Toyota has received a suspended €10,000 fine due to comments made by race director Rob Leupen about the Balance of Performance (BoP) in the World Endurance Championship. This is the first sanction since the rule prohibiting discussions on the BoP was implemented.
The fine was issued following Leupen's statements during the WEC round in Interlagos. The stewards considered his comments a "serious breach" of the regulations, arguing that they question the FIA's impartiality and affect the credibility of the championship results.
Since this is the first time a penalty has been applied under this rule, the stewards decided to suspend the fine until the end of the year, provided there are no further violations by Toyota Gazoo Racing. They warned that future violations may not receive a suspended penalty.
Leupen criticized a late BoP change before the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours, claiming it did not comply with the regulations agreed upon by the Hypercar class manufacturers. Although he accepted the BoP under the new 2024 procedures, he called for greater transparency in the process.
In the Interlagos race, Toyota achieved its second victory of the WEC season. The #8 GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar, driven by Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa, and Sebastien Buemi, won by a wide margin. However, the #7 car suffered a fuel pressure sensor issue, preventing it from finishing in second place.
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