Paul Truswell examines what the latest FIA Endurance Committee decision might mean.
On 29th July, the Endurance Committee of the FIA WEC issued an update to the Equivalence of Technology (EoT) regulations for LMP1 cars for the remaining races of the 2015 season. DSC explained the potential impacts here. However, that decision left the definition of the EoT for LMP1 privateers, i.e. those cars not running an Energy Recovery System (ERS), provisional; subject to a future decision, based on data received from the relevant competitors.
Before the Nürburgring Six Hours, this clarification revealed a substantial boost to the energy allowances for the privateers, as well as an 11% increase in the size of their fuel tanks. This was to apply for the Nürburgring race only; but last week, the Endurance Committee announced that the increased fuel allowance would apply also to the Six Hours of the Circuit of the Americas event.
Furthermore, the 5% increase in fuel flow, along with the 30% increase in energy per lap allowance has also been carried through to the Texan round of the Championship.
Bulletins for the rest of the season are still to be issued, but it can be expected that similar announcements for the remaining rounds will be forthcoming.
At the Nürburgring, the Rebellions had a troubled time, but their average lap times were less than 4% slower than those of the slower Toyota (the no. 2 Wurz/Sarrazin/Conway car). Therefore a similar disparity is to be expected at the Circuit of the Americas next week.
In terms of lap times, therefore, expect Audi and Porsche to be setting race averages of around 1m 48.5s, Toyota 1m 50.0s and the Rebellions 1m 53.5s. In qualifying, the expect Porsche to be looking at a two-lap average of 1m 46.0s.
This leaves the privateer LMP1 cars with little chance of threatening the manufacturer entries – and it is difficult to see that changing: not in the remainder of this season, nor in 2016, unless a radical re-definition of the technical regulations is made.
