Details Emerge from FIA Balance of Peformance Test at Ladoux

Photo: Ford

Nearly a dozen new GT cars completed the FIA Balance of Performance test at Ladoux this week, in preparation for competition in various championships worldwide in 2016.

Michelin’s high-speed proving grounds near Clermont-Ferrand, France played host to the week-long test, which was mandatory for any new car pursuing GTE or GT3 homologation for next year.

Among them was Ford, which put its Ford GT through its paces alongside the other new-for-2016 GTE models from Ferrari, Corvette, Porsche and Aston Martin.

Multiple sources have confirmed to Sportscar365 that BMW was present with two M6 models, the previously announced GT3 car as well as the GTLM variant that will be homologated for IMSA competition only.

Four additional GT3 models also took part in the test, including the Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R, Porsche 911 GT3-R, Mercedes-AMG GT3 and the Ferrari 488.

The most notable absence was the new Lexus RC-F GT3, which has reportedly been unable to reach the FIA’s new performance window, despite an extensive development program in both Europe and Japan.

With the car not being GT3 homologated for 2016, the RC-F’s future is unclear. It had previously completed in VLN competition in the SPX class for experimental cars.

FIA test drivers Christophe Bouchut and Didier Andre handled driving duties of each car during the test.

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