Škoda has unveiled its Enyaq RS Race battery-electric concept study, which it states offers insights into how motorsport technology can “help accelerate the shift towards a dynamic and sustainable automotive future”. The platform will also serve as a test bed for the development and testing of technologies for future battery-electric production vehicles. Michal Hrabánek, Head of Škoda Motorsport, said, “Sustainability is a cornerstone of Škoda Motorsport’s strategy. As early as 2021, we ventured into the realm of electric rally cars with the Škoda Fabia RE-X1. The insights and expertise we gai ..read more

Following much speculation, it has been confirmed that Adrian Newey is to leave Red Bull Racing after 19 years with the F1 team. The chief technology officer will depart the team in the first quarter of 2025. Until then, Dewey will step back from F1 design duties to focus on delivering the firm’s RB17 hypercar. In a statement, Newey said, “Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a designer of fast cars. My dream was to be an engineer in Formula 1, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality. For almost two decades it has been my great honor to have played a key role in Red Bul ..read more

TWR, a constructor of bespoke automobiles, has unveiled its debut limited-production performance car, the Supercat V12 Super-GT. The order book for this vehicle is now open, coinciding with the release of its exterior design ahead of a full debut in summer 2024. The Supercat draws inspiration from the classic Jaguar XJ-S, which was produced from 1975 to 1996, with the brawnier versions featuring V12 power. TWR’s reinterpretation of this iconic vehicle features a muscular carbon-bodied design, with vehicle designer Khyzyl Saleem and automotive enthusiast Magnus Walker contributing to its creat ..read more

Battery technology company About:Energy has partnered with McMurtry Automotive, an electric vehicle (EV) developer, to improve battery lifetime and performance for the McMurtry Spéirling and Spéirling PURE customer cars. The collaboration aims to merge EV expertise, battery testing and modeling to improve the battery technology of McMurtry’s vehicles by using the latest high-performance Molicel P50B battery. The Molicel P50B uses a 5.0Ah 21700 form factor lithium-ion cell and has a density of 260Wh/kg (714Wh/l). About:Energy will model the battery cell behavior and characterize the P50B cell’s ..read more

Formula E has appointed Beth Paretta, the owner of Paretta Autosport, as the new vice president of sporting, effective 1 May 2024. Paretta will oversee all sporting and championship activities at Formula E, working closely with the FIA, existing teams and manufacturers, while also attracting new participants to the series. With more than three decades of experience in the automotive and motorsport industries, Paretta currently leads the female-forward Paretta Autosport team that competes in the Indianapolis 500. Her previous experience includes executive roles at Volkswagen Group and Aston Mar ..read more

The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli has been designated as the official Single Make series in the FIA Motorsport Games, expanding the total number of competition categories to 27 for the 2024 edition in Valencia, scheduled for October 23-27. Established 32 years ago, the Ferrari Challenge comprises two international series – Europe and North America – along with additional national series in the UK and Japan. The Challenge also holds the distinction of being the first single-make series to attain continent-wide ISO 20121 certification for its sustainable event management system. The competi ..read more

Formula E is set to unleash the potential of the Gen3 platform with the just-launched Gen3 Evo race car, which will be introduced in 2025 for season 11 of the all-electric championship. To date, the Gen3 car has only used the front MGU from Lucid – or to be precise, from Lucid’s technology arm, Atieva – for regen purposes, as there were issues with the ability of the battery to support both the regen and deployment demands it presented. Gen3 Evo power Lucid states the output of its motor to be 350kW, which when combined with the Gen3 rear motor power cap of 350kW, should give a 700kW peak outp ..read more

Amprius Technologies, a developer of next-generation lithium-ion batteries, has partnered with Stafl Systems, a producer of electrical systems for electric vehicles, to manufacture battery solutions for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and urban air mobility (UAM) and high-performance mobility applications. As part of the alliance, Amprius will serve as Stafl Systems’ preferred supplier of battery cells, providing its high-performance SiCore battery cells. The companies will conduct thorough battery evaluation and testing to ensure optimal performance for targeted applications. Stafl System ..read more

Yokohama Rubber is supplying its Advan racing tires to the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) for its inaugural autonomous motorsport event, taking place on April 27, 2024, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The event will see Yokohama’s Advan racing tires fitted to SF23 formula racing cars, developed by Italian manufacturer Dallara and used in Japan’s premier open-wheel racing series, the Japanese Super Formula Championship. Supported by Japan Race Promotion (JRP), the organizer of Super Formula, the A2RL race will showcase SF23 cars that have been equipped with autonomous driving soft ..read more

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) is a race series that gathers global university teams to compete in challenges to advance technology that can speed the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and deployments of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), to increase safety and performance. The vehicles participating in the IAC are SAE level 4 autonomous, as they are capable of completing circuit laps and overtaking maneuvers without any human intervention. Graham Heeps, along with IAC insiders, in an exclusive feature first published in the April 2024 issue of ADAS & Autonomous ..read more