Porsche / Cadillac: 7 kilos less in Bahrain, enough to win?

For the 8 Hours of Bahrain, the final round of a fantastic 2023 season for the WEC and for theEndurance in general, everyone expects one last duel between the Toyota and Ferrari. The crews of the four Japanese and Italian mounts can still be titled in Sakhir, promising a spicy race up front.

However, it could well be that two manufacturers will come to spoil the party in this final fireworks display: Cadillac and Porsche. The two firms are the only ones to use LMDhs this year in the WEC and, penalized by a hybrid system on a single axle (compared to two for the LMHs), they have never really fought for victory.

To help them – and to avoid attracting the wrath of Porsche and Cadillac – the authorities have released ballast for the two LMDh manufacturers, and that is true. Two adjustments have been applied for the final: initially planned at 1037 kg and 1053 kg, the American V-Series.R and the German 963 will all be relieved of an additional 7 kilograms. Which brings the first named to 1030 kg and the second to 1046 kg. Compared to the 6 Hours of Fuji, this corresponds to 9 kg less for the manufacturer from Detroit (Michigan) and 8 kg less for the manufacturer from Stuttgart (Germany).

Cadillac aims for podium, Porsche expects to be “at the forefront”

Obviously, this slight gain – never trivial in motorsport – gives a little hope to both camps. At Cadillac, we expect to be competitive with the V-Series.R on the Sakhir track, a circuit which, according to Richard Westbrook, corresponds well to the characteristics of the American LMDh with the naturally aspirated V8 engine.

“It's always difficult to know if your car is going to be suitable for a particular circuit, because all the circuits we did this year were new for our car. But I really think Bahrain will be good for the Cadillac, estimates the British pilot. There are a lot of slow corners that require good traction. This is one of the car's strong points. It's very hard on the tires, which is a strong point considering how good the Cadillac is with Michelin tires. There are reasons to be optimistic. »

Same story for Earl Bamber who aims for nothing more or less than “the podium, as always! ». With just one car, compared to four at Porsche (two official and two customer), the task is nevertheless likely to be difficult.

As for the German firm, this last round is also the last opportunity to shine. Following on from the great race offered at Fuji, Porsche wants to assert itself. “I expect us to be at the forefront in Bahrain, explains Urs Kuratle, director of the LMDh program. In the intense desert heat, tire management plays a major role. We have made considerable progress in this area in recent months. We are well prepared. I am also optimistic that the circuit has almost no bumps and the curbs are relatively flat, which should suit our Porsche 963. We would like to conclude our first season with another podium. »

Will these 8 Hours of Bahrain mark the first victory for an LMDh in the World Endurance Championship? Answer Saturday.

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