JULY 19, 2023

(Photo of Christian Lundgaard by Chris Owens for Penske Entertainment)

Christian Lundgaard (No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Vivid Clear Rx Honda) won the Honda Indy Toronto on Sunday, mixing sizzling speed and successful strategy for his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory. Lundgaard, 21, from Denmark, drove to an 11.7893-second victory over championship leader Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Journie Rewards Honda). Colton Herta finished a season-best third in the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Gainbridge Honda. This was the first victory for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing since Takuma Sato won the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in August 2020. The team’s last win on a temporary street circuit like the 11-turn, 1.786-mile course around Toronto’s Exhibition Place came in June 2017 when Graham Rahal swept the doubleheader on Belle Isle in Detroit. Lundgaard became the first Danish driver to win an INDYCAR SERIES race. He also was handed an electric razor in Victory Lane to shave the moustache he grew during the offseason and vowed to keep until he earned his first victory. “I’m pretty drained from energy right now,” Lundgaard said. “The Hy-Vee Vivid Clear Rx car has been fast all weekend, and I said it before the race that we had a car that was fast enough to win. We pulled it off. This team, they do deserve this. If you look at where we were earlier this season and even last year at this point, we were nowhere near this. I’m just extremely happy for everybody right now.” Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to INDYCAR Media)

(Photo of Alex Palou by Travis Hinkle for Penske Entertainment)

2021 series champion Alex Palou, who started a season-low 15th, extended his streak of top-five finishes this season to nine consecutive races dating back to the PPG 375 in early April at Texas Motor Speedway. The Spaniard increased his championship lead to 117 points – a gap of more than two races – over Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon.

(Photo of Colton Herta by Chris Owens for Penske Entertainment)

Colton Herta finished a season-best third in the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Gainbridge Honda.

(BMW Group images)

Valentino Rossi’s new career as a BMW M works driver has hit a new high. The nine-time motorcycle world champion claimed his maiden GTWC victory at his home event in Misano, Italy, which formed part of round two of this season’s Sprint Cup within the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC). The win represents the biggest success of the Italian’s career in automobile racing so far. Racing alongside Maxime Martin in the No. 46 BMW M4 GT3, Rossi was unbeatable in Sunday’s one-hour race, which took place in scorching heat. As well as overall victory, BMW M Team WRT also celebrated a class win in the Gold Cup and further podium results. Rossi’s and Martin’s celebrations knew no bounds after Sunday’s race in Misano – nor did the adulation of the countless fans of the Italian motor racing legend, who made Rossi’s home outing in Misano a true spectacle. A few weeks ago, Rossi claimed his very first victory on four wheels at the ‘Road to Le Mans’. Finishing on the top step of the podium against the best GT racing drivers in the world in GTWC Europe, however, is a cut above that achievement. Martin laid the foundation for the duo’s success with third place in qualifying. But it was Rossi who produced a commanding performance and some impressive lap times to close out the victory in the second half of the race. “It couldn't be any better!" Rossie commented. "To celebrate my first victory in this racing series precisely here in Misano is something very special. I have also won at the 'Road to Le Mans', but to win at this level in my main racing series is something entirely different. I have been in the racing series for a year and a half now, and it was tough competing against such high-class competition. Now, I have reached the top. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the entire WRT team, Vincent Vosse, Maxime Martin, and BMW. The atmosphere is fantastic, and I am thoroughly enjoying this at the moment. This is how we want to continue.”

(Lamborghini images)

Lamborghini Squadra Corse has launched its first hybrid endurance racing prototype, the SC63, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The SC63, which will begin testing within weeks, is set to compete in the Hypercar class of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and in the GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship Endurance Cup, comprising classic races such as the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Lamborghini has partnered with Italian team Iron Lynx to run the car in international competition and has signed world-class drivers from the world of Formula 1 and endurance racing.

“The SC63 is the most advanced racing car ever produced by Lamborghini and it follows our roadmap ‘Direzione Cor Tauri’ laid out by the brand for the electrification of our product range,” says Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini Chairman and CEO. “The opportunity to compete in some of the biggest endurance races in the world with a hybrid prototype fits with our vision for the future of high-performance mobility, as demonstrated for road legal cars with the launch of the Revuelto. The SC63 LMDh is the step into the highest echelons and into the future of motorsports for our Squadra Corse.”

The SC63 features an all-new 3.8-liter twin turbo V8 engine that has been developed by Lamborghini engineers specifically for the racing program. The engine is a ‘cold V’ configuration, meaning that the turbos are mounted outside the vee angle of the engine which makes them easier to cool and to service. Furthermore, the ‘cold V’ solution lowers the mass and optimizes the car’s center of gravity. This solution, combined with a specifically developed aero balance and attitude, has been identified as the most effective to achieve the best tire grip, and perfect balance, drivability and consistent speed both over a single lap but also across long-distance races.

Power from the engine and the hybrid system, which is standard across the LMDh-category cars, is limited by regulation to 500kW (680 CV). The Power Unit is managed by a Bosch electronic control unit. The LMDh rule set specifies a standard gearbox, battery and motor generator unit (MGU), which helps to contain the development costs for the prototype.

Lamborghini has selected renowned experts Ligier as its partner to develop and build the monocoque. As the first manufacturer to select Ligier on an LMDh project, there was freedom for Lamborghini to specify its requirements, including the development of the push rod front suspension design, overall weight distribution and ease of service for critical parts of the car. The bellhousing, which fills the gap between the rear of the engine and the front of the gearbox, positively affects torsional stiffness, and has been designed to house the electric engine.

Another key aspect of development is the braking system, which must deliver the highest level of performance and reliability in all conditions. The bodywork has been designed by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile design department, in conjunction with the race design team. It features very clear brand styling cues throughout the car, including the iconic y-shaped lights at the front and rear.

The cars will be dressed in a familiar livery, in keeping with the branding seen on the Huracán GT3 challenger. The SC63s will run in Verde Mantis green, with a black Nero Noctis strip over the cabin, front hood, carbon diffuser, rear fin and wing. The cars will also feature green, white and red Italian Tricolore colours, and will carry the branding of longtime partner of Lamborghini, Swiss watch manufacturer Roger Dubuis.

Our dearly departed billboard at Road America. As most of you know, Peter coined the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" and gifted it to the track. -WG

The overall vision of Road America grew out of the dreams of Clif Tufte, a highway engineer, who chose 525 acres of Wisconsin farmland outside the Village of Elkhart Lake for the track. The natural topography of the glacial Kettle Moraine area was utilized for the track and for fan viewing areas, sweeping around rolling hills and plunging through ravines. Since opening in 1955, countless facility improvements have been made over the years, but the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course itself is virtually the same today as it was when it was first laid out. Now in 2023, an entirely new track surface stands ready for racers and enthusiasts alike. - Road America

Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG