Chevrolet has introduced the Blazer EV.R NASCAR prototype ahead of this year’s Daytona 500. The prototype delivers over 1,300hp from three six-phase electric motors that rev to 15,000 rpm, powered by a 78kWh liquid-cooled battery.

Built on NASCAR’s Next Gen chassis and suspension componentry, the Blazer EV.R puts its power down via a programable AWD system through Goodyear Racing Eagle tires. Chevrolet worked closely with NASCAR and other manufacturers on the parameters and technical elements of the prototype.

“This program was a great opportunity with NASCAR to design a new crossover utility vehicle body and bring forward design elements from our Blazer EV SS,” said Phil Zak, executive director, Chevrolet Global Design. “The EV.R prototype offers lower and wider proportions and was designed with aerodynamics and performance in mind.”

“While we will continue to race our proven and winning V8 technology in NASCAR for years to come, we continually look for ways to improve the combination of power, durability and efficiency to transfer learnings from the racetrack to the showroom, especially as we bolster Chevy’s consumer EV line-up,” said Eric Warren, executive director, global motorsports competition for General Motors.

Chevrolet says exploring new technologies enables the company to apply learnings for vehicles in the showroom. “Motorsports is a testbed for innovation, and a training ground for our engineers — one that allows Chevrolet to try out new technologies in a fast-paced environment against the best competition,” Warren added.

GM engineers were able to take the prototype from concept to reality, then reliably turn laps at race pace during testing last month at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina. “NASCAR and its manufacturer partners are passionate about emerging technologies, and working to remain on the forefront of innovation,” said Brandon Thomas, NASCAR vice president, vehicle design.

“With the Blazer EV.R NASCAR prototype, Chevrolet and its engineers meshed new technologies with the NASCAR Next Gen platform – and the result is a powerful, exciting vehicle that we believe fans will love when they see it at Daytona International Speedway.”

Driving the prototype during testing was Justin Allgaier, Team Chevy driver, 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion. “There are so many things you don’t think about until you’re in the car actually testing it,” said Allgaier. “I’m used to knowing my speed through gearing and listening to engine revs, so I had to totally change how I judge corner entry speed. With this platform we’re learning how to strategically adjust regenerative braking, which has a big impact on braking sections and cornering balance.”

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Yokohama Tire has been named as the official tire of the Mustang Cup, a new six-round race series sanctioned by USAC. The series debuts in April 2025 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Los Angeles.

The race-ready Ford Performance-engineered Mustang Dark Horse R will use Yokohama’s Advan A005 slicks or A006 wet racing tires. Specific to the Mustang Cup is the optional two-driver format. Each race in a doubleheader format will count toward separate championships – the Miles Cup and Parnelli Cup – enabling two-driver teams to chase separate championships or one driver to compete in both.

Each Mustang Cup will feature two 15-minute qualifying sessions and two 40-minute races with one qualifying session and one race dedicated to each championship. “Yokohama is proud to be the exclusive spec tire and supplier for the inaugural Mustang Cup season,” said Andrew Briggs, Yokohama Tire’s VP of marketing and product management.

“This new partnership with Ford Performance highlights our shared commitment to motorsports excellence. It’s exciting to see how our Advan A005s enhance the performance and handling of the extraordinary Mustang Dark Horse R,” said Patricia Wall, Yokohama’s motorsports senior manager.

“Yokohama brings a remarkable team of engineers to the table,” added Kevin Groot, Ford Performance Motorsports sports car programs manager. “They are out there at the track with us, working with us, to create the product that we need. We are super excited to partner with them.”

“We are very excited to continue our long-standing partnership with Yokohama Tire as the exclusive tire provider for the new Mustang Cup Series,” said Kevin Miller, president and CEO of USAC.

“Yokohama has consistently delivered exceptional performance, reliability and innovation, which are critical to the competitive edge and safety of our drivers. Their commitment to excellence aligns perfectly with the spirit of the Mustang Cup, and we look forward to building on this collaboration as we embark on this exciting new chapter.”

First race of the 2025 Mustang Cup will happen from April 11 to April 13, at NOLA Motorsports Park, California, and the last race will take place between November 7 and November 9, at Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Virginia.

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Porsche and Michelin have co-developed a new tire specially designed for circuit use in wet and low-temperature conditions. The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 is a road-legal track tire for the 992 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, focusing on circuit use in wet and cold conditions.

“We are responding to demand from our particularly performance-focused customers that have expressed a desire to spend more time on track during spring and autumn,” said Andreas Preuninger, director GT Vehicles at Porsche. “The new tires significantly increase the annual usage period of the GT3 RS.”

The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 bears the ‘N’ marking reserved for tires specially developed for Porsche models. The sports car manufacturer now offers four specifications of Michelin tire for the 911 GT3 RS. The Pilot Sport S 5 is the counterpart to the ultra-high-performance (UHP) Pilot Sport Cup 2 R. It  is also suitable as an everyday tire in countries with predominantly wet and cool weather conditions.

As part of the development of the new Pilot Sport S 5, since 2022, test drivers have been completing countless kilometers of testing at the Michelin Development Centre in Ladoux, France. Porsche Brand Ambassador Jörg Bergmeister has contributed to the fine-tuning of the tire.

A major development goal was optimization of the aquaplaning characteristics. To attain that, the tire features a tread pattern designed for wet conditions with four large central grooves with a depth of 7.4mm. Thanks to the tread depth, and the resulting increased proportion of negative tread, the tires are able to expel a greater volume of water.

“The tire, therefore, improves the stability of the vehicle and raises the threshold at which the tire starts to lose contact with the road (‘aquaplaning speed’),” said Mathieu Greco, a tire developer at Michelin.

A high proportion of silica in the rubber compound further improves grip on wet surfaces and ensures the tire gets up to operating temperature faster. The new Pilot Sport S 5 is stated to perform optimally between 5°C and 15°C. In these conditions, the wet-weather tire offers a level of grip and precision that would not be achievable with Porsche-approved UHP tires for warmer conditions that works the best between 15°C 30°C.

“The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 gets up to temperature very quickly,” said Bergmeister. “In wet conditions and low ambient temperatures, it offers outstanding levels of control and predictability when changing direction.”

The engineers have also adapted the material composition and geometry of the tire carcass and optimized the contact patch. As a result, the tires give a better feel for the limit during demanding driving situations. The result of all this means the 911 GT3 RS with the new tires is more than 10 seconds faster than the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 N0 tires fitted.

The tires were extensively tested at  the Nürburgring and at Portimão in Portugal in dry weather and in ambient temperatures of more than 20°C, which ensures that the tire also offers a high level of performance outside its core operating window. The new tire is approved for road use and meets all legal requirements in terms of rolling resistance and noise levels.

The new Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 is initially available for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS in sizes 275/35 ZR 20 for the front axle and 335/30 ZR 21 for the rear. The tire will be distributed by Manthey, the performance specialist for Porsche GT models based in Meuspath at the Nürburgring.

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Capgemini has renewed its partnership with Peugeot Sport to continue developing the 9X8 Hypercar for the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).

The collaboration aims not only to enhance the hypercar’s performance with AI but also to reduce Peugeot Sport’s total carbon footprint.

Over the last two years, Capgemini teams have built a powerful data engineering platform to analyze information from real and simulated races. The AI model powering the virtual sensors is tailored, compiled and embedded in the Peugeot 9X8’s onboard computer to improve decision making and adjust the Hypercar’s behavior in real time. Race engineers have also significantly reduced the time required for processing and analysis.

Improving 9×8’s performance with generative AI

Leveraging generative AI, the companies will analyze temporal sensor data to identify anomalies during the extended durations of tests or races. Generative AI will also be used to capture and structure the exchanges and interactions between drivers and race engineers, which can last several hours. These insights will then be correlated with race data to extract information to optimize performance.

Decarbonizing initiatives

Since 2022, Capgemini has been supporting Peugeot Sport, and more broadly Stellantis Motorsport, in its decarbonization initiative. The first stage involved calculating the carbon footprint of the motorsport ecosystem: from vehicles on the track to parts and team logistics, as well as the organization of sporting events. Around 30 actions were identified to reduce emissions by 2030. After theoretical phases, practical implementation is now underway.

Some examples of these initiatives include: R&D teams adopting an eco-design approach for vehicles, supplier engagement, climate awareness workshops, optimized travel arrangements, and the deployment of renewable biofuel tanks (HVO-100) for the entire fleet of trucks and diesel utility vehicles.

“Beyond the sporting event, we play a pioneering role in sustainability by developing tomorrow’s technologies. Today, AI has become a key element of our racing strategy, confirmed by improved results at the end of the 2024 season, particularly at Fuji and Bahrain,” said Jean-Marc Finot, senior VP of Stellantis Motorsport.

“We are delighted to continue our collaboration to enhance Peugeot Sport’s performance, both in terms of sporting results and the environmental impact of motorsport, by providing the latest AI technologies and our expertise in decarbonisation,” added Andrea Falleni, CEO of Capgemini in Southern Europe and member of the group executive board.

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BWT Alpine F1 Team has selected Arctic Wolf as its official cybersecurity partner. The collaboration will implement Arctic Wolf’s security operations platform, including the newly launched Aurora Endpoint Security, into the team’s global security and technology infrastructure.

Each week, the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform, powered by Alpha AI, processes over seven trillion security events to deliver security outcomes with the scale and precision necessary to ensure peak performance on and off the track. Arctic Wolf branding will be featured on BWT Alpine F1 Team’s car, the race suits of its drivers and the wider team environment.

“The partnership between Arctic Wolf and BWT Alpine F1 Team reflects a shared commitment to precision, speed and the pursuit of excellence,” said Dan Larson, chief marketing officer, Arctic Wolf. “The Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform and the newly launched Aurora Endpoint Security are built to help organizations ascend to new heights of cybersecurity and business resilience so that they can focus on what they do best, and for the BWT Alpine F1 Team, that means going fast, pushing boundaries and achieving amazing results.”

“BWT Alpine F1 Team is laser-focused on leveraging the competitive advantage that effective security operations provide in protecting our infrastructure from the factory to the racetrack and everywhere in between,” added Oliver Oakes, team principal, BWT Alpine F1 Team.

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Phinia has announced two partnerships with sports car and motor racing company Alpine – it will support Alpine in the development of its Alpenglow hydrogen-powered prototype and has renewed and expanded its multi-year partnership with BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team.

Phinia powers Alpenglow’s hydrogen racing future

Phinia has supplied its DI-CHG direct hydrogen injectors and associated driver technology, which will help to “power Alpine’s vision for a zero-emission future with the Alpenglow”, the company said.

The DI-CHG injectors are designed for high-performance internal combustion engines using hydrogen, offering features such as precise fuel delivery, multiple injection capabilities and compatibility with both compressed natural gases (CNG) and hydrogen gases. These injectors are an essential part of Alpenglow’s hydrogen combustion system.

The six-cylinder Alpenglow Hy6 debuted at last year’s Paris Motor Show after the four-cylinder version was showcased at the Total Energies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in May 2024.

On the collaboration, Pierre-Jean Tardy, chief engineer, hydrogen, at Alpine Racing, said, “We are thrilled to have Phinia as our technical partner on this exciting journey into hydrogen mobility. Their expertise in fuel systems and advanced injector technology is critical to making Alpenglow a reality, and together we are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in motorsport.”

Delphi renews partnership with BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team

Phinia, under its leading aftermarket brand, Delphi, is set to strengthen its existing three-year partnership with BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team. Having previously been present on the cars at selected race events, the Delphi logo will now feature on the team’s single-seaters and associated commercial assets, maintaining a strong presence throughout the F1 calendar.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Alpine Racing and BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team,” said Neil Fryer, vice president and general manager of Phinia’s global aftermarket business.

“The close collaboration between Phinia and Alpine Racing reflects Delphi’s position as a high-performing technical leader which, through this partnership, is helping to develop more sustainable combustion technologies in high-performance vehicles.”

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Milltek has committed to remain as the title sponsor of the Civic Cup for the sixth successive season. The championship will now be known as the Milltek Civic Cup.

Following a battle to decide the winner in 2024, which went down to the final race at Silverstone, the Milltek Civic Cup is regarded as one of the toughest one-make club series in the UK.

The grid is entirely made up of EP3 and FN2 generation Honda Civic Type R hot hatches that use a dedicated Milltek Sport exhaust system. “We’re delighted to extend our support for the Milltek Civic Cup,” said Kev Hall, technical operations manager at Milltek Sport. “This is some of the most exciting racing there is, and we wish everyone the best of luck for the season ahead.”

The 2025 season will be spread across seven events, and the Milltek Civic Cup remains an official feeder series to the TCR UK Touring Car Championship. New for the 2025 season is that three of the rounds will be held alongside the British Truck Racing series.

Championship promotor Stewart Lines added, “It’s great to have Milltek back for 2025 as the title sponsor for the Civic Cup. Their loyalty to our brand has been instrumental in helping the championship grow over the last six years. This has also made the Civic Cup stand out as the biggest and best one-make club championship in the UK.”

The first round of the Milltek Civic Cup will be held at Donington Park on March 22-23.

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AccuSim and BMW M Motorsport have established a multi-year technical partnership, as part of which BMW M Motorsport has chosen AccuSim’s Trident Genesis Motion Platform for LMDh and GT motorsport simulator capabilities.

BMW will also use AccuSim’s new AccuVision LED display along with the new simulator. The AccuSim logo will feature on BMW M Motorsport’s DTM and GT3 cars throughout the partnership, highlighting the collaboration.

The Trident Genesis Motion Platform claims to set new standards for precision and responsiveness in motorsport simulation, offering six degrees of freedom, ultra-low latency and a compact design that fits into BMW’s existing infrastructure.

The installation is scheduled for mid-2025. Dave Kirkman, founder and technical director of AccuSim, said, “Becoming the official technical partner of BMW M Motorsport is a tremendous honor and a testament to the trust they have placed in our expertise. It’s a collaboration that reflects their confidence in our mission to make high-fidelity simulators more accessible to all levels of motorsport.”

BMW M Motorsport selected the Trident Genesis platform for its blend of technical excellence, compact design and cost-effectiveness. Erik Schuivens, head of vehicle performance and simulation at BMW M Motorsport, added, “Our primary goal for the new simulator was to significantly improve latency and bandwidth, and achieve the full six degrees of freedom required for high-fidelity motorsport simulation.”

Schuivens added, ” However, there were several additional factors critical to our decision-making process. The simulator’s footprint had to be compact enough to integrate seamlessly into our existing infrastructure, as motorsport simulators typically demand a smaller motion envelope compared with automotive counterparts. Cost-efficiency was also a critical factor, ensuring our investment not only meets the highest technical standards but also provides outstanding value for our program for many years to come.”

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Sauber Motorsport has taken a crucial step toward becoming the Audi F1 factory team for the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship by setting up the Sauber Motorsport Technology Centre UK to extend the team’s presence and influence within the global Formula 1 landscape.

The Technology Centre will give the team access to the world’s largest pool of motorsport talent and expertise. Recognized as the birthplace of F1, the UK is home to most F1 teams and around 25,000 industry professionals. By creating this new facility, Sauber aims to strengthen its presence in Motorsport Valley and establish a platform to collaborate with top experts and attract local engineering talent for the upcoming Audi F1 project.

This initiative is a key component of the Audi F1 project’s long-term strategy to expand its technical capabilities. Sauber Motorsport is currently evaluating potential locations within Motorsport Valley, including Bicester, Silverstone and Milton Keynes. The goal is to have the UK Technical Centre operational by the summer of 2025.

Mattia Binotto, COO and CTO of Sauber Motorsport, said, “We are excited to establish our technical center in the UK to complement our key site in Hinwil, which will continue to lead our main engineering operations, and experience the largest team growth. Expanding into the UK allows us to remain close to one of the world’s most dynamic motorsport ecosystems. Our vision is to create a strong, collaborative network across Hinwil and the UK, driving innovation and performance.”

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Radical Motorsport, the British race car manufacturer, announced the production of its 3,000th race car on the company’s 28th anniversary. The 3,000th car, an SR3, rolled off the production line at the company’s Peterborough headquarters for delivery to long-term Radical customer and Radical Cup UK racer, John Hewitt.

The vehicle features a unique one-off chassis, powder-coated in bronze, with matching bronze wheels and decals, celebrating Radical’s racing heritage.

Founded in 1997, Radical Motorsport has revolutionized the motorsport industry by making high-performance racing accessible to enthusiasts and professionals alike. From grassroots racing to international championships, Radical has become synonymous with adrenaline-pumping performance and exceptional value. Now represented in over 20 countries by a 30+ strong dealer network, it also supports 14 single-make Radical Cup championships around the world.

Dan Redpath, chief commercial officer of Radical Motorsport, said, “It’s a proud moment not only for Radical but also for our customers and fans who have supported us through this incredible journey. Our success demonstrates that by focusing on what we do best – delivering world-class race cars and unrivalled customer experiences – we can thrive even in challenging times.”

The specific date of January 28 marks 28 years exactly since the company was founded, ahead of debuting the first Radical model, the 1100 Clubsport, in April of 1997 at Brands Hatch.

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