Weight-loss inspired Acura for IMSA Sebring 12 Hours

HRC USA president David Salters, who is responsible for the ARX-06 program, told Autosport at the opening round of the IndyCar season in St. speed at Sebring this weekend.

Wayne Taylor Racing and Andretti Acura driven by Louis Deletraz, Jordan Taylor, Colton Herta and Jenson Button finished third at Daytona. Its cars could only qualify fifth and sixth in the 10-car GTP field, with Acura sweeping into the field and winning there in 2023 with Meyer Shank Racing.

Last season, Acura was level in the championship battle with Cadillac in the final round at Petit Le Mans – only to lose following a late-race collision between its star driver Filipe Albuquerque and Caddy’s Pipo Derani, the latter winning the title. — with Alexander Sims.

Since then, Acura has been awarded a bonus mark on IMSA’s BoP calculations, which have changed in this season’s values ​​to be reactive to recent races and past events at each track.

“We have a very heavy car,” Salters told Autosport at Daytona, who was at pains to say he wasn’t complaining about the BoP. “I took (the weightball) as a compliment! We’ve done a great job, so it’s a big compliment to our boys and girls.

“Heavy cars are not nice things on their tires. Physics is physics, and weight affects all aspects of a car: tires, braking, turning and acceleration.

Asked why he thought Acura’s BoP for Daytona was so high in terms of weight gained, Salters replied: “It’s an obvious question to ask IMSA. It depends on the simulation.

“They’re trying to make all the cars the same and I think, in terms of knowing what aero is and knowing they can balance that with power and weight, they’re making their narrative.”

But IMSA has now reacted to its real-world results from Daytona, with the Cadillac’s curb weight getting a 30kg increase, which means it will be 22kg lighter than when it won Sebring last year at 1060kg.

By comparison, the Acura will use 1055kg, but Caddy’s V-Series.R has also been given a 10kW power boost to compensate.

In another case, the Daytona-winning Porsche 963 has been reduced from 2 kg to 1049, but with a reduced power of 11kW. Despite reducing its weight, which still makes it the second heaviest car in the field of 5kg behind Cadillac, Acura has had its power output based on 8kW.

Lamborghini SC63

Photo by: Lamborghini Squadra Corse

Remarkably, the new Lamborghini SC63 LMDh entry, which is making its IMSA SportsCar debut in the GTP class, will be second at 1044kg – 14kg lighter than the BMW M Hybrid V8.

The Iron Lynx will also be the third most powerful car on the grid, behind Cadillac and BMW.

IMSA GTP Performance Balance (weight v power)