LMP1 Non-Hybrids Given Mid-Weekend EoT Break

The FIA World Endurance Championship has issued a mid-event Equivalence of Technology update in an attempt to close up the LMP1 field for the 6 Hours of Fuji.

Increases in the allocation of fuel per stint and maximum petrol energy have been made ahead of the first flyaway round of the 2018-19 season.

The decision comes after the Toyota TS050 Hybrids led both Friday practice sessions, with their fastest laps in FP1 and FP2 being at least a second quicker than the nearest non-hybrid offerings.

Each of the normally aspirated privateer entries – the Rebellion R13 Gibsons and DragonSpeed’s BR Engineering BR1 Gibson – will now run with 55.5 kg of petrol per stint rather than the original 54.4.

Meanwhile, the turbocharged cars including – ByKolles Racing’s ENSO CLM P1/01 Nismo and the SMP Racing BR Engineering BR1 AERs – have been adjusted by a similar margin to 50.3 kg.

The maximum amount of petrol energy used by the non-hybrids, measured in megajoules per lap, has also been raised slightly for both engine types.

According to the FIA Endurance Committee, these changes were made based on data collected during the first two Free Practice sessions at Fuji.

The original pre-event EoT ruling aimed to bring the LMP1 field closer together for Fuji, with the Toyotas gaining a 26kg minimum weight increase along with a wholesale increase in the non-hybrid fuel energy allowance.

Toyota has finished first in each of the three WEC races run so far this season, although its championship-leading No. 8 car was disqualified from the 6 Hours of Silverstone post-race.