On this blog post, you will find Corvette Racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 Press Releases and updates. Bookmark it and check back for all updates from Chevrolet Corvette Racing.
Press Release date Aug. 22, 2021
CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Runner-Up in C8.R Le Mans Debut
Garcia, Taylor, Catsburg second in GTE Pro; No. 64 Corvette endures hard-luck race
LE MANS, France (Aug. 22, 2021) – The mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R finished on the class podium in its 24 Hours of Le Mans debut Sunday with the trio of Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor, and Nicky Catsburg placing second in the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R.
The debut of the mid-engine racing Corvette came a year later than originally planned due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. But the wait proved worth it with Corvette Racing showing its usual competitive spirit during its 21st race at Le Mans since 2000.
“Today’s second-place result in GTE Pro for the No. 63 Corvette C8.R and drivers Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor, and Nicky Catsburg is a significant achievement as we debuted the mid-engine Corvette C8.R at Le Mans,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S Vice President, Performance and Motorsports. “To be on the podium at Le Mans with the C8.R is very gratifying. It’s a testament to the hard work and determination of our Corvette production and racing teams.
“The support of Corvette owners and fans from around the world has been incredible,” Campbell added. “This race result is dedicated to our customers and supporters.”
While the No. 63 Corvette ran in contention for the entire race, the No. 64 C8.R of Tommy Milner, Nick Tandy, and Alexander Sims seemingly ran into nothing but bad luck. It began on the roll-off from the grid when Milner was hit from behind by the eventual class-winning Ferrari at the beginning of the formation lap.
The contact broke part of the diffuser, but the No. 64 Corvette ran well early and even led in a wet start with Milner going to the fore. He and Tandy cycled through and kept the No. 64 C8.R in contention before the diffuser finally broke in the fifth hour shortly after Sims’ first stint.
It was the first of three visits to the garage for the No. 64 team, which also had to repair part of the gearbox, clutch, and alternator. Milner, Tandy, and Sims – who set a GTE Pro record race lap of 3:47.501 – finished sixth in class.
On the No. 63 Corvette side of the garage, all three drivers drove double stints to open the race. Each of the trio led for a time as well as the race began to evolve into primarily a battle between Corvette and Ferrari, although five cars remained on the lead lap in GTE Pro at the halfway point.
Things began to evolve into a two-car race into the final six hours between the No. 63 C8.R and No. 51 Ferrari. The Corvette team kept it close and was able to triple-stint its Michelin tires in the late going but couldn’t make up the necessary ground.
The No. 63 Corvette did, however, complete the entire 24 hours without a change of brakes.
Corvette Racing returns to action in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Sept. 10-12 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTE PRO: “I don’t know if I prefer to be two seconds, 10 seconds, 40 seconds, or three laps back. I think it hurts the same! We’ve been in that 30-second range between the two cars pretty much for 24 hours. I must say it does hurt a little bit. When you come so close, it’s difficult. But when you do your best, you run almost a perfect race and someone else does it a little better than you, you have to congratulate them. There is nothing we could do. I think we ran a perfect race regardless of our position. We finished second but very close for sure. They just did it 40 seconds better than us. I’m very happy for the team, the 63 crew, Jordan and Nicky – all six drivers had really, really good drives and helped develop this Corvette and for sure all the engineers. So even if the 64 had so much trouble, getting up to this point we have all been working together to get the most out of the C8.R. For sure, two of our cars upfront would have put even more pressure on the 51. We were both alone so it was a one-on-one fight between Corvette and Ferrari. We were close. When you are up on the podium, you always want a tiny bit more. I would have liked to have given Corvette the first Le Mans win in the C8.R. Now we need to wait until next year and work harder.”
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTE PRO: “That’s my fourth podium here. It’s hard to complain with a podium at Le Mans. But when you come this close, it’s difficult to take. The Corvette Racing guys did an amazing job. We didn’t have any issues with our car. We executed really well strategy-wise and in the pitlane and on the track, there were no mistakes. For our first run at Le Mans with the C8.R, we should be pretty proud of that to come home second against some cars that have run here the past few years. We learned a lot as a team and can come back stronger next year.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTE PRO: “It’s super nice. This is my third time at Le Mans, and the first two times we finished nowhere. To be in the fight right to the last lap was very cool. It went well. The C8.R was very good. I had some good stints and nothing really bad happened. I will go home with some positive feelings. P2 kind of feels like a loss, but on the way home I’ll be like, ‘We finished P2 at Le Mans. That’s not bad!’ We had a cool fight with the Ferrari, and I think we did well.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTE PRO: “It was a very frustrating race for us. It wasn’t taken away from us right at the start, but a pretty good indication looking at the damage from the contact before the race started with the Ferrari that it was going to be a big problem for us. It ended up being such that we had more problems after that. It’s hard to say if that initial damage caused some of the other problems we had. It’s very unfortunate and unlucky… unnecessary but in the end we turned it into a test session in a lot of ways. We tried to go as fast we could to learn as much as we could about the C8.R and find anything that in future may or may not be a problem. Our focus turned from going for a race win to helping the 63 guys do whatever it took to get them the win. Unfortunately, that didn’t materialize; I think the Ferrari had just a little bit too much pace compared to everyone else. From our side, it’s disappointing but for the team, second place is a good result. It’s not the result we were all looking for but we can be happy about our performance today.”
NICK TANDY, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTE PRO: “Endurance racing is not an easy game. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. This time on our side of the garage, we didn’t have the smoothest of runs. But I really enjoyed the week. I’ve enjoyed being with Tommy and Alex being in the car again. I’m proud of how we managed to get the speed out of the car. Honestly, it’s probably the nicest racecar I’ve had to drive around this circuit – to be consistently fast and confidence-inspiring… I’m really proud of everyone who worked to give us a car with that performance. The reliability didn’t go our way this time, but we can be proud that we have one car on the podium. It’s a great experience with the new C8.R and hopefully, we will come back fighting stronger next year.”
ALEXANDER SIMS NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTE PRO: “Everybody comes here to win, knowing that even if you have a super-fast car, there are so many opportunities for things not to go perfectly – reliability, drivers making mistakes, slow zones and safety cars. There are so many factors, and this time we had a couple of those go against us. Nevertheless, to get my first finish at Le Mans was good. I got a lot of great experience with the C8.R . It was brilliant to drive through the entire race. It’s a shame not using that pace to fight for the podium positions. I’m proud of the whole team. The effort they put in was remarkable. They got the changes made in the pits very, very quickly for such big fundamental changes that needed to be done. Well done to the 63 car for getting the podium. On to the next one.”
Press Release date Aug. 22, 2021
CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Eighteen-Hour Report
No. 63 Corvette C8.R in with a chance of GTE Pro victory
LE MANS, France (Aug. 22, 2021) – The final dice have been cast in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Corvette Racing part of what is shaping up to be a two-team battle for victory in the GTE Pro category.
Jordan Taylor ran second in the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R at the 18-hour mark and a little more than a minute behind the class-leading Ferrari. Taylor, Antonio Garcia and Nicky Catsburg were one of three cars still on the lead lap three-quarters into the race.
Catsburg set the fastest GTE Pro lap of the race at the end of a storming triple stint with Garcia and Taylor each running strong doubles as the sun rose on Le Mans. Taylor was in the car as the clock struck 18 hours.
More bad luck beset the No. 64 Mobil 1/SiriusXM C8.R of Tommy Milner, Nick Tandy and Alexander Sims. After being hit by another car rolling off the grid for the formation lap, the No. 64 Corvette lost time in the garage repairing its damaged diffuser plus repairs to the gearbox, clutch and alternator. It was classified as seventh in class with six hours to go.
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “The pace during the night was quite OK. It seems like we are right there. Let’s hope we stay close to the Ferrari and stay in touch. In the end, it’s going to be a hard battle but the C8.R feels good. When the fuel load is going down, the car gets quicker and I was lucky to be out there at the right time of day. The track is getting faster and faster. It was a nice stint to dawn. Last evening it started to rain and it took a very long time to dry up completely. There was a dry line but as soon as you had to overtake, it was very difficult. Now the track is getting drier and it’s easier to attack so you can push the limits and overtake. The track is in very good shape right now.”
Press Release date Aug 22, 2021
CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Halfway Report
No. 63 Corvette C8.R remains in the GTE Pro hunt on Le Mans debut
LE MANS, France (Aug. 22, 2021) – Corvette Racing remained firmly entrenched among the GTE Pro class leaders as the 24 Hours of Le Mans reached and passed the halfway point early Sunday morning.
The No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R of Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg ran third in class as the race entered the final 12 hours. Taylor completed his second double-stint of the event just prior to halfway, handing over to Catsburg, who was next in the rotation.
All three drivers in the No. 63 C8.R drove double stints to open this year’s Le Mans – the first for the mid-engine Corvette. Each driver led for a time as well as the race began to evolve into primarily a battle between Corvette and Ferrari, although five cars remained on the lead lap in GTE Pro.
Unfortunately, the No. 64 Mobil 1/SiriusXM C8.R wasn’t one of them. The entry of Tommy Milner, Nick Tandy and Alexander Sims was three laps down and in sixth place at the 12-hour mark.
Milner was the early GTE Pro leader despite being hit from behind as the cars rolled off the starting grid for the formation lap. Nevertheless, Milner charged to the head of the category as moderate to heavy rain fell across the circuit. The No. 64 Corvette fell back in the order due to a pitlane refueling penalty and lost additional time when it was separated from the GTE lead pack by one of the three safety cars in the opening three hours.
The biggest blow, however, came in the fifth hour when the Corvette crew had to change the damaged diffuser, which had created a severe vibration for Sims during his second stint. That trip to the garage cost the No. 64 team two-plus laps to the leaders.
Corvette Racing’s next update will come at the 18-hour mark.
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “We’re at the halfway point now and constantly in the top-three depending on the pit rotation, driver rotation and tire strategy. There’s a long way to go and a lot has already happened. We’re still trying to take care when we can and be careful. Teams are starting to line up their driver rotations and tire strategies for the end. So far, so good.
Improvements to come: “The car felt good in the day yesterday when the track temp was a little higher. Obviously in the night the track temp dropped a bit, and I feel like we struggled a little bit more with pace especially with slow zones. Once the sun comes back up, I think we’ll be in a little bit better shape on pace.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Unfortunately it started raining in my first double stint, right when the sun was setting. It was very difficult to see where the grip was with a lot of cars going off left, right and center. I think in many ways I took it a little bit too easy, but we’re still in the game and we didn’t make any mistakes. It seems the car is quite decent and we have some pace. So hopefully we can stay in the pack with the leaders and see here we are come Sunday morning.”
NICK TANDY, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “This is Le Mans, unfortunately. We’ve taken a setback and are a few laps behind now. The race is still long. The things that have happened to us can happen to anyone, so we have to stay positive. What happened before the start of the race is out of our control, of course, but damaged the car. A mistake from another driver has cost us a lot of time for our entry. We’re very disappointed that this can happen at all. The thing that makes it more disappointing is that the C8.R, even with the damage, was running so well. Fingers crossed that we can work our way back into it, but it’s going to be a long night.”
ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It was quite a long time in the car. But the beauty the C8.R is that is actually really comfortable and really cool to drive in terms of temperature. It wasn’t stressful from my point of view in terms of the duration. It was good. Obviously to have the floor finally fail – I don’t know the exact analysis, but I’d have to guess it’s to do with the contact the very start – was a real shame. Aside from that we could be in a really good position. That’s the way it goes in these 24-hour races. We’ll stick it out and see what we can get out of it. Stranger things have happened but at the moment it’s a shame.”
Press Release dated Aug 15, 2021
By Randall Shinn
CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: First Laps at Le Mans for C8.R
No. 64 Corvette heads team’s Test Day pace; No. 63 recovers after an electrical issue
LE MANS, France (Aug. 15, 2021) – At long last, Corvette Racing sent the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R for its first laps around the Circuit de la Sarthe during nine hours of testing Sunday ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Tommy Milner led the Corvette Racing effort in the No. 64 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R on Sunday with a lap of 3:53.440 (130.550 mph) in a highly competitive GTE Pro field. Less than a half-second separated the top seven cars, which bodes well for a thrilling race in less than a week’s time.
Milner shared the No. 64 Corvette on Sunday with Nick Tandy; the duo will welcome back Alexander Sims into the fold following a prior racing commitment earlier in the day.
The No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R had an up-and-down day that included an engine change following an electrical issue that stranded Antonio Garcia on-course in the third hour of the morning session. Four hours later and after hard and thorough work, the No. 63 re-emerged from the garage to continue its test program.
Nicky Catsburg, driving with Garcia and Jordan Taylor, was the quickest driver in the 63 entry at 3:54.281 (130.115 mph). The trio is back together after winning the Rolex 24 At Daytona earlier this season.
Corvette Racing will return to the track Wednesday for two free practice sessions and qualifying.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans on Aug. 21-22 with the green flag set for 4 p.m. CET and 10 a.m. ET. MotorTrend TV will air the race live with the MotorTrend App adding coverage of official practices and qualifying on Aug. 18 and 19. Live audio coverage will be available from Radio Le Mans starting with Sunday’s Test Day
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “We had a bit of a slow start today with some issues here and there. But the afternoon was really strong for us on the 64 side. As far as setup goes, we didn’t do lots of work – thanks to a lot of that being done on the simulator. It really felt like we have been racing this car at Le Mans for many years. That’s my first impression. Setup-wise and balance-wise, things felt pretty good. There’s still some work to do, for sure. But I’m happy with where we are. We were able to get more tire data and more car data so that when we come to the race here in a few days that we can find-tune the setup and get everyone comfortable and happy with the Corvette.”
NICK TANDY, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It’s been a long day and we’ve had a few hiccups – things to iron out. But that’s why you do a test before the race week where we try to do a roll-out and fully use that test day. We managed to work through a good program of what we wanted to get through on the 64 side. It would have been nice if the 63 had run fully and we could have compared what we had planned to test throughout the day. Nevertheless, the good thing with the heat and weather today is that we were able to run different tire compounds and have a comparison of that. Of course, we missed having Alexander here. I know he will seamlessly transition into the team for the first practice session Wednesday. What that did mean is that Tommy and I got to focus on what we were doing between the two of us rather than driver familiarization work, which we will do Wednesday. It won’t take Alex many laps. I think the most positive thing for me is how comfortable the C8.R is to drive around this circuit. I know and Corvette Racing knows what requirements are needed for a car on this type of circuit – fast, relatively low-grip, big braking zones, and a pretty flat track, if you like. The car is everything I expected. It gives me good visions going into race week of being able to operate at a very high level for a number of stints without too much hassle. That is what endurance racing is all about… going round and round as consistently as possible.”
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I would have liked to do some more laps for sure since it’s the first year with the C8.R in Le Mans. But mostly out of the box it felt pretty decent, pretty good. We know which way to go; the things we worked on in the simulator seem to be working, which is a good thing. We’ll now try to get as much data as possible from both cars and work our way forward toward this week.”
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “We didn’t do as many laps as we wanted to get in today, but the guys did a good job to give us as many laps as possible. It’s the first day of the new car at Le Mans, so every lap is important to get our data and to understand where we’ll be next week. Each driver got some laps – in traffic and in clean air – which is important for the race. We probably have a lot of things we want to tick off the list still come free practice, but I think it’s good to get this under our belt, get a couple of days off and look at all the data and understand where we are.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Not an easy day with the issue in the morning session which took a long time to repair, but the guys worked super hard and luckily we managed to get out near the end of the afternoon session. We got some laps in, the car felt pretty good. The sister car was running all day so we’ll be able to get some valuable information from them and we can learn from that. In summary, we survived the Test Day feeling pretty good, so we’re all good for the race.”
CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Finally… the Return Trip
Press Release Date: Aug 11, 2021
By Randall Shinn
- Program makes return to 24 Hours of Le Mans after missing 2020
- First race for mid-engine Corvette C8.R at Le Mans
- Nine hours of testing Sunday to set stage for endurance classic
- Catsburg, Sims rejoin regular IMSA lineup in pair of Corvette C8.Rs
DETROIT (Aug. 11, 2021) – Corvette Racing is set for its long-awaited return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only days following its most recent IMSA race at Road America, the program heads across the Atlantic for the French endurance classic.
The twice-around-the-clock race is set for Aug. 21-22 around the 8.4-mile circuit that is a mix of the permanent racetrack and public roads. Corvette Racing and other teams – including seven other entries in GTE Pro – will have nine hours of track time Sunday during the official Test Day.
This year’s Le Mans is significant for many reasons, but two loom largest: it’s the first time in France for the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, and this year’s race marks Corvette Racing’s return after missing the 2020 due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It ended a run of 20 consecutive years at Le Mans that started in 2000. In that time, the program claimed eight victories with three different generations of Corvette… all with the engine in the front.
This year things are different. The debut of the mid-engine Corvette C8.R is a highly anticipated one, especially given its success since its first race in January 2020. Corvette Racing swept the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Manufacturers, Drivers, and Team titles of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship a year ago, and the team finished 1-2 in the Rolex 24 At Daytona to start the 2021 season.
Although the C8.R is new at Le Mans, it has a race in Europe to its name. Corvette Racing ran a single mid-engine Corvette in the Six Hours of Spa in May with Antonio Garcia and Oliver Gavin. It gave the team experience with a different set of rules than in IMSA – mainly pit stop sequences, yellow-flag strategies, and other sporting situations.
Garcia, Jordan Taylor, and Nicky Catsburg were the winning drivers at Daytona, and they will reunite in the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R at Le Mans. Garcia and Taylor have won four times and lead this year’s GTLM standings.
On the other side of the garage, the No. 64 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette will see Tommy Milner, Nick Tandy, and Alexander Sims back together. Milner and Tandy were victorious in a non-points race at Detroit, and the combination of Tandy and Sims won a 100-minute qualifying race at Daytona.
Corvette Racing’s lineup has combined for seven victories: Garcia with three; Milner with two; and Tandy and Taylor with one each.
Corvette Racing will contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Aug. 21-22 with the green flag set for 4 p.m. CET and 10 a.m. ET. MotorTrend TV will air the race live with the MotorTrend App adding coverage of official practices and qualifying on Aug. 18 and 19. Live audio coverage will be available from Radio Le Mans starting with Sunday’s Test Day.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It always is nice to go back somewhere when you’ve been away for a year. So it’s great to be back at Le Mans. One of last year’s biggest disappointments was not going to Le Mans. Conditions were what they were. We couldn’t go with the schedule shuffling, and in the end it wasn’t possible to go. It would have been beneficial. That knowledge of the C8.R around Le Mans would be an advantage going into this year’s race. But we can overcome that. Even this is our first time there with this car, we’ve done many races in IMSA with the C8.R. There are a lot of laps and miles already on it.”
Expectations for the Corvette C8.R: “This car should be better (than previous generations) and that’s what we expect. We saw at Spa that we were close to our competitors. So it was good event for the team to get used to WEC rules and strategy. Now once we get to Le Mans, it should be an easier time to get into that mindset having been through it before.”
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It’s going to be nice going back after a few years off. But for the team after having missed the race last year for the first time in so long is going to feel weird. Everyone lives for that event. It’s biggest event for the team and in sports car racing. Having missed last year is going to make everyone win it that much more and get back there as fast as possible.”
Being away from Le Mans: “Having to watch Le Mans on TV isn’t the easiest thing. As a kid watching it, it’s an amazing race and you grow to love it and want to be there one day. Once you get there the magnitude of the event, the people, the fans, the atmosphere… it’s like no other race. So when you get that feeling and emotion, you don’t want to lose it. So then when you have to watch it again on TV during on the years you can’t make it, it makes you miss it that much more and be that much more motivated to go back and be competitive.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Last year I was doing commentary for Le Mans on Dutch television, so I kind of felt like I was still part of it. But Le Mans is something you can’t take for granted. It took me years to get finally get a seat at Le Mans, and I felt like once I had done it then I would be doing it every year from then on. Of course this didn’t happen in 2020 due to a situation that no one could foresee. That’s why I am going to cherish this year and enjoy it as much possible because you never know when you’re next time is. Even though I liked doing commentary, I like driving a lot better!”
Importance of the Test Day: “What is so important about the Test Day is making use of every lap and utilizing the full day in learning as much as possible. There is always a big change in track conditions and a big increase in grip, which you have to take into consideration especially when working on car setup. It is important that you don’t run into any trouble on the Test Day. I hope we can make the most out of it.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “We don’t take going to Le Mans for granted. Not going there last year, though, reminds you how special this race is and how important it is for the team, for Corvette and Chevrolet. This is a race that for a lot of people is a bucket-list item. To go there once is special. Each time going back is more so. It’s another chance at winning the greatest sports car race in the world. We don’t take that lightly on this team. We’re even more excited that we get to take the new Corvette over there for the first time. There are a lot of people – me included – are eager to see what the C8.R can do there.”
Preparing for Le Mans: “The build-up of going to Le Mans… testing here stateside and getting the car trimmed out and comfortable, that’s what starts the process. The history of Le Mans, the build-up of the race, going to another country for the event, the scrutineering in town. Now having a year off, it will make going back there that much more special. A renewed amount of excitement that comes from all those things will make going back there feel more special than it already does.”
NICK TANDY, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I’m most looking forward to going back with a chance to win the race. That’s why we all go there. Past this, the most exciting aspect for me and my teammates is seeing how the C8.R is at the Circuit de la Sarthe… when we get it to stretch its legs on the long straights in its low-downforce configuration. There’s that aspect of it, and we’re looking forward to seeing what is in store, because we don’t really know.”
Lessons from Daytona: “There are a lot of similarities (between Daytona and Le Mans). They’re both 24-hour races, obviously. The kind of running the car goes through is similar with all the flat-out running you do compared to something like Sebring. There are a lot of high-speed sections at Daytona like there are at Le Mans. The car proved ultra-reliable, consistent and quick at Daytona, so this is a big positive going into Le Mans. We will be using a Le Mans-specific aero kit, which hasn’t raced on the C8.R as of yet. It’s been tested, and I’m sure there will be lots of testing leading up to the race. It’s quite a different race with different sporting regulations, the way the pit stops work and things like this. But this isn’t Corvette Racing’s first time at Le Mans, of course. I’m confident we will be on top of things from a driver point of view. We all have a lot of experience there in a number of different cars and classes.”
ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “The first thing that struck me about going to Le Mans the first time was the fans. Having done some junior single-seaters with one year on the Formula One calendar, I was used to seeing some decent-sized crowds. The pre-race procedure of going through scrutineering in the town center and then the pre-race grid itself, Le Mans was really something else. That was the big thing that stole the show from my point of view in terms of my impression of the race. It was incredible to see not only the amount of fans but also the passion and knowledge they had… plus seeing the number that goes back year after year after year! It’s a bug they get and struggle to shift it, which is lovely to see such commitment from fans. They really make it what it is.”
Expectations for the C8.R: “From everything I know from the car, it seems to be very strong in a number of different areas. I haven’t really found a weakness in it yet. The car is super streamlined, has good power and good traction, and is well-balanced through the higher-speed corners that I experienced at Sebring. I really hope it’s going to be quite a force to be reckoned with at Le Mans.”
Here are some other related posts you might enjoy:
If you have never seen Vette Vues Magazine check out our Issue Preview and see what our subscribers are enjoying each month.
Vette Vues Magazine is jammed packed with Corvette information covering C1 to C8. Each monthly issue has features, reviews, tips, restorations, clubs, events, racing, auction results, model cars, classifieds, products, services, and more. Enjoy the latest Corvette news, as well as some great historical facts.
