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Larbre May Have Confirmed A C8 Corvette Racer Is In The Works

Buried in text following a news conference, French racing team Larbre may have confirmed the existence of a mid-engine C8 Corvette racer.

Larbre team principal Jacques Leconte spoke during a news conference, reported by Daily Sports Car, and announced the team would run a Ligier prototype in the WEC LMP2 class. The team ran the #50 C7.R Art Car in the LMGTE class last year.

Speaking of the C7.R, Leconte said there was no desire to run another Corvette due to its age, but it’s his follow-up that piqued our interest.

The story with Corvette is not over though. It was not possible to enter another C7.R in the GTE Am category. This car is aging and we would not have been in a position to secure a good line-up at Le Mans in 2018. It was also too early to enter a C8 as this car is still in development.

It wouldn’t be a shock to learn there will be a C8.R in due time, but we haven’t heard a peep surrounding such a project yet. We don’t even have solid information on the road-going car just yet, other than leaked CAD drawings and rumored powertrains.

If and when—more a question of “when”—we see a C8.R, we’ll certainly be eager to see how it performs alongside Ford’s GT racer.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. The C8R is in the hands of Pratt and Miller. They are able to keep it quiet as they have no need to drop hints or test cooling systems on public roads.

    I expect the new car for next season. IMSA is flexible on intro dates as proven with the Ford GT that raced at Daytona and even Le Mans before it was even sold to the public.

    Expect it to be competitive as the BOP will make sure no matter what that all models in the class have a chance to win.

    Larbre has relied on Pratt and Miller often for tech support and cars. I expect they will take a step back this year getting ready for the new car. Or has GM contracted with a new team for Europe or expand the P&M team?

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  2. I am anxious to see a C8 Corvette race car. Being late to the game the had better be ready. To come in and make a poor showing against a very competitive Ford GT would be imberrising.

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  3. This would be good. I would love to see a mid-engined C8 Vette racer down under in the IMS class up against the likes of Ferrari 488, McLaren 570s, Porsche 911, Aston Marton DB11 et. al. The only thing I can see holding it back from making an appearance in the race category, is that there is no RHD production. Come on GM/TWR.

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    1. Not sure when or how but if you got a Camaro you will get the Vette in some way at some point.

      Being mid engine it should make a conversion easier.

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      1. I really Really REALLY hope so, with candy sprinkles on top! 😉

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  4. Interesting. So I guess this also strongly implies that this upcoming car is NOT a Cadillac after all, as some people still suspect. Good!

    Reply
  5. Chevrolet developing a C8.R Corvette had to be expected as one of the reason for the move to a mid-engine platform was to allow the Corvette to compete against mid-engine cars from Europe and Ford’s GT.

    Reply

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