Sports car racing is a form of road racing that uses sports cars with two seats and closed wheels. They can be specially built (prototype) or related to road models (Grand Touring ). Generally speaking, sports car racing is one of the main types of circuit auto racing, along with single-wheel open-wheel racing (such as Formula One ), touring car racing (such as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, which is based on “sedans” as opposed to “exotics” found in sports car racing and racing (such as NASCAR ). Sports car racing (although not always) is an endurance race over relatively long distances, and there is usually more emphasis on vehicle reliability and performance (as opposed to pure car speed). driver) than in some other auto races. The FIA World Endurance Championship is an example of a sports car racing series.

A type of hybrid of open-wheel purism and touring car racing habits, this style is often associated with the annual Le Mans. 24 Hour Endurance Race. Le Mans, first held in 1923, is one of the oldest auto races. Other classic but now-defunct sports car races, including the Italian classics Targa Florio (1906-1977) and Mille Miglia (1927-1957), and the Mexican Carrera Panamericana. (1950-1954). Most top-class sports car races emphasize endurance (usually 2.5 to 24 hours), reliability, and strategy rather than pure speed. Longer races usually involve a complex pit stop strategy and regular driver changes. As a result, sports car racing is seen more as a team sport than an individual sport, with team managers such as John Wyer, Tom Walkinshaw, driver turned constructor Henri Pescarolo, Peter Sauber and Reinhold Jost becoming almost as famous as some of their drivers.

The prestige of legendary brands such as Porsche, Audi, Corvette, Ferrari, Jaguar, Bentley, Aston Martin, Lotus, Maserati, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Mercedes-Benz and BMW is partly based on success in sports car racing and the World Sports Car Championship. The best road cars of these manufacturers were often very similar in design and style to race cars. This close connection to the “exotic” nature of the useful distinctive racing sports cars from the touring cars.

The 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans were once considered a triumph of sports car racing. Driver Ken Miles would have been the only one to win all three in the same year had it not been for a Ford GT40 error in the team orders at Le Mans. in 1966, it cost him his victory despite finishing first.