Rossi all but confirmed for 2024?
Nine-time Motorcycle World Champion Valentino Rossi appears to be all but confirmed for an FIA WEC LMGT3 drive with WRT next season.
Yesterday the Italian, who is here in Bahrain to test an ORECA, spoke to WEC TV during the race and confirmed that he is working on a programme.
“I raced with this team for two years and it’s a very good team,” Rossi said. “I am very happy. I came here to see the race because maybe next year I will race in the WEC, we will see.
“Tomorrow I will try the LMP2 car for the first time, as I asked Vincent (Vosse) to try the car, tomorrow would be a good option. I was very curious to drive the car.
“(To be in WEC next year) is the target, we will try.”
Interestingly he has been wearing overalls featuring BMW, WEC and Goodyear patches today, and completed 67 laps in one of WRT’s 2023 WEC ORECAs, which was sporting a new number: 46.
His best time was a 1:55.118 in the Afternoon Session putting him third in class. It was eight-tenths off Team WRT teammate Charles Weerts, who drove both WRT ORECAs and posted the second-fastest time in P2.
Vosse on WRT’s fairytale LMP2 ending
WRT boss Vincent Vosse, fresh from securing the LMP2 WEC title with a 1-2 finish in yesterday’s 8 Hours, told DSC he is hugely proud of his team’s achievements in LMP2, but feels there is almost no time to look back and reflect. Next year the team will return to the WEC, with BMWs in Hypercar and LMGT3.
“It was a great way to finish this journey in LMP2,” he told DSC. “We started with a win in the ELMS in Barcelona in 2021, and we finished with a win here in Bahrain. We have 10 wins from 19 races in WEC, and we can only be proud of what we achieved. But we can’t look back now, we have a lot of work in front of us.
“I must thank ORECA, the package of the car is incredible. We have taken part in many races in three years, done lots of testing, and it’s an impressive car they have built.”
Varrone & Simpson thrilled by V-Series.R performance
2023 FIA WEC GTE Am champion and Le Mans class winner Nico Varrone had the look of a Cheshire cat upon climbing out of the Cadillac V-Series.R today.
The Argentine was handed the opportunity to drive the GM Hypercar as a reward for helping Corvette Racing win the GTE Am championship this season, and described today as a ‘dream opportunity’.
“It was awesome. I was dreaming of this since I started in endurance racing,” Varrone told DSC. “You always aim for the top class, I wasn’t expecting to get to drive one of these so early in my career. It’s really fast, it’s another level. It’s so fast on the straights.
“In my laps, I tried to get my lines right, and get experience. It’s a very complex car, with so many systems to monitor and check each lap. I learned how to drive it with an engineer before this weekend. They guided me so well today, they saw things in the data that could help me. It’s tricky in some aspects, but that’s what testing is all about.”
IndyCar Series-bound teenager Kyffin Simpson also enjoyed his time in the V-Series.R today. The 19-year-old, still fresh from winning the 2023 ELMS LMP2 title, managed a best lap of 1:51.380.
“It was a lot of fun, honestly,” he said. “I thought it was a really cool car to drive and a new experience for me. This is a very high-tech car, which was a lot of learning. But it was a great experience, and I’m thankful to GM and Chip Ganassi Racing for giving me this opportunity.
“This drives a lot more like a GT car (compared to LMP2), and I found that really interesting. In the corners they struggle a little bit just because they are so heavy, and maybe they don’t have quite enough downforce for how heavy and big they are. But they have a lot of power so it gets up to speed quickly.
“But today went well. I think the team is quite happy with it. I think Nico and I were able to notice some things that the drivers who drive this all the time just kind of get accustomed to.
“Hopefully they can take that information and improve the car for next year.”
Shwartzman and Wadoux soak up 499P track time
Today’s running for Ferrari F1 reserve driver Robert Shwartzman and Richard Mille AF Corse GTE Am driver Lilou Wadoux attracted plenty of attention, not least because Shwartzman set the best time of the test, a 1:48.559.
Speaking with the media, Shwartzman explained that his preparation for the test was limited to just half a day in the sim due to his busy schedule.
Nevertheless, he made the most of the track time and enjoyed getting a feel for the 499P. The run today adds to his bank of knowledge from testing in Formula 1, Formula E, IndyCar and his season spent with Ferrari in World Challenge Europe.
“It was very nice, I really enjoyed it,” he said. “It’s my first time in a Hypercar and I am glad I’m with Ferrari. Now I have a full package of experience. I tried the old tyres, semi-old and new. With all of them, I felt strong, with a good feeling in the car. I am happy with the 30 laps, in this short stint I got along with the car, we are good friends now!
“They wanted to show me the different stages of grip in four runs. It gave me a taste and it felt good and managable from my side.
“I was thinking when I was driving on the new tyre run, it felt similar to F2. The Hypercar feels between Formula 1 and GT, it just doesn’t have as much downforce and it’s heavy.”
Will we see him with a full-time WEC drive in the future? While non-committal concerning his 2024 plans beyond his Ferrari F1 reserve role, a Hypercar drive is on his list.
“Yes (I could see myself racing in Hypercar),” he said. “I really hope after this test there will be an opportunity to race the hypercar and get a feel for endurance racing. For the moment (there is nothing scheduled) but I am always open to it.”
Wadoux meanwhile, made it two Hypercar appearances in two years in the Rookie Test, after getting track time with Toyota last year.
It was a positive test for the 22-year-old Frenchwoman, following her campaign in GTE Am with AF Corse this season, which included a victory in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps – the first win for a female driver in the FIA WEC.
“Today I fulfilled a dream, that of driving the 499P that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the most important endurance race in the world, at the end of my first year as a Prancing Horse driver,” said Wadoux.
“Last year, in Bahrain, I tried a Hypercar for the first time. However, this occasion was very special: I had fun putting myself to the test with this car. I savoured every single lap.”
Barnicoat on his Toyota run
IMSA GTD Pro champion Ben Barnicoat, (along with his Vasser Sullivan teammate Jack Hawksworth) was lucky enough to be handed an opportunity to test a Toyota GR010 HYBRID following his successes stateside with Lexus. It’s safe to say he savoured his time behind the wheel.
“It was an absolute privilege to be asked to test this car, and of course, I’ve got ambitions to race in the top class,” he told DSC. “Right now I am delighted to be continuing with my IMSA programme with Lexus in GTD Pro. But it is good to have the opportunity to see what this class is all about. I can’t thank Toyota Gazoo Racing and TRD enough for the invitation, I’d love to do it again.”
Sources within Toyota Gazoo Racing are understood to have been highly impressed by Barnicoat’s performance.
Is Boguslavskiy in the frame for a TF Sport seat?
Will 2023 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup champion Timur Boguslavskiy join the FIA WEC LMGT3 field in 2024? The 23-year-old was a late addition to Corvette Racing’s testing plans and sampled the C8.R during the day with FIA WEC Rookie Test nominee Antoine Doquin.
DSC understands the link to Corvette for Boguslavskiy comes via TF Sport. He was being evaluated today for a potential WEC drive with the team in 2024, when it will debut with Corvette’s new Z06.R GT3 platform.
“This was my first ever in a Corvette, and I like it quite a lot,” he said. “I have tested three cars in my life, and this is more like a prototype than any GT3 car I have tested – a proper racing car. I enjoyed how the team works and you can see immediately why they have so much success.
“With the car, I feel I was struggling with the brakes because I am normally driving with ABS. To go to a car without it, you have to change your style and you are going to be inconsistent. At the end of the day, I don’t think I did a bad job. This track is not easy. Overall this was a great feeling and I hope to continue to work together again with Corvette in the future.”
Proton receives PREMA ORECAs
Proton Competition had PREMA’s pair of ORECA’s delivered to it today. Team members immediately began removing the Italian team’s colours from the spare bodywork this morning, stripping it all back to bare carbon.
This is because it’s a quick turnaround for the German team’s new prototypes, which are being shipped directly from Bahrain to Sepang for the Asian Le Mans Series opener next month.
“It’s like Christmas came early for us!” Chuckled team boss Christian Ried in conversation with DSC.
Keating gets seat fit at United
2023 WEC GTE Am champion Ben Keating didn’t drive today, but was present in the paddock wearing overalls. This was because he had his seat fit at United Autosports ahead of his upcoming IMSA WeatherTech LMP2 campaign with the Anglo-American team.
“It was good to be able to get this done today, as it would have been hard to find the time before the Daytona test next month,” Keating told DSC.
“I’ll miss the first day of testing in Daytona as I accidentally double-booked myself for that day. However, I have plenty of laps around that circuit in an LMP2 car, so I’m sure I’ll be fine!”
Toyoda reflects on Toyota’s 2023 WEC season
Akio Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Gazoo Racing, released a statement this morning reflecting on the Japanese brand’s title-winning Hypercar campaign in 2023. With rumours circulating about Toyota’s future in motorsport, the final paragraph of the statement more than suggests it will be business as usual for the GR010 HYBRID programme in 2024 at least.
“The “battle of athletes” that the two TOYOTA GAZOO Racing cars fought until the end was the best. Thank you to the six drivers, and the mechanics and engineers of both cars for a wonderful race. Congratulations to Sebastien, Brendon and Ryo for their second consecutive driver’s title! Thank you also to Kamui, Jose, and Mike in car #7 who made it a one-two!
“Yesterday, both cars experienced challenges. I feel sorry that the drivers were not able to drive the final race comfortably. Car #7 had an accident at the start, but it quickly closed the gap and fought for victory with car #8 in a race that could have easily been won by either car. It was a race where all competitors pushed hard in difficult conditions.
“The main characters of motorsports are the people behind the wheel. That’s what makes it a sport, and I believe that everyone who takes part is an athlete and a fighter. This year’s WEC has seen an increase in rivals, making it the “battlefield” that fans have been waiting for. At the championship finale, today’s athletes showed how they are giving their all to get the result. As a fan, I was very excited to see this. We would also like to thank the organizers for creating an environment where athletes can compete.
“I think Kamui was thinking a lot about what he should do as team representative and what he should do as a driver in the lead-up to this final race.
“Kamui as team principal works hard to inspire the team, does his best to make them relaxed, and talks to the mechanics and engineers to find areas for improvement. Thank you very much. Watching today’s race, I felt that everyone on the team had become athletes fighting for victory, and they also trusted and respected each other. We had become the “family-like and professional team” that we always strived for. Team Principal Kamui, thank you for your hard work this year.
“On the other hand, the only thing I want from Kamui as a driver is: I want him to drive faster than anyone else. I want him to fight with all his might. This hasn’t changed. I feel the same way about the other drivers.
“This week’s Kamui is exactly the kind of driver I want to see: his frustration at not being able to take the pole in qualifying, his constant consultation with the engineers in preparation for the final race, and his hard driving to set the fastest lap in the final stint. I think it’s a disappointing result for him that car #7 couldn’t win the championship, but as driver Kamui, I think he did a great job.
“By showing each person playing two roles, Toyota Gazoo Racing has transformed into a “driver-first team”. We may continue to struggle with the gap between these two roles, but I hope that next season we will continue to put forward a driver-first approach, led by Kamui, and we can make the team stronger.”
