Photo: WTCR Media

Honda become the reference car for compensation weight in Portugal

The Honda Civic Type R TCR will be the heaviest car this weekend at the Vila Real circuit in Portugal, with the Japanese car’s pace over the last three meetings proving to be faster than the other brands, earning it the maximum 60kg of compensation weight.

The Civics of Munnich Motorsport and Boutsen Ginion Racing will all carry 60kg, which puts them at a total running weight of 1,325kg this weekend, 10kg heavier than the Hyundai i30 N TCRs, which dominated during the first three rounds of the season.

With the performances from Hungary, Germany and The Netherlands now setting the calculation, the Hyundais have been able to drop weight for the first time this year. The Balance of Performance changes from before the Zandvoort race meeting caused the YMR or BRC Racing Team drivers to struggle throughout the weekend, with Yvan Muller, Thed Bjork, Norbert Michelisz and Gabriele Tarquini all unable to make it into the top ten.

The Audi RS 3 LMSs of Team WRT and Comtoyou Racing will be the third heaviest cars, carrying 40kg of compensation weight, with the Volkswagens of Sébastien Loeb Racing next on 30kg of weight.

The Cupra TCRs, Peugeot 308TCRs and Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCRs will all be ballast-free.

The latest Balance of Performance calculations have also allowed Hyundai to reduce their ride height by 10mm this weekend.