The FIA has debuted the new Dallara F3 2025 and this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup has all the details. I also have tips on using simulation to tune a race car’s handling, using data analysis to find speed on track and a whole bunch of race series news plus much more.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
Samir Abid of the Your Data Driven Podcast was joined by ex-F1 suspension guru Paul Fickers on Episode 41 of the podcast where they discuss using simulation to tune a race car’s handling.
“Paul Fickers has worked has been developing suspension systems on road and racing cars for nearly 30 years. He has also developed a quite astounding suspension development tool within Excel. In his own words it got completely out of hand! We discuss all things suspension, how you can do the basics right and what the basics even are. We do get a little nerdy at times but its a great conversation and if you’ve ever had questions about how your car’s suspension works, then this will be perfect for you. So without further ado, grab your notepad, grab a coffee, sit back and lets hear what Paul Fickers has to say.”
You can listen to the episode here.
Off-Track
This edition of the F1: Beyond the Grid Podcast features Hintsa Performance coach Antti Kontsas who explains how to train an F1 World Champion.
With over a decade of experience in the F1 paddock, Kontsas has been instrumental in the success of drivers like Sebastian Buemi, Jean-Eric Vergne, and Sebastian Vettel. Now, as Hintsa’s Head of Performance for Motorsport, Antti joins the Beyond the Grid podcast to share:
- his methods for preparing F1 drivers for the pinnacle of motorsport
- the ups and downs of coaching the four-time world champion
- the significance of a holistic approach to wellbeing and performance
- the unique mental and physical demands of F1
- how Dr. Aki Hintsa’s legacy lives on at Hintsa.
You can listen to the podcast episode here.
Race Car & Series Developments
Formula 3 has revealed their new Dallara F3 2025 last weekend at Monza that will focus on overtaking, safety and sustainability. The design philosophy of this new car, which will be raced in the 2025, 2026 and 2027 F3 seasons, is to give young drivers who aspire to race in Formula 2 and Formula 1 the best opportunity to progress through the pyramid.
The new look of the F3 2025 car is in line with the latest F2 and F1 family, reflecting the same safety, systems, and performance, at affordable costs. It complies with the latest FIA safety standards and is powered by a bespoke 6-cylinder 3.4-litre naturally aspirated Mecachrome engine, which delivers 380 horsepower at 8000 rpm.
You can find a full roundup of the new car’s launch here:
- FIA Formula 3 next generation car unveiled in Monza (FIA F3)
- F3 reveals new Dallara racer to debut in 2025 (Autosport)
- Overtaking and safety – why F3’s new car has a sense of the familiar (Autosport)
- What to know about F3’s new 2025 car and how the paddock reacted to it (Feeder Series)
Racer crunches the numbers and comes to the conclusion that the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship field likely to be oversubscribed.
“With nine two-car Hypercar factory teams still looking set to contest the 2025 FIA WEC season (the current eight, plus Aston Martin), and the nine two-car LMGT3 efforts likely to continue, only four additional cars could be accommodated across the two classes for the expanded 40-car grid. And RACER understands that multiple parties are interested in a program.”
Read their full analysis here.
With a number of team bosses speaking out against it, it looks unlikely that the WEC will implement a two-driver line-up ban in 2025 according to Autosport. “It is understood that there will be no change in the sporting rules without the unanimous support of the teams.” Read more here.
Sportscar365 reports that Porsche will rely on its local crop of customer teams for next month’s Intercontinental GT Challenge title-deciding Indianapolis 8 Hour powered by AWS, despite the German manufacturer currently leading the globe-trotting GT3 series. Read here to understand why.
Nissan is remaining tight-lipped on its plans for a new or updated GT3 model as it focuses its development efforts on the Z NISMO GT4.
“We see GT300 as customer racing, so that means selling cars to customers and letting them race,” NMC senior vice-president Shinichi Kiga told Sportscar365. “And also now we are really focused on the development of the Z GT4.” Asked about plans for a new GT3 model, Kiga replied: “We do not have anything to announce right now, and we are exploring some specific possibilities.”
Read here for the full details.
Daniel Morad gives an MTV Cribs style tour in the video above, going behind the scenes look at the cars, trailers, and equipment that he and his team Winward Racing are using for their race weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport), during the IMSA race weekend.
The IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge will sport a new look again in 2025 with the addition of GT3 cars alongside the existing two classes in a six-event, 12-race season announced today for the IMSA-sanctioned sprint racing series. The new class – to be named GTDX – will utilize currently homologated FIA GT3 specification car models that have participated in the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Sportscar365 has all the details.
As the 2024 SCCA National Championship Runoffs approach, the Spec MX-5 community is buzzing with anticipation. After a thrilling SCCA Super Tour regular season, which saw Mazda Motorsports and its partners Toyo Tires, PAGID Racing, and Penske Shocks award nearly $150,000 in prizes, racers are now gearing up for the ultimate challenge at Road America—the 60th anniversary of the SCCA Runoffs, where over $100,000 in additional prizes awaits. The Spex MX-5 website has all the details.
The Mazda MX-5 Cup has completed a successful open test at Martinsville Speedway. “I’ve never driven anything on an oval at all, so this is a really cool experience. The cars are actually pretty fun to drive. You just have to treat it like regular corners on any other track. But I think it’ll be pretty difficult to race and pass with how close everyone’s gonna be, but I think it’ll be super cool.” Read more here.
Grassroots Motorsports does a track test in order to determine if the current Mazda MX-5 Club still the answer. “And while we love to dwell on the objective measures of our test subjects with the lap times and the VBox data and whatnot, the Miata is one of the few places we’ll allow ourselves to stray into the realm of vibes. Because Miatas are nothing if not vibes.” Read the full details of their track test here.
Check out the Supercar Driver video above: My First RACE as a ROOKIE Driver | Radical SR3 XXR Donington Park.
Autosport looks at the bespoke car created for the UK’s newest junior category, the TOCA Junior championship.
“Finding rear-wheel-drive components these days isn’t as easy as it used to be because everything’s front-wheel drive,” he explains. “We ended up with this spec, and Alan liked the spec, and we got on with it. I built a spaceframe chassis, got the welding gear out, I took that chassis to Custom Cages [which has constructed the successful Alliance Racing BTCC Ford Focuses] and said, ‘Those points there are fixed, let’s now design a chassis to the new spec’.” Read the rest of the article here.
Motorsport UK has dropped plans to place a range of restrictions on race series’ calendars and names amid a furious backlash from organizing clubs and drivers. The governing body’s race committee had sought to establish greater differentiation between a series and a point-scoring championship by placing limitations on some of the freedoms series organizers currently enjoy.
“After the conclusion of the recent consultation process, with valuable feedback from the Motorsport UK community, the race committee has withdrawn the proposed regulation changes regarding series calendars,” read a statement. “Separately, the proposal for the use of in-car devices is withdrawn and will be subject to further review and consultation with key stakeholders. Any future updates or proposals will then be submitted for further community consultation.”
Garry Rogers Motorsport has released the first images of the new generation Peugeot 308 P51 TCR from its maiden test on track at Sandown in Australia. The team turned the first laps with the car during a shakedown session at Sandown Raceway earlier this week following 18 months of development. Touring Car Times has more.
Track Days
Speed Ventures has announced it’s support of the Level 1 Instructor Certification program, as developed by the Motorsport Safety Foundation (“MSF”).
What is this? Level 1 is an online course and test that teaches how to be a better instructor. That is, how to best communicate and transfer the knowledge you have, to another driver. We have completed the course, and find it to be hugely beneficial. This is the first ever standardized program for HPDE instruction.
How is Speed Ventures supporting the program? The cost of the certification is $50 (paid to the MSF), and we will credit you back $25 on your SV account, up to the first 500 drivers that complete the program. In addition, you will have preference in instruction assignments over non-certified drivers, as often there are a surplus of instructors.
What is the end goal? Better/safer instruction, and better/safer experience for new drivers. Not to mention, growth in motorsport participation as a result. This is extremely niche, and if we don’t strive to welcome new drivers in while making it safe and easy for them, people will simply do something else.
How do I take the course? Click the links below to get started. All come from the Speed Ventures newsletter.
MSF Level 1 Information and Registration
Our next event is just two weekends away at Buttonwillow where we will be running 13CW on Saturday and 1CCW on Sunday. Other configurations exist? And backwards?! Yes, it is true and also true that counterclockwise is a blast. Don’t take our word for it, come out and see for yourself!
Register for Buttonwillow September 14th-15th (Sat+Sun)
We have opened all events for registration through November – sign up now while there is still space!
- Register for Big Willow September 21st (Sat)
- Register for Buttonwillow October 19th-20th (Sat+Sun)
- Register for Big Willow November 2nd (Sat)
- Register for Chuckwalla November 9th-10th (Sat+Sun)
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway Nov 30th-Dec 1st (Sat+Sun)
Cosmo-Sport will host an exclusive open testing event for race cars & race teams at Sebring International Raceway on Thursday, September 12, 2024. The event will be limited to just 12 cars maximum and will offer an OPEN TRACK FORMAT – no run groups – for a total of 8 hours of track time.
Beverages will be provided along with light snacks. Lunch will be from 12-1pm above pit lane in an air conditioned suite overlooking the track. Teams may load in beginning at 7am. Track is hot from 8am to 12pm, then 1pm to 5pm.
Drivers must have a valid & current racing license. Proper safety gear is required. Coaching by Guy Cosmo: ONLY 4 SPOTS AVAILABLE
More details can be found here.
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.
