Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a GT racing car designed and built by Pratt Miller Engineering and Chevrolet to primarily compete in the LMGT3 (Le Mans GT3) and GTD & GTD Pro (Grand Touring Daytona) in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship, respectively. The car was built to GT3 specifications and made its competitive debut at the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona.[2]

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R
The No. 82 Corvette Z06 GT3.R being driven at the 2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
CategoryIMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Pro & GTD
FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3
GT World Challenge America
ConstructorUnited States Chevrolet (Pratt & Miller)
Designer(s)Vlad Kapitonov
PredecessorChevrolet Corvette C8.R
Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R
Technical specifications
ChassisAluminum monocoque
SuspensionDouble wishbone suspension
Length182.3 in (4,630 mm)
Width80.7 in (2,050 mm)
Height45.2 in (1,148 mm)
Wheelbase107.2 in (2,723 mm)
EngineLT6.R[1] 5.5 L (336 cu in) 90° V8 naturally aspirated, mid-engine, flat-plane crank, longitudinally mounted
TransmissionXtrac P529 6-speed sequential manual
Power500–600 hp (373–447 kW) @ 7,400 rpm
FuelTotalEnergies (WEC)
VP Racing Fuels (IMSA)
LubricantsVarious
Competition history
Notable entrantsUnited States Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports
United Kingdom TF Sport
Canada AWA
United States DXDT Racing
Notable driversSpain Antonio García
United States Tommy Milner
Netherlands Nicky Catsburg
United Kingdom Alexander Sims
Debut2024 24 Hours of Daytona
First win2024 Chevrolet Grand Prix
Last win2024 Chevrolet Grand Prix
Last event2024 8 Hours of Bahrain
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
102330

The car serves as the replacement to the Corvette C8.R, which was retired following the discontinuation of the GTE class. As with its immediate predecessor, it uses the C8 generation Chevrolet Corvette as a base.[3][4]

Background

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The Z06 GT3.R was launched on 27 January 2023, on the eve of the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona.[5] The reveal occurred following a two-year testing program, with virtual simulations in Chevrolet's Driver in the Loop simulator beginning in early 2021. This was followed by the car's first on-track test in September 2022, kicking off a full year of on-track development prior to customer deliveries in Q3 of 2023.[6] The car was seen testing at the Sebring International Raceway in March 2023.[7]

 
The No. 13 Z06 GT3.R of AWA Racing at the 2024 Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen

First news about the car's upcoming racing program(s) was revealed on June 23, 2023, with the announcement of a two-car factory supported effort in the IMSA GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) category, under the banner of Corvette Racing with Pratt Miller Motorsports.[8]

Five days later, on June 28, 2023, TF Sport confirmed that it would switch from Aston Martin to Corvette, aiming to field two cars in race in the new FIA WEC LMGT3 category.[9]

On 3 August 2023, the third racing program for the Z06 GT3.R was revealed, with Canadian outfit AWA switching from LMP3 class to fielding a two-car effort in IMSA GT Daytona (GTD) class for 2024 & 2025. A fourth program in GTWC America for 2024 is expected to be announced later in 2023.[10]

Teams

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Team Competition Entries
  AWA Racing IMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD class) IMSA: #13, #17
  Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports IMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD Pro class) IMSA: #3, #4
  DXDT Racing GT World Challenge America powered by AWS GTWC America: #08, #63, #64
  TF Sport FIA WEC WEC: #81, #82



Racing results

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Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

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(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results
Year Entrant Class Drivers No. Rds. Rounds Pos. Pts.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2024   Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports GTD Pro   Antonio García
  Alexander Sims
  Daniel Juncadella
3 All
All
1-2, 10
DAY
5
SEB
10
LGA
5
DET
10
WGL
3
MOS
1
ELK
5
VIR
9
IMS
PET
5th* 2318*
  Nicky Catsburg
  Tommy Milner
  Earl Bamber
4 All
All
1-2, 10
DAY
8
SEB
11
LGA
3
DET
9
WGL
7
MOS
2
ELK
6
VIR
8
IMS
PET
6th* 2217*
  AWA GTD   Matt Bell
  Orey Fidani
  Lars Kern
  Alex Lynn
13 All
All
1-2, 5, 9-10
1
DAY
21
SEB
9
LBH
6
LGA
11
WGL
11
MOS
7
ELK
5
VIR
7
IMS
PET
8th* 1816*
  Anthony Mantella
  Nicolás Varrone
  Thomas Merrill
  Charlie Eastwood
17 1-2
1-2
1-2
1
DAY
18
SEB
22
LBH
LGA
WGL
MOS
ELK
VIR
IMS
PET
23rd* 251*


Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

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(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. Rds. Rounds Pos. Pts.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2024   TF Sport LMGT3   Rui Andrade
  Charlie Eastwood
  Tom van Rompuy
81 1–7
1–7
1–7
QAT
Ret
IMO
7
SPA
Ret
LMS
11
SAP
8
COA
Ret
FUJ
4
BHR
18th* 23*
  Sébastien Baud
  Daniel Juncadella
  Hiroshi Koizumi
82 1–7
1–7
1–7
QAT
10
IMO
8
SPA
12
LMS
9
SAP
Ret
COA
8
FUJ
Ret
BHR
22nd* 14*

References

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  1. ^ "The C8 Corvette Z06 Engine Shares Plenty With the C8.R Race Car". Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Corvette Z06 GT3.R made its worldwide competition debut to open the IMSA at Daytona". Endurance Info. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  3. ^ "2024 Corvette Z06 GT3 Racing Sports Car". Chevrolet. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  4. ^ "The New Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R: More Road To Race Relevance Than Ever Before From Corvette | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  5. ^ "Chevrolet Reveals Corvette Z06 GT3.R for 2024 Competition". media.gm.com. 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  6. ^ "Corvette Reveal New Z06 GT3.R | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  7. ^ "WATCH: New Ford, Corvette GT3s On Track At Sebring (UPDATED) | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  8. ^ "GTD Pro Programme Confirmed For Corvette Racing By Pratt Miller Motorsports | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  9. ^ "TF Sport To Race With Corvette In WEC LMGT3 | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  10. ^ "AWA To Race With Corvette In IMSA GTD | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
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