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Buescher's 'Frustration and Disbelief' After Darlington

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Buescher's 'Frustration and Disbelief' After Darlington

Chris Buescher entered the regular season finale with a 21-point lead over Bubba Wallace for the sixteenth and final playoff spot. However, the pressure quickly mounted because the laps ticked by. Wallace scored 11 stage points while Buescher collected only one, cutting the gap between them nearly in half.

When Front Row Motorsports teammate Todd Gilliland put Buescher on the surface wall with 46 laps to go, he spun his Ford teammate as his playoff hopes began to fade. But the caution gave him a possibility to pit for 4 latest tires, while Wallace didn’t. Momentum suddenly swung back toward Buescher as he once more passed Wallace within the points. Then a multi-car pileup cost Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota a likelihood to win, nevertheless it was no moment of relief for Buescher.

The problem was Chase Briscoe, who led the race and ultimately held on, winning his solution to the playoffs, eliminating Buescher from the playoffs despite a sixth-place finish. It was all for nothing. He was eliminated by a paltry six points.

“It’s frustration and disbelief all at once,” Buescher said after the race. The RFK Racing driver got here ridiculously near Victory Lane this yr, losing the closest photo finish in NASCAR Cup history at Kansas to Kyle Larson by .001 seconds. At the identical track earlier this yr, he slashed a tire after contact with Tyler Reddick while leading late within the race. But with surprise winners like Briscoe and Harrison Burton, he suddenly found himself the primary man when the 16-car playoff grid was set.

“We felt like we did, for the most part, what we needed to do today,” he continued. “We got back in contention at the end and got a decent finish. We just fell short again, and we’re looking at it from the outside. It’s just the system that we all play in. We had such a great year. Everyone at RFK worked so hard. We were so fast. We passed so many cars that could be fighting for the championship, but that’s the system and we didn’t work well with it.”

Five drivers ranked lower within the standings than Buescher have passed him this yr with race wins, illustrating the importance of the win-and-you’re-in system that has come to define modern NASCAR racing.

“I’ll definitely look back on different times throughout the year and think about how I can do better next time,” Buescher lamented.

Dixon takes second place on IndyCar podium in Milwaukee

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When Scott Dixon took the green flag in the primary race of the doubleheader weekend at The Milwaukee Mile, it was his four-hundredth start. When he took the checkered flag within the second act on Sunday, he finished second, earning his 142nd profession podium, tying an all-time record on a listing that features legends like AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti.

Dixon’s methodical climb through the sphere in Sunday’s difficult event nearly allowed him to work his magic late within the race and take the win. Starting third with 11 laps to go, he lined up behind race leader Scott McLaughlin and Andretti Global’s Colton Herta. On the next lap, Dixon attacked the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda on the within Herta, taking the lead in a decent wheel-to-wheel battle. Despite his best efforts to place in his fastest laps of the race at the top, Dixon could only inch closer to McLaughlin before crossing the finish line 0.4558 seconds behind him on the one-mile oval, securing his fifth podium of the season.

“It was really crazy,” Dixon said of a race that featured 763 total passes, 177 for position and 13 of those lead changes.

“I don't think there was a single lap where you could relax. We were pushing hard all the time, especially I think the strategy change at the end with Colton, we reset a bit with that last caution. What a crazy day. Alex having a problem and then Power having his problem. Definitely made for TV.”

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

Photo: Perry Nelson / Motorsports images

“Yeah, for us it was a little bit of an up and down. I believe we modified all the pieces however the kitchen sink last night after the automotive yesterday. It was definitely very positive. It was nice to have a great automotive today. Obviously we got up when we wanted to. We had a great restart within the last one.

“Congrats to McLaughlin. I know it's not the first time a Kiwi has finished 1-2 but it's always good to have another New Zealand driver up there.”

Dixon, a 58-time race winner, continued to push even further in the ultimate laps, attempting to pass McLaughlin’s No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet.

“I think I ran faster than I did in qualifying,” he said. “I even have to do it the opposite way around.

“Yeah, I believe if we had possibly 10 to twenty more laps it may need been just a little bit different. But it’s what it’s. He drove a unbelievable race. There was one section where he passed me, then the number 14 (Santino Ferrucci), and possibly one other one which in some way got in front. I just went into traffic where I couldn't drive at the underside. I couldn't understand why everyone else could. As soon as I did that I had a variety of understeer and I couldn't recuperate.

While the 44-year-old continues to put in writing his name within the record books with a slew of accolades, he stays humble in regards to the impact he has had on the game.

“Yeah, it’s cool,” Dixon said. “Of course Mario, I’m an enormous Mario fan. He’s an enormous a part of our franchise. I keep saying that, however it’s so cool that he, AJ and a variety of the others, Rick (Mears), come to a variety of our races. Obviously Mario’s raced in a variety of different categories and completed a variety of great things.

“Just the thought of me with one of these guys is special to me.”

Bearman races to victory in sprint

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oliver bearman prema racing

Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman drove a controlled race within the Formula 2 sprint at Monza to repeat his earlier sprint success in Austria and take the highest spot on the rostrum for the second time this 12 months.

Starting from eighth, following a five-place grid penalty for causing a collision at Spa-Francorchamps within the last race, Bearman quickly worked his way up the sphere, going wheel-to-wheel with ART driver Victor Martins before taking the lead when Pepe Marti (Campos) locked wheels under braking on the Rettifilo chicane on lap seven.

For the remaining of the race, the Prema driver confidently managed to take care of the advantage over Martins, ending the race with a lead of 1.6 seconds.

As Marti dropped to fourth, Joshua Durksen took his second podium finish of the season, having previously won the trophy within the essential race at Imola.

The race got off to a frantic start when the security automotive got here into motion before the tip of the primary lap. On the approach to the Rettifilo chicane, Zak O'Sullivan (ART) crossed the track in a bunch and collided with the rear of rookie Oliver Goethe (MP Motorsport) – the German replacing latest Williams F1 driver Franco Colapinto.

As O'Sullivan slowly got here to a halt, Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Prema) was caught up within the chaos and suffered serious front-end damage, but returned to the pits in 18th place.

Isack Hadjar (Campos) got here into Monza with a 41-point lead over rival Paul Aron (Hitech), who’s third overall, but he struggled in a difficult sprint for much of the race, ending thirteenth attributable to a delayed start.

Aron made a much stronger start and was running in seventh, attempting to move up the rankings when an excessively ambitious move to overtake essential race pole sitter Zane Maloney damaged his front wing and sent him to the back of the sphere.

Second within the title fight is Gabriel Bortoleto, who has recovered brilliantly from a qualifying crash that saw him drop to the back of the grid in each races, ending eighth.

However, when he and Dennis Hauger (MP Motorsport) crossed the road level, the FIA ​​awarded each driver half a degree and classified each in eighth place. That reduced Hadjar's title advantage to 35.5 points.

But with Aron and Hadjar set to complete second and third within the essential race, Bortoleto will face a much tougher challenge on Sunday to limit the damage.

The challenge for Bearman in a difficult season was that the victory moved him up to only 44 points and 14th overall – a whopping 121 points behind the leader.

Monza – sprint race

Overtaking and safety – why the brand new Formula 3 automobile feels familiar

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Formula 3 has been racing the 2019 Dallara F3 since its inception earlier this yr, joining GP3 and the Formula 3 European Championship.

Given that racing still offers loads of thrills and overtaking manoeuvres, it's a bit strange that a lot attention was paid within the press release to improving the racing qualities of the machine.

However, that is an area of ​​research that spans the whole Formula 1 industry, with the highest class seeing the regulations radically modified for the 2022 season and in Formula 2 ahead of the present season.

“This car is part of the family of cars we created in Formula 1 – we will take the next step in 2026 – we created last year in Formula 2 and now Formula 3 joins them, allowing the cars to race closer together and fight and overtake each other more easily,” said FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis.

Asked by Motorsport.com how this goal was achieved, he added: “It’s all right down to the large amount of aerodynamic work we do on the FIA.

“We fully simulate the shape of the car in the same way as we do in Formula 1 and make sure that the wake of the car is directed over the next car, so the next car sees a much cleaner flow with much less turbulence and therefore loses less aerodynamic load. So it's easier to follow closely and attack and so on.”

“We often say it doesn't get much easier [with] overtaking, more fierce competition, and that's what we're searching for.

“The simulations are therefore the same as those carried out in Formula 1 and Formula 2 and have led to significant improvements in these parameters.”

F3 2025 car

F3 2025 automobile

Photo: FIA F3

The latest F3 automobile was expected to feature an identical rear spoiler style to the curved DRS element seen on the present F2, given other similarities between the cars – including the design of the front spoiler and side skirts.

However, the 2025 F3 has a rare wing far more just like the F1, with a comparatively flat plane that dips barely towards the centre relatively than bulging upwards.

Asked by Motorsport.com why this is occurring and whether it is probably going that we’ll see an F2-style wing again, Tombazis replied: “The style of wing design chosen allows for easier adjustment when it comes to what shapes will be moved more easily on the endplate of this kind of design.

“The work we've done on aerodynamics in close-range racing confirms that the current solution we've adopted is quite good in terms of wake. That's why we've chosen this simpler solution for Formula 3.”

Of course, certainly one of the important thing aspects in automobile design lately is safety. This is certainly one of the principal the reason why the cars presented on the show appear to be continually growing.

“One of our main goals at the FIA ​​is safety and I am particularly proud of that,” concluded Tombazis.

“We have improved the safety of all vehicles in many respects, both in terms of the crash protection structure and the loads the vehicle can withstand – all of which contribute to another significant step towards increased safety.”

F3 2025 car

F3 2025 automobile

Photo: FIA F3

WRC considers additional asphalt round in 2026 calendar

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The organisers of the World Rally Championship would really like so as to add one other tarmac round to the 2026 calendar to further balance the gap between tarmac and gravel rallies.

Now that championship organisers have released an expanded 14-round calendar for next season, the WRC is already looking towards 2026, with demand to be included within the calendar continuing to grow.

Several countries have expressed interest in putting them on the bill for 2026. The U.S. is widely expected to make its long-awaited comeback with a gravel event from Chattanooga, Tennessee.

While expansion to the US is a key goal, the championship also intends to extend the variety of asphalt events. Five is the intended goal for a possible 14-round season.

The four-race tarmac calendar will proceed next season, with Monte Carlo, the Central Europe Rally and Japan all retaining their places on the schedule, while the Canary Islands have been promoted from the European Rally Championship, replacing Croatia, which can be bidding to return in 2026.

Ireland is one other candidate to grasp the WRC's dream of asphalt, with the country's three-year bid to bring the WRC back to the island having fallen on deaf ears after failing to secure €15 million in funding from the Irish government for 2025.

Motorsport Ireland estimated the rally would generate €300 million for the local economy because the proposed three-year deal would see it staged in three alternating locations – Waterford, Kerry and Limerick.

Since April, when it was confirmed that funding wouldn’t be provided for 2025, Motorsport Ireland has confirmed that talks between the Government and the WRC Promoter are continuing and the organisation stays hopeful that the WRC will happen in Ireland in 2026.

Dani Sordo (ESP) Citroen C4 WRC on stage 13.

Dani Sordo (ESP) Citroen C4 WRC on stage 13.

Photo: Sutton Images

“We are working with Motorsport Ireland and in particular their CEO Aiden Harper who is doing a fantastic job,” WRC event director Simon Larkin told Motorsport.com when asked about Ireland’s bid.

“He is busy with today and night and we’re working with them as hard as we will to grasp their ambitions.

“I think the championship would love to go to Ireland and we're looking to add another asphalt event to balance that out with another one. Ireland is a fantastic candidate for that.”

Larkin added: “It is very likely that this is the case.” [an extra asphalt round] will probably be inside the present round of 14 [schedule].”

Last month, Larkin travelled to Ireland where he met with members of the Irish government to debate the country’s plan for the WRC.

“We met with the main part of the sports department in the sports ministry and gave a good presentation, we will take care of it and give another presentation,” he said.

“We are conducting a study of the economic impact of three events in Poland, Latvia and Central Europe.

“These are numbers that we hope will be commendable. We accept government funding for many of these events and we want to prove that this is not wasted money, and that this money comes back because the number of international visitors who attend these events brings new money to the region and the host city, and that pays for itself.”

Aston Martin completes 6,000 km of testing with the brand new Valkyrie LMH

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Aston Martin’s recent Valkyrie World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship contender has accomplished greater than 6,000km of testing since hitting the track last month.

The Le Mans hypercar, developed by the British manufacturer based on the Adrian Newey-inspired Valkyrie road automotive, covered a distance of three,700 miles over six days of testing on its home turf within the UK after which across continental Europe.

It all began with a full day of testing at Donington Park, two days after the finished Valkyrie AMR-LMH took to the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit on 16 July.

This was followed by yet another day at Donington and two more at Silverstone before the programme moved to Aragon in Spain for a two-day test.

Aston Martin Endurance Racing boss Adam Carter has expressed his satisfaction with the testing to this point of the Valkyrie, which will probably be fielded by American team Heart of Racing in each the WEC and IMSA next yr.

“We have set a testing programme with ambitious and realistic targets and we are delivering on that, ticking the boxes,” Carter told Autosport/Motorsport.com.

“We have covered 6,000km so far and are very pleased with the progress, but it is still early days in what will be a long programme.”

Carter declined to disclose who has driven the AMR-LMH to this point, aside from those that got behind the wheel of the automotive during initial testing prior to the discharge of the primary photos of the automotive.

Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH

Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH

Photo: Aston Martin

Harry Tincknell, who’s contracted to Valkyrie development partner Multimatic Motorsports, took part within the shakedown at Silverstone before long-time Aston worker Darren Turner and regular HoR contributor Mario Farnbacher took the reins for the primary proper test at Donington.

Former Aston driver Stefan Mucke accomplished his first run within the automotive, with the bodywork still unfinished, at Silverstone’s Stowe circuit in early July.

Carter revealed that Aston and the HoR team are looking beyond the present group of GT Aston Martin drivers, which include two-time GTE Pro WEC title winners Nicki Thiim and Marco Sorensen.

“We will be relying on Aston Martin Racing for support during this initial phase of testing and we have also started to look at a number of drivers from other teams,” he said.

HoR team principal Ian James stressed that no decisions have been made on who will race the three Valkyries next yr – two within the WEC Hypercar class and one in IMSA’s GTP – but stressed that “driver chemistry” will probably be key when determining the line-ups.

“There are a lot of good drivers out there but we want drivers who can leave their egos in the garage and do a solid job,” James told Autosport/Motorsport.com.

“That's what we're looking for: team players.”

Carter revealed that initial testing for the Valkyrie will likely also include a visit to the Middle East, where the WEC will feature two rounds in Bahrain and Qatar.

He said the event program has a likelihood of expanding to the United States when the second automotive goes into production in the autumn, as planned.

He declined to comment on whether the Valkyrie would make its race debut on the Daytona 24 Hours IMSA race that kicks off the season in January next yr, something that has already been teased alongside Aston Martin’s return to sportscar racing’s top division in October 2023.

IMSA has scheduled a so-called sanctioning test in Daytona for November, by which competitors for the upcoming season are required to participate.

Carter said it was debatable whether the Valkyrie would have to be homologated by then.

Last December, the Lamborghini SC63 LMDh, the brand new model for IMSA’s GTP class for 2024, took part in a correct test in homologated form, even though it was not scheduled to hitch the IMSA grid until the 12 Hours of Sebring in March.

Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH

Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH

Photo: Aston Martin

SUPER GT postpones Suzuka race as a result of approaching typhoon

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start action gt500

SUPER GT has moved this weekend's race at Suzuka to December as a result of the approaching typhoon in Japan.

The fifth round was originally scheduled to happen from August 31 to September 1, however the Suzuka 350km race might be the season finale and can happen on December 7-8, organiser GTA announced on Wednesday.

The schedule change is available in response to a robust storm — dubbed Typhoon 10 — that is anticipated to hit the southern island of Kyushu on Thursday, potentially causing disruptions in lots of parts of the country until at the very least Saturday.

“With the SUPER GT round scheduled for Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1, we have decided to postpone the event to Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8, taking into account the safety of guests and related parties due to the effects of Typhoon No. 10, as well as the expected impact on public transportation,” the statement read.

“We ask for the understanding of all the fans who were looking forward to watching the match, as well as everyone involved.”

According to local reports, a Level 5 emergency warning – the very best of its kind – was issued in a single village in Kagoshima Prefecture, while a Level 4 evacuation order was also issued in Shizuoka Prefecture.

As a results of heavy rainfall, there’s a risk of landslides in three cities in Shizuoka, positioned on the larger island of Honshu, north of Kyushu.

The typhoon could also disrupt rail traffic across Japan, including the shinkansen (bullet train) line connecting Suzuka to the Japanese capital Tokyo via Nagoya.

Following the postponement of the Suzuka race to December, the following SUPER GT race might be held in Sugo on September 21-22.

Supercars champion Kostecki joins DJR for 2025

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Reigning Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki will join Dick Johnson Racing in 2025, replacing Anton de Pasquale, who is ready to hitch Team 18.

At almost the identical time the news was announced, it was also confirmed that rising star Cooper Murray would join the Erebus Motorsport team and replace Kostecki.

“I am delighted to be joining Shell V-Power Racing Team, a team with such a rich history of success,” said Kostecki, who will partner veteran Will Davison on the team.

“This partnership opens a new chapter for me and I look forward to working with Will and the entire team.”

Team owner Dick Johnson smiled on the news that the 26-year-old, who missed the opening rounds of the 2024 season, would join his team.

“Brodie is one of the best drivers in the series and we are excited that he will join the Shell V-Power Racing team,” said Johnson.

“He's a powerful young man and I definitely have a soft spot for anyone who knows mechanics and understands cars as much as he does.

“With the combination of Will and Brodie we look forward to winning and returning to the top next season.”

Anton De Pasquale, Dick Johnson Racing Ford Mustang GT

Anton De Pasquale, Dick Johnson Racing Ford Mustang GT

Photo: Edge Photographics

At the identical time, Murray, who currently races for a Super2 team, signed a multi-year contract with Erebus, the reigning championship winners.

“This is a very exciting time for me and the Erebus Motorsport team. We are all looking forward to working together in the years to come. I have been working towards this moment since I started racing karts when I was 10 years old, so I am ready to make the most of it,” said Murray.

Next yr Murray will join Jack Le Brocq in a pair of Erebus Chevrolet Camaros.

“By signing Cooper, we are confirming our commitment to developing young talent,” said team owner Betty Klimenko.

“With Jack now taking on a leadership role within our team, it’s the perfect time to bring in a young driver who can learn and develop alongside him.”

The news, and particularly Kostecki's latest deal, has been expected for a while. DJR had Super2 champion Kai Allen of their stable when the teen was released earlier this month, and his latest take care of Grove Racing has now been confirmed.

In the short term, all drivers within the races will have the opportunity to give attention to the rest of the 2024 season, starting with next month’s Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000. Kostecki might be partnered by Todd Hazelwood within the races; Murray will join Craig Lowndes within the Triple Eight wildcard race; and Allen and Davison will begin their partnership within the No. 17 DJR Ford Mustang in 2025.

Mercedes HRT team '99%' confident of continuous DTM racing despite rumours

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Mercedes client Haupt Racing Team has denied rumours of a possible withdrawal from the DTM in 2025, saying it is working profitably for now.

There has been quite a lot of speculation on the track in regards to the way forward for HRT, with many suggesting the team could withdraw from the championship at the tip of the season.

A growing variety of HRT employees have reportedly applied for jobs at other teams, and there are also rumours that HRT managing director Ulrich Fritz is being considered for a management position on the newly established Affalterbach Racing GmbH division, which is able to handle Mercedes customer racing in the longer term.

All of this is said to the financing of the team, as its owner, Hubert Haupt, has been involved in real estate for 30 years, which is currently experiencing a crisis.

HRT’s potential exit could be a significant blow to the DTM, with the series already seeing its entries drop to twenty cars this 12 months. HRT was also a key a part of the series’ GT3 era, winning the 2021 championship with Mercedes driver Maximilian Götz.

However, Haupt made it clear that the rumours questioning HRT's future are unfounded and warranted that his team will remain within the DTM in 2025.

“We have a DTM contract that is expiring, but we will 99% be racing in DTM next year,” he told Motorsport.com, a sister title of Motorsport-Total.com.

“We will stay within the DTM. We will certainly stay within the ADAC GT Masters, we will certainly stay on the Nurburgring [Endurance Series].”

Asked what stops him from being 100% certain of continuous within the DTM, he said: “If, for example, AMG says you're way too expensive and someone else offers us three million more, then we won't drive in the DTM with AMG anymore. Then we'll have to look for someone else.”

However, he stresses that he’ll “definitely” stick with the Stuttgart brand in 2025 “if Mercedes-AMG treats us well and offers us a good contract.”

Haupt also revealed that the HRT team is financially independent from him and would even turn a profit in 2023. This was his goal when he founded the team in 2020 after taking up the GT3 operations from Black Falcon.

“There are very few racing teams that make money,” he said. “Most of them really put quite a lot of money into it or have patrons who put money into it.

“We managed to achieve a good profit last year, by motorsport standards. This year's profit will be even better than last year. That is also the goal: the company must be able to live independently of me.”

Luca Stolz, Mercedes-AMG HRT Team Mercedes-AMG GT3

Luca Stolz, Mercedes-AMG HRT Team Mercedes-AMG GT3

Photo: Alexander Trienitz

Haupt is believed to have recently sold a part of his wealth, including a villa in Munich, a non-public jet, a yacht and a part of his private collection, including a Formula One automobile, to maneuver to a brand new residence in Monaco.

His HRT team also moved to a brand recent facility in Drees, near the Nurburgring, over a 12 months ago. Much of the property was recently sold, which also led to rumours that the team was trying to eliminate its well-equipped workshop.

Haupt, nevertheless, rejected these claims, saying the sale only concerned underdeveloped parts of the world.

“The HRT building has not been sold. It will remain in our portfolio for the long term and is financed long term to counter any rumours,” he said. “We made money on the property development because we bought it really cheaply at the time.”

Haupt admitted that indeed quite a lot of employees have left the team, but believes that this isn’t enough reason to attract any conclusions in regards to the team's future.

“There are always those who leave,” he said. “There are always employees who are unhappy and say, ‘I imagined things would be so different.’ We have that every year.”

However, he ruled out the potential of managing director and former HRT boss Fritz leaving the team to hitch Mercedes' recent Affalterbach Racing division, saying: “Uli Fritz will stay with us 100%. I believe he has a good future and good prospects here.”

Fanatec Launches $100 Shaft Extension for ClubSport Direct Drive Wheel Bases

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Fanatec Launches $100 Shaft Extension for ClubSport Direct Drive Wheel Bases 15

Fanatec ClubSport DD and DD+ owners searching for more versatility of their wheelbase mounting can now upgrade to the DD Shaft Extension.

The DD Shaft Extension costs $99.95/EUR and adds a little bit of length, allowing for a farther wheel mount.

It's a single, 160mm (6.3″) piece of CNC machined aluminum, finished in classic Fanatec black. One end is permanently attached to the wheelbase, while the opposite provides a QR2 Base Side Type-F mount for quick release to any compatible wheel rim.

The shaft extension has integrated electronics, so installing a compatible wheel isn’t any different than installing another QR2 axle base—just six inches further. In fact, you’ll be recycling the mount from the wheel, because the installation instructions require you to remove it to put in the shaft and reinstall it on the rim end.

Of course, it's only compatible with axle bases that use the QR2 Base-Side Type F quick release, and since you may't buy it individually and use it to upgrade, which means you may only use ClubSport DD and DD+ axle bases for now.

While this may occasionally increase reach for gamers who’ve difficulty mounting the wheel far enough on their rigs, Fanatec claims improved immersion potential for the device. It is made as thin as possible to permit for screens to be mounted between the wheel and the bottom, improving field of view.

The DD shaft extension is now available to order for immediate shipping.

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