Marcel Fässler: Back with new Corvette 🎥
RENNDEBÜT After a winless 2019 season, Marcel Fässler starts the racing year with high hopes this week at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Corvette Racing is competing with the new C8.R sports car. Rick Corvette Conti's footage shows the Corvette C8.R during the official pre-test at Daytona. If you count the 1993 year-end [...]
Rick Corvette Conti's footage shows the Corvette C8.R during the official pre-test at Daytona.
If you count the Ecole Winfield he won at the end of 1993, Marcel Fässler is tackling his 28th automobile racing season. At the 24 Hours of Daytona, it begins this week under special auspices. Corvette Racing is fielding a completely newly developed GT sports car and continues to rely on the experience of Switzerland's most successful endurance driver.
A modern successor model was overdue
The new C8.R race car for the IMSA SportsCar Championship and selected rounds of the World Championship (Austin, Sebring and Le Mans) is based on the Corvette Stingray presented in fall 2019. Development of the production model and the race model proceeded in parallel.
Meanwhile, 21 seasons have passed since Corvette Racing made its first official appearance in 1999 with the C5-R that won the overall classification at Daytona in 2001. With the C7.R, the Americans have scored 16 victories in the GTLM category since 2014 and one at Le Mans in 2015. Last year, however, it was no longer enough for success anywhere.
Mid instead of front engine
The biggest innovation in the fourth-generation sports car is the concept of a mid-engine chassis. The engine, which is now installed in front of the rear axle instead of under the front panel, is still a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8, but now with four valves per cylinder. Because the power output is limited by the regulations, there is not much difference in this respect.
A hammer car
Since 2016, Marcel Fässler has formed a trio with Oliver Gavin (GB) and Tommy Milner (USA) in the long-distance races. Nothing will change in 2020.
Together, they celebrated the last triumph for Corvette Racing at Daytona four years ago. The man from Schwyz was able to convince himself of the potential of his new racing machine during the test drives in New Year's week.
Marcel Fässler: "Corvette has put a hammer car on its wheels. After six years, the C7.R was completely exhausted. We were only able to keep up thanks to the BoP. But now we're also up to the latest technical standard."
At the wheel of the C8.R, the three-time Le Mans winner now experiences a completely different driving experience.
Marcel Fässler: "Because of the mid-engine concept, it's much more agile and aggressive to drive. You can push more now."
First endurance run under race conditions
In the pre-test, Fässler's partner Milner turned the third-fastest GTLM time of the seven cars from four manufacturers. Faster was only the single Ferrari 488 and one of the two Porsche 911 RSRs, separated by just one thousandth of a second.
So there is no longer any lack of speed. The race, which starts on Saturday at 1:35 p.m. local time in Florida, will rather be the first major reliability test under racing conditions.
Marcel Fässler: "We were able to work through many things during the pre-test. It was important that the two cars ran smoothly for three days. In terms of performance, we're already in a good position, although certainly not everyone put their cards on the table. The race itself will be a new challenge. We have no clue where we stand over the distance. The chance to win is there, but it's a long way until then."
Four Swiss at the start
With Marcel Fässler, Rolf Ineichen, Simon Trummer and Rahel Frey - each of whom we have covered in separate online reports in recent weeks - there are four Swiss at the start of the 24 Hours of Daytona this year.
Trummer's team starts from pole position in the LMP2 class. Fässler's Corvette was fourth fastest in GTLM. Ineichen qualified his Audi for sixth on the grid in GTD (GT3) and Frey's partner Christina Nielsen qualified the Lamborghini for 14th.
All qualifying best times can be found here Qualifying 24H Daytona 2020
daytonainternationalspeedway.com
