Latest news with #WorldEnduranceChampionship
The Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Peugeot E-Expert Sport is a spacious, speedy modern van that's fun to drive… and it even fits in at Le Mans
THE 24 Hours of Le Mans car park. Every supercar you can think of. Plus moi, in a white van. 2 2 At least I had a top view sat on the roof. Peugeot hasn't added any performance to the new E-Expert Sport. It's the standard 136hp with a 219-mile battery. But it does get a special body kit, Y-spoke 18in alloys, and Kryptonite Green detailing inspired by Peugeot's 9X8 race car. This is the 'Crew Van' version with tons of space for you and five mates to cross the Channel with all your camping gear. Just one pit stop required to get from Dover to the track, sucking up 80 per cent charge in just 45 minutes. Not bad. What's it like to drive? Not as fast as a Le Mans hypercar, obviously. But it's no slouch either. It's fun, with purposeful steering and paddle shifts to control the regenerative braking. Just bang it in sports mode and pretend you're heading down the Mulsanne Straight at top speed – rather than a French autoroute. More importantly, on a road trip, it has all the creature comforts you'd expect from a modern van including a 10in touchscreen that talks to your phone, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging and even a heated leather steering wheel. Which you definitely don't get in a World Endurance Championship car. Fernando Alonso drives to victory at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2018 There's more of Superman's least favourite colour in here, as well as Sport logos in the 'eco-leather' seats which are colourfast, scratchproof and tear-resistant, not to mention 'moisture regulating and acid and alkali resistant'. Given how terrifying it must be driving through the night at Le Mans, it sounds like the sort of stuff they should make racesuits out of. It didn't have a place in the race, but the new E-Expert Sport looked every bit as cool as the race-winning Ferrari, and costs a lot less at £41,295 (ex VAT).
NDTV
3 days ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
Ferrari 296 Speciale Piloti Unveiled, Exclusive To Race Car Drivers?
Ferrari has unveiled a special version of its 296 model, christened the 296 Speciale Piloti, aimed at customers involved in Ferrari's official racing programs. This model was presented just before the 2025 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 296 Speciale Piloti is part of Ferrari's "Tailor Made" program, which offers personalised features and celebrates the company's recent successes in endurance racing, especially with the 499P Hypercar in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Ferrari 296 Speciale Piloti: Exterior The design of the 296 Speciale Piloti is inspired by the 499P Hypercar. It features a distinctive livery with a Giallo Modena stripe, a hand-painted logo for the World Endurance Championship, and an Italian flag design on the front bumper. Customers have the option to select their own racing number for the car. The example showcased at Le Mans displayed the number 51, which was worn by Ferrari's winning team at the 2023 event. Ferrari 296 Special Piloti: Cabin Inside, the car features a minimalistic and purpose-driven design. The seats are made from black Alcantara. They also get fireproof inserts like driver suits. The selected racing number is woven into the carbon-fibre trim. The driver's cabin also features customizable metal footwells, carbon-fibre door sills, and a personalised carbon plaque, enhancing the connection among Ferrari's racing community. Ferrari 296 Speciale Piloti interior Ferrari 296 Speciale Piloti: Colour Options The 296 Speciale Piloti is available in four colours, including Rosso Scuderia (red), Blu Tour de France (blue), Nero Daytona (black), and Argento Nurburgring (silver), each reflecting Ferrari's racing legacy. Also Read: Salman Khan Seen In New Bulletproof SUV, This Time It's A Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 Ferrari 296 Speciale Piloti: Powertrain The 296 Speciale Piloti features the same hybrid powerplant as the standard 296 Speciale, comprising a 3.0-litre, 120-degree twin-turbo V6 and an electric motor. Together, the setup produces 880 hp of peak power output. The internal combustion engine has been lightened and strengthened with Formula 1-inspired components. Additionally, the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission has been enhanced for faster gear changes by maximising electric torque. Ferrari 296 Speciale Piloti: Aerodynamic Enhancements Improvements in the Ferrari 296 Speciale Piloti include rear gamma wings, an enlarged diffuser, and active aerodynamic elements, which together provide approximately 20% more downforce compared to the 296 GTB. The chassis has been recalibrated with stiffer springs and adaptive dampers for snappier handling. Ferrari 296 Speciale Piloti: Availability & Price This special edition is exclusively available to Ferrari clients who participate in track events. It is not part of a numbered limited series, but its availability is limited to a select group of customers. Ferrari is yet to share the exact price for the car, but it is expected that the Piloti Ferrari will be priced higher than the standard 296 Speciale, starting at 450,000 Dollars (approximately Rs 3.76 Crore).
The Drive
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Buying a McLaren Le Mans Hypercar Gives You Front-Row Access to Its Development
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Lately, those in the top class of the World Endurance Championship and IMSA have built cars for competition, and years later announced a limited run of production versions for especially high-paying customers. Ferrari did it with the 499P, Aston Martin is about to do the same with the Valkyrie LM, and Porsche made precisely one 963 for Roger Penske. McLaren announced a few months ago that it would join the hypercar fight with an LMDh contender of its own, and over the Le Mans weekend, we got our first peek at the car. The difference here, though, is that not only will a select few be able to buy one, they'll also come along for the ride as the car is tested and developed over the next two years. Right now, it's known only as 'Project: Endurance.' Rather than building a bespoke hypercar, as Toyota, Peugeot, Ferrari, and Aston have done, McLaren is going the less expensive but also technically more restrictive LMDh, route, like Porsche, Cadillac, and BMW. The British supercar maker is working with Dallara for the chassis, and United Autosports, which is part-owned by McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, will field the race cars when McLaren officially joins the grid in 2027. At this early stage, Project Endurance looks like any other LMDh chassis, with the front end of a McLaren Senna grafted on. I've seen a lot of criticism over the exterior design, but cars in this category are very interchangeable, visually speaking, and there's nothing especially offensive or noteworthy about this rendition of the formula. It's not as instantly recognizable as the Valkyrie LMH or Peugeot 9X8, but I reckon McLaren would rather be forgettable and quick than distinctive and slow. McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown stands in front of its Project: Endurance hypercar prototype at Le Mans last weekend. Ker Robertson andThe car itself is only part of the story, though. Again, McLaren plans to sell these for an undisclosed price, and those who take the plunge will benefit from a driver development program and receive behind-the-scenes access to the car's progression and McLaren's endurance racing campaign as it takes shape. That's pretty unprecedented in the world of motorsports. Sometimes, a constructor will sell examples of its race car that buyers get to take on track days, but how often do those people get to attend closed-door testing? It stands to reason that the customers for a vehicle like Project Endurance aren't just interested in a fast, flashy supercar—they're seriously enamored with motorsports, and they expect the same article that speeds down the Mulsanne. As Aston's proven with its Valkyrie LM program, while these hypercars are very light and remarkably fast in race spec, they're also typically tuned for less power than an equivalent road car might have, per the regulations. The engine in Project Endurance will be a flavor of the twin-turbo V6 already incorporated in the Artura, with hybrid assist as mandated by LMDh rules. It'll be two more years before we see McLaren take to the track, and by that time, Genesis will join the World Endurance Championship in 2026, and Ford in 2027. The top class of endurance racing is already crowded—in a good way—and there's no sign yet that anyone currently on the grid is planning on leaving to make space for the newcomers. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
Daily Tribune
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Kubica steers Ferrari to third consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans
AFP | Le Mans Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica took the chequered flag in his bright yellow 'privateer' Ferrari to give the Italian marque a third consecutive win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans yesterday. In a thrilling 93rd edition of the race, which saw the top four separated by just over 20 seconds going into the final 15 minutes, Kubica and his co-drivers Philip Hanson and Ye Yifei (#83) finished just 14.084sec ahead of a Porsche (#6) driven by Kevin Estre, Matt Campbell and Laurens Vanthoor. All three drivers of #83 are first-time winners with Kubica, whose F1 career was effectively terminated by a harrowing rally crash in Andorra in 2011, becoming the first Polish winner and Ye the first from China. 'It's been a long 24 hours but an enjoyable one. Grazie mille, grazie a tutti,' said the 40-year-old Kubica over the team radio. The two factory Ferraris driven by driven by Antonio Giovinazzi (#51) and Antonio Fuoco (#50), who were tipped to win the race, crossed the line for third and fourth, thwarted in their bid for a clean sweep of the podium, something they had achieved twice before in 1961 and 1965. 'Winning Le Mans is special,' Kubica told TNT Sports. 'It's been a demanding week. We made everything possible. We kept our heads down when we had to push, and when not we took care of the tyres. 'I'm happy for myself, my team-mates, AF Corse and Ferrari winning three times in row. A better scenario, we could not have.' It was certainly a good day for Ferrari but there will undoubtedly be some at headquarters in Maranello who might take issue with Kubica. As the winning car was not entered directly by the manufacturer, but by the AF Corse team, Ferrari will not take the points for victory in the World Endurance Championship. Cadillac locked out the front row of the grid but #12 of Will Stephens, who had taken pole, had to settle for fifth with the second car (#38), featuring former Formula One world champion Jensen Button, coming home in eighth. Kubica's #83 started back in 13th place but immediately made inroads through the field as Estre marched his #6 Porsche brilliantly up to join the front runners from 21st on the grid. The two factory Ferraris then asserted themselves and the 2023 winners in #51 appeared to be in control until Alessandro Pier Guidi spun the race-leading car while entering the pit lane inside the final quarter of the race. That cost them valuable time and their hopes of winning were ended when they had a power loss in the final hour. Fuoco also lost time after #50's final pit stop to leave the two factory Ferraris scrapping for third.
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar to host World Endurance C'ship prologue and season-opener following Le Mans 2026 calendar reveal
Tribune News Network Doha The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced the 2026 World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar in Le Mans on 13 June, confirming Qatar's continued role in launching the new season with both the Prologue testing sessions and the opening championship round March 22-28 , making it one of the 8 circuits around to world to host WEC in 2026. For a third time, Lusail International Circuit (LIC) will welcome the premier endurance racing series with the Prologue sessions scheduled from March 22-23,allowing teams and drivers to fine-tune their Hypercars and LMGT3 machines ahead of the competitive season. The official championship action will commence shortly afterwards with the Qatar 1812 KM race being held from March 26-28. Named in honour of Qatar's National Day, this endurance contest will once again test competitors as they race from daylight into darkness, a maximum of ten hours across the 5.38km, 16-turn circuit. The circuit's characteristics – featuring a flat, high-speed layout with minimal elevation changes and maximum grip – continue to provide an ideal proving ground for the sport's most advanced prototypes and production-based GT cars. The 16 turns combined with the kilometre-long main straight demand peak performance from both machinery and drivers. Following success in 2024 and 2025, the Qatar rounds have established themselves as unmissable fixtures on the WEC calendar, attracting the world's leading automotive manufacturers including Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, Aston Martin, Peugeot, Alpine, and BMW in the premier Hypercar category. The LMGT3 class will feature equally fierce competition among marques such as Corvette, Lexus, Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes-AMG. Stay tuned for further ticketing information.
