Willow Springs International Raceway has unveiled the extensive renovations to two of its most popular tracks, marking the first chapter in the next era for the Southern California facility.

The 1.8-mile Streets of Willow Springs road course and 0.625-mile kart track have both undergone significant investment and modernization to improve safety and upgrade the overall on-track experience. The unveiling revealed updates to both circuits, including repaved tracks and extensive painting in the raceway’s green and off-white color scheme.

The Streets of Willow Springs and kart track have both been upgraded with asphalt to replace the track surfaces, new internal and external curbs, grading and added gravel along the track perimeter, a runoff around the circuit, and branded striping and logos in the runoff areas, curbs and track perimeter.

In addition to these improvements, three new chicanes have been added to the Streets of Willow Springs layout for track extension and safety. With a continued focus on safety, the facility says that it will also add tire barriers, Armco and air fence to the circuits, with work expected to be completed during the autumn.

“We are excited to preserve the history of Willow Springs while continuing to make improvements that establish it as the premier venue for motorsport enthusiasts of all kinds,” said Sam Byrne, co-founder of CrossHarbor Capital Partners and representative of the Willow Springs ownership group.

“This is just the first phase of our plans for this iconic facility, and we’re excited to show off the work we’ve completed so far at the Willow Springs Reimagined event on October 11.”

In related news, Kiwa certifies grandstand barriers at Silverstone

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When every millisecond matters, artificial intelligence can make the difference. In an exclusive video series, leaders from Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team and the company’s global technology services partner Cognizant have come together to explore how AI is shaping the future of performance.

Aston Martin Aramco and Cognizant share a common language of performance, precision and innovation and, by harnessing AI, both organizations are striving for competitive advantages and on-the-track success.

In this five-part Tech Talks series, Aston Martin and Cognizant unpack the transformative impact of AI through a series of dynamic conversations between experts from both companies – from digital twins and data-driven decisions to marketing campaigns.

Episode One: Beyond the finish line

In the first episode of the series (top), Aston Martin Aramco CEO and team principal Andy Cowell and Cognizant president of software and platform engineering Prasad Sankaran explore the intersection of AI and Formula 1, including the way AI can rapidly accelerate a car’s development by turning real-time data into new parts in a matter of hours.

Episode Two: From campaign to context

In the second episode, the chief marketing officers from Aston Martin Aramco and Cognizant, Rob Bloom and Thea Hayden, discuss how AI is moving marketing from a campaign-based model to a context-based one and examine what it takes to be one of the best marketers in today’s climate.

They explore how generative AI can deliver creative precision at speed and scale, from creating bespoke merchandise drops to sending personalized messages from a driver in 35 different languages.

Episode Three: Beyond engineers

Discussing how digital twins are changing the game across multiple industries, episode three sees Aston Martin Aramco’s chief operating officer Ben Fitzgerald and Cognizant’s head of IoT Anuj Seth come together.

They delve into how technology is being democratized to ensure it’s more accessible to professionals beyond just engineers, such as in the world of healthcare, where digital twins are being created to assess how the heart functions and determine how medical devices, like pacemakers, will perform.

Episode Four: Experimentation as default

Episode four focuses on tech stacks and why they’re essential for helping AI to manage terabytes of telemetry data and enabling quick decision-making.  Aston Martin Aramco director of IT operations Sioned Edwards and Naveen Sharma, global practice head of AI and analytics at Cognizant, combine their knowledge and discuss how to build a future-ready, AI-powered tech stack.

Episode Five: From automation to augmentation

In the final episode of the series, Aston Martin Aramco’s chief people officer Sophie Ackland and Cognizant’s president of EMEA Manoj Mehta connect to explore how AI is reshaping businesses and expectations.

They provide practical advice for entry-level talent, emphasizing the need to develop critical thinking skills and experiment with AI tools, and highlight how AI is making global collaboration at Cognizant more seamless.

In related news, Cadillac Formula 1 Team has announced that nine-time NTT Indycar Series race winner Colton Herta will serve as a test driver as the team prepares to join the F1 grid for the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season

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Mercedes Petronas has released the second episode of the Petronas Road to 2026 technical content series, which explores the biggest technical shift in power unit design since the hybrid era began. As F1 prepares for its next major regulatory evolution, episode two dives into the transformative changes coming to the power unit.

This episode highlights the collaboration between the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and Petronas, as they work together to tackle the challenges surrounding the new generation of sustainable fuels and electrified power.

Senior figures from the team and Petronas offer their insights into the evolution of their technical collaboration and how they are engineering the next generation of power units for the 2026 F1 season.

The episode features exclusive insights from Hywel Thomas, managing director of Mercedes-AMG high-performance powertrains; Chandramalar Muthiah, head of trackside fluid technology solutions at Petronas; Andrea Dolfi, principal fluid engineer at Petronas; and Chan Ming-Yau, head of fuel technology at Petronas.

In related news, Aston Martin’s latest Vantage S has become an official FIA safety car in Formula 1

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Longbow has strengthened its ranks with three former heavyweight automotive CEOs – Dan Balmer, Mike Flewitt, and Michael van der Sande. The three will lead a board of world-class advisors as Longbow accelerates toward manufacturing of its “driver-obsessed” Featherweight Electric Vehicles (FEVs), the Speedster and Roadster.

Mike Flewitt, former CEO at McLaren Automotive, said, “British engineering has long been a point of national pride, but there’s a case to be made that we’ve fallen behind. Longbow represents a return to form, a novel idea with rigorous execution and a team with experience to make it happen. It’s an opportunity to be part of British automotive history, creating iconic sportscars that follow a timeless recipe, albeit with an electric twist.”

Michael van der Sande, former CEO at Alpine and managing director SVO at Jaguar, said, “Fast, agile, not too heavy, not too complicated and, most importantly, something that puts a smile on your face every day. It’s a compelling concept in theory, promising to be totally captivating in reality: an electric sportscar for people who love driving. Development of a market-defining FEV is by no means a simple task, but Longbow has an exceptional team that knows what it takes.”

Dan Balmer, former president and CEO of Lotus Cars Europe, said, commented, “Longbow’s motto ‘Speed of Lightness’ is not just about the sportscars, it’s also about an agile team, optimized product, and accelerated development – lessons the Longbow team learned at some of the world’s most successful EV startups. I am thrilled to be advising Longbow, working with founders Daniel [Davey], Mark [Tapscott] and Jenny [Keisu] to bring their FEV vision to life.”

Longbow’s appointment of Balmer, Flewitt and van der Sande continues momentum for the brand towards manufacturing its featherweight electric sportscars in the UK, starting in 2026. Their collective experience spans critical leadership roles across Lotus, McLaren, Aston Martin, Tesla and Lucid, offering depth of expertise. The advisory board will help provide invaluable strategic insight as the Longbow leadership team continues on its route to production and beyond.

Flewitt’s expertise in manufacturing and scaling production, particularly from his time at McLaren Automotive, will bolster Longbow as it prepares to fulfil demand for its hand-built British sportscars.

Launching and growing automotive brands has long been a strength of van der Sande, having led Tesla’s European launch, Alpine’s global relaunch, and Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations’s exponential global growth.

Balmer’s background in engineering, manufacturing, marketing, sales and commercial strategy spans iconic brands such as Aston Martin and Lotus, and he will help Longbow to further hone its brand identity and go-to-market activities.

Longbow COO Mark Tapscott commented, “At Longbow, we live by a few simple principles, and central to these is: we can never have too much good advice. Whether it’s engineering details, company strategy, customer community building and even design suggestions, we listen. Combining strength in our conviction to move at the Speed of Lightness with the humility to learn from the incredible expert experience around us is how we’ll build the best outcome for the road ahead.”

In related news, the Garagisti GP1 has been revealed for the first time in detailed renderings, and the company has announced that the car is in the advanced stages of engineering and production. Read the full story here

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The Red Bull Driftbrothers have chosen Westlake Sport RS tires from ZC Rubber for their two 1,000hp BMW M4 drift cars.

The collaboration was officially celebrated at this year’s ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring, where the Red Bull Driftbrothers performed a show drift. The high track temperatures put the Westlake Sport RS tires to the test, highlighting their performance under extreme conditions.

The partnership

ZC Rubber and the Red Bull Driftbrothers have established a long-term partnership aimed at mutual development. As part of the collaboration, ZC Rubber will supply Westlake tires to the team, using performance feedback from driver Elias Hountondji to support product development. The partnership also serves to increase brand visibility for Westlake in the European market. Demonstrating tire performance under demanding conditions provides insight for both original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the replacement market.

Henry Shen, deputy general manager of ZC Rubber, said, “We’re proud to be the tire partner of Red Bull Driftbrothers. Their trust in Westlake, especially the performance of our Sport RS on the demanding drift circuit, is a powerful endorsement. This partnership is built on a shared drive to push boundaries, and we’re excited to support their passion with our technology on the global stage.”

Hountondji, driver and engineer of Red Bull Driftbrothers, added, “We are very excited about the partnership with Westlake Performance Tyres and ZC Rubber. Tires are crucial for our sport. They have to withstand extreme abuse while providing a consistently high level of grip right to the end. The Westlake Sport RS is the perfect choice for this. It is extremely stable across the entire temperature range and the entire tread depth. Even with a very low tread pattern, you still have complete confidence as a driver.”

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MoTeC has launched an ergonomically designed, lightweight racing wheel, engineered with a full carbon-fiber body and an integrated C125 display. Each component has been selected with input from professional FIA series drivers.

Alireza Tashakori, manager of e-mobility business development and application at MoTeC, commented, “We’ve had this idea for a long time. When the opportunity came up with a pilot client, we decided that if we wanted to do this, we would do it as a product off the shelf. So, we seized the opportunity and then worked with some collaborators to make it happen.”

The racing steering wheel is fully FIA marshaling controlled, meaning it is integrated with the FIA’s marshaling system, which allows automated, real-time communication between race control and the driver through the steering wheel’s display or lights.

Tashakori added, “We can split the CAN into private CAM and public CAN. And we offer all the standard logging features that motorsports teams typically require, including secure logging capabilities. This is handled through our KeePass function, which is an encrypted, cloud-based data storage system.”

He continued, “We added the capability to display text to the driver via an external controller, so you can send the CAN command and then you message the driver, in addition to marshaling messages.”

The racing steering wheel is due to be FIA crash tested by the end of the year.

In related news, Cosworth unveiled its next-generation CCW Mk3 steering wheel at the opening round of the IndyCar championship in St Petersburg, Florida, on March 2

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Opel Motorsport has developed a prototype GSe rally car according to FIA’s new eRally5 regulations with a top performance of 207kW (280hp) and 345Nm of torque.

“For more than four years, Opel and the ADAC have been demonstrating that electric rallying works and excites. With our new Opel Mokka GSe Rally, we are offering a glimpse of a fully electric next-generation rally car. Thanks to the latest motorsport technology, the prototype offers strong performance and power aplenty,” said Opel and Vauxhall CEO Florian Huettl.

The serial production of the Opel Mokka has been used as the foundation for the new Mokka GSe Rally, although the rally car features a very different inside. A multiplate limited-slip differential and a racing gearbox, together with reinforced drive shafts and wheel hubs, provide powerful propulsion. The chassis was manufactured in a lightweight design. The tuned rally suspension from Bilstein consists of reinforced McPherson struts and uniball mounts on the front axle, as well as a rigid rear axle with modified springs and dampers. Electronic driving aids such as ABS, ESP, lane-keep assist and traction control are all absent on the Mokka GSe Rally. Based on the experience gained from the Corsa Rally Electric, the software tuning for the engine and battery management has been designed for maximum efficiency, drivability under competitive conditions, and performance. The battery corresponds to the series version with a storage capacity of 54kWh.

“The Mokka GSe Rally will make Opel Motorsport fans’ hearts beat faster and give them real ‘OMG! GSe!’ moments. The electric rally prototype proves that our GSe sub-brand will hit the next level in 2025: with electric thrills and high-level performance true to our rich motorsport heritage,” said Rebecca Reinermann, vice president, marketing at Opel and Vauxhall.

Elsewhere, the extremely high safety standards have been retained. Like the Opel Corsa Rally Electric, the Mokka GSe Rally also has a roll cage (certified by the FIA), rally seats with six-point seatbelts, a special encapsulation of the battery and an additional underride guard. The 400-volt system is continuously monitored by the proven Master Alarm Indicator. In the event of an insulation issue, a visual and acoustic warning system immediately reports a malfunction. In the event of a sudden deceleration (such as in a collision), a sophisticated sensor system completely shuts down the high-voltage system in a few tenths of a second. In addition, the Mokka GSe Rally has a special extinguishing system with electrically non-conductive extinguishing agent.

In related news, last year was a topsy-turvy one for the works manufacturers in Rally1, with regulation changes that flip-flopped seemingly at the FIA’s whim keeping teams guessing when it came to their short-term and longer-term development plans… How did the WRC lose its hybrids and what does this mean for 2025? Click here to read the full story. 

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Top executives of the three companies were present: Aspark CEO Yoshida, MAT CEO Paolo Garella and Bridgestone VP – consumer business unit Steven De Bock.

De Bock said, “It was a big excitement on this first attempt for the record, which we immediately saw the potential of the cooperation between the car and tires.

“The whole team at Bridgestone worked extremely hard to deliver this project in such a short period, another testimonial of our technical capabilities and how we cooperate with our partners.”

Garella said, “This record represents a Milestone in the continued growth of MAT, a company that today represents the best of the Italian tradition in the automotive industry. In 10 years, we have developed more than 11 full vehicle projects and we have demonstrated that with the right resources we are second to none.”

The post Aspark SP600 Hypercar sets EV speed record appeared first on Professional Motorsport World.

The recent Automotive Interiors Expo at the Stuttgart Messe, Germany, may not seem like the most obvious place to find innovations with motorsport relevance. However, one exhibitor, Datwyler, had a fascinating display demonstrating its electroactive polymers.

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One of the highlights of PMW Expo 2023 was AVL’s high-performance, hydrogen-fueled ICE, which took home the awards for Powertrain Technology and overall Motorsport Engineering Innovation of the Year.

The hydrogen-fueled, two-liter turbocharged ICE, capable of an impressive 205bhp/liter, was developed in conjunction with the Hungarian HUMDA Lab. The company is looking to banish the preconception that H2 ICE cannot have performance parity with gasoline fuel.

Using an engine testbed modified for hydrogen at AVL’s headquarters in Graz, Austria, the prototype engine achieved a peak power output of 410bhp (301.7kW) at 6,500 rpm, with 500Nm of torque at 3000-4000rpm, corresponding to a mean pressure (BMEP) of 32 bar.

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