This week’s Motorsport Series News Roundup truly has something for everyone. In Single-seaters I look at the new Mygale F4 Hybrid and the debut of the ERA Championship. In sportscars I have news of the progress of car counts in Hypercar/GTP, questions about GT3 Premium, Radicals go to Vegas and more.
Single-Seaters
- Recently during Round 4 of the French F4 series, F1 Feeder Series spoke with the Founder and CEO of Mygale Cars, Bertrand Decoster about their new Hybrid-powered F4 car and what their goals are and its potential for driver development. “Bertrand Decoster also expects that this hybrid push-to-pass system will enhance the racing action and develop the drivers early in their careers: “Push-to-pass will need for the drivers to be intelligent, they will have to learn how and when to use push-to-pass. It can perfectly prepare them for FRECA and especially for F1 where energy regeneration is one of the key elements of driving. In F4, drivers would need to learn how to manage a race, how to manage the energy of their car.”
- The all-electric ERA Championship kicked off recently at Zolder and Formula Scout explains how ERA’s first race delivered, and why to note the series it supports too. “ERA is already confirmed to support ETCR in 2023, the two series share some race direction officials, and the champion will recieve a prize test in one of the touring cars. Tin-tops may not seem like the kind of direction that drivers with single-seater ambitions would want to follow, but the DTM was a legitimate step on the way to F1 for many drivers when it had high-downforce cars and manufacturer teams.” And for the record, Cameron Hawes won the first ever ERA race. Unfortunately, the ERA has canceled the second round at Vallelunga.
Sportscars
- Daily Sportscar surveys the Hypercar/GTP scene and reports that the Hypercar and GTP classes are both set for double figure entries in 2023. “The latest news coming out of both the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship paddocks all but guarantees entries into the Hypercar and GTP classes into double figures for 2023 and beyond.”
- Meanwhile, two manufacturers just completed their latest round of testing. Cadillac were happy with their recent five-day Sebring LMDh test and Acura completed the first run of the Acura ARX-06 LMDh car at Magny Cours in France.
- As the WEC confirms plans for an extra European race before Le Mans on the 2023 calendar, Peugeot have indicated that they would be open to customer 9X8 Le Mans Hypercars. “If we have the opportunity to have more Peugeots on the grid we would be quite happy,” said Peugeot Sport boss Jean-Marc Finot, who also heads up motorsport across the Stellantis group of which Peugeot is a part.
- Audi and Mercedes are both monitoring the new GT3 Premium class with both wanting more information and details. “Before I would sanction a reaction to it, I think the next step has to be what exactly do they want? Understand why it had to happen, or could it be maybe beneficial? Give it a chance from all angles. And then try to answer questions about the decision or adjust the decision.”
- Radical Motorsport have announced that their Radical World Finals will be taking place this year, 9th-13th November in Las Vegas, USA at the Spring Mountain Motor Resort. “The five-day, action-packed programme will guarantee an unforgettable formula for our Radical customers. Four days on track, a pool of international talent, extravagant social events and soaking up the Nevada sun. With a growing dealer community currently standing at 33 dealers across 21 countries and the return of worldwide travel, we knew that the time to do the World Finals was now.“
- New Zealand’s Toyota 86 Championship has revealed an impressive prize package for the Supercars weekend. “An amazing prize pool of almost $25,000 for the one-off weekend is the biggest for a single weekend of racing in the history of the Toyota 86 Championship, which will mark its tenth season in 2023 when the official summer season blasts off in January.”
- In the endurance club series attracting pros and amateurs, Autosport has a look at the success of the UK’s EnduroKa series. “EnduroKa is intended to be accessible to enthusiasts looking to make their first step into racing, but is enjoyable for professionals too.”