Bourdais seethes after IMSA strips team of class victory at Rolex 24 at Daytona
The Tower entry driven by John Farano, Sebastien Bourdais, Sebastian Alvarez and Job van Uitert won its class at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday when the twice-round-the-clock endurance classic ended. The Rolex 24 was won overall for the second consecutive year by Porsche Penske Motorsport.
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Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
IndyCar 'committed' to Toronto for 2026, but race may land at new venue, time. What we know
When the checkered flag fell and Pato O'Ward, Zak Brown, Tony Kanaan and Co. celebrated in the Indy Toronto pit lane, IndyCar and Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which for years has served as the promoter for the series' annual trip north of the border, were yet again on the clock to strike a new deal with city officials for the renewal of a race weekend that in recent years has operated on a series of one-year contracts. As the paddock cleared that afternoon, several series sources noted that despite the uncertainty of the event's future contractually, combined with the novelty of the soccer stadium a stone's throw from pit lane hosting tens of thousands of rowdy soccer fans six times from June 12 to July 2, 2026 for the men's FIFA World Cup and Penske Entertainment putting a major refresh on IndyCar's calendar for next season, they felt a hunch the series would return. They just didn't know how or when. The viability of the race's future is no longer in question, with GSRP co-owners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree telling members of the paddock in recent weeks that plans for an IndyCar return in 2026 are a go. In a statement to IndyStar, a representative with GSRP said that 'IndyCar and Green Savoree Toronto are committed to the market.' But increasingly, the belief, according to multiple sources, is the race is likely to see a venue swap for 2026 from Exhibition Place, which has hosted 39 major American open-wheel races since its first in 1986. The most likely option to hold the race remains within Toronto's city limits, though. That spot? The now-defunct Downsview Airport, which decades ago served as an air base during World War II and which more recently was owned and operated by Bombardier Aerospace until it was sold in 2018 to a development company that a year ago closed the airport operations for the single-runway facility with plans to overhaul the facility and the surrounding area over the next 30 years into a self-sufficient residential community. Downsview is located nearly 10 miles north of Exhibition Place and can be accessed by a 20-to-30-minute trip on public transit from downtown Toronto's Union Station to Downsview Park Station connected by the "1 Line." It's existence within Toronto city limits would allow the city to continue to provide the funds and assistance necessary to put on the event in ways it has for nearly four decades — compared to running at another local out-of-use airstrip like Buttonville, which is 20 miles outside of downtown Toronto in Markham. Since the airport formally ceased operations a little more than a year ago, Northcrest Developments, the airport's new owner, has hosted community events on the airstrip, and the park area surrounding the airport has seen the creation of temporary concert venue, Rogers Stadium, which this summer has or will play host to Coldplay, Oasis, Chris Brown, Hozier and System of a Down from late June until mid September. The venue can host roughly 50,000 fans as Toronto's largest purpose-built music venue. The area around the airport has hosted massive events in the past, including the country's papal visits in 1984 and 2002, as well as a Rolling Stones benefit concert in 2003 — the Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto. The area also includes the training grounds for Toronto FC, the Major League Soccer team whose home matches are played at BMO Field in downtown Toronto. IndyCar uncertainty for Mexico City: Penske 'very confident' to land new race, but negotiations complicated Complications around continuing to host the annual IndyCar race in downtown Toronto — beyond the city's insistence to strike rolling one-year deals of late — comes with BMO Field hosting five group stage men's FIFA World Cup matches next year, as well as an elimination round match July 2, as North America plays host to the tournament. In recent years, the race has been held the third weekend in July, and the process of building the temporary street circuit takes more than 30 days to complete, meaning the construction process would need to begin somewhere around the 1.786-mile circuit just as the run of World Cup matches began next summer, if Exhibition Place were to host a race in a similar timeframe. Last month, IndyStar learned of Fox and Penske Entertainment's aims for Laguna Seca to run the third weekend in July as a way for the IndyCar race that Sunday to use the World Cup championship match on Fox's airwaves as a lead-in event that could significantly help boost its audience. In December 2022, Fox's broadcast of the Argentina-France men's FIFA World Cup final averaged an audience of nearly 18 million viewers for a Sunday morning broadcast. Next year's World Cup final is reportedly scheduled to air at 3 p.m. July 19 on Fox, which could allow for a 6 p.m. broadcast start time for a West Coast IndyCar race. Insider: Loss of Iowa, negotiations around Mexico City preparing to transform 2026 IndyCar schedule At that time, plans were also for IndyCar's prospective return to Mexico City to immediately follow Laguna Seca on July 26, with an off weekend likely to follow, meaning the earliest the next race on the calendar could be held would be Aug. 9. That weekend, or those that would immediately follow, would seem to prove problematic for Exhibition Place to host tens of thousands of race fans, followed by track workers taking the better part of three weeks to deconstruct the temporary venue. Each August, Exhibition Place plays host to the Canadian National Exhibition, an annual end-of-summer tradition akin to a massive U.S. state fair that annually is visited by more than 1.5 million people over 18 days starting the third Friday in August. CNE's annual spot on the calendar would seem to mean an IndyCar race anywhere in the greater Toronto area would need to be held by Aug. 16, so as not to run into direct conflict with the massive fair downtown. Holding the race any time once the World Cup kicks off would seem untenable, too, highlighting those early August weekends and a locale outside of downtown Toronto as a likely (albeit potentially temporary) landing spot for IndyCar's next trip north of the border.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Porsche Unveils New 911 Cup And GT3 R For Motorsport Duty
Porsche recently unveiled two cars that are a cornerstone of its racing efforts: The new 992.2-generation 911 Cup and revised GT3 R. The former is part of the brand's one-make series that runs in North America, Germany, and Asia, whereas the latter sees duty in global FIA GT3-class competition. In the USA, this most prominently takes the form of the IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship and SRO GT World Challenge America. Both race cars largely mimic their predecessors, yet, with some key changes to suspension and aerodynamics. Over 5,000 Cup Cars Built Since 1990 Built alongside road-going 911s at Porsche's Zuffenhausen, Germany facility, the current 992.1-generation 911 Cup has been in service since 2020 and totals 1,130 units. But now, with the 992.2 revision that debuted earlier this year, the new Cup will now be upgraded to reflect changes to its exterior. Additionally, some race-ready function is built into its bodywork. The front spoiler lip—acting as a key source of downforce—is now made up of three separate parts, which means easier and less-costly replacement after on-track contact. Similarly, the Cup loses the road-going version's daytime running lights, as, in the event of a collision, there's less threat to the Cup's radiator system. Plus, one less component to replace means less money spent by teams during repair. Additionally, a less-expensive carbon fiber fleece now comprises several rear body parts, which should be easier on teams' finances, too. The front fenders now feature louver vents and revised underbody aerodynamic engineering to improve overall precision on track, especially at high speed. Then, the rear spoiler has been revised for easier adjustment. In terms of power output, the naturally aspirated, 4.0-liter flat-six beneath every Cup car now produces 512 horsepower. Reigning it in is a revised braking package, with wider and larger brake discs up front with optimized ducting to improve cooling. Suffice to say, this will be the most capable, confident, and lively Cup car generation ever built since the series debuted 35 years ago. GT3 Brawler The current Porsche 911 GT3 R debuted in 2023 and has been no stranger to podiums around the globe. Last year, AO Racing's iconic Rexy GTD Pro entry claimed the season championship, and GT3 Rs claimed six wins in eight events in Germany's own Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS). Now, a new revised R is set to debut in grids for the 2026 season. While upgrades are minimal, they'll ensure competitiveness up against other GT3-class contenders from Aston Martin, Mercedes-AMG, BMW, and more, for years to come. They're largely focused on front-end aero and suspension by way of revised fender louvers and re-engineering kinematics in its double-wishbone suspension. These louvers 'help to counteract front-end compression during deceleration, thereby maintaining aerodynamic balance. This reduces the tendency of the car to tilt forward during braking, also known as pitch sensitivity. As a result, the new 911 GT3 R offers more precise and predictable braking behavior, improving overall control,' Porsche Motorsport states in its official press release. Improved durability and reliability has been the focus of the new GT3 R, too. The electrohydraulic power steering system features upgraded cooling, and new ceramic wheel bearings are fitted to improve overall robustness dealing with sustained duty on circuits around the globe. Several add-ons are now standard equipment, too, making it easier for teams to adhere to different series' rulebooks. Finally, the GT3 R's mighty 4.2-liter flat-six engine produces as much as 557 horsepower, though, adjusting this figure based on series' balance-of-performance rules will be easy to achieve. As the 992-generation has been out for some time, Porsche states that it will offer upgrade packages to bring pre-2026 911 GT3 Rs up to this current specification.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
The Porsche 911 GT3 R Racer Grows More Aggressive With an Updated Design, New Louvers
Two years ago, Porsche rolled out a new 911 GT3 R built to the 992-generation body style. That car won multiple championships in its first season, including the top GT3 class titles in both IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Never one to rest on its laurels, however, Porsche is now already introducing an updated car set to compete in GT3 categories next year. Porsche racing nomenclature can get a little bit confusing, so it is worth noting that the 911 GT3 R is the race car built for the GT3 class. This is in contrast to the 911 GT3 and 911 GT3 RS, two road cars, and the spec racers that compete in various Carrera Cup championships. Porsche also used to run a 911 GT3 RSR in the GT2 and later GTE classes, but the end of that category of racing has meant the end of that particular nine-character alphanumeric. GT3 racing generally runs off series-specific balance-of-performance updates that change throughout a season, so control, durability, and performance in a variety of conditions are more important goals than all-out, single-lap speed. With that in mind, Porsche says that the revised GT3 R was built for easier handling and driveability. That starts with new front fender louvers, which the brand says are designed to work with the double wishbone front suspension to counteract front-end compression during deceleration and keep the car's aerodynamic platform balanced. A new rear wing Gurney flap and modified rear axle kinematics are also part of the update, both increasing the range of available adjustments and improving the load distribution between axles. Other updates include additional cooling for the power steering system, new ceramic wheel bearings, and new cooling ducts specifically used for drive shafts. These iterations, along with new features like a data logger that records directly to a USB stick that can be swapped during pit stops, will help racing teams with specific problems they encounter during race weekends. Additionally, the brand is making some optional packages from the last model standard on all new 911 GT3 R purchases. Since GT3 cars run everything from all-amateur track days to 24-hour all-pro endurance races, the new 911 GT3 R has to handle a wide variety of problems that could be encountered in open-track running, during wheel-to-wheel racing, and even when completing hasty rebuilds after in-race crashes. This is the challenge of modern GT3 racing, and the latest Porsche racer is designed to meet all of those problems head-on. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
