DECEMBER 16, 2020

(Richard Prince for Corvette Racing)
This is what the GM Racing Press Release said: After 25 years, Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan is stepping away from his position following the team’s 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. Fehan started with GM Racing in 1988 and worked on a number of the company’s motorsports programs including the Chevrolet Beretta Trans-Am, Chevrolet Intrepid GTP and Oldsmobile’s World Sports Car efforts. 

He was named program manager of Corvette Racing in 1996. Fehan and the Chevrolet Motorsports team worked for two-plus years on the development of the Corvette C5-R racecar, which served to market the hugely popular Corvette C5 production car. The C5-R made its debut in January 1999 at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and produced a podium finish in the GT2 class. Subsequently, Fehan worked with the team to develop and race three additional generations of racing Corvettes: the C6.R, C7.R and the mid-engine C8.R, which made its competition debut this year. Each racing car served as development platforms for technology transfer to Corvette production cars, culminating with the C8.R and the 2020 Corvette Stingray.

 

In 22 seasons, Corvette Racing has won 14 Team championships, and 13 Manufacturers and Drivers titles to go along with 113 race victories. It also is the only team to achieve 100 wins in IMSA. In 238 races, the two Corvette Racing teams have finished first and second a remarkable 63 times. 

“Doug’s contributions to Corvette Racing go far beyond the unparalleled successes on the race track,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance and Motorsports. “He developed strong relationships between Corvette Racing and the Corvette Engineering, Design, Powertrain and Marketing teams, and a variety of corporate sponsors, along with the various series and sanctioning bodies in which Corvette Racing competed. Doug’s passion and enthusiasm created an incredible connection with race fans around the world. Any fan who met Doug will never forget him."

 

Perhaps fittingly, Fehan’s last race as program manager was the 2020 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Advance Auto Parts at Sebring International Raceway. Corvette Racing has won 12 times at Sebring – more than at any other track.

Corvettes also have eight wins at Petit Le Mans and three wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona – including an overall win in 2001 and a 1-2 class finish in 2016. On the world stage, Corvette Racing has eight class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fehan was recognized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) with the esteemed “Spirit of Le Mans Award” in 2014 for his contributions to the iconic endurance race. Fehan also was inducted into the prestigious National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame earlier this year. 

Doug leaves with Corvette Racing in great shape: Chevrolet clinched the GTLM Manufacturers Championship at the start of the 12 Hours of Sebring. Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor, who teamed to win five races, clinched the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Drivers Championship the prior race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R also earned the GTLM Team Championship.

Editor-In-Chief's Note: This is what I say. Doug was forced out. After 25 years of molding and shaping Corvette Racing into the entity that it is today, he was summarily dismissed with little or no warning and without cause. I think the move was motivated by two things: 1. Jealousy. GM operatives couldn't stand the fact that Doug had more credibility and a genuine connection with Corvette enthusiasts than all of them put together. Doug also represented Corvette racing to IMSA, the FIA, the ACO, the Corvette Museum and the other race teams, and he had the utmost respect from all of them. Doug tirelessly lived and breathed Corvette Racing, and he woke up every day trying to make the program better. This will prove to be a huge error on GM's part. 2. Age-ism. They'd never say that but that had more than a little to do with it as well. This is a Bush League Bullshit decision. Doug is simply the best at what he does. Corvette Racing wouldn't be what it is today without the commitment, dedication and passion of Doug Fehan. His winning legacy and his concept of racing "the right way" will endure for many, many years to come. -PMD

(Honda)
Max Verstappen (No. 33 Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda) started from the pole and went on to lead every lap to win Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship finale. Verstappen streaked away from Valtteri Bottas (No. 77 Mercedes-AMG Petronas) and recorded a 15-second victory. The win was his second of the season and the 10th of his career, while marking Honda's third trip to the top step of the podium in 2020. Bottas finished second, and Lewis Hamilton (No. 44 Mercedes-AMG Petronas, still recovering from his bout with COVID-19, finished third. The finish gave Honda the 199th podium result in its Formula 1 history, and the 20th provided by Verstappen. The win was Honda's 78th and the first from pole since Verstappen's win in last year's Brazil GP.