Sunday
Jan152023
JANUARY 18, 2023
Sunday, January 15, 2023 at 08:58AM 
(Cadillac images)
Cadillac has revealed the liveries for the three all-new electrified V-LMDh race cars that will make their competition debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in a few weeks. Cadillac Racing will be competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the No. 01 Cadillac Racing and No. 31 Whelen Engineering V-LMDh cars and in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the No. 2 Cadillac Racing V-LMDh. Each car wears one of the primary colors of the V-Series logo, including No. 01 in gold, No. 2 in blue and red on the No. 31. The V-LMDh is powered by Cadillac’s all-new LMC55R 5.5L DOHC V-8 that’s paired with the LMDh common hybrid system. Developed in-house, the naturally aspirated racing engine is rated up to 670HP, per series specifications, and is backed by a seven-speed sequential gearbox. Co-developed by Cadillac Racing, Cadillac Design and Dallara, the final Cadillac V-LMDh design was informed by the Project GTP Hypercar that debuted last summer. It incorporates distinctive Cadillac design elements such as vertical lighting and floating blades. “Cadillac is ready to compete against the very best in North America and internationally — including one of the world’s toughest races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Global Vice President of Cadillac Rory Harvey. “As Cadillac builds toward an all-electric future, the all-new V-LMDh furthers our dedication to exploring new advanced performance technologies.” Watch the video here.
Cadillac has revealed the liveries for the three all-new electrified V-LMDh race cars that will make their competition debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in a few weeks. Cadillac Racing will be competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the No. 01 Cadillac Racing and No. 31 Whelen Engineering V-LMDh cars and in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the No. 2 Cadillac Racing V-LMDh. Each car wears one of the primary colors of the V-Series logo, including No. 01 in gold, No. 2 in blue and red on the No. 31. The V-LMDh is powered by Cadillac’s all-new LMC55R 5.5L DOHC V-8 that’s paired with the LMDh common hybrid system. Developed in-house, the naturally aspirated racing engine is rated up to 670HP, per series specifications, and is backed by a seven-speed sequential gearbox. Co-developed by Cadillac Racing, Cadillac Design and Dallara, the final Cadillac V-LMDh design was informed by the Project GTP Hypercar that debuted last summer. It incorporates distinctive Cadillac design elements such as vertical lighting and floating blades. “Cadillac is ready to compete against the very best in North America and internationally — including one of the world’s toughest races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Global Vice President of Cadillac Rory Harvey. “As Cadillac builds toward an all-electric future, the all-new V-LMDh furthers our dedication to exploring new advanced performance technologies.” Watch the video here.
"From an aesthetic point of view, the LMDh regulations allowed us to create a vision for the car that is clearly Cadillac," said Chris Mikalauskas, lead exterior creative designer, Cadillac. "And that's really exciting for fans and for people who are true enthusiasts, every car is unique.” Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook will co-drive the No. 2 Cadillac V-LMDh in FIA WEC competition, including the centenary Le Mans 24 Hours, and the Rolex 24 At Daytona, where the car will compete as No. 02. The No. 2 is in homage to the first Cadillac entry at Le Mans in 1950, Briggs Cunningham’s “Le Monstre.”
Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande will drive the No. 01 Cadillac V-LMDh in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. They will be joined by six-time IndyCar champion and four-time Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Scott Dixon for the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims will drive the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-LMDh in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Throughout the season they will be joined by Jack Aitken.
(Porsche images)
Porsche returns to the top league of endurance motorsports in 2023 with its new 963 GTP car, officially entered by Porsche Penske Motorsport. For team patron Roger Penske, the goal is clear: he wants to fulfill his longtime dream of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Porsche Penske Motorsport team facility has its own street – at 200 Penske Way - in Mooresville, North Carolina. The two factory Porsche 963s are being prepared for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). They’re in good company with the Penske team, as they share their home with dozens of NASCAR and IndyCar race cars. In 2004, Roger Penske began relocating all of his racing entities to the 104-acre Mooresville campus. In case you forgot, Penske owns the INDYCAR Series, as well as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's no secret that motorsport is the 85-year-old’s biggest passion, and yet just a small part of his empire. The Penske Corporation generates more than $37 billion in sales annually at 3,200 locations and employs 67,000 people. The transport segment alone consists of more than 400,000 trucks on four continents. Appropriately, the only partner community of Mooresville, with its population of 50,000, is the German motorsport city of Hockenheim, where Penske’s German facility is close to the Formula 1 course. Mannheim is home to one of the world’s 20 Penske Porsche Centers and, more recently, the second LMDh factory team, for which Roger Penske invested in a complex structure and created state-of-the-art furnishings. Porsche covers the costs for all of the mobile equipment and the crew. Forty-five experts are preparing two Porsche 963s here for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). And there are just as many employees on the Porsche Penske Motorsport team for the IMSA campaigns in Mooresville. Let the racing begin.
Porsche returns to the top league of endurance motorsports in 2023 with its new 963 GTP car, officially entered by Porsche Penske Motorsport. For team patron Roger Penske, the goal is clear: he wants to fulfill his longtime dream of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Porsche Penske Motorsport team facility has its own street – at 200 Penske Way - in Mooresville, North Carolina. The two factory Porsche 963s are being prepared for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). They’re in good company with the Penske team, as they share their home with dozens of NASCAR and IndyCar race cars. In 2004, Roger Penske began relocating all of his racing entities to the 104-acre Mooresville campus. In case you forgot, Penske owns the INDYCAR Series, as well as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's no secret that motorsport is the 85-year-old’s biggest passion, and yet just a small part of his empire. The Penske Corporation generates more than $37 billion in sales annually at 3,200 locations and employs 67,000 people. The transport segment alone consists of more than 400,000 trucks on four continents. Appropriately, the only partner community of Mooresville, with its population of 50,000, is the German motorsport city of Hockenheim, where Penske’s German facility is close to the Formula 1 course. Mannheim is home to one of the world’s 20 Penske Porsche Centers and, more recently, the second LMDh factory team, for which Roger Penske invested in a complex structure and created state-of-the-art furnishings. Porsche covers the costs for all of the mobile equipment and the crew. Forty-five experts are preparing two Porsche 963s here for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). And there are just as many employees on the Porsche Penske Motorsport team for the IMSA campaigns in Mooresville. Let the racing begin.
(GM)
Andretti Global and General Motors have announced their intent to pursue the opportunity to compete in the FIA Formula One World Championship. GM would be represented by the Cadillac brand. The Andretti Cadillac team would be based in the U.S. with a support facility in the U.K. This reunites two iconic American companies with deep motorsports pedigrees and provides the opportunity to build on previous racing accomplishments while expanding international reach for both brands. F1 has seen consistent growth globally and most recently in the U.S. with 2023 races in Austin, Miami and Las Vegas. The Andretti Cadillac team is planning to submit an Expression of Interest when the FIA opens the formal process. If selected, the team is seeking to compete as soon as practical with at least one American driver. Andretti and GM last paired for the return of Chevrolet to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2012, together capturing nine wins across two seasons. The pairing additionally claimed the Driver, Team and Manufacturer titles in 2012. “We are continuing to grow Andretti Global and its family of racing teams and always have our eyes on what’s next," commented Michael Andretti, Chairman and CEO, Andretti Global. "I feel very strongly that we are suited to be a new team for Formula One and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans. I’m proud to have GM and Cadillac alongside us as we pursue this goal. GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing. We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid. Together, we will continue to follow procedures and steps put forth by the FIA during the evaluation process. In the meantime, we continue to optimistically prepare should we be fortunate enough to have Andretti Cadillac formally approved as a Formula One contender.” Mark Reuss, President, General Motors, had this to say: “General Motors is honored to team with Andretti Global on this historic moment in racing. We have a long, rich history in motorsports and engineering innovation, and we are thrilled with the prospect of pairing with Andretti Global to form an American F1 team that will help spur even more global interest in the series and the sport. Cadillac and F1 both have growing global appeal. Our brand has a motorsports pedigree that’s more than a century in the making, and we would be proud to have the opportunity to bring our distinct American innovation and design to F1.” Editor-in-Chief Note: This all sounds promising, but there are so many dominoes that have to fall in place just right that it will have to qualify as a giant "We'll See" at this juncture. The FIA sounds very supportive, but F1 is another entity altogether. F1's sense of entitlement is almost beyond comprehension, and its disinterest in letting anyone else into its little club runs deep. I sincerely hope it all works out. It's about time. -PMD
(IMSA)
IMSA officials have announced that the entry list for the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona will include – appropriately enough – 61 cars. With the addition of the No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG to the entry list in the GT Daytona (GTD) class, that class car count has been brought to 25. The car is also expected to compete in the full IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season, which features 57 entries for the four-race season in 2023. “Having 61 cars for the 61st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona seems only natural,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “After we previously announced a 60-car capacity for the field last month – and knowing that we received more than 70 entries – our IMSA team regrouped and eventually determined that we could accommodate one more entry to match our field size from last year. This is shaping up to be a Rolex 24 and a 2023 IMSA season for the ages.” With 25 entries from nine different manufacturers, the GTD field will be the largest of the five classes competing in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The race also features the much-heralded debut of the new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) hybrid-powered prototype class, which will feature nine entries from four manufacturers. And the factory supported GTD PRO class will include eight entries from seven manufacturers, with 10 cars slated to compete in the LMP2 class and nine cars competing in the LMP3 class. The full entry list of teams and cars is available HERE. An entry list that includes driver names is expected to be released next week. The 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona will begin shortly after 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 28 with live NBC network television coverage carrying the start as well as the conclusion of the race beginning at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 29. Additional portions of the race will be televised live on USA network, with full, flag-to-flag streaming available in the U.S. on Peacock.
Andretti Global and General Motors have announced their intent to pursue the opportunity to compete in the FIA Formula One World Championship. GM would be represented by the Cadillac brand. The Andretti Cadillac team would be based in the U.S. with a support facility in the U.K. This reunites two iconic American companies with deep motorsports pedigrees and provides the opportunity to build on previous racing accomplishments while expanding international reach for both brands. F1 has seen consistent growth globally and most recently in the U.S. with 2023 races in Austin, Miami and Las Vegas. The Andretti Cadillac team is planning to submit an Expression of Interest when the FIA opens the formal process. If selected, the team is seeking to compete as soon as practical with at least one American driver. Andretti and GM last paired for the return of Chevrolet to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2012, together capturing nine wins across two seasons. The pairing additionally claimed the Driver, Team and Manufacturer titles in 2012. “We are continuing to grow Andretti Global and its family of racing teams and always have our eyes on what’s next," commented Michael Andretti, Chairman and CEO, Andretti Global. "I feel very strongly that we are suited to be a new team for Formula One and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans. I’m proud to have GM and Cadillac alongside us as we pursue this goal. GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing. We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid. Together, we will continue to follow procedures and steps put forth by the FIA during the evaluation process. In the meantime, we continue to optimistically prepare should we be fortunate enough to have Andretti Cadillac formally approved as a Formula One contender.” Mark Reuss, President, General Motors, had this to say: “General Motors is honored to team with Andretti Global on this historic moment in racing. We have a long, rich history in motorsports and engineering innovation, and we are thrilled with the prospect of pairing with Andretti Global to form an American F1 team that will help spur even more global interest in the series and the sport. Cadillac and F1 both have growing global appeal. Our brand has a motorsports pedigree that’s more than a century in the making, and we would be proud to have the opportunity to bring our distinct American innovation and design to F1.” Editor-in-Chief Note: This all sounds promising, but there are so many dominoes that have to fall in place just right that it will have to qualify as a giant "We'll See" at this juncture. The FIA sounds very supportive, but F1 is another entity altogether. F1's sense of entitlement is almost beyond comprehension, and its disinterest in letting anyone else into its little club runs deep. I sincerely hope it all works out. It's about time. -PMD
(IMSA)IMSA officials have announced that the entry list for the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona will include – appropriately enough – 61 cars. With the addition of the No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG to the entry list in the GT Daytona (GTD) class, that class car count has been brought to 25. The car is also expected to compete in the full IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season, which features 57 entries for the four-race season in 2023. “Having 61 cars for the 61st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona seems only natural,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “After we previously announced a 60-car capacity for the field last month – and knowing that we received more than 70 entries – our IMSA team regrouped and eventually determined that we could accommodate one more entry to match our field size from last year. This is shaping up to be a Rolex 24 and a 2023 IMSA season for the ages.” With 25 entries from nine different manufacturers, the GTD field will be the largest of the five classes competing in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The race also features the much-heralded debut of the new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) hybrid-powered prototype class, which will feature nine entries from four manufacturers. And the factory supported GTD PRO class will include eight entries from seven manufacturers, with 10 cars slated to compete in the LMP2 class and nine cars competing in the LMP3 class. The full entry list of teams and cars is available HERE. An entry list that includes driver names is expected to be released next week. The 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona will begin shortly after 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 28 with live NBC network television coverage carrying the start as well as the conclusion of the race beginning at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 29. Additional portions of the race will be televised live on USA network, with full, flag-to-flag streaming available in the U.S. on Peacock.
(IMSA)
NBC Sports will present more than 80 hours of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship action in 2023 across NBC, Peacock and USA Network, including live comprehensive coverage of the historic 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona that opens the season Jan. 28-29 at Daytona International Speedway. NBC Sports’ 2023 WeatherTech Championship schedule is highlighted by 12 hours of NBC broadcast network coverage, matching last year’s total, which was the most since NBC Sports acquired the rights in 2018.
Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG
