The Ligier JS F422 took to the track in anger for the first time recently and I have the details on this new Formula 4 chassis and engine. I also have some great racecraft tips, details on the changes to the Macau Grand Prix and an opportunity to race a Radical at Paul Ricard. All this and more in this week’s edition of the Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.
Please note that there will be no Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup next week as I am off on vacation. It will return on June 12th. Thanks so much for reading!
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
In their second Racing Line Fundamentals series, Paradigm Shift Driver Development looks at how a vehicle’s cornering vs acceleration potential determines its ideal apex and line through a corner.
“For part 2 in this Racing Line Fundamentals series, we’re going to explore the factors that determine the ideal apex and line through a corner. We’ll learn how a vehicle’s ratio of acceleration compared to its cornering ability governs the ideal apex a driver needs as well as how this influences the line the vehicle will take through a corner.”
Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets explains how you should be driving the car, not the track. “If you drive your car at its limit but slightly off the ideal line, you’ll be faster than if you drive the perfect line but below the car’s limits. That’s why I recommend spending more time focused on, and practicing, learning to drive the limits of your car than you do on finding some trick line through the corners.”
Race Car & Series Developments
The Macau Grand Prix has been a showcase for Formula 3 over the last four decades but things will be changing in 2024 as it will now be known as the FIA Formula Regional World Cup for Formula Regional cars. This should open up the race to more global drivers as there are Formula Regional race series in numerous regions around the world. Macau will become the second grand prix in the international FRegional calendar, joining the New Zealand Grand Prix which runs as the FRegional Oceania season finale.
“When looking at maximising the appeal of the FIA FR World Cup, we considered the benefit that there are multiple Formula Regional competitions taking place across Asia, the Americas, Oceania, the Middle East and Europe, providing a wider pool of potential drivers and teams who could compete in Macau.”
The first race of the 2024 U.S. F4 season saw the debut of the Ligier JS F422. The second generation of the Ligier F4, the Ligier JS F422, takes over the Ligier JS F4. Lighter and longer, the Ligier JS F422 features enhanced safety innovations, including the Halo driver impact system. It is powered by the Ligier Storm, a 1.65-liter, V4 engine developed by Ligier Automotive’s team of engineers. Other engines can also be installed in the Ligier JS F4 depending on the championship.
In the Ligier JS F422 U.S. F4 Championship debut at Road America, which was the first competition appearance for the Ligier JS F422, 100% of the cars crossed the finish line with 100% of laps covered and all Ligier JS F422s on the lead lap. The car was more than five seconds per lap quicker than the previous generation JS F4 and the races featured three winners from three different teams.
Sportscar365 reports that General Motors and Pratt Miller are “on track” to meet the FIA’s minimum requirement of 20 GT3 cars produced within the first two years of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R’s homologation according to program manager Christie Bagne, who is expecting up to a dozen more customer cars to be made available for next year.
“You may still see a couple of debuts at the end of the year with teams that are getting up to speed for next year or existing teams that are maybe getting another car ready to go for next year,” said Bagne. “We’re still evaluating what those opportunities will look like.”
Autosport explains how there were 10 separate car circuit racing events held across the UK two weekends ago, dividing competitors and volunteers, while the previous week there were far fewer. Such calendar congestion is not helpful at a time when large grids are more important than ever
“However, there are some examples of apparently poor planning – such as both the Classic Sports Car Club and Historic Sports Car Club Special Saloons and Modsports categories being in action on the same weekend, potentially hampering the numbers in each. Or three of the four main ‘modern’ one-make MG series heavily based around the ZR having clashing rounds. For classes where there is a limited number of cars available, such scheduling is unhelpful.”
Daily Sportscar reports that Motor Racing Legends is launching a new ‘GT3 Legends’ series, expanding its portfolio of historic racing series to a series for which 2006-2012 homologated GT3 cars are eligible with cars allowed to run up to 2015 specification.
Formula Scout reports that Formula 2 remains open to expanding its car count in the future, while Formula 3 will never exceed its current 30-car grid size according to the promoter of both.
Racing Opportunities
The 2024 Hagerty Radical Cup UK , together with Radical Cup France and Radical Nederlands, will join forces at the legendary Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet this summer: 5th – 7th July. With its distinctive red and blue lines, the high tech circuit is one of the most used circuits in the world for testing, due to its even distribution of low-, medium- and high-speed corners. Being just 10km from the French Riviera doesn’t hurt either.
Arrive and Drive Packages are available from £17,500 (GBP) and include:
- Hire of Radical SR3 XXR or SR10 XXR
- Testing and Race Entry Fees included
- Full Radical HQ Factory Team Support
- Data engineer and driver coach
- Fuel and Hankook tyres included
- Hospitality for driver and one guest
- Professional photography package
Contact Radical Motorsport here to reserve your place, limited spaces available.
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.
