What’s New on the GTD PRO Corvette?
There have been lots of questions about changes to the Corvette C8.R for the IMSA GTD PRO class. There is quite a bit of work the Corvette Racing team has undertaken to transition the car from GTLM spec to meet GTD technical regulations. Here are a handful of key areas:
1. The mass of the C8.R is increased by 65 kilograms (143 lbs.) relative to Daytona 2021.
To accommodate the ballast box required by the GT3/GTD regulations to hold the extra weight, the Corvette Racing team had to reconfigure the entire passenger side floor compartment. This required the move of the air conditioning unit, fire bottle, battery box and other electronics.
This was no small feat, with integration requiring significant effort by the Corvette Racing engineering team.
2. The 2022 Corvette GTD entry is running on customer Michelin tires, which are required for the category.
This is a change from GTLM where the C8.R ran on confidential tires, ones that were specifically designed for Corvette Racing.
3. The power output of the C8.R’s flat-plane V8 is significantly reduced under GTD rules.
The difference between the size of this year’s Daytona air restrictor and 2021 is nearly 1.7 mm.
4. Related to that, the GTD PRO Corvette is running with a higher angle of attack on the rear wing than previous years.
This creates a greater level of drag on the race car and significantly reduces top speed.
5. The addition of ABS is required under GT3/GTD rules. As many observers are aware, Corvette Racing tested this in competition for the first time last year at Belle Isle in the GTLM Corvette. The system continued to be improved throughout testing late last year and early this season, both virtually and in the real world.
6. The differential of the Corvette C8.R must now comply with GT3/GTD regulations. A limited slip differential configuration is permitted with a single homologated set of ramps. This required removal of some tuning options previously available on the GTLM Corvette.
7. Unlike other GTD teams, the C8.Rs are required to run with torque axle sensors.
These directly measure the output of the Corvette engine and the data is used by IMSA for the BOP process.
