Current news from the endurance motorsport scene, short and compact: GPX Racing switches SRO racing series – Oreca relies on hydrogen
The GPX Racing team, known for its triumph at the 2019 Spa 24 Hours, is moving from the GT World Challenge Europe Europe Endurance Cup to the Intercontinental GT Challenge. The Dubai-based team will run the full season. Until now, Porsche relied on rotating teams in the IGTC, but now, for the first time, they have one entry team for the entire season.
The reason for the change is remarkable: “The GTWC is a very good championship. To win it is very difficult because there are very few races. One bad result in the season and it becomes very difficult to win the title. We experienced that first hand in 2021.” Hopefully Mena has considered that the IGTC has one less race than the GTWC Endurance Cup …
He adds, “In the IGTC it’s easier to tackle the races one by one. Also, there are some races with a big myth like Bathurst and Spa [though Spa also pays to the GTWC]. Going into the IGTC is the desire of our partners to get more exposure internationally.” The goal, he said, is the drivers’ title.
WEC: Hydrogen test bed from Oreca and Dakar engine (17 January)
Oreca inaugurates a hydrogen engine test bed at its Magny-Cours site. The control systems for two Borghi & Saveri test benches have been adapted for the analysis of H2 combustion processes. “They have a capacity of 800 hp (811 PS) and 1,000 Newton metres. The whole team is excited to develop the powertrains of the future,” says project manager Vincent Garreau.
At the same time, Oreca Magny-Cours announces that it is developing a hydrogen engine for the Dakar Rally. The desert rally has just presented a roadmap to go green by 2030.
24h N’ring: Subaru factory team returns (14 January)
After two coronavirus-related cancellations in the past two years, Subaru will return to the Nürburgring 24 Hours. The team will once again compete with a WRX STI in the SP3T class, which the factory team regularly wins on its starts.
Confirmed drivers are Kota Sasaki, Carlo van Dam, Tim Schrick and Marcel Lasee. Super GT drivers Takuto Iguchi and Hideki Yamauchi are not available due to a scheduling conflict with the Japanese championship. Best individual result is an 18th overall in 2019, in addition to the numerous class wins.
24h Series: WRT pulls out pole position (13 January)
Team WRT has taken pole position for the 2022 Dubai 24 Hours. Dries Vanthoor, Christopher Mies and Thomas Neubauer averaged a lap of 1:58.684 over the three sessions. The trio, who share the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo I with Mohammed Saud Fahad Al Saud and Axcil Jefferies, were 0.293 seconds faster than the next car. (Update 15 January: Here’s how the race went)
This was the Mercedes-AMG GT3 from the Haupt Racing Team. Raffaele Marciello, Manuel Metzger and Hubert Haupt put the car on the front row of the grid. The third driver in the group, Khaled Al Qubaisi, was watching. The Mercedes-AMG is considered one of the favourites for victory.
Another favourite, however, already had to pack his bags: The Porsche 911 GT3 R from Herberth Motorsport with drivers Robert and Alfred Renauer, Daniel Alleman and Ralf Bohn was withdrawn. Alleman had a serious accident during the private test drives on Wednesday, in which a TCR Cupra was also involved. In total, a sensational 81 cars qualified for the race.
Result Qualifying
Result Free Practice
Gelael to move to WRT (10 January)
There are signs of a spectacular change in the LMP2 category in the WEC: According to information from ‘Motorsport.com Global’, runner-up Sean Gelael will switch from Jota to WRT. He could be joined by his former team-mates Stoffel Vandoorne and Tom Blomqvist, but this has not yet been confirmed. Gelael is the financier of the engagement.
For WRT, Gelael’s silver rating comes in handy. Because Charles Milesi can no longer fulfil the necessary criterion due to his upgrade to the gold category. But the other previous ELMS drivers are also expected to leave. Apparently Robert Kubica is about to switch to Iron Lynx/Prema and could take Louis Deletraz with him straight away.
Both WRT and Jota have submitted two entries for the 2022 WEC season. The LMP2 category is bursting at the seams in the final year before the LMDh manufacturer glut, with numerous teams trying to make a case for a manufacturer commitment.
GT: 2 Seas Motorsport wins 12h Abu Dhabi (8 January)
Different track, different car, same drivers, same result: 2 Seas Motorsport successfully defended its title at the “Gulf 12 Hours”. Isa Al-Chalifa, Ben Barnicoat and Martin Kodric have now won in Abu Dhabi on Mercedes-AMG after their victory in Bahrain 2021 on McLaren. Like last year, the British-Bahraini team took an unchallenged start-finish victory.
Even two incidents could not stop 2 Seas in the two-part race over two six-hour periods. Shortly before half-time, a defective tyre had to be changed. Two hours before the end, the AMG came into the pits because of a suspected suspension problem. At half-time, the sister car was in second place, the Mercedes-AMG 46. However, he had to go into quarantine and thus missed the event.
Result 12h Abu Dhabi 2022
IMSA: Ganassi sends IndyCar aces to Daytona (Jan 8)
The factory Cadillac team Chip Ganassi Racing has announced its line-up for the 2022 24 Hours of Daytona. This will primarily feature the three IndyCar drivers, but Kevin Magnussen will also be there once again. The former Formula 1 driver was a regular driver in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2021, but will concentrate on his new commitment with Peugeot this year.
The other drivers read like a who’s who of the endurance scene. “They have all won on the world stage before and they all race at the same level. With today’s same performance standards [BoP], the drivers are the crucial point. And our line-up is eight of the absolute best,” said Ganassi managing director Mike Hull.
Cadillac DPi V.R 02: Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Kevin Magnussen, Markus Ericsson
IMSA: Habsburg to drive 24h Daytona with Tower Motorsport (January 7)
The Tower Motorsport team has submitted an entry for the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship in LMP2. The 8 Oreca will be driven by reigning ELMS champion Louis Deletraz and team owner John Farano. The third driver for the four endurance races is Rui Andrade, 2021 ELMS champion in LMP2 Pro-Am. The fourth driver for the 24 Hours of Daytona is Ferdinand Habsburg.
This will be the ex-DTM driver’s third appearance at the January classic in Florida after 2018 (Jackie Chan DC Racing/Jota; P5) and 2021 (High Class Racing; DNF). “Motorsport in America is quite something else. I’ve raced all over the world, but nothing comes close to the nighttime atmosphere at Daytona on race day. It draws you in magically and you just want to go there again and again,” says the 24-year-old. “My goal is clear: I scored the Le Mans win, so I’m going to give everything I’ve got to get that at Daytona as well. “
IMSA: KCMG with Porsche factory support to Daytona (6 January)
Porsche will not miss the opportunity to fight for the Daytona class win right away in the new GTD Pro class. KCMG is the team selected to take part in the 24 Hours of Daytona for the first time. The Hong Kong-based team will field a Porsche 911 GT3 R with drivers Laurens Vanthoor, Patrick Pilet and Dennis Olsen.
Team founder Paul Ip points to the team’s 2015 Le Mans class win in the LMP2 category and says: “After our win at Le Mans and our attempts at the Nürburgring and Spa, we are confident that a good result is possible. It’s great to have Porsche back on board. Our driver line-up is a fantastic combination of drivers who have all competed for KCMG in the past. “
