A new update to Radical Motorsport’s SR3 headlines this week’s edition of the Motorsport Series News Roundup.
In addition to the new Radical, I have news on Caterham’s new Caribbean Cup, the fate of GT2 in 2023, the new Spanish Winter Series, where the Clio Cup will be racing in 2023 and much more.
All this in the last edition of the Motorsport Series News Roundup for 2022.
Sportscars
Radical Motorsport has unveiled the full specification of its all-new SR3 XXR, the latest iteration of its popular SR3 prototype. “Delivering 232bhp from the revised 1500cc unit, the lightweight SR3 XXR is expected to maintain its power-to-weight ratio exceeding 350hp per tonne, while it is also the first Radical that can run on biofuel.”
If you want to test your new Radical SR3 XXR or your current Radical race car under the Spanish sun, Radical Motorsport are organizing the Guadix Winter Warm-Up in the beautiful surrounds of Eastern Granada, Spain, for two full days of track driving in an open-pit lane format on February 23-24, 2023. The “Circuito Mike G Guadix” will be available exclusively to Radical owners and customers.
Autosport looks at why the DTM-instigated upheaval in German motorsport is a big deal. “To make room for the DTM on its platform, the ADAC has effectively reorganised its pyramid of championships. GT Masters will now become a second-tier series, sharing grids with the LMP3-based Prototype Cup Germany, while Platinum-graded drivers will be barred from entering. It is hoped that the newly-renamed DTM Endurance Series will be an arena for gentleman drivers to thrive, and for young drivers looking to step into DTM to show their credentials in GT3 cars.”
The schedule for the tenth season of OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car, presented by Advance Auto Parts, has officially been announced. While all the tracks should be familiar to at least some series veterans, there are a few tracks that have not been on the schedule for a few years or longer. The iconic street car series is returning to stops at Road America, Portland International Raceway and Virginia International Raceway from last year’s schedule. The series will also be returning to some other tracks that haven’t been on the schedule quite as recently, including visits to NOLA Motorsports Park (last visited in 2021), Daytona International Raceway (2019), Thunderhill (2015) and Laguna Seca (2014).
SRO Motorsports Group has ruled out the introduction of the GT2 class into Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli next season after initially announcing plans to run the category alongside GT3 machinery. “For next year it will be too early,” Ratel told Sportscar365. “I don’t see it happening because I don’t see Maserati pushing for that. I don’t see Mercedes pushing [for the start of 2023]. The cars are new, let’s do one year of development.”
Caterham has announced a 2023 a special end-of-season event to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Hosted at the Bushy Park Barbados Race Circuit, the Caterham Caribbean Cup marks the end of the 2023 Caterham motorsport calendar. The Caribbean Cup, taking place from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th November 2023, includes 2x twenty-minute qualifying sessions, 4x twenty-minute sprint races and 2x one-hour endurance races. Supported by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI), the Caribbean Cup is a non-championship event and welcomes anyone who races a Seven. The event is open to 270R, 310R and 420R (or CSCUK) spec vehicles to maintain a level playing field.
Single-Seaters
In September, Gedlich Racing announced the creation of the Formula Winter Series for February 2023. Several months later, some prestigious teams have joined the series and excitement is building up. F1 Feeder Series spoke to the FWS promoters about this new championship and their ambitious plans for the future that could revive the German F4 scene. “The big advantage of Formula Winter Series is of course that you don’t need to go to another continent, it’s much closer to all the team’s factories, you can do testing and racing during winter for a very cheap price compared to F4 UAE. It’s much less of an effort for logistics.” explained Robin Selbach, the Sales and Consulting Director of the championship and of Gedlich Racing. “We also divided the calendar in two back-to-back events to reduce travel for all the FWS teams.”
Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel says the series’ next car, to be introduced in 2024, is taking considerations of female inclusivity into its design. Comments made by FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem that junior single-seater cars “had to accommodate” for men and women more equally has instigated F2’s approach. It also follows comments from several high-profile women who race single-seaters about the physical challenge of certain cars at the higher levels of open-wheel racing.
The Australian Formula Ford Series is set to appear on the Supercars Championship support bill for the 2023 NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint in May. The announcement follows an overwhelming request from stakeholders for the category to feature at larger-scale events.
FR Americas have released details of their Masters Cup contingency program targeted to drivers age 35 and over. Eligible FR Americas Masters Cup drivers will automatically be entered in to the program when applying for an FR Americas license. Being a Masters Cup driver does not exclude competitors from FR Americas Championship event podiums and payouts as long as they comply with all the current FR Americas Sporting Regulations.
Dylan Hotchin will become the first privateer entry in the GB4 Championship when he joins the series next season. F1 Feeder Series spoke to the man from Lincolnshire about the opportunity to make his debut in single-seater racing. “Not being part of an established team, Hotchin will be a single entry into the series without a driver teammate to help work out ideal set-ups, making the challenge harder but Dylan is up for it “They’ll obviously have the advantage on set up, but we will still be able to tackle through it. It’ll come out the same at the end of it, we just need to find the set-up a little bit more.”
Touring Cars
Spearheading the single-make cups since 1991, the Clio Cup heads for the 2023 season with an exceptional program on thirteen of Europe’s finest tracks. In 2023, the Clio Cup Series will consist of 13 rounds at Europe’s most prestigious circuits and in support of its most recognised championships. The competitors will have the opportunity to compete at ten tracks that have already hosted F1 Grand Prix and three iconic tracks in their home countries. In particular, two motor racing monuments – Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) and the Nürburgring (Germany) – will return to the calendar.
Off-Road
King of the Hammers and the Mint 400 are two of the most prestigious off-road races in the United States, while the latter’s sister event California 300 is the newest addition to the scene having just hosted its inaugural edition. In 2023, the organizers of the three races will bring them together under a single championship system called the Unlimited Off-Road Racing Triple Crown Championship.
This will be the last Motorsport Series News Roundup of 2022. I am taking a break to recharge my batteries and relax with family and friends over the holidays. A new edition will be published on January 4, 2023. Happy holidays everyone!
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.