CAR COMPENSATION WEIGHT REPLACES DRIVER BALLAST

From next season a system of Compensation Weights will replace the Success Ballast system that has previously adjusted car weights based on driver results. Compensation Weight will balance the performance between car models rather than the difference between the drivers. Therefore all drivers in the same model of car will carry the same weight.

Although results and lap times proved its effectiveness, the Success Ballast system had two weak points, firstly it hid the identification of who really were the best drivers and secondly because of major technical differences between the cars (front or rear-wheel drive, petrol or diesel engine), forced the FIA Touring Car Bureau to issue a number of technical waivers to further balance performance.

Compensation Weight will solve these problems, being an objective system based on models (by homologation number) instead of driver's results.

HOW IT WILL WORK

The new system will be based on a lap time calculation process.

The best lap times of the two fastest cars of each model in qualifying, and the best two lap times of the two fastest cars of each model in both races will be averaged.

The calculation will be based on a three event rolling average, except it will be applied for the first time after the first two events.

For example, the results of Events 2, 3 and 4 will determine the Compensation Weight for Event 5.

When after this calculation, a model's average is within a 0.3s threshold in relation to the fastest model, no action will be taken.

If a model is slower than the fastest model by more than 0.3s, 10 kg will be deducted for every complete 0.1s more than the 0.3s threshold, up to a maximum of 60 kg. If subsequently the model gets within 0.3s, it will lose the weight deduction on the same basis of 10kg per 0.1 sec.

The system does not attempt to achieve exact equality; it seeks to get slower cars up to a competitive position (+0.3s). Therefore success will depend on the best car/driver/team combination and not the compensation system.