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Photo: JEP/SRO Valentino Rossi took a popular pole position for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup Race 1 at Misano after a dramatic qualifying session interrupted by a red flag. Rossi’s No. 46 WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO lapped in 1:32.154, putting him 0.141 seconds clear of Sprint Cup points leader Ricardo Feller’s No. 80 Lionspeed Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO in the A session for Pro and Gold Cup entrants. His hopes of clinging on to the top spot were aided by an early red flag in the B session for Silver and Bronze runners, when Dennis Marschall spun his Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO into the Turn 4 gravel after contact with Felix Hirsiger’s No. 71 AF Corse Ferrari on an outlap. Andrea Frassineti came closest to dislodging Rossi with a best lap just 0.099 seconds shy in his No. 66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II, but the motorcycle racing legend wasn’t to be denied a milestone outright pole at the scene of his three previous Sprint...

Christopher Haase clocked the fastest time during practice for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup meeting at Misano. As the Sprint Cup returned following a two-month break since the Brands Hatch season opener, Haase headed the 44-car field with a 1:32.347 lap in the second of two 80-minute sessions held on Friday. The No. 84 Eastalent Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II Haase shares with Simon Reicher lapped 0.393 seconds quicker than Aurelien Panis in the No. 6 GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO to raise hopes of a record-extending eleventh win at the track for Audi in the Sprint Cup. Times were quicker in the second session held in fading light, in conditions similar to those predicted for Saturday evening’s Race 1, with temperatures marginally lower than in the mid-afternoon which peaked at 86.54°F. Fabian Schiller led the way in opening practice on a 1:32.868 aboard the No. 12 GetSpeed Team Dubai Mercedes-AMG he shares with Gabriel Rindone in ...

Photo: Porsche Porsche’s new 911 Cup car will become eligible in both Porsche Sprint and Endurance Challenge North America by Yokohama competition next year, officials from Porsche Motorsport North America announced on Friday. The race car, based on the latest Type-992.2 version of the Porsche 911, debuted in selected Carrera Cup markets, including North America, as well as Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup this year, ahead of a full rollout in 2027. While the previous-gen 911 GT3 Cup cars will continue to be eligible in the USAC-sanctioned series, the next generation model offers more power, improved front aero, air conditioning, cockpit improvements as well as an updated electronics package. It is priced at $375,000 USD, including import and delivery, the same price as the recently launched Porsche 911 GT4 R, which is largely based on the Cup car. Source: Sports Car 365

A look into Team WRT's three sporting directors and the key roles they play... Source: Sports Car 365

Photo: Brandon Badraoui/IMSA Corvette Racing will introduce an Evo kit for its Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R next year, which is aimed at reliability and and increased serviceability according to program manager Andrea Hidalgo. The Pratt Miller-built car will enter its fourth season of GT3 competition in 2027 with updates, which Hidalgo said will be “nothing major” in terms of the current car’s appearance but a number of enhancements underneath the bodywork of the 5.5-liter V8-powered machine. “As we developed the car, there’s changes that you can’t make unless you re-homologate,” Hidalgo told Sportscar365 in an exclusive interview. “There’s changes that the FIA and IMSA say, ‘Sorry but you have to go back to the wind tunnel.’ “It’s a lot of small changes that impact things like that which causes us to go back there. “For example, debris mitigation: sometimes we have a lot of tire debris entering the...

Source: Sports Car 365

Photo: Ford Ford Racing’s FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar program reached a “significant milestone” last week when its 5.4-liter naturally-aspirated Coyote V8 engine was fired up for the first time installed within the ORECA LMDh chassis. It marked the first time the V8 engine, designed, developed and built in-house, came to life outside of the dyno cells of Dearborn, Mich. headquarters. The historic moment came at ORECA’s base in the south of France, where the final assembly of the yet-to-be-named LMDh car is occurring prior to its planned rollout early next month. “This moment was the culmination of months of painstaking work,” said Ford Racing WEC Hypercar program manager Dan Sayers. “I am proud of the groundwork that was laid long before the engine ever turned over in France. “The engine’s development phase is already showing great promise on the dynos in Dearborn, where we’ve been pushing the limits of its...