Non-hybrids cut some slack in Shanghai, but not enough

Toyota still guaranteed to win

LMP1 non-hybrids have been granted a fuel boost ahead of next weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championship round at Shanghai International Circuit.

Data published in the latest Equivalence of Technology bulletin shows the privateer LMP1s will have a higher maximum petrol energy per lap allowance and more petrol per stint than during last month’s Six Hours of Fuji.

Non-hybrids running normally-aspirated engines, such as the Rebellion R13 Gibson and the DragonSpeed BR Engineering BR1 Gibson, have had its energy allowance increased by 4.7 megajoules per lap to 95.6 MJ/lap, compared to the baseline Toyota TS050 Hybrid.

The turbocharged entries, meanwhile, have received a similar change and will have 89.7 MJ/lap at their disposal in China, an increase of 5.2 MJ when compared directly to the difference to the Toyota’s energy allowances between Fuji and Shanghai.

Both non-hybrid engine brackets have also received slight increases in the amount of fuel they can use per stint, measured in kg, while the privateers will also run with slightly larger refueling restrictors.

These changes come against maintained energy and fuel allowances for the factory Toyotas, which claimed its third 1-2 of the season in last month’s Six Hours of Fuji, despite a mid-event EoT change.

The closest non-hybrid entry finished four laps down in Japan, although the race marked the closest the privateers have been since the start of the 2018-19 ‘Super Season’. Sportscars365