At General Motors we are working tirelessly on the double commitment that will see two great innovations for its brands in the world of covered wheel racing.
On the one hand there is the Cadillac, which has chosen the LMDh as a type of prototype to compete in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and in the FIA World Endurance Championship, while on the other the Chevrolet is struggling with the newborn Corvette C8 Z06 GT3.R which will debut in 2024.
Obviously, the primary commitment lies with the V-LMDh since Daytona is around the corner, because even if we are talking about January, the weeks pass quickly and with only 3 months to refine every little thing before reaching homologation.
For this reason, the Chip Ganassi Racing and Action Express Racing teams are busy with their heads down in view of the debut in the GTP Class in the American series, with the first of the two teams that will then bring one of its two specimens to the WEC.
Cadillac V-LMDh
Photo by: Cadillac Communications
“The more cars there are, the more complicated things become, also because we have to admit that the spare parts are a little less than what we would like to have. Our goal is to be on track with three cars, I foresee that we will be able to achieve it. and then we’ll see, ”said Laura Wontrop Klauser, GM’s program manager for sports cars, at a panel discussion that Motorsport.com also took part in.
“When we made this decision we were confident it was the right move for us; I don’t think anything has changed, so I don’t think it will impact one program or the other.”
“Every time we turn on these cars and drive them, we learn something. It would be nice to go and test some tracks in Europe as soon as possible, but even when we ride in the US we can improve. All of this is good.”
“I am happy that we will have three cars at Daytona because it will force us to be ready for January. Then we will see what schedule of tests we will draw up, even if I believe that we will only be able to go to Europe after Sebring.”
Cadillac V-LMDh
Photo by: Cadillac Communications
Another fundamental aspect that Klauser wanted to firmly emphasize is the importance of the constant and harmonious work of CGR and AXR.
“Both teams represent Cadillac Racing and that won’t change in the future. It’s all very different from the DPi period, which was more of a traditional customer program, where there were various teams with different levels of sponsorship, both through us and through other entities they worked with. “
“Compared to moving to LMDh, especially in the first two years, given the complexity of this car and the time needed to prepare it for racing, we need both teams to be in tune with us and with each other. And we are discovering that this relationship is a huge plus for the program, so we would like to carry it forward. “
2024 Corvette Z06 GT3R
Photo by: Chevrolet
The situation is different for the Corvette C8 Z06 GT3.R which we will see in action officially in 2024 in the United States, and then broaden its horizons.
“At the beginning of 2023 there will be testing and development, then we will embark on the homologation process. Now there is a lot of focus on verifying that the car is okay, using all the information that comes from the current or past program and that can contribute. to create a good and solid foundation for a racing car “.
“This is one aspect that we are focusing a lot on, while the other is creating a customer service program. This will be a car for them, so we will start slowly in 2024, so that we can build it and then grow.”
“We want everyone who takes delivery of the car and runs to have the full support of Corvette Racing. We have to make sure they do well, because they will show that the brand is serious about this car.”
2024 Corvette Z06 GT3R
Photo by: Chevrolet
When it comes to GT3, there are countless national and international series that have embraced this concept, but obviously the first goal after the USA is to participate in the GT World Challenge.
“Our first target will be the United States. It is our home market and that is where most of our production car sales are concentrated, as well as being our homeland, so it is much easier to find support when you are. in the same country “.
“We keep an eye on everything else, we know that the large volume of GT3 is in Europe and that the Asian market is also growing. So, even if at first we may be mainly present in the United States, there is a plan of growth to reach Europe and finally also Asia “.
“In terms of numbers, we are still working towards that. The regulation says we have to build 20 cars in the first two years, so the first easy thing is to say we will do 10 per year. But realistically, in addition to meeting the requirement, we also want to place the cars with the right teams in the right places. We’ll see how it turns out. “
“It is not certain that in 2024 we will have 35 cars racing all over the world. Probably the journey will be a little slower. Maybe 10-12 cars in total. And not all of them will start the season immediately. A couple of cars will go into the race. Europe if we find the right series and the right team. We are still talking about the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025 “.
“The details have not yet been finalized and we are still working on it. We have to find the right teams to work with to know if they will be PRO or AM, and things like that. But the intent is to have more teams competing in Daytona. We are evaluating what makes sense for the car and what makes the most sense for the brand. “
2024 Corvette Z06 GT3R
Photo by: Chevrolet
“As GM, we are always very competitive in all motorsports, so we are always a little bit sorry if we don’t win the championship. We are still trying to be, to be successful and to do what we can. But if we let ourselves go. shoulders all the lessons we have gathered and we are able to apply them to what we will do in the future, I would say it is a great success “.
“It is always nice to bring home a trophy, also understanding that everything the team has worked on should make them very proud of what they have achieved.”
“If you look at the GT3 we are building, it builds on a lot of what we have done here with the GTE. Of course it is not a unique car. We had to make some changes to fit all GT3 regulations and the price range in which you must find there “.
“But in terms of shape, design and suspension layout, it’s very similar to what we have today. So all we have learned from 2020 on has been fed into this GT3.”
“It is not normal to have the opportunity to take the same generation of vehicles and re-propose it, as we did, by moving from the GTE to the GT3. The GT3 car promises to be one of the best racing Corvettes we have ever produced.”
2024 Corvette Z06 GT3R
Photo by: Chevrolet
Finally, Klauser made a point on the 2022 season which saw the Corvette engaged throughout the year in the FIA WEC as well as in IMSA.
“We have a global presence with the car, which is fantastic, just as the C8 is going into production and available all over the world. It was great to start building a fan base for Corvettes outside of our traditional markets. That said, we want to keep them very active and strong because it is important to us. Developing relationships in the WEC paddock has been a success. “
“The regret is clearly on Le Mans. That was our race … We were ready to celebrate in GTE PRO, then there was the accident that thwarted everything. In Monza we recovered and it was super exciting. Japan didn’t go very well, but we entered another market, so I’m happy. “
“I know our IMSA fans are still disappointed to see only one car at WEC races. I wish it wasn’t, but the GTE car was designed for that championship and to see one racing there and another in IMSA allowed us to learn things for the GT3. It was a good balance. “
“How many cars will we have in Daytona? At the moment the plans are not defined, but an announcement will arrive shortly.”
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