Although today’s (19th April 2023) Assetto Corsa Competizione headlines are all about its 2023 GT World Challenge DLC pack and v1.9 suspension and tyre model updates, Kunos Simulazioni has quietly unveiled a reworked version of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.
Codenamed by Aris Vasilakos – Head of Vehicle & Handling R&D at Kunos – the ‘Evo 1.5’, the Mercedes-AMG has received a wealth of new upgrades, including to its handling and aerodynamics, aiding its drivability and out-the-box speed.
The question is, why was the car changed in Assetto Corsa Competizione? Well, quite simply, the real-world version of the car has also undergone numerous alterations and improvements for the 2023 season, so Kunos has followed suit.
The 2023 changes are all the more surprising considering the Stuttgart marque dominated SRO Motorsport Group’s GT3 series, powering the winning entries in the British GT Championship, the Intercontinental GT Challenge trophy and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance and Overall Cups. Quite the list, but apparently Mercedes-AMG doesn’t rest on its laurels.
The developments are aimed at making the Mercedes-AMG easier to drive for amateur pilots, as so often the case GT3 Pro-Am races are decided by the pace of the amateur drivers and not the evenly-matched professionals.
And, as is the case with most Pro-Am cars, the amateur driver buys the car and funds the team running it, making the constant evolution of Mercedes-AMG’s products a valuable piece of customer service.
Taking to the track, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo is immediately a safe-feeling car to drive, providing plenty of confidence under braking with a pleasantly neutral balance mid-corner, allowing you to push immediately on the out-lap.
At Valencia, after testing the new 2023 GT World Challenge DLC cars (Ferrari 296 GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) and Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2), I was able to get on their pace straight away on the default aggressive set-up, hinting at the car’s increased agility over its previous incarnation.
It will surely be a hit among the ACC league racing community.
Are you happy to see Kunos making subtle changes to the cars in ACC? Do you think adding the new 2023 version of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 to ACC paves the way for the addition of the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo at a later date? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
