Peugeot Sport technical director Olivier Jansonnie raised philosophical objections to success handicaps.
“Our perspective is that the cars should be balanced on the performance that is displayed on track and not on the sporting results,” he explained.
He suggested that improving the existing BoP system is now down to “tiny details”.
BMW appeared sceptical about the introduction of success handicaps, though BMW M Motorsport boss Andreas Roos insisted he didn’t want to say they are “negative or positive”.
“I am a bit more for stability in terms of how we handle the BoP process, or keeping the competition as close as possible,” he said. “Adding another layer has to be deeply evaluated: we have to be careful not to add something that creates more confusion and makes it even difficult for the fans and for the audience to understand what’s going on.”
Toyota and Porsche, with the latter not represented by its factory Penske team in the WEC next year, suggested that there were merits to the system.
“Clearly we have seen that what we have this year is not working,” said Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe technical director David Floury. “Definitely the success handicap is a tool that is available to try to improve things.
#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa
Aston Martin head of endurance Adam Carter said: “I respect the platform that the FIA, the ACO and IMSA has created, and will support them in determining what is best for the sport.”
It appears unclear whether provision for success handicaps has been made for next year with a clear intent to introduce them or as a back-up in case a consensus cannot be achieved on a revised BoP.
A statement from the FIA in the wake of the publication of the revised sporting rules last month stressed that “no decision has been made at this stage”.
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