Details on the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R race car are here, just in time for the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona. However, you won’t see this car on the track. That will be at next year’s race, giving us plenty of time to peruse Chevrolet’s first FIA-compliant GT3 race car.
Unsurprisingly, the GT3.R more or less shares with the running Z06. That includes an aluminum chassis pulled straight from the Corvette assembly line. It was sent to Pratt Miller Engineering in Michigan for a full race conversion, starting with a roll cage. Race-specific springs, dampers and brakes were added, although the double-wishbone suspension design was the same as the production Z06. The 18-inch wheels are shared with the C8.R race car.
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Aerodynamically, the Z06 GT3.R incorporates a variety of new carbon ducts, splitters and diffusers to improve airflow, cooling and downforce. The massive rear wing is new for the car, but the side intakes are pretty much what you’d find on the road-legal Z06. The same goes for the roof and engine cowling, but like the wheels, the bonnet is a product of the C8.R pushrods.
Talking about the engine, you might want to know how much power the racing version of the high-revving 5.5-liter DOHC V8 has. Unfortunately, that’s a detail Chevrolet doesn’t want to reveal at this time, but it would be less powerful than the production-spec Z06. IMSA regulations limit maximum horsepower to 600, a fair cut under the V8’s 668 hp on road trim. Chevy says the racing version shares more than 70 percent of its components with the standard 5.5L engine.
When the Z06 GT3.R finally hits the track in 2024, it will be available to buy and be raced by private teams. Customers will receive on-track support from Corvette Racing in the form of parts and engineering expertise.
“The Corvette Z06 GT3.R represents a new breakthrough for Chevrolet and the Corvette Racing program,” said Mark Stielow, director of GM Motorsports Engineering Competition. “This customer-focused race car draws on lessons learned from across Corvette Racing’s long and successful history, plus the expertise of our Corvette production design, engineering and powertrain teams.”
