Ratel takes over British GT.

[Adam43]

According to tomorrow's Autosport Ratel has taken over the running of the British GT championship and promotion of the F3/GT series.

While he wants to kep all the current competitors, he would like it to be more like the French championship he runs.

He wants "real GTs only"

Control of the series also shifts to the BRSCC.

All change then! Some good stuff in there. I hope we end up with several strong domestic series that can feed the international one.

[rdjones]

Thats good news, the rummour has been around for a while. It will be interesting to see how things pan out. It's been a strong series for the last couple of years and it looks like things are going to get better.

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
He wants "real GTs only".

So the VW Golf and Renault Clio are safe then?

[kdr]

Originally posted by BSchneiderFan
So the VW Golf and Renault Clio are safe then?

he's moving them into f3

[Audi R8R]

So can I ask if this has definately been confirmed? As the articla in MN today said that negotiations were advanced but not signed and delivered yet. And the BRSCC are expected to make an official announcement on December 4.

As I see it there has been no dialogue with the teams currently in the series as to what should be done.

And does anyone know many teams out there who can afford to run a Viper or Porsche GT2? If they are there why didn't they turn up this season? They were allowed to race in their own class, but no-one bothered.

One word: COST!

Oh, and when a Golf can power past a Ferrari in a straight racing fight, then I'm pretty convinced its vindicated as being allowed in as a Cup class GT car. Show me a touring car that could manage that?

[Adam43]

Autosport says of Ratel "has been appointed as teh organiser of the category. He win run British GTs and also act as promoter of a new packageof events that that will be built around GT & F3"

The BRSCC is "expected" to takeover the running.

So I think Ratel is confirmed, the BRSCC not yet...

[Les]

thanks Audi!! It was pretty amazing to watch...

but if Ratel has his way there won't be any Gts - why dead easy...
1) no-one will be able to afford the GT cars so the 'main' grid will be 4 or 5 cars
2) tv and the commentators will devote all their time on those with a passing remark on the GTO so why do the GT Cup class even bother to turn up
3) the cup class and GTO class won't get the sponsorship due to this lack of coverage
4) who will buy a car now not knowing if they will be able to run it
shall I continue?

I know one team who are not happy and there might be a few others out there

[Muttley]

I thought the BRDC had confirmed the technical regs would not change for next year? So therefore the classes would be the same, the only "difference" would be the new restrictor rules.

Or have I got that wrong?

[PaulSands]

Given how successful he British GT's were this season I have to say it seems a little imprudent to go shaking things up too much for 2004..consolidate and evolve would, in my mind at least, be a better suited approach...but what do I know

[Adam43]

Well according to Ratel in the French championship a Viper is as cheap to run as a lower class 911, so he can't see the problem.

From what I understand the French GT championship is doing pretty well. Any of you Frenchies seen any of it? What do you think?

[Fab]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
Well according to Ratel in the French championship a Viper is as cheap to run as a lower class 911, so he can't see the problem.

From what I understand the French GT championship is doing pretty well. Any of you Frenchies seen any of it? What do you think?

I don't follow it, but it seems to do well indeed. Interresting races, good pilots.

The field : 22 cars, including Porsche 996 Cup, Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari 360 Challenge.

You'll find on SpiritOf all the details of the Nogaro grid (52 cars)... SpiritOf is fond of the FFSA GT and follows it very closely...

The FFSA GT had six races in 2003 : Nogaro, Dijon, Pau, Le Vigeant, Ledenon, Magny-Cours.

The battle is intense at the end of the championship, all reports and pics here. The winner is well know by Le Mans's fans : Larbre won in each category, with a Viper (Goueslard/Dumez)and a Porsche.

Next year, Larbre should be back in the FFSA GT and maybe in FIA-GT with... Ferraris !

[Adam43]

Thanks for that intro Fab, i'll check out the links.

[neilwaynesmith]

International Sportcar boss Stephane Ratel has taken control of the British GT Championship for next season. Ratel who runs the FIA GT Championship has been appointed as the organiser of the struggling category. He will run the British GT's and also act as the promoter of a new package of events that will be built around GT's and F3's.

Ratel was invited to take charge by BMP. He plans to model the series on the French GT Championship, which he has been running since 1998. This will mean the reintroduction of a class for FIA-spec GT cars such as the Chrysler Viper and the Lister Storm, two one-hour races per weekend and a pro-am format.

Ratel stressed that he had no plan to exclude current competitors, but he stressed the new-look British series would be open to "real GTs only". He said there was no place for cars such as the Renault Clio V6.

The series will no longer fall under the control of the BRDC and is expected to be run under the auspices of the BRSCC.

[Adam43]

Is that just copied out of Autosport or is it another source?

[Truckosaurus]

Originally posted by neilwaynesmith
Ratel ... stressed the new-look British series would be open to "real GTs only". He said there was no place for cars such as the Renault Clio V6.

I what way is the Clio V6 not a proper GT? It is a purpose built genuinely road going vehicle, it has 2 seats, 2 doors and an engine in the back. I can understand, but not agree with, the prejudice against the Golf (front wheel drive, 3 doors, 5 seater etc.) is it only the 'common' badge on the nose of the Renault which prevents being 'proper'.

[KA]

Originally posted by Guy Humpage
I what way is the Clio V6 not a proper GT? It is a purpose built genuinely road going vehicle, it has 2 seats, 2 doors and an engine in the back. I can understand, but not agree with, the prejudice against the Golf (front wheel drive, 3 doors, 5 seater etc.) is it only the 'common' badge on the nose of the Renault which prevents being 'proper'.

I see what you're getting at here- if Renault had used the basic Clio platform, added the mid-engined layout & V6 running gear and then covered it with a sporty-looking 2-seat sportscar/coupe body, then I suspect no-one would be arguing about whether it was a GT or not- the problem to me seems to be that they chose to wrap it up in a Clio shell instead.

If you ignore the fact it looks like a Clio, then you might even argue that it's more of a GT than the B*W M*.....(Sorry Ayse, couldn't resist..... Under the skin, it's certainly closer to most people's perception of a GT than something like a Golf- but let's not get too far into the whole 'what's a GT?' thing again.....

[Les]

what makes me laugh is that Autosport must be right fed up of me having a go at them whenever they poo-hoo the golf that they didn't mention it this time - only the Clio. Now what they don't realise is I have a mate who just happened to drive that Clio...

[PaulSands]

It seems that a lot of effort put in by the current competitors in the British GT championship is a bout to be washed down the pan in some sort of "global vision" thing
No consultation appers to have taken place with those self same competitors and now we have a situation where many of their plans for next year may be thrown into turmoil as they don't know for sure what is happening class wise.
Are there no rules that govern changes being imposed at such short notice? Stephan Ratels plans may well be good but surely the monumental shake up he has planned shouldnt be implemented until 2005.

[Truckosaurus]

I've just read an inteview with Ratel on DSC, and I'm sure that people more eloquent than me will have more worthy things to say, but I think he's being a prize winning bell end.

It seems Ratel wants a standard set of rules across all the National Championships, with short races - he says teams can enter LMES or FIA GT races if they want longer events.

The British GT (IMO) needs to be a stepping stone for teams who've been successful in club racing to moving into national and international level GT racing. Guy's like Eclipse who were running in Ginettas a few years ago, then moved to the Marcos Challenge, then a bigger Marcos in Brit Gt and now running a TVR which they can take on the big boys at the top level event (if they wished).

The BritGT also needs special events like a trip to Spa and the odd longer race.

And as for the nonsense about 'not proper GTs', I've posted on that issue on another thread, but variety of entrants is what makes GT racing fun for many of us punters, if a car meets the P/W ratio rule, passes safety checks and has a roof then let it race.

I can see Mr Tucker's EERC being even more popular in 2004.

[PaulSands]

Originally posted by Guy Humpage

I can see Mr Tucker's EERC being even more popular in 2004.

I was thinking exactly the same driving in to work this morning...its a bit pathetic that this all bothers me so much but truth is it does...So James,get that Spa round organised and the jobs a good'un

[Mal]

Theoretically coordinating the rules for all national sportscar championships is a good idea. One would hope that the top teams can then be offered wild card entries into FIA Gt or LMES in the same way as happens in Superbikes. If it can develop into the strength of series that is obvious from the French series detailed above then what is wrong? It may take a year or two but coordination throughout sportscar racing around the world is what is needed to strenghen it worldwide. Ideally the Japanese championship should follow the same path

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Guy Humpage
It seems Ratel wants a standard set of rules across all the National Championships, with short races - he says teams can enter LMES or FIA GT races if they want longer events.

The first bit is a nice idea. Not sure it'll work, but it perhaps be tried.

Second, bit? Hmm it is GT racing, some longer races should happen even in the national series. Apart from anything else it helps prepare people who want to move up.

[Cynic]

My concern with the idea of "globalisation", is that the GT series will go the same way as WRC. A few big boys will get all the rulebreaks, several middle class runners will stick around because they've got nothing better to do, and everyone else will be forced out.

[Audi R8R]

Originally posted by Mal
One would hope that the top teams can then be offered wild card entries into FIA Gt or LMES in the same way as happens in Superbikes.

Good idea in theory, but what about the cars that are running in the national championships that don't comply with FIA or LMES regulations?
TVR's T400R is not FIA homologated and the Moslers and Corvette are not ACO homologated. So where do they go to?

I completely agree with Guy on this one, Ratel is being a prize crevice. The least he should have done is communicate with the teams that competed this season to get their thoughts. But nothing, just words with the GT class teams he knows from FIA, Lister and GNM.

[ben owen]

Hi its Ben from Atlanta Motorsport.Watch this space because it is not all over for the Clio V6 in the British GT Championship!!!!