Corvette Racing will enter a single Corvette C8.R at the 2021 FIA WEC season opener at Spa Francorchamps on 1 May ahead of the car’s Le Mans 24 Hours debut in August.
The Spa race initially looked set to be the team’s second WEC outing with the C8.R but the cancellation of the initially planned season opener at Portimao means the team now look set to contest only the Belgian race ahead of Le Mans with IMSA commitments making further outings unlikely.
Competing at Spa will provide the Corvette Racing team with a refresher on the rules and strategy methods that are unique to FIA WEC races. Pit stop operations and safety car procedures are among the biggest differences in IMSA and WEC competitions.
The #63 car for Spa will see a first time pairing of Oliver Gavin and Antonio Garcia, the race now the only currently planned race with Corvette for Gavin, who stepped down from full-season competition with the team at the end of the 2020 season. Gavin is Corvette Racing’s all-time leader in starts (202), wins (51), pole positions (25), Le Mans wins (five) and IMSA championships (five). This will mark his first start in a #63 Corvette Racing entry since Le Mans in 2002.
Oliver Gavin: “It’s exciting for me to get back and work again with everyone at Corvette Racing. And I get to drive with Antonio for the very first time as my Corvette Racing teammate!
“We’ve been teammates inside the team for so many years, travelling so much together and sharing houses at Sebring, Daytona and many other places. For us to be able to go and race together in Europe will be very special.
“The C8.R is in a great spot. The team has worked very hard on the car during the winter and looking at how fast the car was at Daytona and how the team performed, you have to say we are going to these races optimistic of having a fantastic result.”
Antonio Garcia: “When I learned Corvette Racing was adding WEC races, I was really keen to do it. First of all, to be in a works Corvette with Olly was a cool idea that we could finally do. It came together quickly and I’m thankful to be able to do it. Now we aren’t just sharing runs or rental cars; now we are sharing a race car.”
The Spa race will form a key part of the team’s preparations for their return to the Le Man 24 Hours after missing the race last year.
Corvette Racing will campaign two Chevrolet Corvette C8.Rs in the GTE Pro category at Le Mans. It will mark the team’s 21st appearance in the French endurance classic. Its string of 20 consecutive trips to Le Mans (which has included eight class wins) was interrupted last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For Le Mans in 2021, Rolex 24 winners Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg will look to add another 24-hour victory as they share the #63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.
In the sister #64 Corvette, the trio of Tommy Milner, Nick Tandy and Alexander Sims will seek their first 24-hour victory together after a runner-up finish at Daytona.
Eyeing Future at Le Mans and in North America
In a nod to the potential for future one-off GTE Pro entries beyond 2021, the statement today from Corvette Racing more than implies that they will retain an option to compete in the class – “In addition to its 2021 European races, Chevrolet and Corvette Racing look forward to continuing in future years at Le Mans and in select WEC rounds.”
That sits alongside the evaluation, currently underway, of expansion into GT3 with the Corvette platform.
“For 2022, Chevrolet and Corvette Racing continue to monitor developments in the new GTD Pro category of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. While work on technical and sporting regulations continues, Chevrolet and Corvette Racing leadership remain engaged with the sanctioning body.”
