If you thought IMSA’s BoP stewards wouldn’t let that runaway Sebring win by the C8.R go unchecked, you would be correct!
About the most expected piece of news out of ISMA comes this report from Sportscar365.com that a Balance of Performance update has been issued ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix of Long Beach. By our account, that makes five BoP updates for the Corvette C8.R so far this season!
The IMSA Technical Bulletin assigns an additional 10 kg of weight and a 0.4 mm smaller air restrictor, as well as a decrease of 4-liters of fuel for Corvette Racing. Those changes are the equivalent of an 8.3 horsepower decrease for the C8.Rs from their previous set-up at Sebring. The total weight now in the C8.Rs ballast box is 50 kg as IMSA attempts to balance the car to others in the GTD-Pro class. The C8.R is racing with a waiver this year due to it not being a true GT3 car.
BMW will see a 17-horsepower reduction but that will be offset by a reduction of 20 kg ballast and 8-liters of fuel capacity.
Further changes in GTD Pro and GTD see the Porsche 911s receive an air restrictor increase of 2 mm which equates to 5 horsepower, the Acura NSX turbo boost is increased by about 8.3 horsepower, and the McLaren 720S has been given a 15 kg weight reduction as well. Porsche and McLaren also received an additional 3-liters of fuel capacity while the Acura is increased by 2-liters.
The Corvette C8.Rs were noticeably lagging in pace at Daytona and then it appears that the changes made just before Sebring was what was needed to wake up the car and make it competitive. While Sebring is one of the team’s “home” tracks due to all the testing and time spent there, that familiarity with the track and a recent tire test seemed to be everything the Corvette C8.R needed to break out of the GTD-Pro pack. Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor, and Nicky Catsburg would go on to lead a combined 247 laps or 913.9 miles for Corvette Racing’s first Sebring 12 Hours win since 2017 and 12th since 2002.
Source:
Sportscar365.com
Related:
[VIDEO] Mobil 1 The Grid Recaps Corvette Racing’s Efforts at the Super Sebring Weekend
Corvette Racing at Sebring: What a Win!
Corvette Racing at Sebring: Gaining on Things in GTD PRO
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Not too harsh, but expected. Here is hoping for a good weekend at Long Beach.
For what it is worth, it’s nice to see them racing against someone other than themselves!
I don’t know why they don’t just set the weight and horsepower and let them go.
They had the 4th fastest lap at Sebring…yep, gotta slow em down. BoP is supposed to balance lap time. Not great race strategy, perfect pit stop execution, expert fuel management and outstanding driving skills. Corvette Racing is just flat-ass hard to beat when the cars are equal.
THIS IS A JOKE
THEY CHANGE THE RULES AFTER EVERY RACE
Leave it to Nascar as everyone needs a participation trophy.
BoP should be abolished. It looks like IMSA engineers are making these revisions to justify their existence by their data analyzing abilities. Set rules for all to follow that fit in the design criteria of the street car and transfer to the the track. To ever be considered a premier race series like F1 or MotoGP or dare I say Nascar, set rules for weight, horsepower, clearances, fuel capacity, certain components, spec fuels, spec tires, etc. and go RACE. Could you imagine if the NFL, MLB, or NBA, etc. made rule changes to individual teams each game, just because they kicked ass in last weeks game??!!
You are getting too involved with the final outcome of the game at this point, at it will deteriorate legitimacy in a teams win…or loss.
Let the team engineers and drivers do what they do around the same rules.
I’d like to see an honest survey of the teams that truly appreciate BoP.
We the fans do not like it!!
Agree with Bob L. If IMSA wants to make all cars equal, then they should mandate all teams use the same car with sealed engine. Been tried before with little enduring success….
BOP for Daytona, not competitive. BOP for Sebring, competitive (most of the cars were with in 2 or 3 tenths of a second), great job. Now new BOP penalties & probably won’t be competitive again. Why didn’t IMSA leave things alone after Sebring. Sebring has it all, long straights & curvy sections & all cars were competitive. Everything was fine for Sebring, why screw it up & make more adjustments now. I don’t understand, IMSA.
I agree with Dave R and Jack T, the reward for the best gas mileage is not recognized, the reward for better pit stops and management is not recognized!!! I think that the engineers need to set the BOP only to make sure that no one is cheating and to make sure there’s competition, but this constant adjusting of performance just to act like they are the KING is not productive at all and just sours the fan base. If a team can make their car better within the rules leave them alone and let the other teams figure out a way to make their car better in some way. BMW was unfairly hit with BOP changes just to make them NON COMPETITIVE!!! I want the teams to race and let the fans enjoy tight racing, not keep on screwing around with the teams and having a everyone should get a participation award mentality.
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