IMSA: Series releases baseline BoP for Daytona 24 Hour test

IMSA has released its baseline Balance of Performance table for the upcoming Roar Before the 24 test at Daytona International Speedway. The settings for minimum weight, air restrictor sizes, and other performance balancing methods have been outlined for all four classes comprising the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship based on the findings taken from IMSA's test at DIS Nov. 17-18. Once the series' technical department monitors and gathers data from the Roar test on Jan. 8-10, it will make final adjustments to the BoP tables which will then be used for the season-opening 24-hour race.

Of interest in Prototype, Corvette DPs have had the 10 kilos added for the latter stages of the 2015 championship removed, and will run at 1039 kilos, the same as the other DPs. The 3.5-liter DP-spec Honda engines used in the HPD ARX-04b P2 and Ligier JS P2 will continue with the same minimum weight of 940 kilos. The Multimatic-built Lola chassis used by Mazda, which had 2.2-liter turbodiesel engines through 2015, will retain the same 900 kilos minimum weight with the switch to 2.0-liter gas-fueled turbo motors.

Fuel tank capacity has been reduced for Corvette DPs (-6 liters), increased for the Ford EcoBoost DP (+5 liters), increased for the Ligier JS P2-Honda (+2.3 liters), and remain TBD for Mazda with its change in fuel types, and the BR Engineering BR01 P2, which has yet to run under IMSA sanctioning. Those are starting points for evaluation at the Roar.

Although a number of changes are in the works for PC, the Roar BoP does not reflect any specification changes of note.

In GT Le Mans, three of the five models are new, requiring first-time BoP specs for BMW's twin-turbo V8 M6, Ferrari's twin-turbo V8 488, and Ford's twin-turbo V6 GT (LEFT). Only Corvette's C7.R and Porsche's 911 RSR carry over from 2015.

All five cars have been given a starting minimum weight of 1240 kilos for the Roar, which is an increase of 20 kilos for the C7.R and 10 kilos for the 911 RSR. The Ferrari, which has yet to run in front of IMSA, will have its rear wing angle, Gurney height, fuel capacity, and refueling hose restrictor settings established after the Roar. The Corvette's fuel capacity has been reduced by 13 liters to 86L, and Porsche's 101-liter capacity has been dropped by 16 liters to 85L. BMW and Ford have had their fuel capacities set at a maximum of 95 liters for the test.

GT Daytona has the highest volume of new models coming into the series, and as a result IMSA will continue its information gathering efforts before locking down BoP tables for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Audi R8 LMS GT3, BMW M6 GT3 (RIGHT), Lamborghini Huracán GT3, and Porsche 911 GT3R will turn laps at the Roar, and only Ferrari's 488 GT3, which is not expected in GTD until Sebring, is missing from the BoP table.

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage has gained 5 kilos since Petit (1260 kg), the Audi will weight 1280 kilos, the BMW has a minimum of 1300 kilos, the Dodge Viper GT3 is losing a massive 90 kilos, down from 1430 to 1340 kilos, the Lamborghini will have a 1260 kilo minimum, and the Porsche is slightly heavier at 1270 kilos.

Maximum RPM limits will be set after the Roar, but maximum fuel tank capacities were adjusted for the event. Of the carryover GTD cars, the Aston Martin (-6 liters) and Dodge (-7 liters) have seen reductions, while Ferrari's F458 has seen an increase (+6 liters). Minimum weight for the F458 is listed as TBD.