Corvette Racing has expanded their factory driver roster after bringing on Daniel Juncadella, Earl Bamber, Charlie Eastwood and Nico Varrone, who will compete in IMSA and/or the WEC in the new Z06 GT3.R.

The quadrant of drivers will join the existing selection, featuring Antonio Garcia, Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg and Alexander Sims, who will contest the full 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.

Furthermore, the four additional drivers join the group to compete in IMSA or the FIA World Endurance Championship, or both.

Juncadella and Bamber will take part as Endurance Cup drivers within the two-car IMSA GTD Pro effort from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports.

The former Mercedes-AMG driver will join Garcia and Sims, whilst Bamber will join Milner and Catsburg.

Furthermore, Juncadella and Eastwood will join TF Sport for the British team’s LMGT3 programme with Corvette in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

“As we move into GT3 and customer racing, it is important that we add to our roster of drivers that are available to teams,” said Christie Bagne, Corvette Z06 GT3.R program manager.

“We are excited about the wealth of experience in our Corvette factory lineup. Both GM and our teams will benefit from the learnings from each driver.”

Juncadella, joining Corvette for the IMSA endurance races, said: “I’ve been a witness to what it means to be a Corvette driver in the U.S. That’s means a really big fanbase. That’s pretty exciting, to be honest.

“At every autograph session in IMSA that I’ve been sitting next to the Corvette tent, there is a queue of 100 people waiting to get an autograph from their drivers, and we were just sitting around! That’s very exciting, I have to say, to see the legacy that Corvette Racing has created in the U.S. and to see the amount of awareness about the brand is very exciting. It makes me proud and it feels quite unique to be a Corvette factory driver.”

Bamber, meanwhile, told media: “It’s really exciting to be joining Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports for the long races. I’ve been a part of some big rivalries for many years in IMSA racing. But this organization has won so many races and championships… it’s really impressive.

“When I did my first test at Road America, you could see why they’ve been so successful. I’ve driven the Z06 GT3.R and I think the package is really good. These guys have built fantastic GTLM cars over the years, and I don’t see why the Corvette GT3 should be any different. It’s a well-balanced car already just in its infancy, so I think they will be a formidable force not just in IMSA but also as this program seeks out to go all around the world. I think it will be one of the benchmark cars into the future.”

Nico Varrone said: “First of all, it’s a big honor to be a factory driver for Corvette. It’s also nice to be back in IMSA next season with everyone at AWA.

“These are people that I know from this year and doing the endurance races in LMP3. It was a good year. We won Daytona and had great performances throughout the season. It will be a big challenge with the new car, not only for our team but everyone in the entire Corvette program. But this is also a completely new class for AWA. It will be a challenge but we will be prepared to make the most of it and get some wins with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and have a great season.”

And finally, Eastwood: “This certainly ranks up there for me, joining such a brand like Corvette and an organization like GM. It’s what so many drivers wish for their whole career. It seems to be an amazing place to be, and you can see that because so many drivers stay for so long. I’m really looking forward to that opportunity to learn from the best in the business and push on together to achieve great things for many years to come.”

Daniel Juncadella and Charlie Eastwood have been signed by TF Sport for the team’s 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign, their first as a Corvette Racing customer for the new Z06 GT3.R.

The team, which has raced in WEC since the 2018-2019 season, has historically been partnered with Aston Martin. However, with the new LMGT3 regulations mandating two cars per manufacturer and Aston having chosen to go down a different route with The Heart of Racing and D’Station, TF Sport needed a new partner.

That ;partner became Corvette, who in January unveiled the Z06 GT3.R as a replacement for the Corvette C8.R, which raced in the now-defunct GTE class in WEC competition. The Z06 GT3.R will be the first GT3 from the factory and will also be the first Corvette Racing car to be globally available.

Eastwood has raced with TF Sport for a few years, winning the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTE Am class for the team and the 2022 LMP2 pro/am champion in the European Le Mans Series.

“I am delighted to join TF Sport’s WEC campaign in the brand new Corvette Z06 GT3.R,” said the Irishman.

“It is an absolute honour to be an official Corvette driver and even more to race with the team I have been with since my first endurance race. 

“As always the WEC will be super competitive, but I know we have all the tools to aim for the championship. Qatar can’t come soon enough.”

Juncadella, meanwhile, is a newcomer to both the WEC and TF Sport, having previously raced with Mercedes-AMG in a variety of championships.

Both drivers have joined the Corvette Racing factory driver roster, with Juncadella leaving the employ of Mercedes-AMG as a result.

“I am enormously excited for this new chapter in my career,” said the Spaniard.

“Joining TF Sport for the 2024 WEC season is a dream come true. It will be my first time competing in WEC and in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and I can’t wait to meet everyone in the team and get to work. The new Corvette Z06 GT3.R looks like a proper weapon, I look forward to get my hands on it!”

Finally, Tom Ferrier, TF Sport director, said: “It is an exciting new chapter for TF Sport with Corvette and we are very happy to welcome Daniel and Charlie to the team as our Pro drivers.”

Although he is new to us, Daniel needs no introduction: his results in GT3 speak for themselves. Charlie has been an integral part of TF Sport’s success and we are very happy to be able to continue this journey with him in our new challenge. 

“Both drivers bring speed and experience and know how to win and we couldn’t be happier with the choice of driver that GM has supplied us with”.

Nicklas Nielsen will continue as a Ferrari factory driver into the 2024 World Endurance Championship campaign, where the 499P Le Mans Hypercar will take on its second season.

The 26-year-old driver from Denmark will continue his seat at the Ferrari AF Corse Hypercar team into next year.

His affiliation with Ferrari and AF Corse stretches back since 2018, when he made the switch from single-seater competition into sports car racing.

After securing the Ferrari Challenge Europe 2018 title amongst other Ferrari commitments, Luzich Racing offered him a seat in the European Le Mans Series’ GTE class, as he later took the championship title with current Hypercar teammate Alessandro Pier Guidi – who drives the other #51 Ferrari 499P.

Since then, his relationship with Ferrari machinery and the AF Corse outfit was maintained, granting him two WEC GTE Am titles, an LMP2 Pro-Am title, and back-to-back GTE Am wins at Le Mans, before taking on the French classic in an Oreca 07 LMP2 car, and the 499P Hypercar earlier this year.

This year, he has been part of the #50 effort at the Ferrari Hypercar team, finishing third in the drivers’ standings with teammates Antonio Fuoco and Miguel Molina.

Nielsen said: “I’m very happy to have renewed my contract with Ferrari.

“I think we’ve had great seasons together, especially this year with the Hypercar, and I’m looking forward moving forward on this journey by continuing the development of the 499P ahead of the 2024 season.”

Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti, added: “Nicklas is a fast, young driver who grew up in the Ferrari family where, following victory in the one-make series, he has racked up at least one international title every season until 2022, before finishing third this year in the FIA WEC Drivers’ standings.

“We’re proud to renew his contract”.

As a factory driver, Nielsen resumes his position to be within easy reach for Ferrari’s other main endurance competitions, should they need to utilise his talent.

Now-four World Endurance Champion Brendon Hartley reflected on a sensational season after the #8 Toyota’s dominant run to victory in Bahrain, crowning them as champions.

Brendon Hartley, along with his #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid teammates Sebastien Buemi – who also became a four-time champion – and Ryo Hirakawa, they took a back-to-back 2023 Hypercar Drivers’ Championship after winning the 8 Hours of Bahrain.

Hartley qualified the #8 on pole ahead of Team Principal Kamui Kobayashi, with a lap time of 1:46.564, almost five-tenths ahead of the #7.

Drama at the beginning saw the #7 driven by Mike Conway turned around by Earl Bamber in the #2 Cadillac V Series.R, which gave the upper hand to the #8’s title chances.

“It has been an amazing year,” said Hartley.

“I am really proud to be part of the #8 crew and this Toyota GAZOO Racing team. Thanks to everyone for a fantastic season.

“We have had some fierce battles with car #7 and the other Hypercar competitors all year and today was no different.

“There were times when we were not the fastest car on the track so we were really pushing.

“Seb [Buemi] had the most stressful part of the race today, getting through the first corner cleanly but he and Ryo [Hirakawa] did a great job.

“Becoming a four-time World Champion is probably going to take a while to sink in, but it sounds really nice.”

At Le Mans, the two Toyotas were differed dramatically in the championship points tally, as the #8 crew finished second and collected 36 points whereas the #7 retired after being involved in an incident.

Despite Conway’s start, he asserted promising race pace to quickly climb back up the order and into Hypercar-podium contention past the two Ferraris.

The #8 were unchallenged throughout the Bahrain finale, having finished almost a minute ahead of the second-placed #7 crew.

In spite of that, the Toyota encountered sensor and powertrain issues with their Hypercars which was masked by their dominant race performance.

The New Zealander took the seat Fernando Alonso vacated for the 2019-20 season, and drew on existing expertise and success from winning Le Mans and two world championships during his Porsche WEC seat from 2014-17.

Since then, he has taken his second consecutive title with Toyota as the Portimao round was the only other race they won, although continued Toyota’s renowned and regular podium appearances.

Peugeot Sport has admitted facing difficulties with tyre management and race pace at the 8 Hours of Bahrain season finale, after they finished eighth and ninth.

The Bahrain season finale featured no safety car disruption throughout the eight-hour duration, in which the race began in daylight and finished in the night.

After qualifying on the fifth and sixth rows of the grid, Peugeot were not able to showcase one-lap qualifying strength over their rivals, thus they started and finished the race towards the back of the Hypercar field.

“This 8-hour race did not have any impactful events,” said Olivier Jansonnie, Peugeot’s technical director.

“No safety car, only two full course yellow, so not a lot of action on track which is a little bit disappointing.

“The results are then all linked to the race performances of the cars.

“We fought at different levels, unfortunately not at the front but that’s what we were expecting.

“On the other hand, we did not make any mistakes which is positive, and the team showed great efficiency during the pitstops.”

The #93 qualified ahead of the #94, and ahead of the #4 Vanwall team.

First corner dramas took place moments after lights out, however both Peugeot 9X8s were not involved in any of the Turn 1 incidents.

Nevertheless, they were not able to fight against the Porsche Penske entrants who were their main rivals.

The #93 faced the main dramas that Peugeot encountered, with Jean Eric Vergne penalised with a drive-through penalty for speeding under the first full course yellow, and the unintentional contact from Luis Perez Companc’s #83 Richard Mille Ferrari 488 GTE into Paul Di Resta’s #93 at T12.

Despite their smooth reliability narrative, Peugeot were unable to competitively overhaul the tyre management and race pace of their surrounding rivals.

Mikkel Jensen, driver of the Peugeot #93, commented: “It was a tough weekend and a tough race. It was all about tyre management and we did not really have the performance.

“I think we still learnt a lot; we found and tried some things during the race, which is positive. My last stint was better than the first as I managed it better.”

Loic Duval, from the #94, added: “In general, I had a good first double stint. During my first stint, the tyre degradation was a bit too important, but this is because I spent a lot of time behind the Cadillac.

“My second stint was quite good, consistent. We made progress compared to the free practices which means that we went in the right direction.

“My last stint was a bit frustrating as I was caught in the leading wagon, and I lost a bit of performance.”

Ultimately at the Sakhir International Circuit, tyre management is a key factor with the sand granules and heavy braking zones characterising the venue.

During an eight-hour race, Peugeot did not face reliability woes which were seen previously, but they were not able to follow up their maiden podium at Monza.

A maiden World Endurance Championship win for the Iron Dames in Bahrain validates the project’s efforts, according to founder Deborah Mayer.

At the 8 Hours of Bahrain, the all-female #85 Iron Dames crew won their first WEC race in the final outing for the GTE category.

They became the first all-female crew in the WEC to secure pole position at Monza last year, and Sarah Bovy claimed a further five in seven races of 2023.

Bovy, along with Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting, all took victory as one year ago, the team – with protégé Doriane Pin in place of Gatting – won their first European Le Mans Series race at the Portimao finale.

“What an incredible day for the Iron Dames,” said Mayer

“It’s hard to put into words so much joy and emotion.

“This first victory in the FIA World Endurance Championship is a very special moment to me because it gives full vindication to the project itself and to the passion, the dedication, the hard work of all the people within the team, both trackside and behind the scenes.

“I’d like to pay tribute to each and every one of them.

“This historic moment is theirs as well. It’s a world championship victory, but it’s also a family victory.

“The Iron Dames project was founded (in 2018) with the belief that women could excel in a male-perceived world as motorsport, and we are incredibly proud of what Sarah, Rahel, and Michelle have achieved.

“Since their debuts as Iron Dames, they have demonstrated remarkable determination, team spirit and never giving-up attitude that this victory rewards.

“They are proving that dreams have no barriers if you give yourself the means to make them come true.

“May this day inspire other women around the world to never give up on what they believe in.”

Bovy qualified their #85 Porsche 911 RSR on pole with a lap time of 1:58.692, over two-tenths ahead of second-placed Liam Talbot for the #777 D’Station Racing Aston Martin Vantage.

At the race start, Bovy kept out of harm’s way from Turn 1 drama from the other two classes, but it was Claudio Schiavoni who was most opportunistic.

The #60 Iron Lynx Porsche had climbed from the back row of the grid and up to the race lead during the opening laps, ahead of the #85.

Bovy’s opening double stint saw the team compete for third place, with no race disruption or dramas to interrupt the Dames’ race progression.

Their chances at the win were enabled when the #98 Northwest AMR Aston Martin were awarded a drive-through penalty after hitting the rear of the #9 Prema Racing Oreca 07 into Turn 1.

At this point, the #60 still held the lead, but the Dames were suddenly able to push for the lead.

Before the end of the sixth hour, the #60 retired as Schiavoni was unwell, and so handed the lead to the #85.

In the final hour, Michelle Gatting was under pressure to maintain her lead, after the #777 of Casper Stevenson began turning a strong level of race pace, which subtly but surely closed the gap down to the pink Porsche.

In spite of the gap becoming as short as two seconds, Gatting kept her lead en route to the final ever GTE win, and the first for the Iron Dames in the WEC.

After a thrilling season of the FIA World Endurance Championship, check out some of the photographs taken at the 2023 WEC Awards Ceremony after the 8 Hours of Bahrain season finale and the Rookie Test.

All images courtesy of FocusPackMedia

Ferrari AF Corse has returned “great satisfaction” from the success from their first World Endurance Championship Hypercar season, as best of the rest after the championship-winning Toyota team.

The Italian marque finished second in the Hypercar Manufacturers’ standings, also taking third and fourth in the Drivers’ behind the two Toyotas.

After a 50-year absence, they returned to the top level of sportscar competition at the Centenary Le Mans 24 Hours, having triumphed over Toyota for victory.

The #50 Ferrari 499P finished in third place at the 8 Hours of Bahrain season finale, after fighting with the #38 JOTA Porsche 963 for the coveted podium spot for the majority of the race, amidst dueling momentarily with the sibling #50 Ferrari.

Eventually, the #51 Ferrari took sixth after being unable to match the pace of their sibling Le Mans Hypercar in addition to endeavours regarding tyre management.

Antonello Coletta, Global Head Endurance and Corse Clienti, said: “I am very proud and happy with the results we’ve achieved, with the prestigious win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the six podiums, the two pole positions and the fastest lap again in France.

“This project took its first steps a year and a half ago, and yet has given us great satisfaction that has repaid the team’s enormous efforts and sacrifices.”

Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars, added: “It was a genuine pleasure to conclude this season with a podium in Bahrain, and we’re proud of what we’ve done.

“Throughout the year, we’ve continued to develop our 499P and finish every race with no particular problems, finishing on the podium every time except at Fuji.

“We won the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the first attempt, in the season of our return to the top class after fifty years.

“This result shows the value of the path we have taken.

“Now, we are already looking to the future to prepare for the 2024 season as well as possible.”

Toyota took the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles, Ferrari being a vice-champion in the latter, and the #50 crew who finished ahead of the #51 in the standings.

The Hypercar project is expected to continue into the 2024 WEC season, where they will be joined by the likes of Alpine, BMW and Lamborghini amongst other competitors in the premier sportscar category.

This week’s edition begins in Bahrain, with the curtain coming down on the FIA World Endurance Championship with both Hypercar and LMP2 titles still up for grabs. The 8 Hours of Bahrain also set the stage for GTE Am’s closing act. Sportscar Editor Phil Oakley and Reporters Mo Rehman and Dan Lawrence brings your report…

From the Middle East to South America, Formula 1’s latest triple header concluded in Sao Paulo, Brazil. While Max Verstappen reigned supreme, the Mercedes team endured a torrid showing. Taylor Powling, Graham Harris and Phillip Horton report while James Moy snapped the images.

This week’s Start Your Engines column sees Dan Lawrence showing that the Golden Age of Sportscar racing ushered in during the 2023 season is just the start of something that will see the FIA’s WEC go from strength to strength. Meanwhile, George Dagless looks at the possibility of Mick Schumacher venturing into WEC after testing with Alpine recently.

Elsewhere, Taylor Powling discusses how Sergio Perez’s race-ending Mexico City GP clash demonstrated a disregard for his precarious F1 situation with Red Bull and finally, Nick Golding reviews Formula E’s recent pre-season Valencia test by ranking the teams based on their performance.

You can read our magazine below, or for a better reading experience, click here for a full screen version.

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Ferrari F1 reserve driver Robert Schwartzman set the fastest lap time of 1.48.559 in the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 499P by the end of the WEC Bahrain Rookie Test.

The 2023 WEC Rookie Test consisted of two sessions: a morning and afternoon session, each 3 hours long, at the Sakhir International Circuit of 5.412 km.

Ferrari F1 reserve driver Robert Schwartzman set the fastest time of the day in the latter session.

He turned his first laps in the Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar, along with the WEC’s first female race-winner from this year’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Lilou Wadoux.

The pair of drivers shared the #51 with Le Mans winner Alessandro Pier Guidi, who was part of the sixth-placed finish at the 8 Hours of Bahrain season finale.

Other notable motorsport names drove their first laps, such as DTM champion Thomas Preining in the #5 Porsche Penske 963 and multiple MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi in the #46 Team WRT, the number of which was changed from #31 to the famed #46 associated with Rossi.

GTE Am champion Nicolas Varrone along with Kyffin Simpson got their first taste of the Hypercar in Cadillac’s #2 V Series.R.

There were nine Hypercars, five Oreca 07 LMP2s, and four GTE Am cars participating in the Rookie Test.

Schwartzman and Wadoux each completed 30 laps in total, as Varrone did 44, and Preining accomplished 82.

The second fastest lap time of the day was set by Will Stevens in the #38 JOTA Porsche LMDh, at a 1:48.625.

The Briton only completed five laps from the morning session, as Norman Nato took on most of the mileage at 35 laps in his first time in a Hypercar.

Nato set the third fastest lap of the day, a 1:49.130, and Alex Lynn put a 1:49.444 in the #2 to reside fourth.

The fifth fastest driver was Wadoux, as she drove her personal best of 1:49.488 from the afternoon session.

Clement Novalak was quickest over the LMP2s after a 1:54.283 out of his 57 laps in total, having driven the #34 Inter Europol Competition which became LMP2 vice-champions on the previous day.

Charles Weerts in the #46 WRT set the third and fourth fastest times (in the #41) in the class, as Valentino Rossi ended up racking 57 laps and was the fifth fastest LMP2 driver with a 1:55.118 time.

Lorenzo Patrese was the fastest driver in GTE Am, topping the class in the #83 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari 488, with a 1:58.261 as his quickest out of 75 laps driven.