A step in the right BoP direction for AMR at Le Mans
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
If reports in other media outlets are to be believed, then the GTE field for the 2017 Le Mans 24hour race have already received their Balance of Performance criteria from the race organisers for the showpiece event next month.
Based upon a process that 'should' now be independent from the new computerised logarithm system now employed by the World Endurance Championship, the ACO have appeared to use the Ferrari 488 at its GTE Pro benchmark to which it will balance the performance of those above and below it.
For the two Aston Martin Racing Pro cars that equates to an increase in air restrictor size to that used by the car at the race in 2016 but that positive performance break is however slightly off set by a small increase in minimum base weight by 10kg.
The series have also again reserved the right to further adjust these setting as required should any car show exceptional pace in comparison to what has already been displayed by them in the WEC so far but as usual, it will not be until the final throws of Qualifying on Thursday night that we will see just how much the all conquering Ford GT has been restrained and how much more the AMR's have been given.
Over in GTE Am, the whole class have seen tweaks here and there with the team's three AM class cars at Le Mans will receive a slight weight decrease (-5kg), a 0.1mm increase in engine restrictor, 4 litre additional fuel tank capacity but with a negative rear wing gurney adjustment as well.
These changes will become operative at the Le Mans Test in two weeks time.
