Ferrari hurt by BoP rules for Interlagos amid WEC 2025 dominance

Ferrari will run at the Hypercar minimum power for the first time at this weekend’s World Endurance Championship round at Interlagos.

The Italian manufacturer’s 499P Le Mans Hypercar, which is unbeaten in the WEC this year, will race at 480kW (644bhp) under the Balance of Performance for the Brazilian event on Sunday.

That means it has lost 35kW (47bhp) since last month’s Le Mans 24 Hours round and 9kW (12bhp) in comparison to the Spa 6 Hours in May.

It has also gained 27kg in minimum weight over Le Mans and 12kg over Spa levels.

The comparison with Spa is the key one because Le Mans uses a different BoP system to the regular WEC races as a result of the specificities of the 8.47-mile Circuit de la Sarthe.

A new system in force in WEC for the six-, eight- and 10-hour races this year is based on race averages from the previous three rounds (not including Le Mans), meaning the BoP for the Sao Paulo 6 Hours has been calculated on the Qatar, Imola and Spa rounds all won by the factory AF Corse Ferrari squad.

The 499P will also run heavier and with less power than at Interlagos 12 months ago, when the two factory cars finished only fifth and sixth.

It has gained 9kg and lost 23kW (30bhp) over 2024 levels, though the power gain figure, which will allow it increased power above 250km/h (155mph), is up from 1.8% to 5.5%.

Toyota’s GR010 HYBRID LMH, which dominated on the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace last year, will race at the same minimum weight of 1069kg as Spa but with an extra 5kW (7bhp).

It has gained 9kg in weight since 2024 and lost 21kW (28bhp), although the power gain figure is now plus 7.2% rather than 2.8%.

The Porsche 963 and Cadillac V-Series LMDhs have gained 7kw (9bhp) and 15kW (20bhp) respectively since Spa and both lost 2kg in minimum weight.

BMW’s M Hybrid V8 has had its power upped, by just 2kW (3bhp), but has had its minimum weight increased by 9kg.

Alpine with the best of its A424 LMDhs, has lost 8kW (11bhp) and gained 8kg since notching up its second podium of the year at Spa.

Peugeot’s 9X8 2024 LMH has returned to its pre-Le Mans BoP figures: it will run at the minimum weight allowed in Hypercar, 1030kg, and the maximum power of 520kW (697bhp).

The Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH will also run at the class minimum weight and maximum power.

Track action for the Sao Paulo 6 Hours, round five of the 2025 WEC, begins at 11:00 local time on Friday 11 July.