After heated discussions, ADAC and SRO are relying on a new system for vehicle classification: what the ‘ideal BoP’ is all about and how the factories have a say
After discussions about the Balance of Performance (BoP), which is intended to align the various GT3 vehicle concepts with each other, raged until the end of last year’s season and also overshadowed the DTM finale, those responsible are now reacting with a completely new system.
The new approach was discussed with Stephane Ratel at the DTM finale in Hockenheim, whose SRO Motorsports Group is responsible for the vehicle classification in the DTM in addition to its own GT3 series. But what does the new approach look like?
New “ideal BoP” based on the previous year
“SRO creates an ideal BoP from the processes of the respective races from the previous year for all the relevant manufacturers, which we then use as a basis for 2025. This will be brought to the attention of the manufacturers’ representatives at an early stage. They will have a week to comment on it in a closed, digital room,” explains Voss. So, for example, the Porsche representative listens to the comments and suggestions of the BMW man.
The starting point should be a BoP based on the experience of the previous year, including any necessary changes, for example to the cars. It serves as a reference for the BoP, which is then tailored to the respective track if the circuit was already used last year. This “initial BoP” is sent to the manufacturers at least two weeks before the event, before it is discussed among them.
New commission decides on manufacturers’ proposals
“The reactions will not only consist of smileys, there will also be critical comments, and that’s how it should be,” says Voss. “That will then be taken into account again.”
For this purpose, a commission has been set up with the new BoP committee, which consists of Claude Surmont, who is the SRO technical director and responsible for the BoP, as well as one representative each from ADAC and DMSB.
The commission is responsible for “weighing the comments of the manufacturers’ representatives and looking again at the proposals that we expect from the manufacturers,” said Voss. The committee also votes on any requests for changes that are received during the event.
“The aim is to make the process more transparent”
“The initial BOP for the event is created from this information and data, which we then communicate one week before the event,” explains Voss. On the race weekend, the approach remains similar to that used in the past: changes are possible during the event – and the goal remains to ensure that the pure performance of all vehicles is within one tenth of a second.
“You have to take into account the external circumstances and other factors when drawing up the classification,” explains Voss. ”That’s why we give the manufacturers the opportunity to see the classification early on and also to enter into a dialog with their teams. However, we do not influence their communication with the teams.”
As before, communication about the BoP will take place exclusively with the manufacturer, because in the end it is not about the teams, but about the vehicles.
With the new system, which, incidentally, will also be used in SRO series such as the GT-World-Challenge Europe, the aim is also to support SRO technical director Surmont in his work.
“Claude Surmont is present at every race and is very experienced,” says Voss. ‘He sees what is coming and also knows the progress and developments of the races in the past two years. In the end, our goal is to make the process more transparent. More transparency was also demanded by the teams and manufacturers.’
