Formula Regional Oceania has introduced their Gen2 race car, and I have the details in this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup. I also have tips on racing in the rain at Zandvoort, the importance of mental rehearsal for a young driver and more!
Overview
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
How to Go Racing in the Rain at Zandvoort
Rain at Zandvoort is a strategic puzzle where waiting for the track to look ready can mean waiting too long. Former F1 strategist Ruth Buscombe draws on the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, historical races and detailed race data to explain how teams should identify the crossover from wet to dry—and vice versa—at a circuit where banking and drainage make the usual visual cues unreliable. It is a fascinating lesson in reading the track, interpreting data and having the confidence to make the pit call before everyone else thinks it is safe.
How Great Drivers Recover From Mistakes
A small mistake rarely causes a major incident on its own—it is often the mistakes that follow. In this latest Speed Secrets article, Ross Bentley explains how drivers can turn a minor error into a much bigger problem by failing to adapt quickly, using a detailed example of a corner entry that goes wrong step by step. The key lesson is that great drivers aren’t necessarily those who never make mistakes, but those who recognize them early, respond instinctively and prevent one error from becoming several.
The Importance of Mental Rehearsal for a Young Driver
In his latest LinkedIn post, Dan Wells from Drivers Lab explains the importance of mental rehearsal for young drivers. “The cheapest lap a driver will ever do is the one in their head, and most young drivers have never been taught to do it properly. Mental rehearsal is standard practice at the top of this sport and almost absent at the bottom, which is strange, because it costs nothing and it works.” Read his full post here.
Race Car & Series Developments
Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Gen2 Racer Revealed
The next generation Castrol Toyota FR Oceania Trophy car – the GRF-70 – has been officially unveiled at GAZOO Racing New Zealand’s headquarters at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park.
The new car is based on the FIA Formula Regional Gen 2 T‑326 Tatuus chassis, as used in the FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC), and will be powered by an evolution of the proven 2.0‑litre turbocharged 8AR‑FTS engine used in the New Zealand series since 2020.
“Following our close collaboration with FIA – being an official FIA Formula Regional Championship since 2023 – it was natural for us to follow the introduction of the Formula Regional Gen2 cars which happened in 2026 globally,” explained GAZOO Racing New Zealand Motorsport Manager Nicolas Caillol.
More details can be found here.
IMSA Addresses Racecraft Issues
IMSA has been plagued by a number of on-track racecraft issues this season so the series is addressing the problem in two ways. The first is to hold drivers more accountable following recent dust-ups. The second is to investigate technology to improve yellow flag times.
Gulf 12H Organizers Confirm ‘GT Grand Finals’ Event in Istanbul
Istanbul Park will welcome back international GT racing, following confirmation of Driving Force Events’s ‘GT Grand Finals/Istanbul’, a new sprint race event that’s aimed to bring a close to the European racing season.
Eligible to all GT machinery, the event is scheduled for Nov. 8 at the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit, which opened in 2005 but has largely been dormant in recent years until the recent announcement of Formula 1’s return to Turkey in 2027.
Circuit De Barcelona And Red Bull Ring Join Five Event 2027 Prototype Cup Europe Calendar
Austria’s Red Bull Ring and Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will both be part of an exciting and energized 2027 calendar for Prototype Cup Europe, after championship organizers Creventic received approval for next season’s schedule from the ACO.
Four of the five events for the second season of Prototype Cup Europe have been ratified, and all four of those will see the LMP3 prototypes running as a key support category to the Michelin 24H SERIES European Series.
PMNA, Porsche Owners Club Launch New Sprint Trophy Series
Launching in 2027, Porsche Sprint Trophy POC expands access to Porsche One-Make racing through a new West Coast championship built around the community-driven spirit of the Porsche Owners Club.
Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA) and the Porsche Owners Club will expand factory-supported grassroots Porsche racing in 2027 with the launch of Porsche Sprint Trophy Porsche Owners Club (POC), a new West Coast championship designed for modern Porsche race cars and built around one of the country’s longest-running Porsche racing organizations.
The new series will compete as a dedicated class within existing Porsche Owners Club race weekends, bringing PMNA technical, parts, and marketing support to competitors throughout a four-round inaugural season.
Porsche Reveals New 911 Cup Car in Australia for 2027
Porsche has revealed the new 992.II generation 911 Cup car that will contest the Porsche Equity-One Carrera Cup Australia Championship from 2027, with 28 cars allocated to the Australian market. The latest version of Porsche’s benchmark one-make racer will cost $495,000 plus freight and insurance, with sales opening at the end of August.
Demand is expected to be high and, with only 28 cars available for the 2027 championship, the first allocation is likely to favour existing Porsche Cup car owners through the structured sales process.
Catching Up With Ford Racing’s Chris Ward On 2026 Mustang Challenge North America
With two rounds left in the 2026 Mustang Challenge North America season, Daily Sportscar caught up with Ford Racing Global One-Make Series Manager Chris Ward to reflect on the success of the season just over the 2026 halfway point.
“I think it is a testament to the accessibility that a new young driver can arrive in the championship and come up to speed as quickly as Cole has done. He’s done a really, really good job all season.”
From the Sim Racing Roundup
2026 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Winner Revealed
The 2026 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series winner has been revealed and in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup, you will see how this could lead to real-life racing. I also had details on Esport Talent Search Africa, a peek at the Simucube Performance Center and more!
Track Days
PRAGA BOHEMA Beats Six-Year-Old Spa-Francorchamps Lap Record
Something Bigger Is Happening in Private Motorsports
Private motorsports is evolving into something much bigger than a place to drive fast cars. This LinkedIn article examines the billions of dollars flowing into new private motorsports destinations and argues that the real opportunity lies in combining racetracks with membership, real estate, hospitality, business networking and community. As the track becomes the anchor rather than the entire product, these developments are beginning to look less like traditional racing facilities and more like luxury lifestyle destinations built around a shared passion for cars and motorsport.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects and the host of the Motorsport Prospects Podcast. 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.
