Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

Ferrari lodges protest against Bahrain WEC BoP changes

Ferrari has lodged a protest against two separate Balance of Performance changes involving its factory GTE Pro entries ahead of the FIA World Endurance Championship title decider in Bahrain.

#52 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo: Daniel Serra, Miguel Molina

#52 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo: Daniel Serra, Miguel Molina

Ferrari

A steward document stated that the AF Corse team that runs the works Ferrari operation in WEC has until 3pm local time (12pm GMT) to complete the mandatory protest procedure for each car it entered across the two races in Bahrain. A final verdict will be provided an hour later at 4pm local time.

Although the BoP changes affected Ferraris entered in both GTE categories, the document stated that the ‘protest has been filled by AF Corse “only” in its capacity as competitor in the PRO-category of the FIA WEC’.

The protests concerns the original BoP change made for the Bahrain 6 Hours event last week as well as the second adjustment announced on Wednesday night.

The Ferrari 488 GTEs were robbed of an estimated 25bhp ahead of the six-hour Bahrain race last weekend, leaving it third and fourth in the four-car GTE Pro class behind the two Porsches.

This change was made outside of the auto BoP system that has been in place in the WEC for several years, with the FIA and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest instead opting for so-called black-ball changes to adjust the performance of Ferraris in both GTE categories.

Ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain 8 Hours finale, the FIA and ACO reinstated about half the power Ferrari lost due to the previous BoP change, with the boost pressure of the 488 GTE raised by 0.04 bar and its fuel tank capacity consequently raised by two litres to 91 litres.

Ferrari and Porsche are locked in a tight fight for GTE Pro honours following the exit of Aston Martin after the 2019/20 season, with just a single point separating the two marques in both standings.

In the drivers’ standings, AF Corse’s James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi sit just ahead of Kevin Estre and Neel Jani, while Porsche holds a narrow advantage over Ferrari in the manufacturers’ battle.

Read Also:

Statement in full

The Stewards, having received a protest from the Competitor named below have considered the matter, and have come to the decision below. On November 4 2021 the Stewards of the Bapco 8h Bahrain received at 4pm from AF Corse a protest against the WEC_2021_D0041_LMGTE-BOP-BAHR8 and against the decision of the WEC Committe (WEC_2021_D0039_LMGTE-BOP-BAHR amended) dated October 28 2021. 

The AF Corse Competitor entered in both competitions (6h of Bahrain & 8h of Bahrain) four different cars. During the first hearing on the 4th of November at 9.50pm the Stewards mentioned this circumstance to the competitor.

At the second hearing, held on the 5th of November at 11am, the competitor in a letter received by the stewards at 11:09 am precised that the protest has been filled by AF Corse “only” in it´s capacity as competitor in the PRO-category of the FIA WEC (i.e. with respect to the car 51 & 52). 

On regard of art. 13.4.1 of ISC “When multiple automobiles of the same competitor are concerned a separate protest must be filled for each automobile concerned.” This mandatory procedure has to be fulfilled by the above mentioned competitor. 

The Stewards summoned the competitor AF Corse to comply as soon as possible with the art. 13.4.1 and to fill a separate protest for each automobile he mentioned to be concerned by his protest, at the latest before 3pm at date in order to permit the Panel of Stewards to pronounce their sentence around 4pm at date. 

The Competitor is reminded of his right of Appeal under and in compliance with Art. 16.1.6 of WEC Sporting Regulations, Article 15 of the International Sporting Code, and Art. 9.1.1 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules. 

The WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain will be streamed live on Motorsport.tvClick here for more information

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation

Related video

Previous article Alpine can take on Toyota after sorting WEC fuel mileage woes
Next article Bahrain 8h WEC: Hartley keeps #8 Toyota ahead in final practice

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA