ALPINE WINS AT FUJI, BoP SHOWS ALL ITS LIMITS

The 6 Hours of Fuji delivered everything WEC fans expect: overtakes, unexpected events, bold strategies, and lead changes. Alpine emerged victorious, finding redemption after the disappointment in Austin. The A424’s design, focused more on aerodynamic efficiency than outright downforce, did not hinder the drivers on the Japanese track as it had under the Texas downpour. A timely safety car brought the team back into contention, and the decision to change only two tires in the final pit stop proved decisive: a successful undercut on Peugeot and Porsche secured a hard-fought victory.

Peugeot entered as the favorite and partially lived up to expectations, but tire degradation remains a clear challenge, especially on low-grip circuits. Porsche Penske, on the other hand, once again demonstrated their consistency: the #6, starting from the back, was already among the top five after the first pit stop. Vanthoor climbed smartly through the field, but an incident with Rast forced a rear wing change, complicating their race. From there, another comeback followed, with Estre pushing hard despite the usual overtaking difficulties. In the end, the #5’s fourth place allowed the Germans to surpass Cadillac in the standings and put pressure on Ferrari ahead of the season finale.

Cadillac, unfortunately, disappointed again: strong qualifying sessions followed by underwhelming races have become a recurring theme this year, with few exceptions. Toyota performed exactly as expected, except for the costly mistake that forced the #8 into a three-minute stop-and-go penalty.

Ferrari deserves a separate discussion. Driving errors, too many penalties, and puzzling race management have cost them crucial points. Pier Guidi and the #51 lost opportunities at Le Mans, Austin, and Fuji, failing to capitalize on their championship lead. Other Ferrari crews also fell short of maximizing potential: the #83 in Austin, and the #50 forced into extreme fuel management in Japan. At Fuji, tire degradation could have been the 499P’s strength, but numerous safety car periods negated this advantage.

A broader issue is the BoP. In Japan, it was clear that giving Peugeot and Aston too much extra power on a track with a 1.5 km straight forces Ferrari, Toyota, and Porsche to take huge risks. BMW, Cadillac, and Alpine managed to limit the damage, but the 963s, 499Ps, and GR010s were losing dozens of meters in the slipstream, with no way to defend themselves. This forces drivers into risky overtakes: those with less to lose, like Porsche, can push and often succeed; those managing a championship, like Ferrari, pay dearly for any mistake. Six hours of racing like this, always on the edge, inevitably lead to contacts and errors.

Even the fast #6 couldn’t keep up with the Peugeot on the straights. Giving a boost to less competitive cars is fair, but it must be proportionate. Top teams should not lose thirty meters on every corner exit; balancing should come through top-speed adjustments rather than mid-corner acceleration.

The 2025 season has been thrilling, but regulatory inconsistencies remain evident. The hope is that it will serve as a testbed for a more balanced, logical, and transparent BoP in 2026. The WEC doesn’t need artificial measures to excite: the on-track action is already spectacular.

© Simone Marchetti Cavalieri

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