The off-season is almost over. Corvette Racing is preparing for the 2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona and is hoping to lock down its second-straight win in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season-opening endurance race.
But before Corvette Racing takes to the track for the 24 Hours of Daytona, it will participate in the annual 3-day test session at Daytona, the Roar Before The 24. The test will be especially important for the team this year, as it has taken on two new drivers for endurance races: Mike Rockenfeller and Marcel Fässler.
Rockenfeller will race alongside Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R at Daytona, while Fässler will be in the No. 4 car alongside Tommy Milner and Antonio Garcia. Both drivers have a wealth of experience in endurance and sportscar racing, however Rockenfeller had yet to drive the C7.R before the team’s two-day test in November, and Fässler has yet to test it at all.
Corvette Racing will also have to warm up to a new car in 2016. New technical regulations gave manufacturers additional freedom in the design of the GTE cars for 2016 and new safety regulations also mandated all cars come with a roof-mounted escape hatch. The most noticeable differences on the 2016 C7.R over the 2015 car will be a larger splitter and diffuser and the wing, which is mounted 15cm more rearward.
“This year’s Roar is important to Corvette Racing for a number of reasons,” explained Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. “You always like to measure yourself against the competition, which this year includes brand new race cars from our competitors. But our primary focus is on the continued development and preparation our Corvette C7.Rs. As defending Rolex 24 champion, our goal is repeating the success we earned last year, and it all starts at the Roar.”
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