Racecraft and new race cars are some of this week’s highlights in the Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup.
Pushing the limit on track and how to drive faster by watching other drivers are just some of the racecraft tips for you this week. I also have news on the new Maserati GT2, Porsche 911 GT3 R Rennsport and Toyota GR GT3 as well as race series news featuring Porches, Audis and more.
All this plus how to make your Nürburgring fantasies a reality in this week’s edition of the Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
One way to get faster laps? Watch how the pros drive. Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets answers the question, what should I expect and how should I prepare for my first HPDE event?
In the subscriber-only edition of On Racing Drivers by Terence Dove, Terence explains how to get super accurate with your steering in a kart.
Samir Abid of Your Data Driven has published an eye-opening article on How To Measure The Impossible – 7 Types Of Inferred Metric.
“Despite having “mountains” of data, the truth remains that often we can’t directly measure what we really want to. In fact, smart people can often put several balanced and convincing arguments to us about why getting that measured data is impossible – Tyres anyone!? It can be tempting to accept that but it is nagging though, especially when you want to improve.”
In the video above, Enzo Mucci explains that “if you want to be the very best, then you have to train like them. This is all about how I see top drivers approaching their racing.”
Off-Track
If you are vegan, or considering going vegan and are wondering how this will affect your athletic performance, Eluxe Magazine has spotlighted 14 athletes that are vegan and on plant-based diets. Of the 14 athletes, two are race drivers. They are Lewis Hamilton and Andy Lally.
“There’s a widespread misconception that elite vegan athletes simply cannot exist. After all, they need loads of animal-based protein to increase their muscle size and responses, right? Wrong! A growing number of elite, professional athletes are actually cutting dairy, eggs and meat out of their diets for various reasons.”
Race Car & Series Developments
Sportscar 365 reports that the Maserati GT2 will make its global race debut in this weekend’s Fanatec GT2 European Series season finale at Paul Ricard with the LP Racing team. The Maserati GT2, which is based on the MC20 road car and powered by a 3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, underwent its first track test in early March before being publicly unveiled at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in late June.
Race Engine Suppliers has details of the Maserati 3.0 litre V6 twin turbo MCXtrema as well as its detuned GT2 version.
Porsche have unveiled their Porsche 911 GT3 R Rennsport with 611 HP and a $1M price tag. “The 911 GT3 R rennsport features a high-revving six-cylinder normally aspirated engine with an output of up to 611 horsepower. A choice of seven base colors and three special designs will be available to customers, with production limited to 77 vehicles. The car is considered the successor to the modern-era Porsche 935, which was unveiled at Rennsport Reunion 6 in 2018.”
Grassroots Motorsports asks, is this one of the “most extreme” 911s ever?
Sticking with Porsche, the manufacturer has ruled out any new 963 customers for 2024 according to Sportscar 365.
Porsche has ruled out new customers for its 963 prototype next year, with the manufacturer’s focus on delivering additional cars to its existing customer base in 2024 according to Porsche Motorsport North America President and CEO Volker Holzmeyer. “We announced already that we will not push on having any more cars for next season on the grid,” he told Sportscar365. “Now I think it’s time to settle, do everything right, get it aligned and then maybe think of adding any other cars [in 2025].”
New for 2023 is TTCR, the UK’s only one-make Audi racing series dedicated to the sporty TT coupe. “The Audi TT Cup Racing series has been designed to offer drivers top levels of performance and awesome race car looks, as well as maximum value for money. All cars are equal in terms of performance and handling, meaning getting the best out of them will be down to driving talent and racing skills.”
TCR UK has introduced the new 2024 TCR UK Touring Car Championship – Gen 1 Cup. This will be a new category within the overall TCR UK Touring Car Championship, where drivers and teams who wish to compete next year in eligible Generation 1 cars will be awarded trophies and their own Cup classification next year.
The 2024 TCR UK Touring Car Championship – Gen 1 Cup provides the chance for anyone looking to enter TCR UK to use older cars and race on a lower budget.
Motor 1 is reporting that a fresh spy video has emerged that shows Toyota testing a new sports car. The automaker covered the model in camouflage, but its silhouette is unmistakable – this is the Toyota GR GT3 concept that is in development for the race track and the road.
Porsche Motorsport North America President Volker Holzmeyer has stated to Sportscar 365 that major changes to the Carrera Cup calendar have paid off. Combined with races on NTT IndyCar Series, NASCAR and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events, as well as this weekend’s Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Carrera Cup North America offers one of the most diverse scheduled in all of motorsports.
“It was major changes, especially going to Formula 1 events,” Holzmeyer told Sportscar365. “It had implications, cost-wise but also organizational-wise. “In a Formula 1 environment, you’re very limited in what you can do. But overall, the feedback is very, very well received in what we’ve elevated the series to. Also the [entry] applications for next year look really strong so I think we’re on the right pathway of making Carrera Cup a premier one-make series in the U.S. It’s working really well.”
Formula Scout has a look at the new F2 chassis from Dallara and engine from Mecachrome that will debut in 2024. Although Dallara’s name will adorn the next F2 chassis, the car is firmly instilled in FIA ideas from a design brief using learnings from F1’s current technical regulations yet also bringing it closer to lower categories.
“In determining the specification of the car and what we wanted to achieve, in improved car following, then we made sure that whilst we’re moving to more ground effects, we weren’t overdriving the floor, we weren’t putting too many demands on the floor. So it was really quite important to us that in terms of the aerodynamics of the car, that the solution was one which generated downforce in the car higher, at higher rideheights, so there wasn’t the need to drive the set-up ever lower and get into porposing problems. And also just make sure that we didn’t put too much load into the car, and into the floor, and kept a reasonable amount of load in the wings.”
Although teams have not really had a chance to check out the new car aside from the show car presentation at Monza, they are relishing the challenge that a new car brings.
Giacomo Ricci, Trident’s team manager: “I agree with Rene, and the most interesting part for me when you have a new car is the new challenge, because everyone is starting from zero and it would be a tremendous effort for everyone in order to prepare the car properly in the wind tunnel and of course also carry on the development of the car. It will be a big, big challenge for everyone. But I have to say, the car looks amazing and also the new car for me gives an extra motivation and booster to everyone because it’s something new at the end of the day. And I have to say also that new car looks great.”
Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) and the newly-rebranded Ligier JS F4 Series have announced their 2024 schedules.
“2024 is going to be another year of growth for FR Americas, F4 U.S. and the Ligier JS F4 Series,” said Race Director Scott Goodyear. “FR Americas drivers will have the opportunity to race at some of the same venues as their F1 racing heroes with the addition of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on the 2024 schedule. On the F4 U.S. side, we’ll be debuting the second-generation Ligier F4 car with Ligier Storm power. With the debut of that car, the Ligier JS F4 Series will become more than just a developmental series; utilizing the first generation F4 car, it will offer an alternative series with a lower price point. Each series delivers great value compared to other series in North America, offering impressive wheel-to-wheel competition and a superb training ground for young drivers.”
Track Days
Grassroots Motorsports explains how you can turn your Nürburgring fantasies into Nürburgring realities. “And once you have that Nürburgring certification, it’s good for life. When you first complete your certification course, you’ll be awarded a Nürburgring grade C or D permit (based on whether your FIA competition license has a national or international endorsement).”
Speaking of the Nürburgring, Hot Cars explains why the circuit banned an 800-HP BMW 335I. “The BMW has been to the circuit before, but it now has even more horsepower than it did during its last trip. Its owner says there are now four map settings to choose from, and the potential for it to run on 30 psi of boost. We are then shown a graph from a dyno run of the BMW, and the exact power number the car produced is 852.2 hp and 1,155 Nm of torque, or 851 lb-ft.”
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.