CADILLAC TRIUMPHS AT INTERLAGOS: A WELL-DESERVED WIN, BUT THE BoP DEBATE RAGES ON

Cadillac has finally secured a victory in the World Endurance Championship, delivering a well-executed and consistent performance thanks to a strong showing from Nato, Lynn, and Stevens. After leading for the first hour and a half, the #5 Porsche had to settle for third place, behind not only the winning Cadillac but also its sister car — the #6 driven by Estre and Vanthoor. For the 963s, the real trouble began in the second stint: once on used tires, their race pace dropped off significantly, leaving them unable to keep up with the American LMDh machines.

BMW finished fifth, just managing to edge out the #94 Peugeot in the closing moments. The first Ferrari across the line was only eighth — the customer-entry run by AF Corse, which once again proved more consistent and competitive than the two factory cars from Maranello. Right behind came the #36 Alpine, with a fired-up Schumacher delivering a thrilling final stint — lap after lap, the German clawed back nearly a second on Ye, showing exceptional pace.

Far behind, outside the top ten, were the two factory 499Ps. As expected, their race was anything but clean: a few too many mistakes and race pace that simply wasn’t there, especially when compared to the “sister” yellow AF Corse car. But the real disaster came from Toyota: both GR010s finished a dismal 14th and 15th — even behind the first Aston Martin. Their lap times were the slowest of the field, at one point nearly two seconds off the pace of the leading Cadillac. And to think, exactly one year ago at this same track, they had dominated without contest.

For the fifth race in a row, the Balance of Performance has proven to be, at the very least, controversial. Seeing the Toyotas finish behind an Aston Martin is hard to justify — as is the BoP treatment handed to Ferrari. Sure, the 499P has made clear progress in 2025 — particularly with tire degradation, a critical factor at São Paulo — but given that it underperformed here last year, it would’ve made sense to expect a BoP at least equal to 2024’s, if not more favorable.

Instead, the penalty was heavy: 9 extra kilos compared to last year’s edition, but more critically, 23 kW less power below 250 km/h. On a technical and demanding circuit like Interlagos — where traction and throttle response are key — it was simply too much to overcome for a car that, while improved, couldn’t compete on equal terms.

Toyota’s situation was even more extreme. The GR010 was by far the slowest car on track, outpaced even by teams that hadn’t been a reference point in the category until now. It’s true that their 2024 dominance needed to be rebalanced — but Toyota has already shown signs of struggling in 2025, especially as rival teams have clearly stepped up. Still, the BoP hit them hard — particularly in terms of engine power.

Cadillac, by contrast, saw virtually no changes from last year — despite already showing strong form at the Brazilian track in 2024. The difference this year? The American manufacturer now fields two fully competitive entries and a team wholly focused on the WEC. The results speak for themselves.

As for Porsche, 2025 seems to signal a slight regression. The 963s are still fast, but there’s a growing sense they’re starting to lose ground in head-to-head battles with their rivals.

Since the start of the season, the 2025 BoP has continued to raise eyebrows. The promises made over the winter — greater balance, more data, and true performance convergence — appear to have remained just that: promises. On track, the reality has often been the opposite: glaring discrepancies, penalties that lack any clear logic, and an algorithm that, at least from the outside, appears completely out of sync.

Five races. Five questionable episodes. And one question still left unanswered: how does this elusive FIA–ACO algorithm actually work?

© Simone Marchetti Cavalieri

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