Driver fitness should be your focus in 2025 and in this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup you will find some advice on why and how you can get started even if you have limited time. I also have a guide to racing schools in the U.S., details on the 2025 Clio Cup Great Britain Championship and some track days that you can enjoy!
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets explains why the 5 seconds just before you begin braking to a little after the exit or track-out point is so crucial to yoour racecraft. You can read his explanation here.
While published in their November 2022 issue, the Grassroots Motorsports buyer’s guide to racing schools and driver coaches in the United States is still accurate and helpful in 2025. You can access their guide here.
This week’s Driver’s Eye is on Alexandre Imperatori for a lap around the Guia Circuit in Macau at the 2019 FIA GT World Cup in the Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R. You can watch it here.
Paul Gerrard from The Optimum Drive dive deep into the art of driving on track. “Out of every corner from every driver that has ever driven not one driver has ever produced one single perfect corner. Not Fangio, not Senna and not Schumacher and it will never happen.” Read his thoughts on the matter here.
Off-Track
This week I have for you two articles focusing on the importance of driver fitness. One discusses the overall importance of driver fitness, the other explains how to workout at home when you have limited time.
- How to go faster in the new year? Hit the gym (Grassroots Motorsports)
- Driver Fitness – A Home Workout When You Have Limited Time (Your Data Driven)
Race Car & Series Developments
With news that all S5000 cars are for sale as a lot, Simon Chapman of SpeedCafe explains why the series was doomed from the beginning.
“In its final guise as S5000, organisers had a view that the series could be a stepping stone to Supercars. Perhaps that thinking was flawed. Even putting aside the recognition that the series struggled to get with the Superlicence debacle, the cars themselves were too bespoke.”
Read more here.
Race Entries for the 2025 Clio Cup Great Britain Championship are now open. The Clio Cup GB cars are prepared to clearly set out regulations with a number of control parts to place the maximum possible emphasis on driver skill.
The championship is promoted by MotorSport Vision Trackdays (MSVT), the team behind a well-subscribed and award-wining portfolio – including: MSVT Trackday Trophy, Trackday Championship, and EnduroKA, and operated by sister organisation MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR).
More details can be found here.
Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina has stated that it currently has no plans to make the Corolla TCR model available outside of South America. “TGR has no plans to expand the TCR project to other markets at this time,” said a Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina to sportmotores.com. Read more about the decision at Touring Car Times.
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Start sim racing in 2025! That is my advice to you. Whether you are currently a real-world racer looking to work on your racecraft, a young (or not so young) race-driver wannabe or somewhere in the middle, start sim racing today. Last week’s Sim Racing Roundup has all kinds of tips on getting started, profiles a number of sim racers that have graduated to the real thing and much more. Start sim racing now!
Track Days
Sports Promotion organizes a training course with a Formula Renault at Circuit Club of Magny-Cours. The program includes:
- Theoretical briefing on driving techniques, in-depth study of trajectories, session driving (36 laps 91 km), personalized corrections and debriefing.
- Exclusive access to the Circuit Club Magny-Cours Nevers (2,530 Km)
- Provision of Formula Renault and consumables
- Supervision and initiation to piloting
- Loan of suits, helmets, boots and gloves
- Catering all day long (welcome coffee, lunch, open bar, closing cocktail)
Two dates are planned for 2025, June 1st and September 22nd.
More details can be found here.
It doesn’t matter whether you are new to the racetrack with a road sports car or already have racing experience. GEDLICH Racing organizes excellent track days in Germany and Europe where you will experience the best track conditions and optimum service. For more information go here.
Circuit Florida is offering a number of upcoming dates in their Intro to Racetrack Driving half-day course a course designed for those who have never been on a track before.
Using your own sports car, this 4-hour introductory course is taught by pro driving instructor and racer, Adam Ricardel. Learn the fundamentals of driving on a racetrack. The course is designed for those without prior formal racetrack instruction. You’ll learn basic techniques and methods in the classroom, followed by practice on the track in lead/follow format.
The dates are the following:
- Sat 2/8/25 8:30am-1pm
- Sat 3/1/25 8:30am-1pm
- Sun 3/30/25 8:30am-1pm
- Sun 4/27/25 8:30am-1pm
You can get more information here.
Hypercar levels of performance but without the hyper cost of ownership? That’s pretty much what Fields Auto Works had in mind in creating its new Scioto Coupe according to Grassroots Motorsports. The raw numbers: about 1800 pounds and, even in base trim, more than 500 horsepower. Read more about the car here.
Sportscar365+ looks at how to turn a Le Mans-winning Ferrari 499P into a track day car. “The 499P is clearly as high-performance as an endurance racing car gets, with its V6 engine and hybrid technology. But: what if it could go quicker? What if it could be unshackled from the restraints placed upon it by the FIA World Endurance Championship’s technical regulations?” Read here to find out how (subscription required).
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a 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.
