WEC issues starting BoP for GTE Pro class

The GTE Pro cars will race with the announced BoP at the Spa opener in May and then Silverstone in August before adjustments are made on the basis of the unpublished algorithm at the heart of the automatic BoP system introduced last season.

A separate BoP is issued for the Le Mans 24 Hours in June courtesy of the unique nature of the 8.47-mile circuit. 

The new BMW M8 GTE will start the WEC season 25kg heavier than when it took class pole for this month's Sebring 12 Hours IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round, with a minimum weight of 1255kg for the MTEK-run cars.

That compares with the 1220kg at which the Rahal-entered M8s raced at Sebring.

The BMW will also race with lower turbo boost levels throughout the rev-range compared with Sebring when the WEC kicks off at Spa at the beginning of May.

A like-for-like comparison between the respective WEC and IMSA BoP tables is not possible, however. 

For example, the evolution version of the Ferrari 488 GTE raced at Sebring with a minimum weight of 1265kg, which compares with the 1280kg issued for the WEC. 

The mid-engined Porsche 911 RSR, which won the GT Le Mans class at Sebring, will be lighter in WEC specification but will run smaller-diameter engine air-restrictors than at Sebring. 

Aston Martin's all-new Vantage GTE, which will race for the first time at Spa, has been given a starting weight of 1263kg, while the minimum weight of the latest version of the Ferrari, which is regarded as a new car under the rules, is up 5kg from the 1275kg at which it finished last season.

The Porsche and the Ford GT will both run 16kg lighter than at last season's Bahrain WEC finale at 1242kg and 1255kg respectively.

There has been no change to the air-restrictor diameter on the normally-aspirated Porsche or boost pressure levels for the Ford.

This reflects calculations made under the auto BoP, but there has been an additional adjustment to reflect the introduction of the new cars from BMW and Aston Martin and the evolution from Ferrari. 

The first-generation Vantage GTE has been hit with a 55kg weight increase in GTE Am. This reflects Aston Martin Racing's move from Dunlop to Michelin tyres for the WEC superseason.