IMSA officials have given the two Corvette C8.R entries of Corvette Racing additional ballast weight ahead of this Saturday’s running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
As per a pre-event Balance of Performance (BoP) table published Tuesday, the two Corvette C8.R entries have received a 15 kilogram (33 pounds) weight increase compared to the specification they ran in during last weekend’s Roar Before the 24 test.
The team was previously granted a BoP break after it languished at the bottom of the GTD timesheets for the entirety of the Roar Before the 24, receiving a 1.5mm larger air restrictor and a three-liter fuel capacity increase. IMSA seems to believe these changes may have given the two Corvettes a pace advantage over the competition, however, hence the additional ballast.
Balance of Performance, for the uninitiated, is the sanctioning body’s way of equalizing the performance between cars within the same class. Officials have the ability to adjust the car’s weight ballast, fuel capacity, air restrictor size, maximum RPM, rear wing angles, air/fuel ratio and refueling restrictor size.
Speaking to media following the Roar Before the 24 test, Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner said the team was “not thrilled,” with their overall pace. While IMSA’s BoP adjustments brought the team closer to their rivals, the lack of pace can also be attributed to the team’s unfamiliarity with the new GTD-spec Corvette C8.R, which is heavier than the previous GTLM spec car, rides on different spec Michelin tires and utilizes ABS, among other changes.
IMSA also applied mid-event BoP adjustments to the new BMW M4 GT3 last weekend. Like the Corvettes, the BMW M4 GT3 is a brand-new car and appeared to lack pace during the Roar Before the 24. IMSA will likely refine its BoP for these two cars over the course of the seasons as it gathers more data.
The No. 3 Corvette C8.R will start eighth in class for the Rolex 24, based on its result from last Sunday’s pre-event qualifying race, while the No. 4 Corvette C8.R was close behind in ninth. This result was less than ideal, but the Corvettes finished ahead of the two aforementioned BMWs, which were last and second last, and also managed to outpace the KCMG Porsche 911 and Risi Competizione Ferrari 488.
The 60th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will kick off on Saturday, January 29th at 1:30 p.m. EST.
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Comments
Smh
All the former GTLM/GTE class cars were struggling.
I think these BoP adjustments detract from manufacturer preferences for fans since anything can be made to run better or worse. But I guess it places more emphasis on individual driver performance.
They are always trying to slow the Corvettes down. This crap isn’t worth watching anymore
The truth is the Corvette have been helped and hurt by BOP.
The truth is they try to keep a wide range of cars competitive at an affordable cost.
Even with BOP cost we’re very high so most mfgs left. GT3 is cheaper and growing so they will try to contain cost.
Anyone around in the 80’s will remember the joke about IMSA. It went how do you win a Million Dollars in IMSA you bring Ten Million.
Today if racing is set free to do as the mfgs like cost get so high they all leave. Today even F1 is trying to curb the costs.
Technology has done wonders but it also ended pure racing.
IMSA is a bit of a joke with its BoP. I understand what they are doing, but set the basic specs for the class then leave it alone. If a manufacturer figures out/develops their car, strategy etc to an advantage that’s ok. “Run what you brung”. I’m Chevrolet I’d not be running this series. Chevy is selling and will sell Corvettes regardless of racing results.
I don’t get running GTLM to GTD Pro and getting BoP restrictions that put behind a less competitive (GTD) giving GTD a since of power over GTD Pro…
Last year, BoP wasn’t applied to have the GTLM run slower tha GTD.
Im going to watch the beginning but I see GTD Pro teams run slower than GTD and the DPI class show favoritism to 4 & 6 cylinder teams over v8 teams with BoP, I’m turning the channel and IMSA can screw themselves.
Can’t get a fan base if “faster” teams are running behind “slower” teams…. why watch them struggle.
IMSA is taking a great pastime and turning it to what we are seeing in federal and corporate of color/gender based narrative…
It is all about money.
Automakers want to race but not at any cost. Racing series need mfgs to survive. IMSA I like NASCAR has all sizes and shaped of cars and has to try to make ‘em even while they sandbag and try to hide what they can do.
This is not woke but just about survival. Road racing has never been a high rated sport and then toss in the difficulty of trying to hold the series together adds to the challenge.
Just use Can Am as a reference when Porsche came in an spent much more than anyone else could with the 917. It killed the series.
Same with IMSA over the years. They thrived when mfgs were involved but failed when they all left.
It is all business and has not been pure racing since the 60’s.
From what I have seen Corvette is going to have a tough season with a converted car vs one built to class.
BOP may be their help to remain competitive.
I would expect an all new car next year.
The changes made like the added weight and where they had to put it is a killer to an existing car. Different and smaller tires aero changes etc. to be honest it is amazing they are where they are at.
This will be a year of learning.
This is one of the reasons why racing is dying. The others include ugly cars and too many classes.
It seems to me you just have to figure out who they want to win. Normally Porsche but when Ford showed up with the GT it was them. Now that Ford is gone it’ll be back to Porsche. They know Corvette is not leaving the series so they crap all over them in favor of the other manufacturers.