After Ford and Ferrari showed their hand in qualifying by locking up the first five positions in GTE-Pro with lap times that were much faster than the cars ran previously at the Le Mans test a week ago, the ACO has issued another round of Balance of Performance adjustments prior to Saturday’s start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The pole-winning Ford GTs who qualified P1-P2 and P4-P5 and were five seconds faster than their fastest times at the test will now have an extra 10kg (22 lbs) of weight added as well as the removal of boost pressure from their twin-turbo V6s in the range of 4200-7000 rpms. Their boost pressure was left where it was for its peak 7100 rpms.
Ferrari qualified P3 in the middle of the four Fords. Their twin-turbo V8 had their boost pressure left where it was, but they will now be carrying 15kg (55 lbs) of ballast while also being granted an additional four liters of fuel capacity.
The rest of the GTE-Pro, including Corvette Racing, Porsche and Aston Martin who have struggled to regain their pace after receiving their post-test BoP, have all been granted reprieves designed to help them regain their speed.
Corvette Racing, who got hit with a reduction of 0.3mm for its air restrictors following the Le Mans test, has had that reversed, but in a twist of fate, the team only has restrictors on hand that would allow a 0.2mm opening increase.
“It’s a move in the right direction,” Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan said to Marshall Pruett at racer.com. “The [0.3 mm] is enough of an improvement that we need to find a solution because we only have restrictors that will get us [0.2 mm].”
The Corvette C7.Rs were also granted a 7 liter increase in its fuel capacity.
Aston Martin will get a 0.4mm opening of its air restrictors while Porsche will receive 8 liters more in fuel capacity.
Fehan expanded on the BoP changes with Sportscar365.com and said Corvette Racing’s challenge was to find a CT machine locally to machine an air restictor to match the new 29.0mm openings now allowed, and to do it within 24 hours before the start of the race.
“We do not have 29.0mm restrictors,” Fehan said. “That is going to present a formidable challenge to us, to try and meet that.
“We have 28.8, if we can possibly locate time on a local CT machine, we can probably take the 28.8 restrictor and get it setup for the 29.0.”
Source:
Sportscar365.com and Racer.com
Related:
Sandbag Much? Ford GTs Gain Five Seconds to Take Provisional Pole at Le Mans
[VIDEO] Corvette Racing’s Doug Fehan on Why Le Mans is Special
[PICS] Corvette Racing Undergoes Scrutineering at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
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So….Ford and Ferrari caught cheating! Wow. FoMoCo must be desperate! Having brought no less than FOUR GT’s to LM, it must think that Corvette Racimg is the same nemesis as Ferrari was in 1966, and must be beaten by hook or crook(ed). Does Doug Fehan resemble Enzo? Glad they were caught in the act. Hopefully, Doug can locate a CT machine to allow for the wider restrictors!
So……Ford and Ferrsri caught cheating! FoMoCo must be desperate! Bringing no less than FOUR GT’s to LM. Perhaps they think that Doug Fehan resembles Enzo, and it’s 1966 all over the again. Henry II must be running the program from his grave. Hopefully, Doug can find a CT shop in time to provide wider restricted. Go Corvette Racing!
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