24H LE MANS: BOP, TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The march toward Le Mans is nearly complete. The crown jewel of endurance racing is ready to take center stage, with testing already done last Sunday and, starting tomorrow, the traditional schedule leading up to the start of the 24 Hours. In this context, the updated Balance of Performance table has finally arrived.

The guidelines for 2025 follow a framework consistent with what we saw this season and, with few exceptions, also align with the 2024 values. Porsche, for example, maintains a weight similar to last year’s edition. The hypercars are all very close in terms of mass: from Cadillac’s 1037 kg to Ferrari’s 1042 kg. Exceptions are Aston Martin, at 1030 kg, and Toyota, which remains the heaviest at 1053 kg.

The most significant changes, however, concern power and — even more importantly — the energy available per stint. Toyota and Aston Martin will be the most powerful under 250 km/h (520 kW), followed by Alpine and Cadillac (517 kW), Ferrari (515 kW), BMW (510 kW), Porsche (511 kW), and Peugeot (507 kW). On the other hand, Porsche and BMW will have the most energy available: 917 MJ for the 963 and 919 MJ for the Bavarian car. Toyota is close behind with 914 MJ, then Aston Martin at 910, Cadillac at 905, Alpine at 897, Ferrari at 896, and Peugeot at 889.

Those who followed the 2024 edition clearly remember the scenario: the Ferrari 499P cars, after a conservative qualifying, were already leading after just two laps. No mysterious “sandbagging,” no technical conspiracy — as some insinuated last year in favor of Porsche or against Ferrari. In reality, every edition has its easy narrative, with a “hidden” favorite and a “miraculous” winner. The truth is that performance and strategy speak for themselves.

With more power, more energy, the same weight, and only 1.2% less power gain, it’s hard to imagine that Ferrari won’t be able to replicate their 2024 result. In fact, barring surprises or mistakes, they seem the natural favorites. Toyota is the only one who can realistically challenge them, not so much on a single lap, but over race pace. Provided, of course, they don’t make errors.

Among potential surprises, Alpine is one to watch, having left a strong impression on the Circuit de la Sarthe last year — before their withdrawal. Close behind, keep an eye on BMW, which tends to perform well on fast tracks. Cadillac could emerge in qualifying, but on the long straights of Sarthe, the V-Series seems less equipped to fight at the front.

And Peugeot? Despite a less favorable BoP, it might leverage the track layout to mask its weak point — tire degradation. On a circuit like this, a conservative race strategy could prove more rewarding than expected.

Finally, Porsche. Under normal conditions and without mistakes from others, it’s hard to see them seriously troubling Ferrari and Toyota. They could repeat their 2024 level: close performance, but not quite enough to aim for the big win — unless some twists occur, which are never to be ruled out in a 24-hour race.

All in all, we are facing a scenario very similar to last year’s. Le Mans likely remains the easiest track on which to calibrate the BoP, given its layout. 2024 offered a good balance, even under challenging conditions. Let’s hope 2025 confirms this trend as well.

© Simone Marchetti Cavalieri

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