7 Photos of the RC F GT3 in Action
Check out these stunning shots of the newest Lexus race car.
1. The Lexus RC F GT3
Lexus revealed the RC F GT3 to the world last spring, bringing the sinister looking race car to the Geneva Auto Show. Loads of carbon fiber make it significantly lighter than a production RC F, and a 5.4-liter V8 producing 500 hp propels it around the corners. A total of two cars, raced with Lexus partner 3GT Racing, are currently competing in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship Series.
>>Join the conversation on the RC F GT3 right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
2. Testing
Testing for the RC F GT3 began back in November of 2016 at the Daytona International Speedway. The 3.56-mile track served as the perfect test bed ahead of the car's first race - the Rolex 24 at Daytona, which is the kickoff for the IMSA season. With a brand new car and two brand new teams, gathering data for the longest endurance test on the IMSA schedule was critical if they hoped to place well, let alone finish the race.
>>Join the conversation on the RC F GT3 right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
3. Rolex 24 at Daytona
The RC F GT3's debut was an important race for Lexus, but it wasn't a perfect one by any means. The #15 car, piloted by Robert Alon, Austin Cindric Dominik, Farnbacher and Jack Hawksworth, managed a 14th place finish in the GTD class (36th overall). There were some bright moments for the car, however. They managed the fastest lap in the GTD class, and at one point led the race. But the #14 car, driven by Scott Pruett, suffered an early mechanical issue and was forced to retire. They wound up placing 27th in class and 54th overall.
>>Join the conversation on the RC F GT3 right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
4. 12 Hours of Sebring
With their first race under their belt, the 3GT Racing team headed to Sebring for another go. And the results were somewhat better as the #15 car, piloted by Robert Alon, Austin Cindric, and Jack Hawksworth finished 13th in class and 28th overall while notching the two fastest laps of the day. But once again, the #14 car, driven by Ian James, Sage Karam, and Scott Pruett, suffered mechanical issues and wound up 18th in class and 35th overall.
>>Join the conversation on the RC F GT3 right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
5. Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach
The Lexus team scored their best finish yet in Long Beach at the Toyota Grand Prix as the #14 car landed in 6th place in the GTD class (18th overall). It was pure redemption for Scott Pruett and Sage Karam, who just couldn't catch a break at Daytona or Sebring. The #15 car once again set the pace with the fastest lap but wound up finishing 15th in the GTD class and 24th overall.
>>Join the conversation on the RC F GT3 right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
6. Controversy
Long Beach saw the RC F GT3 embroiled in a little bit of controversy after Robert Alon, in the #15 car, misjudged a corner and sat motionless on the very last corner on the very last lap of the race. At that time, the Corvette team was on their way to a 1-2 finish, but the #3 car became stuck and lost several places to oncoming traffic. Turns out, Alon broke IMSA rules by taking an "unjustifiable risk" while going three wide into the final turn. It also resulted in a three-race suspension for Alon.
>>Join the conversation on the RC F GT3 right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
7. What Does The Future Hold?
Outside of a couple of hiccups and one serious driver error, the future looks bright for the RC F GT3. It's easy to see the improvements made and lessons learned over the first three races of the season. And the fact that one of the two cars has managed the fastest lap at least once in each race doesn't hurt. Now if they can just pull it all together, victory appears imminent.
>>Join the conversation on the RC F GT3 right here in the Club Lexus Forum!
Check out the how-to section of ClubLexus.com to keep your car running right.