TF Sport Planning Corvette GT3 Test at COTA Next Month

TF Sport is planning to test the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R at Circuit of The Americas next month ahead of its FIA World Endurance Championship program with the American manufacturer in 2024.

The British team recently announced that it will switch from Aston Martin to General Motors for the WEC’s transition to the new LMGT3 class, which is replacing GTE-Am.

Team principal Tom Ferrier told Sportscar365 that a two-day session is booked for August with U.S-based machinery.

TF Sport then expects to receive its pair of customer Corvettes during the winter before starting next year’s WEC campaign at the Qatar-based Prologue in late February.

“We’ve got a test at the end of August in COTA, which we’re taking the crew to just to get their hands on the cars,” said Ferrier.

“That’s also a chance for us to bring any new, potential customers along. Our cars are after the IMSA cars, delivery-wise. So probably early January.

“And then it’s slightly down to logistics, whether or not we do some testing in America and fly them to Qatar for the first [WEC] round.

“Or if we do the last two rounds of Asian Le Mans Series in Abu Dhabi with the cars because we’re geographically in the right place… that’s all to be confirmed at the moment.

“There is a lot of work to be done in terms of spares and deliveries. In WEC, you run your little hub, like we do with the Aston stuff.

“It’ll become a bit easier when we come back from Qatar and go into Europe for three races. Hopefully we’ll have the chance to do more testing.

“Some things are different, like setup equipment and wiring. It’s a lot to learn and get together.

“It’s hard until you’re on-site with it, so I think the two-day test in August will really help us because we’ll just be part of it.”

GM first approached TF Sport about a potential customer racing deal late last year, although the contract wasn’t signed until the 24 Hours of Le Mans last month.

Ferrier indicated that the change to LMGT3 “feels like the right time” for his group to seek a new challenge after five WEC seasons of operating Aston Martin Vantage GTEs.

It also gives TF Sport greater security of grid places for next season, considering Chevrolet’s sister GM brand Cadillac is active in Hypercar whereas Aston Martin is not.

As part of its agreement with GM, TF Sport will be able to keep running Aston Martins in GT3 racing next year outside of the WEC. It will also continue its LMP2 program.

“Strategically, with all the rumors of how the WEC grid was going to materialize with GT3, it was just about being with a manufacturer that had cars in the top class,” said Ferrier.

“That’s always been the strapline from the ACO, that manufacturers in the top class have priority. That made [Corvette] a very attractive thought.

“I don’t know how it’s going to pan out in terms of what the numbers are and who gets what, but the most important thing for us, as a business, was to stay in WEC.

“It offered that, first and foremost. And the brand is really exciting. It was a strategic move as much as anything else.”

Ferrier, whose team won the 2022 WEC GTE-Am title and is a two-time Le Mans class winner, is keen to fly the flag for Corvette in the WEC next year as the brand moves away from full-factory racing and into customer support.

GM’s position is that the global customer racing program will be rolled out gradually, starting with the WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“We went to [GM’s hometown of] Detroit after Le Mans to meet everybody for dinner one night,” Ferrier recalled.

“That was a big part of it, that there’s a big following. I think they’re even giving us the air horn [to signal lunchtime at Le Mans]. I think we have to continue that tradition.

“Part of their thing is that customer racing is new to them, and we’ve been an established customer racing team for a long time. A lot of the things we were doing before the arrangement was helping them in terms of how things work customer-wise.

“When you make your own car and run it, it’s a very different world to having someone ring up because they need a part.

“I think there’s a bit of learning to be done on both sides, but they’re very willing with any suggestions. I think it’ll be a good working relationship.”