Porsche Gets Weight Break; Aston Martin Slowed for 6H Fuji

Photo: Porsche

After struggling all season, Porsche has been given a weight break, with the all-dominant Aston Martin Vantage GTE pegged back ahead of this weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championship round at Fuji Speedway.

The latest round of Balance of Performance adjustments, confirmed by the FIA Endurance Committee, sees the 2016-spec Porsche 911 RSR handed a 20kg weight reduction, which will now run at a minimum weight of 1213kg.

Porsche’s lone full season GTE-Pro entry, the No. 77 Dempsey Proton Racing entry of Michael Christensen and defending GTE World Champion Richard Lietz, has yet to finish on the class podium this year.

Aston Martin, which has claimed GTE-Pro class victories in the last two races, meanwhile, faces a 0.4mm further reduction in the Vantage GTE’s air restrictor, while also mandated to run a 30mm rear wing gurney.

The Astons will now run with an 0.8mm smaller opening compared to its pre-COTA configuration.

While the GTE-Am Porsche and Astons remain unchanged, the Ferrari F458 Italia has been given a 15kg weight break in the Pro-Am enforced class.

The changes go into effect for this weekend’s Six Hours of Fuji, which kicks off the Asian swing of the globe-trotting championship, followed by rounds in Shanghai and Bahrain.

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