Ford, Aston Martin Receive Weight Breaks in BoP Shakeup

Photo: Drew Gibson/Ford

Ford and Aston Martin have received weight breaks, while Ferrari has been pegged back, in the latest round of Balance of Performance adjustments ahead of this weekend’s Le Mans Test Day and 24 Hours of Le Mans later this month.

The FIA confirmed on Wednesday its pre-Le Mans test day BoP, which sees changes to four of the five cars competing in GTE-Pro.

Both the Ford GT and Aston Martin Vantage GTE have received a 20kg reduction in minimum weight, although the Aston will be forced to run with a 0.4 mm (x2) smaller air restrictor for the French endurance classic.

The weight break for the Aston brings it down to 1190 kg, following an initial 20kg reduction given to the British manufacturer prior to last month’s WEC Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

Ferrari, which dominated the opening two rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship with the pair of AF Corse-run 488 GTE cars, has been given a 10kg increase in minimum weight.

No changes have been made to the boost levels for either the Ford or Ferrari, although the GTE-Pro class Corvette C7.R’s air restrictor has been adjusted to 29.1mm (x2), a slight reduction over it initial specification.

The pair of factory Pratt & Miller Corvettes run with 29.5mm air restrictors in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but will be 10kg lighter in WEC trim.

All GTE-Pro cars, meanwhile, have been given a 5 liter increase in fuel capacity for the race.

Minor BoP changes have been made in GTE-Am, with the Ferrari F458 Italia receiving a 10kg weight break and the Aston Martin getting a 0.3mm larger air restrictor.

All GTE-Am cars except the Corvette C7.R will also have the 5-liter increase in fuel capacity as well, along with class-specific gurney height adjustments made to both the Aston Martin and Corvette.

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