The mind of a race driver is just one of the things that is a focus of this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup. This week you will find out how to deal with nerves and how you can recapture that sense of joy that racing should bring. I also have a few racecraft tips, racing opportunities and tons of news on what’s to come in 2025 from racing series around the globe.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
Grassroots Motorsports explains how to use data as a self-help tool. “You don’t need a lot of sophisticated graphs for this, either. OBD or hardwired connections to the car are great, but you can also fall into a trap of overanalysis with too much data. Simply using a speed/distance graph, a lateral g graph and a longitudinal g graph can return a wealth of information that you can dissect quickly–even between sessions–and turn into a plan of action or at least further investigation. We keep our VBox data acquisition setup rather busy.”
Read the full article here (subscription required).
Samir Abid of Your Data Driven has but together a step-by-step guide on how to learn a race track. “How quickly you learn a race track is a crucial part of being a successful track driver. Whether you’re an amateur racer or a professional, knowing a track well can help you to be faster, more confident, and more competitive. However, learning a race track takes time – time you may not have for extra testing days or extended simulator sessions.”
You can access his guide here.
Racing driver Robert Wickens has done it: despite his paralysis, he can drive a racing car again! Thanks to a revolutionary hand control system from Bosch Motorsport, he can steer the accelerator and brakes directly with his hands – without using his feet. But Wickens wants more: he wants to race. Back on the big stage of the Indy 500. The big question is: how will the modified car perform under simulated racing conditions?
Accompany Robert Wickens on his further journey, which is characterized by incomparable passion, courageous dreams and ground-braking technology in Part 2 of Breaking Barriers above.
This year’s Formula Regional World Cup at Macau was a great illustration of why new FIA Single-Seater president Emanuele Pirro wants to tackle driving standards, especially amongst young drivers.
“Pirro believes the core issue here was not a lack of experience for the drivers racing last weekend, but more a widespread mindset problem that modern racing has instilled in almost all rising stars.”
Here are two articles from Autosport that look at the issue.
- How Macau’s red flag chaos shows the FIA is right to tackle driving standards
- The key takeaways from Macau’s perfect storm of chaos
Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets is putting together a free webinar on Tuesday, December 3rd, 8:30pm Eastern/5:30pm Pacific that he is calling A Catalyst for Better Instruction.
“My goal is to spend 60-90 minutes in total, sharing thoughts on how to transition students from in-car to solo; best practices refresher tips; using technology to assist your instructing duties; and then have some fun in a Q&A session. Well, I’m hoping it’ll all be fun, actually! It’s all about a mindset of constant improvement, and unless you’re instructing every day, it’s hard to be the best instructor you can be. My hope is the conversations we’ll have in the webinar will help make us all even better.”
To find out more information and to register go here.
After a successful first race in the number 98 Mobil 1 Porsche GT4 RS Clubsport with co-driver Patrick Long, Patrick Dempsey heads to Road America for round two of the 2024 North America Porsche Endurance Challenge. While the Sprint Race of the weekend goes well, the actual Endurance Race proves a challenge, with plenty of carbon fiber carnage. Will the Patricks emerge on the podium like Round 1? Only one way to find out in the video above!
Off-Track
Racing is supposed to be fun. Yes it is serous business but it should be something that you enjoy to do. If you have lost that sense of joy in your racing, Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets has some advice for you.
“No Joy” — As I thought and wrote about your situation and question, five words came to mind:
- Programming
- Focus
- Mindset
- Challenge
- Motivation
Read what he has to say about these 5 points here.
Nerves are an unavoidable part of motorsport, but without them we would not reach our full potential. Will Gray of Motorsport UK’s Revolution magazine explores why they occur and how to benefit from them.
“People think it’s a bad thing for athletes to feel nervous, but we need to challenge that perception,” explains Sidd Sampla, a motorsport Performance Psychologist at iZone Driver Performance. “When we feel nervous, it’s just your body’s way of preparing for something that you really care about.”
Read the full article here.
Race Car Developments
Lamborghini has revealed that its next-generation GT3 challenger will be called the Temerario GT3 and is set for a debut in 2026. The new car is set to replace Lamborghini’s highly successful Huracan GT3 platform, which has been in use since 2015 and has received Evo updates twice throughout the course of its lifecycle.
Sportscar365 has all the details released so far.
Grassroots Motorsport has a full track review of the Ford Mustang Dark Horse. “The Dark Horse is–at least until the insane Mustang GTD drops–the gnarliest pony in Ford’s stable, with a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 cranking out 500 horsepower and 418 lb.-ft. of torque through either a Tremec six-speed manual or, as found in our test car, a 10-speed automatic.”
Read the full review here (subscription required).
2025 Series News
Europe
Equipe Classic Racing has announced the acquisition of the pan-European Sports Prototype Cup and the UK-based Zeo Prototypes series, laying the foundation for an all-new multi-class racing series, “Equipe Sports Prototypes.” Backed by significant investment and a vision for growth, the newly-formed series aims to become a premier destination for prototype racing.
Under this new banner, Equipe Sports Prototypes will merge the existing Sports Prototype Cup and Zeo Prototypes into a single, high-profile grid, bringing together lightweight sports prototypes from a variety of marques. The series will offer a multi-marque racing environment designed to attract diverse competitors and manufacturers, with Equipe Classic Racing pledging strong support for drivers and teams through premium services and top-tier circuits.
More details can be found here.
The Alpine A110 Cup has introduced a number of change that could benefit drivers climbing the motorsport development ladder. As In previous years, the competitors will battle on several levels. In addition to the overall classification, the Professional, Junior, Challengers and Gentlemen categories and the team championship will offer multiple dimensions as the drivers will compete for €36,000 in race prizes throughout the season.
These prizes will be added to those of the future winner of the Alpine ELF Cup Series. The successor to Pierre Sancinéna, Gaël Castelli, Jean-Baptiste Méla, Lucas Frayssinet, Lorens Lecertua and Charles Roussanne will be able to choose between a production Alpine A110 Pure or a prize fund worth €50,000 excluding VAT. The latter will either allow them to defend their A110 Cup title or take it to the next level with the A110 GT4 or Rally. Meanwhile, the best Gentlemen will win a bonus of €10,000 in spare parts vouchers for 2026.
Alongside the Alpine ELF Cup Series, the A-arrow brand will innovate with a format focused on Endurance racing. Designed for long-distance racing, the Alpine Endurance Cup will be held within the Ultimate Cup Series.
Run over the four Ultimate Endurance GT Cup events not conflicting with the Alpine ELF Cup Series calendar; this series will aim to strengthen the endurance experience while consolidating the Alpine route to major competitions. The Alpine A110 Cups will have a dedicated classification and points system over the three 4-hour rounds and the 6-hour finale, and their competitors will benefit from an end-of-season bonus of €10,000 in spare parts vouchers for the following year. This new format will make it possible to race an Alpine A110 Cup at a reduced cost by sharing the car between two or three drivers (in the case of the 6-hour race).
More details can be found here.
The BRSCC has announced the launch of a brand-new single make race category called the DS3 Cup based on the sporty Citroen DS3 1.6VTi (MY2010-15). The project has been developed in conjunction with long-term Club Partners SW Motorsports, and the race cars have been designed to be affordable, easy to build, reliable, and offering equal performance. By way of a controlled engine map, air intake and exhaust system, the 1600cc 16v engines will output a lively 135bhp, making them a great choice for new racers or those looking to progress from CityCar Cup racing.
Full details can be found at the BRSCC website here.
After a promising debut season, TCR European Endurance is already looking forward to 2025. The series promoted by Mauricio Slaviero has unveiled next year’s calendar, which will feature four rounds – with a fifth race yet to be confirmed – around four different racetracks, two of which will host a TCR European Endurance event for the first time ever.
“Though we have just finished our first ever season, it is very exciting to already think about the future; to us, it was crucial to expand our horizons in 2025, and I’m proud of the work we’ve done. I can’t wait to bring our championship’s innovative format to new places such as Slovakia next year, where the TCR scene is very prominent.”
More details and the dates can be found here.
Gedlich Racing has confirmed that it will welcome a new class into the 2025 GT4 Winter Series. The Club class will add a new dimension to the SRO-licenced GT4 Winter Series grid, allowing out-of-homologation GT4 machinery to compete in its own class. Cars from the earlier years of GT4 competition will be welcomed onto the grid, alongside the existing PRO, PRO-AM and AM classes for modern GT4 models, and the Cayman Trophy class for the popular Porsche Cayman GT4 CS.
More details can be found here.
The Lamborghini World Finals will return to Misano for the first time since 2021 next year and will serve as the closing rounds for the European, North American and Asian seasons. The Italian venue was announced during a presentation at this year’s annual end-of-year event at Jerez. The 12th edition of the World Finals will take place on Nov. 8-9, with the regional races taking place first before the World Finals races are held on Saturday and Sunday.
Sportcar365 has more details.
Asia & Australia
Following a successful relaunch in 2024, the TCR Asia International Series has announced that they will be expanding in 2025, heading to the Inje Speedium Circuit in South Korea with events in September and October.
The two events will be part of the Hyundai N Festival that will include night races to be run under the floodlights.
More details can be found at the TCR Asia website.
In the lead up to the Macau Grand Prix, local racers are calling for a return of Formula Regional to Asia according to Macau Business.com. “I believe it makes sense to have a regional championship in Asia,” says former Macau Grand Prix winner Charles Leong. “Perhaps there are fewer drivers from the region nowadays, but Asia remains a market that should not be overlooked.”
You can read more here.
While it may not be Formula Regional Asia, Topspeed, the renowned junior Formula organizer in Asia and the Middle East, has announced the return of a “summer” F4 South East Asia Championship to be held over five events with 15 races from May to September. Sepang Circuit will feature as will two events in Thailand. The logistics of racing in Malaysia and Thailand will keep the required budget relatively low and will assist drivers to take their first step in car racing.
The Tatuus T421 Gen 2 powered by FIAT Abarth Turbo engine as used in the majority of F4 Championships Worldwide will allow drivers to race in the same car they may race in Europe or the Middle East.
Dates are May 4th Sepang, June 8th Sepang, July Thailand, August Thailand and September 7th Sepang. Eurasia Motorsport will be entering cars to ensure our history continues for producing successful drivers, ranging from F1 to GT to LMP to Touring car professionals plus amateur drivers who have gone on to race successfully in GT and LMP including the Le Mans 24h with the team.
Eurasia’s Sepang testing campaign will continue in Sepang and interested drivers may contact them at mark@eurasiamotorsport.com
Full details of the championship will follow shortly.
The Super Taikyu Mirai Organisation (STMO) has announced the provisional calendar for the 2025 Super Taikyu Series, which once again features seven rounds at the six major Japanese racing circuits. All dates are subject to change, and further information including race formats and participating classes will be announced at a later date by the STMO.
Daily Sportscar has more details.
Announced last week , International Sports Cars have now revealed that the one-make car of choice for the planned franchise-based Series will be the Ford V8-powered Nova NP02 with the cars set to be built to an ISC-specific configuration.
Created by the former management of Norma, Nova has made great strides in the entry-level international marketplace for sports prototypes since the launch of the NP02 in 2022. The NP02 dominates the Ultimate Cup and will be the Cole car in their Prototype Series in 2025 with LMP3 machinery now featuring n a new-for 2025 Sprint format Series.
Daily Sportscar has more details.
Preparations have begun for the 2025 Australian Formula 4 Championship, with significant changes to be implemented in the new year.
With a significant number of Formula 4 cars in private ownership across the country, both Generation 2 Tatuus and Generation 1 Mygale Formula 4 cars will be now permitted to compete together in the championship for the first time.
To assist the pathway for drivers coming out of karting, drivers aged 14 years of age are also now eligible to participate in the Generation 1 Mygale chassis in a separate Formula 4 Junior class.
Multiple team structures are also available, which vary on the needs of a driver. Drivers can elect to purchase a car outright and run it privately, or select a team run and prepare the owner’s vehicle. A team can also provide a car for a driver to lease and race in an ‘arrive-and-drive’ format.
Full information on the championship an be found at the Motorsport Australia website here.
North America
The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series has unveiled its 2025 schedule, spotlighting the top sportsman drag racers and many of the premier NHRA-sanctioned racing venues across the nation.
“We are looking forward to another fantastic season of racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of the tremendous support Lucas Oil and the Lucas family have provided for so many years,” says Cromwell. “They’ve played an instrumental role in the success of our sportsman series, which continues to thrive at NHRA Member Tracks across the country. The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series features incredible racing from some of the best drivers in the world and we’re excited about what the 2025 season has in store.”
All the details can be found at Dragzine here.
The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli has announced a new racing class for the 2025 season. Named TA Cup, the class will utilize high-performance spec tube-frame vehicles with silhouette bodies, which will be eligible for competition in the Western Championship, as well as in the National Championship under the Pick 6 Challenge. The machines are produced by Chris Evans Inc. (CEI), owned by two-time Western Championship title winner Chris Evans.
“In 2023, Trans Am formalized a partnership with Chris Evans, Inc. to produce a spec tube-frame car with a performance envelope that fell into the XGT class,” said TA technical director Aaron Coalwell. “For the last two years, the CEI cars have competed in that class, but based on the number of cars that CEI has already sold, Trans Am feels that there is significant potential for the number of these cars to grow substantially, and that it is time to separate out the CEI cars from the other XGT cars so that the TA Cup brand may be developed further.”
Check out RACER for all the details.
Officials of Lucas Oil announced the company is dissolving the Midwest Late Model Racing Ass’n to focus attention on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and continued investments in the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.
After owning and supporting the MLRA since 2012, Lucas Oil is making this change as part of its long-term vision and commitment to continue nurturing the growth of dirt racing at the grassroots level and to provide a sustainable and exciting future for racers, fans and the entire Midwest motorsports community.
SpeedSport has more details on the decision.
Track Days
Not in the mood for the cold weather in 2024? Experience an extraordinary winter at the ENDLESS SUMMER track days in Spain and Portugal on the best racetracks in Europe by Gedlich Racing.
Get the full details here.
The 2024 race event season might be over, but there are still plenty of MSVT Car Track Days available before the end of the year. They have a huge amount of dates for you to enjoy and at great off-season prices – including weekends!
Experience some of the most famous circuits in motorsport with dates available at all six UK MSV venues throughout November and December. These are run in an Open Pit Lane format, enabling you to go out on circuit as you choose.
Bring along an additional driver to share the car, passengers or maybe add a session or two with their ARDS qualified circuit coaches to make the most of your time!
Full details can be found here.
Racing & Testing Opportunities
AF2 Motorsport has announced an exciting initiative to offer one lucky driver the chance to compete in the 2025 Prototype Winter Series for a fraction of the regular budget.
The team will be running a raffle to determine its driver line-up for the 2025 Prototype Winter Series, with an entry price of just €5000. Open to all FIA Bronze-rated drivers, the deadline for entries is December 5th, with the ticket price required to be paid by December 10th. A minimum of 23 entries will be required by December 10th to proceed with the raffle.
More details can be found at the Winter Series website here.
Twoth Autosport has limited spots available for 2025. Give them a shout to build you a racing plan that suits your goals; whether it’s progressing from one platform to another, gaining experience in a variety of series or chasing a championship.
Full details can be found at the Twoth website.
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.
