IMSA tries to equalize cars for 2017

Eric Curran in the Action Express Cadillac

IMSA has set the initial Balance of Performance for the 2017 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, having released Friday the BoP table for next weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24.

With the Prototype class featuring all-new regulations, DPi and LMP2 machinery will race with a newly defined BoP, including custom Daytona-specific aero configurations for each of the Cadillac, Mazda and Nissan DPis.

It comes after extensive wind tunnel and dyno testing with all seven LMP2/DPi combinations conducted by the sanctioning body this month.

All P class cars will start the season with the baseline weight of 930kg, and each at 75-liter fuel capacities.

The normally aspirated Cadillac DPi-V.R will run 2x 31.9mm air restrictors, with turbo boost ratios defined for both the Mazda RT24-P and Onroak Nissan DPi.

All Gibson-engined LMP2 cars will run to approved FIA specifications, both in power and aero.

A number of changes, meanwhile, have been made in the GT Le Mans and GT Daytona classes compared to the end of the 2016 season, with IMSA also setting the initial BoP for new cars such as the mid-engined Porsche 911 RSR (GTLM) and Acura NSX GT3, Lexus RC F GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3 (all GTD).

The Ford GT, which returns for its second year of competition, has received boost ratio adjustments, with the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 getting a 1mm reduction in air restrictor and the Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 handed 50kg of additional minimum weight.

IMSA reserves the right to make additional adjustments to all cars following the Jan. 6-8 test, in the run-up to the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona later next month. John Dagys/Sportscar365