Toyota GR010 Hybrid are allowed to offload weight in Japan. The minimum weight of the Peugeot, which was classified very conservatively in Monza, drops by 18 from 1,079 to 1,061 kilograms. For the first time this season, the Toyota does not weigh 1,070 kilograms, but is allowed to drop 17 kilograms and is thus at 1,053.
That’s not all, the Alpine’s performance is taken away. The peak is now 548 hp – less than ever for the old LMP1. The maximum is 403 kilowatts and not 399, as reported by several English-language media. Those are only a reference value at 8,500 rpm, but the peak is already reached at 7,500 rpm.
Nevertheless, it is a huge reduction of more than 30 hp compared to the Monza. However, the power loss is highest in the high speed regions because it is gradual. At 8,500 revolutions per minute, for example, it is already 39 hp, while “only” 34 are missing at the peak.
Compared to the previous low from Spa (411 kilowatts or 559 hp), it is a further eleven horsepower reduction. The performance values for Toyota and Peugeot, on the other hand, remain untouched, as does the minimum speed for activating the hybrid boost.
Alpine also has to make do with 32 megajoules less energy per stint because of the lower fuel consumption at lower power. Instead of the previous 785, only 753 megajoules of energy are available to the A480 in Fuji.
The Glickenhaus 007 LMH remains untouched, but Glickenhaus Racing will skip the 6 Hours of Fuji. The small series manufacturer has no presence in Japan.
BoP 6h Monza 2022 – HypercarAlpine A480 Gibson
Minimum weight: 952 kilograms Maximum power: 548 hp (-34) Max. amount of energy per stint: 752 megajoules (-43)
Peugeot 9X8
Minimum weight: 1,061 kilograms (-18) Maximum power: 700 hp Max. amount of energy per stint: 909 megajoules Hybrid boost from: 150 km/h
Toyota GR010 Hybrid
Minimum weight: 1,053 kilograms (-17) Maximum power: 698 hp Max. amount of energy per stint: 905 megajoules Hybrid boost from: 190 km/h
Advantage Porsche in the GTE Pro
The automated BoP in the GTE Pro is in favor of Porsche this time. The 911 RSR-19 can unload five kilograms, get two 0.4 millimeter larger air volume limiters and two liters more fuel.
At the same time, the Corvette C8.R has to add ten kilograms after its victory in Monza. Nothing changes in terms of performance on the Ferrari 488 GTE Evo. However, the Michelotto racer has to make do with three liters less petrol.
BoP 6h Monza 2022 – GTE ProCorvette C8.R
Minimum weight: 1,265 kilograms (+10) Air limiter: 1×42.3 millimeters Lambda minimum: 0.88 Tank: 97 liters
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
Minimum weight: 1,255 kilograms Boost pressure: 1.53-1.89 bar Lambda minimum: 1.15 Tank: 92 liters (-3)
Porsche 911 RSR-19
Minimum weight: 1,259 kilograms (-5) Air limiter: 2×31.2 millimeters (+2×0.4) Lambda minimum: 0.89 Tank: 104 liters (+2)