Motorsport Series News for March 30, 2022-Is Vanwall Back?

This week in Motorsport Series News I look at some WEC developments with BMW and Vanwall (yes you read that right!), details on the 2022 SCCA Runoffs, a new Ginetta North American series, GT4 European Series regulation changes and more.

• BMW is investigating an expansion of its LMDh program for 2024 that could see the German manufacturer take on the FIA World Endurance Championship as well as the potential of customer cars. According to Sportscar 365, “already confirmed for a debut in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTP class with Team RLL next year, BMW M Motorsport boss Andreas Roos has acknowledged ongoing evaluations to have additional BMW M LMDh cars on the grid for the car’s second year.”

• While BMW looks at options in the WEC and IMSA, ByKolles is just looking to get a chance to race in the WEC. The ByKolles’ Vanwall Racing Le Mans Hypercar has completed its build ahead of the start of on-track testing later this spring (see photo at top of this page). Sportscar 365 reports that “the Austrian-badged effort, which was rejected a full-season FIA World Endurance Championship entry, is understood to still be on schedule despite not racing this year in the globe-trotting championship.”

• The 2022 SCCA Runoffs schedule has been released. Qualifying will be conducted over three days – Tuesday, Sept. 27, through Thursday, Sept. 29 – and will conclude with the naming of the Tire Rack Pole Award winners for each of the 26 racing classes. Racing at the 59th Runoffs will then take place over three days – Friday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 2 – to decide National Champions in those classes. Each race will be 15 laps or 40 minutes in length around VIR’s 18-turn, 3.27-mile circuit.

• Ginetta has announced the inaugural North American Ginetta Challenge only eleven months after its expansion into the USA. According to Daily Sportscar, “the Ginetta Challenge uses the G56 GTA as a cost-effective, and easy to operate race car without ABS or traction control in a perfectly balanced, tubular chassis with V6 power.” For more information or details on how to join the grid, follow us at GinettaNA, email info@ginettana.com, and head to GinettaNA.com/Challenge.

• TCR Chinese Taipei will launch at the end of April after an agreement was signed between WSC Group and AAI Motorsport for the creation of a new Asian-based series. The calendar for the inaugural season includes four race meetings, all of which will take place at Lihpao Racing Park in Taichung City – the only circuit certified by the FIA in Taiwan.

• On December 10, 2019, Mazda Motorsports announced the Spec MX-5 Rules and Regulations: Vehicle Technical Specifications and Technical Infraction Penalties. The regulations have since been updated so that power retractable hardtops are now permitted.

• The 2022 GT4 European Series will have some new rules that aim to help streamline the GT4 European Series with the FFSA French GT Championship. Last year many teams from the FFSA French GT Championship opted to contest both series, so for 2022 the sporting regulations will be moved closer in-line between the two series to encourage this to continue, while also making it easier for GT4 European Series teams to cross over into the French championship. Full details on these rule changes can be found here.