Cadillac Takes Significant BoP Hit for Bahrain

Photo: Fabrizio Boldoni/DPPI

The Cadillac V-Series.R has taken a significant hit in first-stage power for this weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championship season-ending 8 Hours of Bahrain.

The American brand, which holds an outside chance of taking the Hypercar world manufacturers’ championship, has received a 24 kW (32 horsepower) reduction at speeds below 250 km/h compared to the car’s configuration at the 6 Hours of Fuji, where it scored pole with Alex Lynn.

While receiving a 6 percent increase in second-stage power, for speeds above 250 km/h, the Cadillac has also been handed a 4 kg increase in minimum weight.

It makes the V-Series.R the third-heaviest Hypercar heading into Bahrain, at 1063 kg, with the Ferrari 499P (1064 kg) and Porsche 963 (1069 kg) the only cars that are heavier.

While the championship-leading Ferrari has been given a 5 kg weight break since Fuji, the Porsche, in its final factory outing in WEC competition, will have a 4 kg increase, creating a 9 kg weight swing in favor of the 499Ps.

Furthermore, the Porsche has been hit with a 9 kW (12 hp) first-stage power reduction, although slightly countered by a 2.3 percent increase in power gain.

That compares to the Ferrari, which gets a 3kW (4 hp) boost at first stage, and only a slight 0.2 percent reduction in second-stage power.

The other most notable BoP change is a 7 kg weight break for the Toyota GR010 Hybrid, which also gets a 6kW (8 hp) gain in first-stage power and a 1.4 percent reduction in second stage.

Alpine’s A424, which won last time out in Fuji, has been made 2 kg heavier, and like Porsche, will face a 9kW (12 hp) first-stage power reduction, although a 1.1 percent increase at speeds above 250 km/h.

The BMW M Hybrid V8, meanwhile, is the only other car to receive a weight break, to the tune of 2 kg, with minor 1kW (1.3 hp) and 0.2 percent reductions in stage powers, respectively.

A 4 kg weight increase has been made to the Peugeot 9X8, which like the BMW, gets a 1 kW (1.3 hp) first-stage power reduction and 0.8 percent reduction at second stage.

The Aston Martin Valkyrie, meanwhile, has been hit with its first performance reduction since the 24 Hours of Le Mans, after running at the base minimum weight and maximum power since Sao Paulo.

While remaining at the base 1030 kg weight and maximum power of 520 kW (697 hp) in first-stage, the Valkyire will have a 1.7 percent reduction in second-stage power.

Porsche, McLaren, Corvette Handed Hefty Weight Increases in LMGT3

The LMGT3 championship-leading Porsche 911 GT3 R, along with the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, have all been given double-digit weight increases for Saturday’s season finale.

The Porsche is the heaviest hit, with a 20 kg of additional weight since Fuji, while both the McLaren and Corvette get 14 kg increases, prior to the application of success ballast.

Ferrari’s 296 GT3 (+7 kg) and the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo (+4 kg) also gain weight, with the BMW M4 GT3 EVO (-8 kg) and Ford Mustang GT3 (-5 kg) the only LMGT3 cars to get a weight break since the 100th WEC race.

The Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, meanwhile, is the only car to receive a first-stage power adjustment, with a 1 percent increase, although it loses 1 percent in second-stage power above 200 km/h.

The Aston gets the biggest second-stage increase (1.5 percent), while compared to the Mustang GT3 (0.8 percent) and BMW (0.1 percent), while the Corvette gets a 0.1 percent decrease.

The Lexus RC F GT3 is the only car not to have any power or weight adjustments since Fuji.

Both the No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari and No. 81 TF Sport Corvette will carry an additional 24 kg of success handicap, the most out of the entries, with the points-leading No. 92 Manthey Porsche and No. 95 United Autoports McLaren the second-most at 18 kg.

The No. 21 Ferrari, therefore, heads into Bahrain as the heaviest LMGT3 entry at 1389 kg.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John