Happy Friday!

The legendary Tom Walkinshaw Racing have announced they’re making a return to sports-car manufacturing! If you’re unfamiliar, TWR are the company behind the Jaguar XJ220 (like our friend’s below, an actual TWR build of the XJ220) along with the Renault Clio V6, and many other great machines..

Now that Gordon’s back making V12 hyper cars and ABT Sportline just released their own GT2 swansong for the Audi R8, retiring it’s model run this year.. It feel like everywhere you look, motorsports are in good hands..

Markets might be down-ish but motorsport always finds a way to go flat out 🤘

Formula 1

Alex Albon splits the Red Bulls in FP1

Ok, so that’s interesting.. 😕

Let’s see how that goes over the course of the weekend, but it’s pretty neat to see Albon showing early pace like that. Click here to see for yourself and catch up on FP1 at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix!

Next race: Sunday, October 29th @ 4pm EST

Paddock Auctions

Coming Soon

This 1998 BMW M Roadster only has 33,600 miles and needs nothing but a driver! Auction now live!

Click to view 1998 BMW M Roadster

*Team Stradale is re-running this Ferrari 360 Challenge car as we anticipate the launch of our new network partners. It’s tentatively scheduled for early November but this is a moving target based on the arrival of our new network partners.

Click to view 1999 Ferrari 360 Challenge

Click To View All Auctions

Quick Bites

🔀 The many paths to race driver development

💰 Getting sponsorship as you climb the motorsport ladder

🚨 A high-performance hydrogen combustion race engine debuts

News Racers Can Use

The Debut of the Ferrari 296 Challenge

On the eve of the Finali Mondiali, which take place at the Mugello Circuit between October 24 and 30, Ferrari will present the 296 Challenge, the ninth model in the history of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli.

Due to debut in the Europe and North America series in the 2024 season, the 296 Challenge introduces a slew of new features with respect to the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo and, in certain respects, is a revolutionary design.

The new 296 Challenge is the embodiment of an innovative new philosophy that has seen far-reaching work carried out on the road car to optimise its specifications for track use. Both in terms of performance and lap consistency throughout a race, the 296 Challenge rewrites the parameters of the Prancing Horse single-make series, offering solutions that closely mirror the specifications of the 296 GT3, which made its debut this season.

Derived from the 296 GTB, the 296 Challenge ushers in substantial modifications on the power unit, aero and vehicle dynamics fronts, all aimed at guaranteeing maximum performance on the track. It is the first car in the history of the championship to be powered by a 120-degree V6: the new model sports the 2992cc twin turbo engine without the hybrid component, a choice also made for the 296 GT3. The engine unleashes 700 cv with maximum torque of 740 Nm, with the result that the 296 Challenge sets a new power record for the segment with 234 cv/l.

The 296 Challenge’s aero package delivers downforce figures unprecedented in the single-make series’ history, ensuring the maximum efficiency in all conditions. In fact, the 296 Challenge generates in excess of 870 kg of downforce at 250 km/h with the spoiler at its maximum angle of attack.

The car sees the debut of ABS EVO Track, a specific adaptation of the innovative system introduced for the first time on the 296 GTB. With the addition of new CCM-R PLUS brake discs, both braking performance and consistency are improved. New, specifically-developed Pirelli 19” tyres have also made a substantial contribution to the car’s handling and performance.

News Racers Can Use is written by Mark Boudreau from Motorsport Prospects