2024 Random Sportscar & GT Racing News

[erwin greven]

Isotta Fraschini to Partner With Duqueine for Debut Season

Isotta Fraschini confirms Duqueine Engineering as new operational partner for debut WEC campaign…
by Davey Euwema, November 27, 2023


Photo: Michele Scudiero / Drew Gibson Photography

Isotta Fraschini will partner with Duqueine Engineering for its debut season in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class next year.

The Italian manufacturer was granted an entry into the WEC on Monday, fielding a single car for 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-Am class winner Jean-Karl Vernay and European Le Mans Series LMP3 champion Alejandro Garcia.

The No. 11 Tipo 6 LMH Competizione will be operated by longtime European Le Mans Series competitor Duqueine, which finished fourth in the LMP2 standings this season.

The French organization, which competes in ELMS under the Duqueine Team banner, will manage sporting activities and manage track operations.

Technical management of the Tipo 6 LMH Competizione will remain in the hands of the Italian manufacturer under the supervision of head of motorsport Claudio Berro.

“Since the new Isotta Fraschini management group was appointed, the objective has been the FIA WEC 2024,” Berro said.

“After a year of intense work, assisted by Michelotto Engineering, the project achieved its goal. Now we will have to compete with the most important car manufacturers in the world, a commitment that will motivate us and our sporting partner Duqueine even more.”

The confirmation of Duqueine’s addition to the program comes not long after Vector Sport revealed that it would no longer be involved with the program.

The British squad had initially signed on to serve as the test and race team for the LMH effort, but released a statement on Monday saying that Isotta did not release the car or its data “despite repeated requests”, with its commercial director Adam Shore claiming a “blatant breach” of the contract.

Vector, for its part, has signaled intentions of continuing to compete in the ELMS LMP2 class next year as it looks to return to WEC in 2025.

Sportscar365 has reached out to Isotta Fraschini for comment regarding Vector Sport’s statement, but has not yet received a response.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/iso ... ec-effort/

[erwin greven]

Hypercar, LMGT3 Entries Confirmed in Bumper 2024 Entry

19 Hypercars joined by 18 LMGT3 entries as WEC unveils bumper entry for 2024 season…
by Davey Euwema, November 27, 2023

The FIA World Endurance Championship has released a provisional, 37-car entry list for the 2024 season headlined by 19 entries in the Hypercar class.

The figure of 37 cars is the maximum number of available berths for the season in line with comments previously made by WEC CEO Frederic Lequien, who indicated that limited garage space at the debuting Imola and returning Circuit of the Americas was the main factor in determining the number of entries.

Last season’s grid saw a full season entry of 38 cars, although that entry still featured the LMP2 class, which has been dropped for the 2024 campaign.

The Hypercar class has seen significant growth from the already record-breaking 13-car grid that it attracted for the 2023 season, thanks to the addition of BMW, Isotta Fraschini, Alpine and Lamborghini, as well as a second customer Porsche 963 for Hertz Team JOTA and the addition of a third AF Corse Ferrari 499P.

Floyd Vanwall Racing Team has dropped off the grid after a single season, while Glickenhaus Racing also does not return after shuttering its 007 Pipo LMH program after three years.

BMW M Team WRT has Dries Vanthoor and Sheldon van der Linde named as the first drivers aboard its pair of BMW M Hybrid V8s, while Mirko Bortolotti is set to race the No. 63 Lamborghini SC63 after a full season of WEC LMP2 competition.

Bortolotti will partner with the previously confirmed Daniil Kvyat aboard the Ligier-chassised prototype.

Isotta has confirmed two out of three drivers aboard its No. 11 Tipo 6 LMH Competizione, with test and development driver Jean-Karl Vernay joined by European Le Mans Series LMP3 champion Alejandro Garcia.

The Italian manufacturer will enter its debut season in the championship without Vector Sport, which announced on Monday morning that it is no longer involved with the program.

Porsche Penske Motorsport has made a notable change to its driver lineup aboard the No. 5 Porsche 963, with Dane Cameron not returning and replaced by Australian driver Matt Campbell.

Campbell will team up with Michael Christensen and Fred Makowiecki, while Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor all return to the No. 6 machine.

JOTA, meanwhile, has confirmed Will Stevens and LMP2 graduate Oliver Rasmussen aboard its pair of customer Porsche LMDh cars, with Harry Tincknell continuing with the No. 99 Proton Competition entry.

Reigning champions Toyota Gazoo Racing return with a pair of GR010 Hybrids, featuring the newly confirmed Nyck de Vries aboard the No. 7 car in an otherwise unchanged lineup.

Ferrari has listed Antonio Fuoco and Alessandro Pier Guidi as the first two drivers aboard its pair of factory 499Ps, while the No. 83 car is set to be driven by the newly signed Robert Kubica.

Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn are set to continue aboard the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R and will be joined by a yet-to-be-confirmed third driver after Richard Westbrook’s previously announced exit from Chip Ganassi Racing.

Nine Manufacturers Confirmed for LMGT3

The 18-car LMGT3 grid has seen nine manufacturers receive entry slots, with McLaren, Lamborghini and Lexus set to join the championship for the first time.

They will be joined by Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche. Audi and Mercedes-AMG, which had both expressed interest in joining the class, have not been granted an entry.

McLaren’s pair of 720S GT3 Evos will be run by decorated LMP2 squad United Autosports, with European Le Mans Series winner Marino Sato and former single seater racer Gregoire Saucy as the first two confirmed drivers.

As previously reported by Sportscar365, Iron Lynx will combine its Lamborghini Hypercar entry with running a pair of Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2s, with Claudio Schiavoni confirmed aboard the No. 60 car while Michelle Gatting is set to drive the No. 85 Iron Dames machine.

Akkodis ASP Team fields a pair of Lexus RC F GT3s with Jose Maria Lopez and Kelvin van der Linde confirmed previously as the two pro drivers.

MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi will make his WEC debut as the first confirmed driver aboard the No. 46 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3.

The Italian’s Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup co-driver Augusto Farfus is named aboard the No. 31 sister car.

Proton Competition fields two of the new-for-2024 Ford Mustang GT3s for Ben Barker and European Le Mans Series GTE champion Ryan Hardwick.

Newly named Corvette Racing factory drivers Charlie Eastwood and Daniel Juncadella will pilot the pair of TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs.

Aston Martin’s pair of entry slots have been given to The Heart of Racing and D’station Racing, with each team set to pilot a single updated Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

Heart of Racing team principal Ian James will feature as the Bronze-rated driver aboard the No. 27 Heart of Racing entry, while Aston Martin factory driver Marco Sorensen has been confirmed aboard D’station’s No. 777 car.

GTWC Europe Bronze Cup champion Alex Malykhin will also make his WEC debut as part of a tie-up between Manthey Racing and Pure Rxcing, with Malykhin joined aboard the No. 92 Porsche 911 GT3 R by Joel Sturm and Klaus Bachler. Richard Lietz, meanwhile, will pilot the No. 91 Manthey EMA Porsche.

AF Corse has confirmed the full lineups for its pair of Ferrari 296 GT3s, with Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci set to continue their longstanding partnership aboard the No. 54 car alongside Davide Rigon while Francois Heriau, Simon Mann and Alessio Rovera team up board the No. 55 sister machine.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/hyp ... son-entry/

[DoubleFart]

Anybody got anything more on Max texting a GT3 at Portimao next week?

[Everso Biggyballies]

Anybody got anything more on Max texting a GT3 at Portimao next week?

Nothing beyond Max saying it was happening, although not sure about next week. I understood it was later in the break.... Nando in the same press conference said he also is testing a GT3 at Aragon, and Nando suggested they try and organise a further GT3 test together. Nando joked he would be able to beat Max in GT3.

Doesnt Max own his own GT3 cars anyway? Im fairly sure I read of something to do with that.

[DoubleFart]

He sponsors a team AFAIK, not sure of the details.

[MonteCristo]

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/motorsp ... f3729&ei=2

"Hard decision" for WEC to turn down Vanwall's 2024 entry

Lequein, CEO of the series, stressed that he has "a lot of admiration and respect for the team”, which was missing from the 19-car Hypercar class field when the 2024 WEC entry list was published on Monday.

But he refused to go into detail why the entry for a solo Vanwall Vandervell 680 Le Mans Hypercar had been rejected by the selection committee made up of representatives of the co-organisers of the WEC, the FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

“I would prefer to have everyone on the grid, but we have a limited number of cars [37] we can accept, so we had to take some decisions,” said Lequein.

“I think we took some logical and right decisions even if they were not easy

“I will not give too many comments on these decisions: we have to take our decision on different criteria, which are clearly written in the sporting regulations and for Vanwall Racing some of them were not okay.”
The four criteria for entries are laid down in the WEC sporting regulations: they are the track record of the entrant, its interest for the championship, regular participation in either the series or its blue riband round, the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the financial situation of the team with the organisers.

A competitor in the Hypercar class must also “submit a presentation dossier including information on the brand”, because the top class of the WEC is reserved for manufacturers of road cars.

Asked specifically about whether Vanwall met this criteria, Lequein refused to comment.

What a load of...

[rsroy]

Anybody got anything more on Max texting a GT3 at Portimao next week?

Nothing beyond Max saying it was happening, although not sure about next week. I understood it was later in the break.... Nando in the same press conference said he also is testing a GT3 at Aragon, and Nando suggested they try and organise a further GT3 test together. Nando joked he would be able to beat Max in GT3.

Doesnt Max own his own GT3 cars anyway? Im fairly sure I read of something to do with that.

Max often plays around with GT3 cars. Mostly Porsches as far as I know. Jos often joins him as well.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Hypercar, LMGT3 Entries Confirmed in Bumper 2024 Entry

19 Hypercars joined by 18 LMGT3 entries as WEC unveils bumper entry for 2024 season…

A video intro and summary of all teams involved. (for those that prefer to listen to the info and look at pictures of the cars)

[Everso Biggyballies]

Toyota have revealed their 2024 livery.... they have gone for the stealth look, Matt black with limited red and white. Red now just a number background and white to accentate the G for Gazoo and also the roof.

At least it is not just another black white and red me too livery.
I much prefer the more minimal red and white..(even if it is still red white and black. )

From their Twitter / X page.

#WRC #WRCjp #WEC #WECjp
#GRヤリス #GRYaris #GR010HYBRID
Translated from Japanese by Google
Announcement of new vehicle coloring for the 2024 WRC/WEC season

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has announced a new livery for its vehicles that will compete in the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

The new matte black coloring worn by the GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID and GR010 HYBRID competing in the world championship evokes the image of "speed", which represents an aversion to losing, and also connects competition vehicles to the creation of even better cars with motorsports as their starting point. It is a "prototype" and represents what will evolve from here.

The new livery is scheduled to be used not only in WRC and WEC, but also in future competitions in which TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will participate.

[DoubleFart]

The only way I like Toyota livery is Castrol WRC or Panasonic F1.

[erwin greven]

[MonteCristo]

I would have been behind a Button/Ilott car.

Wasn't a fan of his back in F1 (the Williams contract stuff was BS), but he's a funny chap in commentary.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Found some wing pics of the car whilst testing albeit not very clear ones at this stage.....


Taken from this short 'spy video' https://www.tiktok.com/@san2su2sou/vide ... 6905122081

[MonteCristo]

Batmobile.

[erwin greven]

Ford Performance And Dinamic Confirm Mustang GT3 Programme Canned

15 February 2024, 3:03 PM



Both Dinamic GT and Ford Performance have confirmed that their planned partnership for the 2024 GT World Chjallenge Europ has been terminated forthwith.

An Instagram post today from the Dinamic team, which was previously a Porsche GT3 customer ahead of its planned Ford switch, stated:

“Today, we have to share news we never wished to deliver. In recent times, your warmth and closeness on this page have been incredible. Unfortunately, for reasons we prefer not to delve into, our relationship with Ford has abruptly ended.

“The Dinamic GT team has worked tirelessly over the past few months on this collaboration, and we never stopped believing in this project. We announce that we will not be racing with Ford this season.

“But Dinamic GT doesn’t stop here; we will take a couple of days to reflect, but we can assure you that we will come back stronger than before. Because opportunities arise from crises, and giving up is not in our nature…

“We will return… and we will do so soon.”

When approached by DSC, a senior Ford Performance spokesman provided the following statement:

“We can confirm that Ford Performance is no longer partnering with Dinamic GT for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Series. We have no further comment at this time.”

Dinamic GT had been due to field a pair of new Ford Mustang GT3s in a full season of GT World Challenge Europe.

One of them was a Pro car for Chris Mies, Fred Vervisch and for the Endurance Cup rounds, Dennis Olsen, the other a Bronze Cup effort for Philipp Sager and Ben Barker, with Christopher Zöchling joining for the Enduros.

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/02/ ... anned.html