Preview: 6 hours of CotA

Text: Rick Kiewiet

Images: WEC, Rick Kiewiet

Race week! This weekend the WEC-circus touches down in Texas, for it's return to the Circuit of the Americas near Austin. Last time WEC raced here was in 2020, when Rebellion managed to defeat the Toyota's and claim both pole position and the race win. Since then, a lot changed: no less than three US manufacturers made their appearance in the series, Cadillac, Chevrolet and Ford, LMP2 is no longer part of the series and the number of contenders in the top class of endurance racing increased from 3 (!!!) to 18 (as Isotta Fraschini withdrew a couple of days ago). What can we expect from the upcoming race and what should we pay close attention to?

We're coming closer to the decisive phase of the season, with only two more races remaining after CotA; Fuji and Bahrain. The championship fight is tight, particularly in the Hypercar category, where Porsche, Toyota, and Ferrari are locked in a fierce struggle for the title. Porsche Penske Motorsport leads the standings with 126 points, but Toyota’s recent win in Sao Paulo has closed the gap to just four points. Ferrari, carried mostly by their Le Mans victory, remains in contention with 109 points, making this weekend’s race crucial for all three manufacturers.

For the home crowd, the spotlight will be on the three American drivers in the field, including the return of Texan Ben Keating. A double WEC category winner, Keating will drive the No. 88 Proton Competition Ford Mustang LMGT3 alongside Dennis Olsen and Mikkel Pedersen. Despite his success at COTA in the IMSA series, Keating remains cautious: “I’m tempering my expectations of what we’re going to be able to do with the car, but that doesn’t dampen my excitement to drive it.” Alongside Keating, Ian James and Ryan Hardwick will also be flying the American flag in the LMGT3 class.

However, the competition will be fierce, and recent Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments could have a significant impact on the race. Toyota, following its strong showing in Sao Paulo, has been handed a double hit in the BoP, with a 5kg weight increase and a 9kW reduction in base power, making it the heaviest car in the Hypercar field at 1065 kg. To compensate, Toyota was handed a slight 1.8% power gain after the race in Brazil.

The Porsche 963, another title contender, has also been penalized, gaining 2kg in weight and losing 3kW in power. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s 499P too faces adjustments, including a slight power reduction. Notably, Peugeot’s 9X8 received the biggest weight reduction in the Hypercar class, shedding 14kg, which could help boost its competitiveness.

In the LMGT3 category, the Porsche 911 GT3 R has been hit hardest, with a 15kg weight increase, making it the heaviest car in its class at 1345 kg. This comes after the Porsche’s dominance earlier in the season, winning four of the five races so far. Other LMGT3 competitors, including the BMW M4 GT3 and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, have benefited from weight reductions, potentially leveling the playing field as the season reaches its climax.

Practice sessions kick off on Friday and the all-important Hyperpole qualifying on Saturday. The 6-hour race is set to begin at 13:00 local time on Sunday.