Klauser: Bahrain ‘Closes One Chapter’ for Corvette Racing

Photo: Richard Prince/GM

GM sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser feels like this weekend’s 8 Hours of Bahrain will ‘close one chapter but open the next one’ for Corvette Racing as the program transitions into a customer racing GT3 operation.

Corvette Racing, as a fully fledged factory team, is set for its 284th and final event start in Saturday’s FIA World Endurance Championship season finale, a record that stretches back to 1999 and has included 127 victories and 14 manufacturer championships over its ultra-successful 25-year run.

The Pratt Miller-run team will continue in a factory supported capacity in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year with a two-car GTD Pro class program with the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, which will also be in the hands of multiple customer teams around the world.

Klauser, who was appointed as Corvette Racing program manager in 2021, succeeding longtime leader Doug Fehan, before being promoted to the overall boss of GM’s sports car racing activities, said the first quarter-century of success has helped lay a “strong foundation” for what’s coming next.

“I’m super proud of everything for Corvette Racing,” she told Sportscar365.

“If you look at how we’ve built up an incredible program from back in the early 2000’s and coming forward to where we are today, I cannot thank everyone who’s been involved from Day 1 through now with that program.

“From the team to the power unit to drivers… everyone that has been a part of the program has been a huge part of it.

“What’s so exciting is that we just carry forward into next year. Yes, it’s a new car with the GT3 but you’re going to see all these familiar faces.

“What’s even cooler is that we have the familiar faces that everyone has known plus more. We’re growing the family.

“This will give the opportunity for people, no matter where they live in the world, to eventually be able to find a place where Corvette is racing and go out and root for their favorite car.

“I’m super stoked and thankful for everything that’s happened so far. It’s created such a strong foundation for us to launch into this big customer program with GT3.”

The Bahrain weekend also marks the final race for the GTE platform, which pre-dates the launch of the WEC in 2012 and a formula that Corvette Racing had been involved with since 2008, initially with the GT2-spec Corvette C6.R.

Pratt Miller went on to build two further generations of GTE cars, including the current C8.R, which is now on the eve of retirement from professional competition.

“Just like when the DPi retired last year, it’s always a little sad to see a car that you loved so much go into retirement,” Klauser said.

“What’s cool is that the cars will go on and live other lives. We have people that are interested in buying them, which is exciting.

“Of course we’ll keep one for us to celebrate all the success we’ve had with the car as well. And we have all of the memories.

“We’re closing the chapter but we’re opening the next one and we’ve got everyone on the program so busy with GT3 that I don’t think they’ve even had time to think about it.”

Corvette Racing and the C8.R will close out the chapter as world champions, with its WEC entry driven by Ben Keating, Nico Varrone and Nicky Catsburg having locked up the GTE-Am title one race after claiming the team’s ninth class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“You can’t ask for a better way to go out, right?” Klauser said. “It proved that we have a phenomenal vehicle, which we knew. It was nice to prove it.

“To have the opportunity to have a world championship the first time, that’s really cool. It sets the stage nicely for all of the activities we’ll be doing going forward.

“We cannot be more proud of that. We had such a great year with a great lineup. The three drivers worked together so well.

“Ben Keating is an absolute pleasure to have on the team. I’m so lucky to have had the chance to work with him. Of course Nico and Nicky being phenomenal too.

“The team, themselves, really stood up and pushed themselves further than they ever had.

“Everyone showed up and contributed and we got a championship. I think that’s what you want. We had a great season and everyone put forth their best effort.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John