MotorSport Vision (MSV) will introduce an upgrade package for its Tatuus MSV GB3-025 cars ahead of the 2026 GB3 Championship season to provide both a significant performance boost and even better reliability.
Building on the first year of experience with the new GB3-025 car, MSV has worked closely with all its teams to understand how they would like the championship to evolve to further enhance its appeal to competitors.
The upgrade package includes a heavily revised engine, together with refinements to the chassis and aerodynamics. Testing and manufacture of new components is already underway.
The existing 2 litre 4 cylinder engine will be replaced by a new 2.4 litre Mountune built unit, designed to provide a substantial 25% increase in torque and also optimise reliability. As well as a new forged crankshaft, connecting rods and forged aluminium pistons, the cylinder head is of a completely new design. The current base of a standard OEM cast aluminium head is being replaced by an all-new CNC billet machined head made of high-grade aerospace aluminium. This will also feature new lightweight steel camshafts and the highest specification of valve gear. The new head will also include optimised porting, gas flow and a performance improvement, while the engine installation will be enhanced by a combination of improvements to the cam cover to cylinder head interface, and a revised A-frame setup to improve torsional rigidity.
The cars will also benefit from a new aerodynamics package, resulting in efficiency gains, improved aero balance, extra downforce and less drag. Dedicated aerodynamic testing has already commenced with multiple runs at the class-leading Catesby Tunnel facility in Northamptonshire.
Chassis revisions to stiffen the rocker post mounting and stabilise the front deck have been designed and tested by Tatuus and chassis maker ARS, and a new bridge section is to be added inside all chassis over the winter to achieve this. The chassis keel will also be modified to be more resilient to kerb damage, ensuring any resulting repairs are less frequent and longer lasting.
Weight reduction is also a feature of the upgrade package, with the exhaust, silencer, cooling system and the DRS and gear change components all benefiting from refinements.
Gearbox lubrication will be improved with a pumped oil injection system direct to the gear mesh point. Furthermore, gear life will be extended with improved surface treatment and finishing.
The 2026 prototype car will commence an on-track testing programme later in September and throughout October, during which additional refinements will be evaluated for addition to the upgrade package.
MSV Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer: “The Tatuus MSV GB3-025 cars introduced for this season have already established new lap records at the majority of circuits visited in 2025, but we know that there is further performance in the cars that can be extracted with our upgrade programme. Equally importantly, we have focussed on striving for perfect reliability too. As is inevitable with a first season with a new car, we have discovered a few areas that we can improve on and have been fully committed to addressing these.
“Having worked closely with our teams, chassis designer Tatuus and our engine manufacturer Mountune, the 2026-specification GB3 car will build on the already impressive performance levels seen this year. We are determined that GB3 should be the leading championship in Europe for drivers to develop and prove themselves before joining F3 in the F1 support paddock.
“As part of our commitment to outstanding value in GB3, the majority of these upgrades are being delivered free of charge to our teams, therefore ensuring that these costs are not passed on to the drivers participating in next year’s championship.”
11 September 2025
