Corvette Racing is Hunting for Another WEC Title with the Z06 GT3.R

With the 2024 Le Mans grid finalized, let’s dive into Corvette Racing’s latest – and possibly greatest GT3 car yet, the Z06 GT3.R!

Since 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has represented one of the most grueling on-road tests of the mettle of both car and driver. A tradition it proudly continues this year, with the 92nd running of the endurance race. Corvette Racing established itself in 1999, though its history runs much farther back. Right to the first generation of Corvette, in fact, when it debuted at the 1960 24 Hours. These days, Corvette Racing established itself as one of the winningest GT teams of all time, thanks to a string of incredible and dead-reliable machinery. The C8.R, being the latest in the lineup, proved itself by convincingly winning three of last year’s seven races on the WEC calendar. With an extra two 2nd-place finishes, the 2023 season proved Corvette Racing’s most successful with the C8 platform.

The FIA finalized this year’s grid, with the opening WEC race set at Qatar on March 2. And what we’re looking at certainly seems incredibly promising. In fact, this marks the most loaded grid since 1999, with a staggering 62 cars and seven with reservations. LMGT3 itself has a total of 23 entries on its own, fielding nine different cars. And Corvette looks to be among the strongest of them all, entering its brand-new GT3 car in the familiar yellow livery. A car that Corvette Racing christened the Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

Anatomy of the  Z06 GT3.R

A change of ruleset necessitated Corvette Racing to go back and redesign the C8.R that dominated the previous season. GM debuted this latest iteration at last year’s 24 Hours of Daytona, testing the GT3-compliant car throughout the IMSA season before delivering to customers in Q3 2023. This new car, officially fielded by Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, replaces the C8.R across both North American and international competition. However, most of the changes revolve around bodywork and regulation compliance. The same engine that powered the C8.R since 2020 still lives underneath the decklid, the 5.5L LT6.R paired to an Xtrac P529 six-speed sequential. According to Chevrolet, the engine retains more than 70 percent parts-commonality with a roadgoing Z06’s LT6, sharing a common assembly line in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They’re then shipped to GM’s Propulsion Performance and Racing Center in Pontiac, Michigan, for final assembly.

Similarly, the aluminum chassis frame comes from the very same line as any other Z06 Corvette. Chevrolet ships the frames to Pratt Miller, where they’re fitted with cages and updated GT3-spec bodywork. This parts-commonality runs in Corvette Racing’s DNA, having been central to the marketing of the LS-platform and C5 since it first hit the track in anger 25 years ago. The only real substantial differences this year between the C8.R and GT3.R are more or less bodywork and balance-of-performance changes. Which leans well into the theory that, if you know you have a winning formula, there’s no need to rebuild it from the ground up. Corvette stood on the podium five of seven races last season. So, needless to say, they have the other teams mighty worried.

The Competition

Currently, the 24 Hours of Le Mans features no less than nine different vehicles. Among the usual suspects like the Huracán, BMW M4, and Porsche 911, we have several new and returning entries. Ford’s making their debut after a five-year hiatus in the race with their brand-new S650 Mustang GT3, looking to rival GM for American dominance. And Lexus will make their WEC debut this year as well, fielding the RC F GT3 driven by French team Akkodis ASP. Manthey Racing may also prove another tough nut to crack, proving themselves early on by winning the 12 Hours of Bathurst in their Porsche. And finally, we have Iron Dames, who took second overall last season after a tremendous win at Bahrain.

All in all, the field’s absolutely stacked with new and returning talent. Corvette Racing remains at the top of the field, but they’ll have plenty of competition this year as they look for another championship title. Much like last year, there’s no doubt this will lead to some fantastic battles across the season. Most certainly in Le Mans itself, with so many entries and teams competing across LMGT3. Elsewhere, GM looks toward the overall win there as well, with Chip Ganassi Racing returning both the #2 and #3 Cadillacs to Hypercar. And let’s not forget the #311 Whelen Engineering Cadillac in its characteristic red and black livery, for a total of five GMs on the field. This turnout represents one of the strongest the company’s ever fielded in the WEC’s history. And we can’t wait to see for ourselves just how fast these beasts really are.

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