ACO competition director Thierry Bouvet and FIA technical engineering director Thomas Chevaucher explain (Sportscar365)

This was updated with additional information from Racecar Engineering¹.

This is a significant change from 2024 ² to something that is easier to administer.

They are now looking for convergence, rather than same operating window.

The ACO and the FIA met with the manufacturers and these changes were developed in eight working groups in the off season. Racecar Engineering report that they broadly have agreement with all manufacturers.

Hypercar

The following will be considered in the BoP Calculation:

• 10 best laps of each car, and 
• 60% of a car’s best laps 
• 3 race rolling average
• Top speed figures from “clean laps”³ are considered.
• Excluding the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the above
• New cars use the data from the fastest car in the last 3 rounds if data for the new car isn’t available.
• Aero updates will receive a 0.3%, 0.2%, 0.1% penalty at the first, second and third races.
• The data used to calculate the what BoP adjustment is required will be provided to each manufacturer, but data from others’ cars won’t be shared.

Previously only the top 20% was considered (who knew?!). Differences in LMDh and LMH drove this change.

The Porsche had a 0.3% ‘penalty’ applied for Qatar due to its off season aero upgrade. It will lose any adjustment after a full cycle.

This starts with Qatar 2025.

New cars will, over three races, move from being benchmarked with the fastest to being set with its own performance data. It is not clear whether the benchmark data is the best car at each individual race, or the best over those three races, or just the races considered if only two or one are needed. Racecar Engineering say “it will be balanced against the best car overall until it has it’s complete data”.

To avoid Le Mans sandbagging only simulation data will be used. This is an approach we have seen before during this era.

Consequences:

• Aim to adjust for peak and stint performance
• Tyre wear will now influence BoP
• Top Speed seems to be more of a focus and could converse
• We know what they are aiming for, but unless you are a team you won’t see what data is used to calculate the adjustment
• Teams will see the data so we have transparency for themselves, but also potential influence
• The conservative approach to new cars continues

Keeping Le Mans separate has been an approach we are used to.

LMGT3

Only 60% of a car’s best laps

This was to avoid over influence of the higher rated driver.

Consequences:

• Silver- and Bronze-rated drivers will come into play in LMGT3.

1. A question of balance, Racecar Engineering, April 2025, p14-15 ↩︎
2. 2024 ACO update on BoP ↩︎
3. Without Tow ↩︎