The Lotus Cup China has appointed Giti Tire as official race tire supplier. The 2026 season will run across five rounds from April to December, featuring 17 teams, 58 drivers and 44 cars. Competitors will run the GitiCompete GTR1 slick tire in sizes 240/650R18 and 300/650R18.

The season opener took place last weekend (April 3-5) at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, which is known for its high temperatures and demanding layout, placing significant emphasis on tire durability, consistency and thermal performance. Round 2 will take place in Shanghai.

The GitiCompete GTR1 has been developed specifically for motorsport use, with a focus on grip, stability, and predictable handling under race conditions. Giti states that the tire’s construction and compound are designed to maintain performance under sustained load, while heat management characteristics support consistent lap-to-lap behavior. The tire has been engineered to deliver responsive steering feedback, enabling drivers to extract performance in high-speed and high-load cornering situations.

Giti uses motorsport as a development tool for its wider product portfolio, with data from tire wear, heat cycles and grip performance feeding into future product development and refinement.

Related news, Ariel unveils hand-built, motorsport‑spec Atom 4RR

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To mark its 25 year anniversary, the Ariel Motor Company has launched a 525bhp version of its Atom sports car. The track-oriented but roadgoing Ariel Atom 4RR will feature a bespoke Honda engine and will be “the most powerful and exclusive Atom ever created”, the UK manufacturer said.

The 4RR will feature a hand‑built, motorsport‑spec engine producing 525bhp and revving to 8,200rpm and will be the fastest Atom yet, capable of 0-62mph in 2.4 seconds and hitting 100mph in just 5.1 seconds.

The most powerful Atom

Despite its focus on ultimate circuit performance, the 4RR remains a road‑legal vehicle. Each 4RR will be uniquely specified and built to order with buyers invited to Ariel’s factory in Crewkerne in the southwest of the UK to specify and discuss their vehicle with the engineers and technicians responsible for constructing their car.

Simon Saunders, founder of Ariel Motor Company, said, “The Atom 4RR is the most focused vehicle we’ve ever built – a car that captures everything we’ve learned over 25 years of pure driver‑focused engineering. It is the fastest and most powerful Atom to date, yet it stays true to our founding principles of lightweight, minimalism and delivering very serious fun. It is the most direct connection between car, driver, and track or road, that we have ever made.”

Bespoke motorsport‑spec engine

At the heart of the Atom 4RR sits a bespoke 2.0L four-cylinder Honda K20C Type R that is hand-built in 100 hours. However, almost every significant internal and external component has been replaced, upgraded or re‑engineered to motorsport specification.

Henry Siebert-Saunders, managing director at Ariel Motor Company, said, “The 4RR’s engine is built by hand taking more than 100 hours with the objective of delivering intense performance right at the pinnacle of track driving while remaining controlled and confidence-inspiring on road.”

Internally, the engine is comprehensively uprated with closed deck sleeves, bespoke forged pistons and connecting rods, revised cylinder head and port geometry, bespoke camshafts and alloy valve set with uprated springs and guides. All rotating components are measured, fully weight‑matched and dynamically balanced.

With circuit running a primary focus, the 4RR engine features a race‑spec gated oiling system and a high‑flow oil pump, ensuring consistent lubrication under prolonged high engine loads and cornering. Performance and durability are further enhanced by a competition‑grade head gasket with reinforced fire‑ring sealing and a race-spec cylinder‑head stud kit designed to withstand extreme cylinder pressures.

A larger turbocharger peaks at 1.7 bar boost, while a high-pressure fuel system and 1,400cc fuel injectors deliver immense mid‑range torque and a ferocious top‑end – maintaining the consistency and resilience required for circuit use. The 4RR features three cockpit-adjustable engine maps with different boost levels: Map 1 – 400bhp/380Nm; Map 2 – 500bhp/450Nm;  Map 3 – 525bhp/550Nm. Each hand-built engine is run-in and tested on a dyno before final calibration and power tests. An individual dyno graph will accompany each bespoke Atom 4RR engine.

A new carbon air inlet system, with remote air filter assembly, and a new full titanium exhaust and silencer system will be fitted to the Atom 4RR, with power delivered through a Quaife six-speed sequential gearbox with lightweight drive discs, motorsport differential and pneumatic paddle shift, ensuring traction and consistency at all times. Clutchless up and down shifts can be made with auto-blip on downshifts and the lightweight clutch only used for initial start.

Motorsport‑optimized and aero‑led performance 

The 4RR features a fully bronze-welded motorsport chassis with adjustable Öhlins dampers, aluminum uprights and chromoly wishbones for precise handling. Braking comes from 310mm AP Racing discs with four-piston calipers and race-spec pads, paired with in-cockpit adjustable ABS for consistent, high-performance stopping under all conditions.

Ariel has designed the 4RR’s aerodynamic package to maximize downforce while minimizing drag, delivering exceptional cornering speed and high-speed stability. Redesigned carbon-fiber side pods improve cooling for the engine and gearbox, supporting higher power and extended track sessions. Lightweight carbon-fiber bodywork, mudguards and aerofoils further reduce overall weight.

The Atom 4RR rides on forged wheels – 7Jx16 at the front and 9Jx17 at the rear – fitted with road-legal Yokohama A052 tires in 195/50R16 and 255/40R17 sizes.

Siebert‑Saunders said, “The Atom 4RR is the most uncompromising car we’ve ever created. Every component, every weld, and every element of its engineering is focused on delivering ultimate track performance at the highest level. Its performance capability demands respect while rewarding drivers with an intensity and precision that few other cars can match.”

Related news, AVL and Ansible advance vehicle validation with integrated simulation and driver-in-the-loop testing

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AVL Mobility Technologies and Ansible Motion have partnered to offer vehicle manufacturers and suppliers a combined solution integrating AVL’s VSM software with Ansible Motion’s driver-in-the-loop simulators. The collaboration aims to support virtual development processes by enabling faster component and vehicle development, while reducing testing and validation time and associated costs.

AVL VSM is a flexible, real-time simulation tool that enables users to model components, systems and complete vehicles. It allows them to test vehicle dynamics and performance in realistic scenarios, which is crucial for optimizing vehicle characteristics and ensuring safety. VSM enables a more integrated approach to vehicle design and optimization by allowing simultaneous consideration of various vehicle attributes and components and how they interact.

When VSM is paired with an Ansible Motion driver-in-the-loop simulator, the user can test changes to the virtual model and refine chassis dynamics, powertrain driveability, ADAS and active safety function calibration with a virtual test drive.

“By combining AVL VSM with Ansible Motion driver-in-the-loop simulators, manufacturers can move critical decisions to the front of the development cycle, dramatically reducing physical prototypes and test iterations,” said Gary Newton, AVL’s vice president of business development. “This tool combination can have an enormous impact on timeline and budget. Imagine validating 70+ track scenarios per day in multiple conditions, surfaces and drive events. The result isn’t incremental improvement, it’s months saved and millions preserved.”

Salman Safdar, Ansible Motion’s business development director, added, “Through our continuing collaborative efforts with AVL, we’re developing new ways to conduct subjective and objective evaluations of qualified concepts much earlier in the vehicle design cycle. Connecting our simulators seamlessly with a feature-rich simulation environment like AVL VSM elevates the virtual vehicle development process for manufacturers seeking to shorten development times, realize cost savings and reduce environmental impacts.”

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Aston Martin will field a seven-car Vantage GT3 line-up for the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe at Paul Ricard on Saturday, April 11. The entry represents over 10% of the 60-car field, marking the brand’s largest-ever presence at the start of the championship.

Sharing the mechanical architecture of the high-performance Vantage road car, the Vantage GT3, which triumphed at the 24 Hours of Spa in 2024 – the world’s most prestigious GT3-only event, is built around Aston Martin’s proven bonded aluminum chassis and powered by its fearsome twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine.

Three Pro Class entries (cars and teams competing in the professional category) will feature for the season opener. A Comtoyou Racing Vantage GT3 piloted by Aston Martin Aramco F1 driver Lance Stroll, former Formula One competitor and GT racer Roberto Merhi, and Aston Martin Aramco Academy graduate Mari Boya. The Prologue test on Wednesday, April 8, will allow all teams to fine-tune setups prior to the day-to-night season opener.

Joining them are two regular Pro class entries, as well as two Vantages each in Silver and Bronze Cups. In total, the line-up includes six works GT drivers (professional drivers often factory or, in this case, works drivers) and two AMR Driver Academy graduates.

Aston Martin head of endurance motorsport, Adam Carter, said, “It is fantastic for Aston Martin to have the strongest Vantage line-up the brand has ever fielded in the GT World Challenge Europe that includes two Pro cars filled with Aston Martin works drivers, and we’re proud to say, our two most recent AMR Driver Academy graduates Kobe Pauwels and Jamie Day. The GT World Challenge Europe goes from strength to strength with every passing season and there is no better way, or place, to showcase Vantage’s exceptional abilities on the international motorsport stage.”

Comtoyou Racing is joined in GT World Challenge Europe by two other key Aston Martin partners; German team Walkenhorst Motorsport and Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn – which makes its series debut after successful stints in the British GT Championship and the Asian Le Mans Series.

Related news, Lola previews sustainable innovations with T70S

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Mercedes-AMG has completed final winter testing of near-production prototypes of its new GT 4-Door Coupe in northern Sweden, ahead of the vehicle’s world premiere later this spring.

Testing at the Arjeplog facility focused on traction, power distribution and vehicle control on snow and ice, allowing engineers to evaluate system limits and refine control strategies under extreme conditions.

A key area of development is the new AMG Race Engineer system, which integrates hardware and software to enable detailed adjustment of vehicle dynamics. Three rotary controls allow drivers to tune response, agility and traction.

The Response Control adjusts electric motor response to accelerator inputs; Agility Control modifies cornering behavior by varying torque distribution, enabling transitions from understeer to controlled oversteer. A nine-stage Traction Control system regulates slip, building on technology used in previous AMG models. These functions are fully available with ESP disabled, targeting track use.

The model also introduces AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive in an all-electric configuration, using three axial flux motors. The system enables fully variable torque distribution between front and rear axles, as well as torque vectoring across the rear wheels. Sensors monitor wheel slip and adjust torque delivery in real time to maintain traction and stability.

The braking system combines carbon-ceramic discs at the front with steel discs at the rear in a hydraulic composite setup. Mercedes-AMG says this delivers consistent pedal feel across regenerative and friction braking scenarios.

Suspension development has focused on the AMG Active Ride Control system, which uses interconnected hydraulic elements in place of conventional anti-roll bars. Combined with three-chamber air springs and adaptive dampers, the system enables a wide range between comfort and dynamic performance while reducing body roll and improving cornering precision.

The vehicle’s drive system features three innovative axial flux motors and directly cooled battery cells, and was also tested under Arctic conditions. The battery uses directly cooled cells grouped into laser-welded modules, with a non-conductive coolant circulating around each cell. This allows rapid heating to optimal operating temperature and efficient cooling under load, supporting repeated high-performance use.

Mercedes-AMG’s winter test program forms part of a broader validation process. The entire test program for validating a new model comprises over 500 individual tests, supplemented by the specific tuning of driving dynamics and the ESP system.

In related news, Mercedes-AMG leverages Track Sport Concept for next-gen GT3 and Black Series

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Kumho Tire USA has announced a three-year sponsorship extension with Formula Drift. Additionally, drivers Jeff Jones, Andy Hateley, Rome Charpentier, Jack Shanahan, Ryan Litteral and Cody Buchanan will represent Team Kumho in the 2026 Formula Drift Pro Championship. Supported drivers will run Kumho Ecsta V730 tires, engineered for the demanding conditions of competitive driving environments.

“As one of the most popular motorsports in the United States for millennial and Gen Z generations, Formula Drift offers an unparalleled platform to showcase the ultra-high performance capabilities of Kumho tires and we are thrilled to be an official tire sponsor through 2029,” said Shawn Denlein, president of sales and marketing. “We are also incredibly proud to partner with an elite lineup of Formula Drift Pro drivers in 2026, equipping them with cutting-edge tires as they push the limits of skill and precision on the track.”

Related news, Seven teams to run Bridgestone tires in 2026 EWC

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Historic racing may not be the most obvious place to roll out a host of sustainable technologies, but that is exactly what Lola has done with its new T70S.

Despite having a full FIA Historic Technical Passport, and being identical in construction to the Lola T70 Mk3B, the T70S boasts a carbon footprint nearly 50% lower than previous iterations of the 60’s sports racing car. Impressively, this has been achieved while staying within all the FIA’s requirements for historic racecars.

Two main areas have contributed to the significant reduction, a new 100% sustainable composite system for the bodywork and the implementation of a low-emissions process for the production of magnesium parts.

Starting with the composite system, known as the Lola Natural Composite System (LNCS), this uses flax fibres encased in basalt with a plant-based resin. By combining flax and basalt the mechanical properties of the fibres are improved beyond current flax-only systems, with a significantly lower CO2 footprint than either carbon composites or the glass fibre used for the original T70 body panels. Furthermore, Lola has also improved the sustainability credentials of the tooling patterns for the bodywork by using bio-based materials.

Looking to the metallic elements of the car, magnesium was identified as an area where considerable savings could be made compared to the commonly sued, high-energy intensity Pigeon process for smelting aluminium. Working with supply chain partners, Lola has developed a process for magnesium production using the byproduct salts of Bromine production from saltwater, via electrolysis powered by solar energy. This sees the kgCO2e for the magnesium parts of the car reduced from nearly 5000kg to just 975kg.

Look out for a full, in-depth feature on the T70S in the upcoming issue of PMW magazine, and a sneak preview of the road going version, the T70 S GT.

Related news, Mercedes-AMG leverages Track Sport Concept for next-gen GT3 and Black Series

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The Azimut Automobile Heritage Enhancement fund has renewed its partnership with Ferrari Hypercar ahead of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship opener in Imola on April 19. The collaboration in the Hypercar class began in June 2023, shortly before Ferrari’s win at the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Azimut-AHE will be the official Ferrari Hypercar team partner, and its redesigned logo will be displayed on the number 50 and 51 Ferrari 499P cars fielded by the official Ferrari-AF Corse team in the top class of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership will also extend to the safety car livery in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli single-marque series, where the same logo will feature.

In related news, Mercedes-AMG leverages Track Sport Concept for next-gen GT3 and Black Series

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The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has approved the first karting seat with roll-hoop attachment to facilitate the participation of disabled drivers in karting events.

Following approval from the World Motor Sport Council today, the fiberglass high seat features an innovative lamination developed by Vita Carbon for enhanced impact resistance. It can be used in karting races aligned to the FIA Karting Guidelines for Drivers with Disabilities document. Designed with an integrated roll hoop, the seat provides additional attachment points for competitors who require safety-belt anchoring for torso stability, offering drivers with disabilities additional support to enable them to race safely.

Development of the device was led by FIA Disability & Accessibility Commission member and paraplegic driver Fabio Visentin and Vita Carbon, with the support of the FIA safety department. It is envisaged that the seat, which is optional for drivers with disabilities competing in karting, will support a new generation of disabled racers into the entry point of motorsport.

Visentin said, “The development and testing of this new roll hoop represent a significant step forward for the safety of karters with disabilities. Ensuring that every driver can compete with the highest protection standards is our top priority. Our goal was to create a product that was not only safe and rigorously tested but also high performing, ensuring it does not interfere with the chassis’ flexibility. Karters with disabilities now have access to a product that has all these features, and I want to thank Vita Carbon for the development and the FIA for their support in this project.”

FIA safety director Nuno Costa added, “Safety should complement accessibility, and we’ve been proud to work on this project with Fabio to raise safety standards for karting drivers with disabilities. The karting high seat is a simple but important innovation that facilitates drivers to safely compete, and I hope it will provide every karting driver with disabilities with greater confidence and independence.”

As a result of today’s decision, homologated karting high seats up to 32cm have been approved with immediate effect in karting events. It is expected that they will first be deployed at races in early 2026.

In related news, WRC set for UK return with Rally Scotland

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In 2025, Mercedes-AMG teased the Concept AMG GT Track Sport. AMG has now revealed that the concept car is the technology platform for two new performance models: the new Mercedes-AMG GT3 and the future Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.

“We are developing the most extreme Black Series ever,” said Michael Schiebe, a member of the board of management for production, quality and supply chain management at Mercedes-Benz Group AG, and chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-AMG. “At the same time, we want to set the next record-breaker in motorsport with the future GT3. The foundation for this is the Concept AMG GT Track Sport – a technology demonstrator that was more than just a concept from the very start. It is our unambiguous commitment to maximum performance, a promise for the racetrack and the road alike. At AMG, we develop vehicles to exceed expectations. And that is exactly what the future Black Series and the new GT3 will do.”

Uncompromising performance

The road-legal variant of the concept car serves as a homologation model for the GT3 successor.

Since October 2025, the prototype has been undergoing extensive dynamic testing on test tracks and racetracks. In addition to the in-house development track in Immendingen, this has included Bilster Berg, Portimão and Monteblanco. With the start of testing on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the next stage of development is now underway.

The next generation in customer racing

The Mercedes-AMG GT3 is the latest step in Mercedes-AMG’s customer racing program, which began in 2010 and first competed in 2011 with the SLS AMG GT3. The current GT3 model, introduced in 2016 and updated in 2020, has continued that program.

A successor is now in development, led by Affalterbach Racing, a subsidiary of Mercedes-AMG, in collaboration with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. The new GT3 is undergoing testing, with a focus on performance, safety and competitiveness.

“With the unveiling of the concept, we can now officially name the new Mercedes-AMG GT3, with which we aim to continue the success story in customer racing for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport,” said Christoph Sagemüller, head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. “Our goal is to once again present a vehicle that sets the benchmark. We have already gained important insights from the initial tests. We are now entering the next phase of development and will also be testing on racetracks relevant to GT Sport.”

From track to road

The Mercedes-AMG’s Black Series models – a designation introduced in 2006 – represent the highest-performance variants in the company’s range. The concept builds on AMG’s origins in motorsport. The company was founded in 1967 by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, with a focus on applying racing-derived technology to road cars.

The Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG played a key role in this development. Its use as an FIA Formula 1 safety car and its adaptation for a racing series helped shape the track-focused approach that led to the first SLK 55 AMG Black Series.

This motorsport-to-road philosophy continues with newer concepts such as the AMG GT Track Sport, and underpins the development of future models, including the next AMG GT3 and AMG GT Black Series.

In related news, behind the scenes: the in-house development of the Temerario GT3

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