Vandoorne commits to WEC campaign with JOTA
Date published:
January 7 2021
Ex-McLaren F1 racer Stoffel Vandoorne will combine Formula E commitments in 2021 with a World Endurance Championship tilt.
The Belgian, who has also been serving as a Mercedes F1 reserve driver, was disappointed to miss out on standing in for Lewis Hamilton at the Sakhir Grand Prix when the seven-time World Champion tested positive for COVID-19.
But Vandoorne did take part in the ‘young driver test’ at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit two days after the end of the 2020 season.
The 28-year-old finished runner-up in the Formula E standings last season for Mercedes and will now return to the WEC in an Oreca 07 entered by JOTA Sport in the LMP2 category.
A rare Porsche Carrera GT that’s been modified and turned into a track-day weapon is currently up for sale in Germany.
This Carrera GT was delivered new to Belgium in 2005. Soon after, it was sent to GPR Racing where it was fitted with a host of upgrades designed to improve its racetrack credentials. These upgrades cost a cool €220,000 (~$270,000).
Key upgrades include bespoke wishbones and pushrods, a new AP Racing braking system, an integrated air lift system, a high-performance clutch, a safety cage, BBS magnesium wheels, an automatic fire extinguishing system, and a fuel system that meets motorsport specifications. The car also includes a Motec control unit.
Buy This Porsche Carrera GT-R Track Car For A Cool $1 Million motor1.com 12/30/2020
The conversion alone cost about $270,000 and the car is still road legal.
Some say it’s the last true analog car while others claim it is one of the best-sounding supercars out there. We might add it’s also gorgeous from every possible while being a coupe and convertible rolled into one thanks to the removable targa roof. Yes, we’re talking about the Porsche Carrera GT, but these images are not showing a standard version of the mid-engined V10 machine.
Out of the 1,270 cars produced, only this one received the GT-R treatment. It’s not a factory conversion as the transition to a track car was done by GPR Racing without impacting the supercar’s road-legal status. The original owner from Belgium acquired the car back in 2005 and spent an extra €220,000 (about $270,000 in today’s money) for the track-ready upgrades.