Learning a circuit correctly is just some of what you will learn in this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup. You will also understand Fernando Alonso’s driving style, the growth of GT3 and much more.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
Fernando Alonso’s Ludicrous F1 Driving Style Explained
Whether he’s got the best car (as he last had a decade ago) or the worst car (as he does now) in Formula 1, Fernando Alonso’s driving always catches our eye. At 44-years-old, and with well over 400+ F1 races under his belt, Alonso is one of a kind in F1 folklore, but exactly what makes him so special – and at the top of his game for so long – remains something of an enigma.
Two men well placed to dissect Alonso’s unique driving style are Mark Hughes and Edd Straw, who, between them, have followed Alonso’s F1 career from his very first race with Minardi 25 years ago.
Alonso is the subject of the first episode of series three of Driving Style Secrets with Mark and Edd. This series will look at some of the key champions of the 21st century – from Sebastian Vettel to Kimi Raikkonen, to Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg – and the full series (as well as the back catalogue) is only available exclusively to The Race Members’ Club.
Learning a Circuit Correctly
Most drivers learn a new circuit the wrong way. They get in the car, drive it, and try to go faster each lap until they run out of time or grip. That can work for a while and depending on the conditions. There is a faster method.
Dan Wells from Drivers Lab explains how to learn a track correctly.
Race Car & Series Developments
How GT3’s Rise Surpassed Even the Wildest Expectations
It’s exactly 20 years since the FIA GT3 Championship heralded a new era of sportscar racing. As a packed grid of 44 cars lined up at the Silverstone Circuit in 2006, few could have imagined the scale of success this category would go on to enjoy.
Autosport looks at how GT3’s rise surpassed even the wildest expectations.
New Porsche 911 Cup 992.2 Welcomed For 2027 Michelin 992 Endurance Cup
Important clarification has been provided by Michelin 992 Endurance Cup organizers Creventic, with regard to car eligibility for this September’s all-Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.
In order to provide the most level playing field possible and to ensure complete fairness for all competing teams, Creventic has chosen to delay introduction of the newer specification Porsche until the 2027 event.
Is it Time for IMSA to Move On From Detroit?
Three years of incident-filled races on a less-than-ideal downtown street circuit for sports cars raises questions on whether it could be time for a change of venue. John Dagys from Sportscar365+ looks into why a change of venue might make sense.
Huge Interest from Teams in New Gen 2 FR Oceania Era
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand has confirmed huge interest from junior formulae teams worldwide keen to be part of the new Gen 2 Formula Regional car era set to begin in the Oceania region in January 2027.
No fewer than 15 existing teams have submitted expressions of interest as part of the tendering process, including all six of the incumbent teams who took part in the successful 2026 championship. Teams interested come from categories from Formula 4 through to FIA Formula 2.
FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 Unveil New Championship Logos
The FIA Formula 2 and the FIA Formula 3 Championships reveal new visual identities, introducing redesigned logos that reinforce both categories’ positions within the FIA single-seater pyramid and their relationship to Formula 1.
You can see both logos here and here.
Join the 2027 Caterham Academy Season
Created exclusively for novice drivers, the Caterham Academy is Europe’s largest factory-backed racing championship.
The 2027 season all-inclusive package includes:
- Factory-built, configurable, road-legal race car, yours to keep.
- Your racing licence.
- 7-round championship series.
- Technical support.
- Expert tuition and guidance from the Caterham team.
Full details can be found here.
From the Sim Racing Roundup
How AIX Racing Uses a Sim to Prepare for Formula 2
How AIX Racing uses their sim to prepare for Formula 2 races is just part of what was covered in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup. I also featured SimCraft’s partnership with the International Council of Motorsport Sciences, why Lewis Hamilton doesn’t use a sim and more!
Track Days
Audi Launches Silverstone Driving Experience
Audi has introduced the Audi Drive Experience at Silverstone Circuit, following the start of a three-year agreement as the venue’s Official Car Partner.
The program provides participants with the opportunity to drive the Audi RS 3 Sportback on the Formula One circuit. The experience is available to drivers aged 18 and over and is positioned as the only driving experience of its type currently hosted at a UK Formula One venue.
The partnership includes Audi supporting Silverstone operations across event transport, pace car duties and customer driving programs. The launch represents the first activation under the agreement.
Full details can be found here.
Porsche Track Experience: Eva Will Take Care of it. Always.
When the sun rises over Monza, Eva vom Kolke is already there. Organizer, calming influence, responsible for practically everything. Between high-revving GT3 engines, shimmering asphalt, the specialists from Manthey in the pits, and screeching radio commands, she and the team keep everything together at a GT Trackday – with a smile and nerves of titanium. A day with her on the fastest stage of the Porsche Track Experience.
Read the full article from Porsche here.