Newly-signed Corvette GT3 customer TF Sport is getting its first taste of the Z06 GT3.R this week in the USA, the British team running one of Chevrolet’s test chassis at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
TF Sport owner Tom Ferrier and a group of six team members are currently stateside for two days of track time at a Ganassi-organised test, to get a feel for operating the Z06 GT3.R ahead of receiving a pair of WEC-bound chassis next year. The test is also being used to give TF Sport an opportunity to evaluate potential driving talent for next season.
“The cars are fairly late for us,” team owner Tom Ferrier told DSC before heading stateside. “We are looking at early January delivery.
“The CoTA test will be good for the crew and for potential customers that want to drive a Corvette in WEC. It’s not cheap to do, so they’ll want to try the car first.
“If we need more testing then we will head out again with one of their cars. But it depends on who signs as to how our test programme looks. We could take delivery in America and go and test out there in some place that’s warm.”
While TF Sport will benefit from engineering support and loanee factory drivers from Corvette in the FIA WEC next season, Ferrier made it clear to DSC that his team is responsible for all of the decision-making surrounding driver line-ups, its on-track operations and the finances behind the effort.
Following the initial delivery in January, TF Sport won’t have to wait long before it can expand its GT3 programme with the Z06, as it will receive a third car next summer. Where will it race? There are no firm plans in place just yet, though Ferrier has all but ruled out any IMSA appearances in 2024.
“We are the exclusive Corvette WEC team for two years but it doesn’t mean we can’t do Asian Le Mans for instance,” Ferrier explained when asked if it could run its WEC cars in any additional events next year. “The trouble is the freight, you don’t have a lot of options to do a lot else.
“But we are looking at a third car next summer so maybe we try and do something with that, like the Spa 24.
“Also do they (Corvette) want to run Pro cars, IGTC cars? I’d like to think we are in a good position to support that and help grow the customer side.”
Outside of its confirmed effort with Corvette next year, there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes at TF Sport to add additional programmes to its schedule in LMP2 and GT3 racing.
Elsewhere in the ACO sphere, TF still has a working relationship with Aston Martin and could continue competing with the Vantage AMR GT3 in other series going forward. A programme in an SRO paddock is also a possibility.
“Part of the thing with Corvette is they are building a small number of cars to start with,” Ferrier said. “They couldn’t give us four cars to start with, so that was part of a deal that was WEC exclusively. So if the opportunity arises and someone wants to do something with an Aston in ELMS or World Challenge we are free to do so.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but if we have the kit and are not in direct competition with Corvette then there’s no reason we can’t do it.”
Meanwhile, TF’s plans for its prototype racing effort in the short to medium term are significantly more ambitious. Currently, it runs the Racing Team Turkey entry in ELMS LMP2 Pro/Am and leads the championship after two class wins at Barcelona and Paul Ricard.
The team has recently acquired a second ORECA 07 chassis for use in the ELMS next year. It plans to double up its effort in the ACO’s European series, which is set to see a significant increase in LMP2 numbers in 2024.
Beyond that, TF Sport has eyes on a future move to the FIA WEC’s Hypercar class down the line. Clearly, its new relationship with GM could provide a pathway to competing in the FIA WEC’s top class with Cadillac, especially as the V-Series.R Hypercar programme now has a permanent base in Europe. DSC understands the Ganassi WEC team is housed in a workshop formerly used by DTM outfit HWA in Stuttgart, Germany, which has ample space available to prep additional cars.
“Definitely,” Ferrier said when asked if TF Sport’s LMP2 expansion is a step towards a top-class bid in the future.
“Part of the scaling up is to replace anything we lose Aston-wise. But clearly, LMDh and Hypercar are booming at the moment. If we do a good enough job in LMP2, why are we any different from WRT and PREMA who have got those Hypercar gigs by doing a great job?
“It’s something we are keen for in the future for sure. It’s another string to our bow. If we can win LMP2 in ELMS and WEC in Corvette, then you’re in a prime seat. Who knows? There’s nothing wrong with putting your team in the best possible situation to make the most of an opportunity if it does arrive.”
Though TF Sport’s relationship with Corvette is still in its early stages, it is clear that GM Motorsport boss Laura Wontrop Klauser and Corvette Z06 GT3.R programme manager Christie Bagne have great expectations for TF Sport, particularly at Le Mans where the Corvette brand has a long history of success.
“To take the baton is amazing,” Ferrier said. “They want us to build on that success, they even want us to take the air horn to Le Mans and carry on that tradition, that’s our responsibility now! They are really keen on fan interaction continuing too.
“It’s exciting because nobody knows where it could lead. Somewhere special we hope. Getting a Cadillac one day would be nice but it’s not in discussion quite yet…”
Keep an eye on DSC for an additional feature on TF Sport’s past, present and future in the coming days…
Image credits: SRO & Corvette.
