The exponential growth of the WEC and, more generally, of the endurance racing universe has certainly brought endurance races to the attention of major manufacturers, who have not remained indifferent to the opportunities offered by a product of unquestionable value. Among the names often linked to the Hypercar class is Mercedes, which returned this year to Le Mans, but exclusively in the LMGT3 class, a category in which it has long had the solid and competitive AMG. No prototype in sight, according to Toto Wolff for one reason only: the BoP.
THE CRUX OF THE MATTER: WOLFF AND MERCEDES SAY NO TO LE MANS BECAUSE OF BOP
Wolff, in fact, took part in a Bloomberg podcast, stating that under the current regulations the Hypercar platform cannot be interesting for Mercedes. According to the well-known Austrian manager, the Balance of Performance system is neither balanced nor meritocratic, preferring instead the Budget Cap currently used in F1.
From here branch out many topics we discussed in the latest video published on the YouTube channel, commenting on Toto Wolff’s words and trying to understand whether the WEC’s premier class (but also IMSA’s) can really do without BoP, which helps to equalize—or at least try to equalize—the performance between Le Mans Hypercar (LMh) and Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh), different philosophies but racing in a single category.
Moreover, the regulations have just been extended until 2032, giving time also to those manufacturers who have recently announced and presented their plans to enter Hypercar. Between 2026 and 2027 Genesis, McLaren, and Ford will join the party embracing the LMDh platform, which without Balance of Performance could not race on equal terms with LMh due to the lack of all-wheel drive and the focus on a stock hybrid system.
THE BOP IN WEC: PROS AND CONS
If things do not change, the WEC grid will grow from eight manufacturers in 2025 to 11 in 2027, and the grid will host about 24 Hypercars in races outside Le Mans, compared to the current 18. A very high number that a few seasons ago would have seemed a utopia. A constantly growing grid, the countless philosophies brought to the track by many manufacturers, the clear identity of each brand present, and the economic sustainability of the category are all key factors forming the basis of the arguments discussed in the video, always starting from Wolff’s words, attempting to open a debate on both the positive and negative sides.
There are potentially unfavorable aspects, such as the need to carefully consider the BoP parameters without creating imbalances between manufacturers, the first point Wolff focuses on. But also track space, especially at smaller circuits, while still preserving the GT class from which the WEC cannot detach. In conclusion, the issue of Balance of Performance continues to spark discussion, and Toto Wolff’s latest intervention makes clear which side Mercedes has taken, ruling out a commitment with a Hypercar at least until the technical regulations dissociate from BoP.
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