This week you will find out more details on various new race series calendars from the world of global motorsport plus some drive opportunities to pursue.
I also bring details on the new Maserati GT2, 7 mistakes young race car drivers should avoid and why some drivers are lamenting the loss of LMP3 in the WEC.
All this and more in this week’s edition of the Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
Toni Calderon looks at the Top 7 Mistakes Young Race Car Drivers Should Avoid. “Navigating the world of motorsports is tricky for even a veteran like me, but for young drivers and eager dads looking to make their mark in racing it can be not only frustrating, but also extremely expensive. Making the wrong decisions when you start your racing career can quickly lead to empty trophy cases and even emptier bank accounts.”
Grassroots Motorsports looks at how to methodically find more speed at the track.
“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?“
In Ross Bentley’s latest Speed Secrets newsletter, he talks about how you should trail brake less. ““Don’t use don’t.” That’s one of my core approaches to coaching. Instead of telling someone what not to do, tell them what to do.”
Off-Track
In the video above, Enzo Mucci talks about the importance of getting your team together. “It is hard enough to make it, let alone going it alone. Build you team up with people you can trust and who are good at what they do. But make it worth their while to get them onboard.”
This is one of the reasons that I created the Motorsport Prospects Directory which allows you to build just such a team.
So, you’ve just lost an easy race win by putting the car in the wall due to your own mistake. How do you bounce back from that? This is the first video from Safe Is Fast in a new series where the topic has been chosen a guest driver editor! Our first is Indy 500 winner and 2016 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Simon Pagenaud, who chose ‘How To Deal With Tough Times In Racing’.
Finally, Lewis Hamilton is teaching a Master Class in developing a Winning Mindset. In a series of 12 classes, he guides participants through various life lessons, including discovering personal inspirations, coping with setbacks, fostering teamwork, maintaining discipline, valuing physical health, and mental preparation. This course is designed to unlock one’s full potential beyond the racetrack.
Race Car & Series Developments
Hot off the heels of the 2023 Mazda Spec MX-5 Shootout and with the 2024 Spec MX-5 season quickly approaching, Slipstream Performance has been selected to run the Mazda Motorsports’ Club Racing Factory Team from 2024 onwards.
Founded by Keven Stelly in 2015 to primarily focus on Mazda MX-5 Cup, Slipstream Performance aims to bring unparalleled professionalism to the club racing paddock as Spec MX-5 embarks on its first season as a National Championship eligible SCCA road racing class. With over 20 years of Mazda technical experience, Stelly has been mentored by the best-of-the-best in the racing industry, seeing Slipstream Performance win the Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship just 2 years after entering the IMSA-sanctioned series in 2018.
Kevin Stelly, Team Principal Slipstream Performance: “I’m really looking forward to collaborating with Mazda as Slipstream Performance takes on the role of Mazda Motorsports’ Club Racing Factory Team. I am particularly excited about the prospect of working with emerging talents through the Mazda Scholarship program. Mazda Motorsports’ initiative offers a fantastic chance for aspiring young racers to establish their reputation in the racing world. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to join Spec MX-5 as it embarks on its inaugural season as an SCCA National Class, and I’m eager to bring elements of the professional mindset from MX-5 Cup to aid these talented young racers in their preparation for a career in professional motorsport.”
If you are looking for a winter series to race in, here are a few options via Autosport:
- GT Winter Series enters fourth season with high-profile teams
- GT4 Winter Series with SRO licence ready for debut season
- Formula Winter Series: Even more racing in the 2024 season
The 2024 Radical Cup North America season will be here before you know it and the Official Pre-Season Test as part of PBOC’s Winterfest event takes place Jan 17-21. Winterfest is the perfect way to prepare before Round 1 at Sebring March 1-3.
Dedicated Radical track time on Wednesday January 17 can be extended into the weekend with low-pressure PBOC races including the Thursday 6 Hour, Friday 90min Enduro and Sat/Sun sprints. And if you’re not looking to race, there’s also time-trial and solo sessions.
- Exclusive Radical Only Test Sessions on Jan 17
- Expand to up to 5 days of driving
- Non-racers also welcome
You can register here.
The Sports Prototype Cup 2024 calendar has been announced, Features this year include:
– Expansion to six weekends with sixteen individual races
– Two driver and solo formats
– Spa and Le Mans return to the calendar after successful 2023 events
– New class structure to cater for a wider range of prototypes
– Revolution Race Cars Trophy continues for season six with compelling arrive and drive packages
Full information here: https://www.sportsprototypecup.com/race-dates.
British motorsport brand Ginetta has launched a GT academy series in France. This will be run as an official series in collaboration with Team CMR, which will offer technical support to ensure a seamless and competitive racing experience. The alignment with the French Federation of Automobile Sport (FFSA) touring car series, run by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO), underlines Ginetta’s dedication to provide a clear pathway to young drivers in motorsport.
The British Formula 4 championship will race overseas for the first time next year with a round at Dutch Grand Prix venue Zandvoort. In 2024 there will be 30 races over 10 rounds, the usual format, and eight of those rounds will support the British Touring Car Championship as has been the case since British F4 was launched in 2015.
Grassroots Motorsports looks at how to run the 24 Hours of Lemons with as little effort as possible. “Meet the Zero-Hour Miata, our method of going endurance racing without any spare time in our schedule. Could we do everything wrong and get away with it? Or would all those hard-learned endurance racing truths prove to be absolute? Let’s find out.”
Autosport goes inside Maserati’s long-awaited MC12 successor, the GT2. “Maserati quotes the same 621bhp power output for the GT2 as for the road car, though it will vary upwards and downwards according to the system of Balance of Performance that’s central to the GT2 class. The race engines are built on the same production line as its road car siblings.”
World Endurance Championship drivers say it’s a “shame” that the LMP2 class has been dropped from the series next year to accommodate a larger field of Hypercar and LMGT3 cars. Autosport interviews them to find out why and how it may affect young drivers.
Multiple LMP2 race winner Gabriel Aubry: “So, hopefully ELMS will come up and be that platform to the young generation coming out of single seaters without a future in F1 or budget to do F2 and F3, because that was my case. I moved here because I loved WEC but also because I had no future in Formula 1. Hopefully this step will remain.”
Autosport also addresses the future questions that GB3 must get right to continue its rise.
“But, while the championship continues to grow, nothing in motorsport stands still for long and plans are already being discussed about the next generation of car. Autosport understands that talks have been held with GB3 teams about when to introduce a new car, with suggestions it could be as early as the 2025 season. If such a move were to happen, it would mean the current car will have only been used for three years – hardly a long innings for such a well-received and competitive machine. The reason to push through with the change is that it could in theory then allow the Tatuus MSV-022 to move down MSV’s single-seater pathway and into GB4. This championship was created in 2022 as a low-budget entry into single-seaters, costing between £120,000 and £150,000 for a season, and currently uses the previous generation of F4 chassis.”
On Dec. 13, 2023, at 7 p.m. CT, SCCA President and CEO Mike Cobb will be giving a President’s Update, offering greater insight into 2023 and more – and all members are encouraged to watch online. The Dec. 13 President’s Update will take place online and is open to every SCCA member. Preregistration is required, with Cobb’s update expected to take approximately one hour. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
You can register here.
Racing Opportunities
Versa Motorsport is running a team in Eurocup 3 and is looking to fill their last seats. Eurocup 3 is currently on the F1 pathway between F4/FRECA and FIA F3 and will feature 8 rounds at 6 F1 tracks.
For full details contact Toby at toby@versamotorsport.com.au.
Racecars Direct are featuring Arrive & Drive packages available for drivers with budget for the following events in 2024 with HRT Performance:
- 24h Dubai (12-14 January)
- 6h Yas Marina Circuit Abu Dhabi (20-21 January)
- 12h Mugello (22-24 March)
- 12h Spa-Francorchamps (19-21 April)
- 24h Portimao (10-12 May)
- 12h Misano (05-07 July)
- 24h Barcelona (13-15 September)
Arrive & Drive package includes:
- Driver seat Porsche 992 Cup
- extra test day (private test sessions)
- racing insurance
- Driver development/coaching
- Professional Race/Data Engineer
- team wear
- team catering
- fixed race mechanics + fueling guy per car
- fuel, brakes and fixed amount of new tires
More information 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.