In a significant ruling after the 24 hours of Daytona, Ferrari and BMW have been stripped of all their manufacturers’ points in both the GTD Pro and GTD categories of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the Michelin Endurance Cup. This decision comes in the wake of findings that both manufacturers exceeded the expected performance levels during the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Paul Miller Racing, representing the North American BMW M Motorsport team, started from twelfth in the GTD PRO category, but showcased an impressive comeback in their #1 BMW M4 GT3 to secured a commendable third place on the podium. Risi Competizione’s Ferrari 296 GT3, numbered 62, clinched victory in the GTD Pro category. Ferrari also achieved significant success in the GTD category, with AF Corse and Conquest Racing finishing second and third, respectively.
The action was taken after it was determined that the performance of both brands’ vehicles at the Daytona race went beyond what was anticipated by the new Balance of Performance (BoP) system implemented by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). This system requires manufacturers to declare their expected performance parameters ahead of races to maintain competitive parity across the field.
As a result, both manufacturers have been fined $25,000 USD each and have had all points earned at Daytona removed from the championship standings. For Ferrari, this means a deduction of 350 points in GTD Pro and 320 in GTD for the season, along with 15 and 14 points respectively in the Endurance Cup. BMW faces a similar fate, with 300 points removed in GTD Pro and 250 in GTD, plus 15 points in GTD Pro and nine in GTD in the Endurance Cup standings. The teams and drivers associated with the implicated vehicles have not been penalized. Their positions in the race results remain unchanged.
[Source: Sportscar365]