LMP1 Non-Hybrids Receive EoT Fuel Break for Spa

Non-hybrid LMP1 cars will have an “unlimited” amount of fuel energy to use per lap in next weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championship round at Spa-Francorchamps.

It means the privateer teams will be able to run flat-out rather than being contained by limits to their per lap usage that have been in place throughout the 2018-19 season.

The move, detailed in an FIA Endurance Commission bulletin on Friday, suggests another attempt to reduce the gap between the non-hybrids and hybrids after Toyota dominated the 1000 Miles of Sebring last month.

In addition to the petrol energy change, the minimum weight of the naturally-aspirated LMP1 cars of Rebellion Racing, ByKolles Racing and DragonSpeed has been raised by six kilos, from 818 kg to 824 kg.

Toyota has finished 1-2 in all but one of the seven races held so far this season, while the Japanese manufacturer holds a 53-point lead over Rebellion in the teams’ standings.

Fernando Alonso, Kazuki Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi won the first visit to Spa at the start of the ongoing ‘Super Season’ and currently sit atop the drivers’ championship table with two races remaining.

Rebellion to Debut Low-Downforce Aero Kit

Rebellion Racing will introduce a low-downforce bodywork configuration for the final two rounds of the 2018-19 ‘Super Season’ at Spa and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The revised Rebellion R13 Gibson was spotted testing at Aragon this week and will enter competition for the first time after the team elected to run its high-downforce kit at Spa and Le Mans last year.

Ginetta also tested its now AER-powered G60-LT-P1 LMP1 challenger in Spain as part of a program to attract new customers for future WEC races. 

Another change in LMP1 for Spa is the return of ByKolles Racing with a Gibson V8 engine in the back of its ENSO CLM P1/01 after the team, which previously used Nissan power, missed the 1000 Miles of Sebring.