Chevrolet Debuts New for 2024 Corvette Z06 GT3.R at Daytona
Wraps Taken Off New GT3 Challenger for Chevrolet, Set for 2024 Debut.
At the same place the Corvette Z06 GT3.R will make its on track debut at the beginning of the 2024 IMSA season, Chevrolet has unveiled its newest on track contender at Daytona International Speedway. Replacing the current Corvette C8.R, the Z06 GT3.R becomes the first Corvette racing model designed to meet FIA GT3 regulations.
The car will not centralize its efforts in the United States as the GM’s Competition Motorsports Engineering and Pratt Miller Engineering designed machine will contest the FIA World Endurance Championship at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Opportunities are also being evaluated for the car to participate in the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli as well as the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS. On the IMSA side of the racing world, fans can expect "at least" four Corvette Z06 GT3.R's contesting the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in both GT classes.
While Corvette Racing mainly focused on their factory team while racing around the world, the Z06 GT3.R will be a customer focused car. With a complete customer supported program as the priority for Corvette, an on-site parts truck is planned for in the initial stages of the program with a desire to expand to a global standard within two years.
The new GT3 racing machine, according to Corvette, will share 70 percent of its parts with the model, as well as being powered by a 5.5 litre flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine modelled after the Z06 road car. On track testing began in September of 2022, with the car running its initial laps at Sebring International Raceway.
Mark Stielow, director of GM Motorsports Engineering Competition, stated, “The Corvette Z06 GT3.R breaks new ground for Chevrolet and the Corvette Racing program. This customer-focused race car leverages learnings from throughout Corvette Racing’s lengthy and successful history, plus the expertise of our Corvette production design, engineering and power-train teams.
“Supporting our customers is an area where we are putting in a lot of time and effort," GM’s assistant sports car racing program manager Christie Bagne added. “With this being our first customer GT3 offering, we have had meetings with many prospective customers to learn from their previous experiences, find what is important to them from a support standpoint and come up with a program that meets their expectations.”
By the time race teams receive their new Corvette Z06 in the third quarter of 2023, the car will have almost a full season of on track testing.
All images courtesy of GM
