The Balance of Performance was changed before the title decision on Sunday at Hockenheim for three cars: How the title contenders are affected
Before the final day of the 2024 DTM season at Hockenheim, which will decide whether Abt Audi driver Kelvin van der Linde, SSR Lamborghini driver Mirko Bortolotti or Winward Mercedes driver Maro Engel will take the title, the SRO Motorsports Group has adjusted the balance of performance for the first time this weekend. And one thing is clear: for Engel, who is 20 points behind in third place in the overall standings, this is not good news.
Because on Sunday, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 will have to carry 15 kilograms of ballast. In addition, the Lambda value will be corrected from 0.90 to 0.92, which will have a negative effect on engine performance.
The other changes: 15 kilograms may be unloaded from the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, while ten kilograms are loaded onto the BMW M4 GT3. The cars of Bortolotti and Kelvin van der Linde, who leads the championship by two points over the Italian, who lives in Vienna, are unaffected by the changes.
However, after his victory on Saturday, the South African will have to carry 20 kilograms of success ballast in the car for Sunday’s race, which means that he will not have an easy afternoon. “The 20 kilograms will kill us tomorrow. That’s for sure,”
“The track is very sensitive when it comes to weight. But we don’t necessarily have to win tomorrow’s race, we just have to finish ahead of Mirko and Maro. That’s the goal.” Bortolotti, on the other hand, sees no advantage because, unlike Kelvin van der Linde, he does not have to load any success ballast. ‘We are driving with double the success weight,’ he said, sarcastically referring to the 40 kilograms that his Lamborghini weighs more than the Audi anyway.
DTM-BoP Hockenheim (new):
Audi: 1,305 kg/2 x 36.5 mm (restrictor)
BMW: 1,315 kg/2.10 – 2.66 bar (boost pressure)
Ferrari: 1,305 kg /1.78 – 2.50 bar (boost pressure)
Lamborghini: 1,345 kg/1 x 51 mm (restrictor)
McLaren: 1,285 kg/1.10 – 1.78 bar (boost pressure)
Mercedes: 1,340 kg /2 x 35 mm (restrictor)
Porsche: 1,320 kg/2 x 39.5 mm (restrictor)
Further changes: Lambda value for Mercedes changed from 0.90 to 0.92
BMW: +10 kg
McLaren: -15 kg
Mercedes: +15 kg/+0.02 Lambda
DTM BoP Hockenheim (Saturday):
Audi: 1,305 kg/2 x 36.5 mm (restrictor)
BMW: 1,305 kg/2.10 – 2.66 bar (boost pressure)
Ferrari: 1,305 kg /1.78 – 2.50 bar (boost pressure)
Lamborghini: 1,345 kg/1 x 51 mm (restrictor)
McLaren: 1,300 kg/1.10 – 1.78 bar (boost pressure)
Mercedes: 1,325 kg /2 x 35 mm (restrictor)
Porsche: 1,320 kg/2 x 39.5 mm (restrictor)
