IGTC Manufacturer Status ‘Definitely on Radar’ for Corvette

Photo: Gruppe C Photography/SRO

Chevrolet is looking at becoming a registered manufacturer in Intercontinental GT Challenge competition according to Corvette Racing program manager Jess Dane, who has highlighted the benefits of being a season-long competitor in SRO Motorsports Group’s globe-trotting GT3 series.

The GM brand, which is in the second year of supporting the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R on a largely customer basis, has seen an influx of race appearances in IGTC races this year, with Johor Motorsports JMR having entered its Corvettes at both the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and last weekend’s Suzuka 1000km, where the Malaysian team claimed an overall podium finish.

Additionally, UK-based Steller Motorsport also took part in the 24H Spa, while U.S. squads DXDT Racing and Chouest Povoledo Racing will have Corvettes in next month’s IGTC season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS.

Speaking with Sportscar365 last weekend in Japan, Dane expressed optimism of joining BMW, Ferrari, Porsche and Mercedes-AMG as official brands that will be eligible to score IGTC points in the five-round season.

“It’s definitely on our radar,” she told Sportscar365. “The IGTC championship is really important to manufacturers. The SRO series, I think particularly Europe, is just going from strength to strength.

“These are places we want to be. It also opens opportunities to activate with the local GM markets in each of those regions.

“We’ve been able to use this opportunity of having JMR in [Suzuka] to introduce them to GM Japan, talk about how we could work together.

“We’ve also been working with other GM markets around Asia. There was a Corvette dealership launched in Singapore in July, so we introduced them to JMR and opened that door.

“IGTC represents an opportunity for us to race in markets and activate with GM markets to support the road car sales that we might not otherwise get.

“Prior to customer racing we didn’t have those opportunities.

“Now with customer racing and working with each of those customers, all of whom are very enthusiastic about working with GM as a partner, of not just racing cars but working together as a partnership, there’s plenty of opportunities there.

“It’s something I’ve enjoyed working with each of those teams the local GM markets to spot those opportunities and hopefully grow them.”

Corvette Bathurst 12H Effort a “Work in Progress” 

Dane said Corvette Racing is working to potentially support customers in the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour and Nürburgring 24, the two remaining IGTC rounds on the calendar that did not feature a Z06 GT3.R on the grid this year.

When asked about the effort for Bathurst, an event that JMR has previously contested when it ran Mercedes-AMG machinery, she said: “It’s a work in progress.”

Dane added: “It’s something that we really want to achieve. I’m biased, having lived in Australia for 11 years and having an Australian passport and thinking Mount Panorama is one of the greatest circuits in the world.

“It’s not something that’s locked in yet but definitely something that we’re working toward.”

As for the N24, it’s a more complicated situation, due to modifications needed to be made to the Pratt Miller-built GT3 car to comply with ADAC regulations, as well as the driver license requirements that would need previous NLS race participation.

“We’re not currently eligible to race on the Nordschleife,” said Dane. “But it’s always something we’re talking to teams about it.

“There’s a few things to come together to make that possible that’s definitely always on the radar.

“The car itself has to have [changes] such as anti-launch and that kind of thing that’s not currently on the car. It’s not part of our package.

“We have looked at what that would entail but it’s not something that we are ready to do immediately but it’s always something… We’ve got dialogues open with multiple [parties] to bring that to life at some point in the next year or two.”

Per IGTC regulations, registered manufacturers are not required to contest the full season, which could give GM additional time to finalize its N24 plans while potentially joining IGTC as early as next year.

“It’s something we’re definitely interested in as a manufacturer, so we need to find a way to make that happen,” added Dane.

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