Toyota Slams WEC BoP Rules: Calls 2025 Hypercar Season “Artificial and Boring”

Toyota Gazoo Racing has issued a scathing critique of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)’s current Balance of Performance (BoP) system, calling the 2025 Hypercar season “artificial” and “boring,” and urging immediate reform to preserve the integrity of the sport.

David Floury, Toyota’s long-time technical director, made the remarks following a disappointing showing at the 6 Hours of São Paulo, where both GR010 HYBRID entries finished outside the top ten and three laps behind the leaders.

From the Fans’ Viewpoint: “This Isn’t What We Race For”

Floury didn’t mention BoP by name—likely due to regulations restricting public criticism—but made no attempt to hide his frustration with how performance is being managed across manufacturers.

“This season is really sad. We’ve lost sight of what racing is all about,” said Floury. “It has become far too artificial. The process is wrong.”

His frustration centers on the predictability that BoP now brings to race outcomes. Cadillac, which received a performance boost ahead of São Paulo, dominated the race with a 1-2 finish, lapping the field up to fourth. Meanwhile, Toyota’s factory cars finished 14th and 15th, trailing several customer teams.

“When you receive the BoP table before the weekend, you already know what’s going to happen,” Floury added. “That should not be the case.”

“Bridging the Gap Is Secondary to How It’s Done”

Toyota, once the undisputed powerhouse in WEC’s Hypercar era, has failed to reach the podium in five consecutive races this season. The team’s competitiveness has dwindled amid constant BoP changes—shifting from a three-race average to a best-two-of-three system, and most recently, to a formula based on only the last two events.

Despite lackluster results at Imola and Spa, Toyota arrived in São Paulo saddled with the joint-heaviest car on the grid, tied with Ferrari. Floury disclosed that the GR010 was 29 kg heavier than Cadillac and down by 31 kW (41.6 hp) below 250 km/h—a massive deficit in racing terms.

“We accept the need to equalize competition—that’s fair,” Floury noted. “But the way it’s being done is wrong. Instead of closing the gaps, it’s creating them.”

Beyond the Surface: A Growing Debate

Floury’s concerns reflect a wider unease within the WEC paddock, where critics argue that BoP is now over-engineering parity at the cost of racing. Races have grown increasingly processional, and drivers struggle to overtake due to tightly controlled performance windows.

“I don’t know anymore if a team wins because they deserve it, or because the system allowed it,” Floury said. “That’s a problem—not just for Toyota, but for fans of the sport.”

Even Spa-Francorchamps, which usually delivers dramatic racing, failed to meet expectations in Floury’s view—though it fared better than most other rounds.

Time for Urgent Change

While Floury stopped short of proposing a new BoP model, he hinted that behind-the-scenes discussions are already underway, with Toyota pushing for reforms alongside other manufacturers.

“We urgently need to find a solution,” he warned. “Otherwise, I’m sure there will be consequences.”

As the WEC heads into the second half of the season, Floury’s comments mark a turning point in the debate over BoP’s future. With frustration growing among top teams, pressure is mounting on the FIA and ACO to rethink their approach—or risk losing the very essence of endurance racing.