Sports prototype

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A sports prototype is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These cars are purpose-built racing cars, commonly referred to as simply prototypes, differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.

Prototype racing cars have competed in sports car racing since before World War II, but became the top echelon of sports cars in the 1960s as they began to replace homologated sports cars. Today, most sports car series use two forms of cars: Grand Touring (GT), based on street cars, and Prototypes, which are allowed a great amount of flexibility within set rule parameters.

[edit] Types of sports prototypes

Since the 1960s, various championships have allowed prototypes to compete. However, most championships have had their own set of rules for their prototype classes. Listed here are some of the more commonly known types of prototypes.