How to find more speed at the track is just one of the topics covered in this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup. You will also find details on the provisional FIA Driver Categorisation list, a seminar that you can attend on how the right simulator racing setup can give you advantages on track as well as some racing, testing and track day opportunities.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
If you are going to the PRI show this December, you might want to look into the session How the Right Simulator Racing Setup Can Give You Advantages On Track by André Eriksen of Asetek.
“Maximize time and training off track through the use of racing simulators. Racing simulators have moved beyond gaming hardware and will, with the right set up and equipment, provide advantages to the race car driver to build traction on the track from building muscle memory to brake faster, learn turns and tracks, and save money on track time and equipment.”
The session takes place Saturday, December 14 from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM and you can find more information on it here.
J.G. Pasterjak of Grassroots Motorsports has published “How to methodically find more speed at the track” which looks at what metrics really matter when working on improving your racecraft.
“Any hobby you engage in–particularly one that requires the commitment and focus of motorsport–is going to have its own siren song of improvement. After all, motorsport is a metric-rich environment, and every split second, every g and every mph represents another yardstick. But when we talk about “improving,” which of those metrics really matters? Which should we focus on, and what path should we take to hone our skills?”
You can read the article here.
Samir Abid of Your Data Driven explains how to measure racing car tire temperatures. “It might seem straight forward enough to measure racing car tyre temperatures, that is until you actually come to do it. The most meaningful tyre temperatures are going to be when the racing car is on track.” You can read the full article here.
Motorsport.com looks at how Bosch made it even easier to drive with your hands, further opening up the competitive racing world.
“Technology has made considerable strides over the years for disabled racers. Enough to where paraplegic drivers have been using experimental hand-controlled systems, typically built specially for that specific racing vehicle, that allowed them to return to the very thing they loved doing: racing. Michael Johnson was one of those drivers, and in 2021, after Wickens’ long road of recovery and rehabilitation, he offered the former driver a chance to return to the track, using his specially modified Hyundai Veloster TCR equipped with a hand-controlled system. The offer led to Wickens signing on for a full season ride with Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA), nabbing a championship win in 2023, and provided a way to further the development of the hand controls to make them more realistic and accessible for other paraplegic drivers who also want a chance at a championship — or just be able to artfully hoon a car around a track again.”
You can read the full article here.
Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets where he talks about his approach to racing with electronic aids in modern cars.
“I tried the M4 in the Sport Plus mode, then the Sport mode, and finally the Comfort mode. The amount of oversteer was equal in each. The only difference was how far the car would oversteer before the stability control nannies would smack me in the side of the helmet and take over. I’m not a fan of being smacked in the head, so I focused on sensing just when the stability control would kick in, with the goal of staying a fraction of a degree away from it. But I did want the BMW to slide a little, because that helped me rotate the car so it was pointing straighter when I went back to power to accelerate out of the corners.”
You can read the full article here.
Skip Barber Racing School and SimCraft have announced an exciting new partnership. As part of this collaboration, Skip Barber Racing School has installed ten state-of-the-art SimCraft systems at their headquarters on Long Island, offering a new dimension in race preparation and driver development.
These advanced simulators, renowned for their precision and immersive experience, will provide Skip Barber students and professional drivers with a cutting-edge tool for honing their skills. Whether it’s refining racing lines, practicing braking techniques, or getting familiar with a new track, these simulators offer an unparalleled training environment that perfectly complements Skip Barber’s wide range of on-track programs.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with SimCraft and bring their industry-leading simulators to our Long Island facility,” said Anthony DeMonte, CEO of Skip Barber Racing School. “This partnership represents a significant enhancement to our training offerings, providing our clients with the tools they need to succeed in today’s competitive racing environment.”
Sean Patrick MacDonald, Co-Founder and CTO of SimCraft, reflects on his journey with Skip Barber Racing School. “I am a proud graduate of Skip Barber, having attended the 3-day formula school 15 years ago to deeply understand the art and skill of driving a race car at speed. This experience was pivotal for our R&D efforts in developing the most advanced motion simulation technology.
More details can be found here.
Off-Track
The provisional FIA Driver Categorisation list has been published for the 2025 season.
The list applies the categorisation that will apply for drivers in every race in 2025 (with the exception of the Asian Le Mans Series which straddles the two years and applies the gradings from 2024 for their full season).
Drivers are categorised against a ‘medal’ system: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze against a range of criteria. The initial categorisation is based on the driver’s age and career record and is subject to change in subsequent seasons according to the recorded race pace and results of the series that are using the categorisation system.
The system is used by every major racing series and championship where Pro-Am crews are fielded as a keystone to much of the modern endurance and GT racing world and is designed to attempt to set and maintain reasonable standards of fairness and equity between competing crews.
Daily Sportscar has all the details here.
Noma Nazish of Forbes lists 10 valuable mental health lessons we can learn from Formula 1 drivers. “Formula 1 isn’t just about raw speed. It’s the ultimate test of mental endurance, precision, and split-second decision-making under immense pressure. Discover the mental strategies used by F1 drivers – and how you can apply them to boost your own mental strength and wellbeing – with insights from Hintsa experts Antti Kontsas and Dr. Thomas Wood.”
Race Car & Series Developments
On October 1-2, 2024, Ligier Automotive North America organized two days of testing at the renowned Carolina Motorsports Park. The event brought together an impressive lineup of 18 Ligier race cars, 7 top-tier teams, and 16 drivers for a comprehensive, high-performance experience both on and off the track.
Ligier Automotive North America was joined by key personnel from Ligier JS F4 Series, F4 U.S., Championship, and FR Americas, including Scott Goodyear (Series Manager and Race Director), Ashleigh Aungst (Media and Marketing), and Wes Cunningham (Series Steward).
Full details can be found here on the event.
Grassroots Motorsports explains how today’s endurance racing series offer lots of laps and racing. “At least four sanctioning bodies have sprung up since the 24 Hours of Lemons, a series that welcomes $500 cars, rekindled interest in the format. The SCCA and NASA have independently come up with budget enduro series, along with a very permissive licensing procedure to make it easier to get into the sport. We’ll look at all those series as well, but first let’s hear from the ultra-irreverent Jay Lamm, the creator of Lemons, which helped get us here in the first place.”
Read the full article here.
IMSA’s John Doonan gave his 2024 State of the Series address at Petit Le Mans and one of the things that he mentioned was that the addition of GT3-spec machinery into VP Racing SportsCar Challenge for next year was driven by both customer and manufacturer interest.
“The whole impetus on that was interest from race teams that are either already with us or racing elsewhere in the world and wanting to come and give IMSA a try,” he said. “It was also driven by manufacturers that have a GT3 platform, have customers that they feel like may not be ready for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship yet, and give them a chance to run a couple of sprint races and learn the processes. It’s customer and manufacturer driven. We’re excited.”
Toyota will race a 500-HP Corolla Cross stock car in Brazil and according to The Drive it rules.
“Power for the Stock Car Pro-bound Corolla Cross comes from a turbocharged, 2.1-liter four-cylinder engine that sends about 500 horsepower to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential transmission, per Top Gear Philippines. For context, the model you’ll find parked on your nearest Toyota dealer’s lot uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 169 hp and linked to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). There’s a hybrid system available, too.”
Wondering what the Race of Champions (ROC) is all about? Autosport has got you covered. “Australia will make its debut hosting the historic Race of Champions in 2025 as the motorsport event will head to Sydney’s Accor Stadium. Drivers will battle on a purpose-built asphalt track, after two years of competing on snow and ice at Pite Havsbad in Sweden in 2022 and 2023.”
2025 Series Calendars & News
- 2025 Porsche Sprint Challenge Schedules Revealed (Sportscar365)
- The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup returns to the Norisring in the 2025 season (Porsche)
- DAMS to join FIA Formula 3 grid in 2025 (Formula Scout)
- Get Ready for the 2025 HSR Championship: A Thrilling Season for Ligier JS P3 and JS P320 Teams. (Ligier)
- 2025 Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Schedule Among the Largest Calendar of Events in HSR’s Nearly 50-Year History (HSR)
- Revisiting the new era MRF Challenge champions of Chennai (Formula Scout)
Track Days
BMW M Track days is revving up for another year of thrills. It’s time to secure your spot in the driver’s seat. Get ready to test the limits of M vehicles in driving activities that are sure to push the boundary of high-performance and legendary engineering.
Trace the spirited path set by a professional BMW Driving Instructor on the Lead Follow course. Meet the moment with the M2 on the Autocross course as you experience the art of speed and precision-focused handling. Go 0-60 in seconds in some of BMW’s slickest, quickest models. Take on the Skid Pad challenge with the help of a professional BMW Driving Instructor.
The race to registration starts now. Don’t miss out – visit the BMW website today for pricing details and sign up to join us on the track.
Go here for all the details.
PalmerSport has confirmed a special rate for their final track day of the season on Saturday, December 7, 2024. The special rate of £825 plus VAT per guest offers a significant saving over the base rate, and guests will be treated to the complete PalmerSport experience with eight flat-out driving activities behind the wheel of our superb fleet of performance vehicles.
Every guest will drive all of these cars in one perfect day, with live timing and prizes for the fastest drivers:
- Ginetta G56 GTA
- Palmer JP-LM Prototype
- Caterham Seven – PalmerSport edition
- Formula 3000 single-seater
- BMW M4 GTP
- Land Rover Defender
- Caterham Pursuit (head to head contest)
- Sodi Karts
The event will also include fabulous catering with breakfast, a two-course lunch and afternoon tea provided. Vehicle damage cover is included too. And if you’re worried about the weather, they’ve got heated pit lane hospitality suites to keep you warm in-between track sessions, with hot drinks on tap wherever you are.
They expect extremely high demand for this last blast of the season so don’t delay – book now to secure your place on a prime weekend date at a superb price. For booking enquiries call their sales team on 01403 733999 or email sales@palmersport.com
Racing & Testing Opportunities
Arden Motorsport have announced their continuation of the GB4 championship into 2025, with their traditional red spec livery. With 2024 being the first year competing in this championship, the team are excited to develop for the next season.
With the GB4 championship announcing a new 2025 specification Tatuus, which includes upgrades such as a normally aspirated unit and halo safety feature, this will increase the interest in the championship.
Arden will be hosting an immediate winter testing program for GB4 hopefuls. If you are interested in testing with them, please get in touch via email at: arden@arden-motorsport.com or using the contact form on their website at https://www.arden-motorsport.com/.
RAW Motorsports is expanding to the UAE with plans to race in the Gulf Radical Cup. According to their recent press release, this has been something that team owner Rob Wheldon has been looking to do for awhile.
The Gulf Radical Cup features 21 races from 7 events and promises to deliver great racing and epic battles, as well as being perfect for those seeking some winter sun. The action is split between Dubai Autodrome and Yas Marina and boasts large grids with 28 cars already confirmed for the World Finals in November.
Rob, who runs cars in the UK Radical Challenge also coaches in the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series will now have a busy ‘off season’. He has planned to make the leap for a while – ‘2024 seemed like the perfect year to finally get on and do it, we’ve got a great infrastructure in place and the Championship looks to be stronger than ever, I’m really excited to get started’.
Limited Arrive and Drive packages are available for selected dates please contact: Rob – rob@raw-motorsports.com or Michelle – enquiries@raw-motorsports.com for more information.
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.
