[FIA GT] FIA GT 2007 - Which direction?

[JAG]

Some very interesting comments from Jean-Dennis Deletraz on DSC regarding the future direction of FIA GT:-

http://www.dailysportscar.com/

'“The problem is that every team would like something different for 2007 – short races, long races, in Europe, outside Europe, with the DTM, not with the DTM. I don’t know how Stephane is going to manage this problem.

“My opinion? It needs to go outside Europe – and it needs non-European teams, maybe from Asia and South America. I prefer races outside Europe – big races, which need to stay at three hours, maybe four hours. Everyone wants short races for the TV, but I say that means going up against F1 and the DTM, which is impossible. GT racing needs to be different (from those two).”

“Peugeot’s decision to support the Le Mans Series is very significant. They are helping to build the support package with their small cars, and they will be spending a lot of money on the TV and the media exposure. Peugeot has a lot of power, and that makes the Le Mans Series really strong. It’s very bad for the FIA GT Championship.

“I love GT racing – but I’m not sure about the FIA GT Championship.”

[Bentley03]

I find J-D's comments very revealing actually. There would appear to be a number of teams looking in different directions for next year.

The additional media coverage the LMS will receive (the arrival of Peugeot/Audi) is being looked at jealously. The ALMS could get considerably more support from this side of the Pond than it has in the past. FIA GT3 would appear to have got off to a flying start in it's first season and would appear to have far more TV potential than the FIA GT itself.

I am bias because I much prefer the current four class format of the ACO based series, and of the four classes, the prototypes hold far more interest than the GT's. But, I can see the ACO series growing and getting stronger (in all classes) over the next few years. I simply can't see that for FIAGT whichever way I look at it.

[marcosgt]

Do we even need the FIA GT series any more?

Why don't the GTs just race in the LMES and ALMS series?

Cheers.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by marcosgt

Do we even need the FIA GT series any more?

Why don't the GTs just race in the LMES and ALMS series?

Cheers.

I think there is a place for FIAGT. I just don't think it can continue in it's current format. A championship based around GT2/GT3 may well be the way forward.

With current concerns about the potential oversubscription for the LMS, could there perhaps be an argument for the ACO to drop GT2 and adopt a three class format for the LMS (and Le Mans?)? FIAGT drops GT1 and adopts some sort of GT2/GT3 format. More space in the LMS for the ever increasing ranks of prototypes and a good home for those GT1's. Those LMS teams wishing to continue to race GT2's can jump ship and join a 'new look' FIAGT. Just a (not very well thought through) suggestion..........

[Nick49]

Hello

Some interesting comments from Deletraz and it would be good to hear from some of the other teams and drivers in the FIA GT. I enjoy the FIA GT series but feel its a little thin on numbers especially in the GT1 class. I much prefer the LMS with its four classes and six hour format, I regard it as proper endurance racing. It seems to be popular with teams and drivers as well and is possibly in danger of getting oversubscribed. They are going to need the bigger circuits to accomodate all the cars on the grid, which would tend to rule out circuits less than three miles long I would suggest. You could go back to seperate series for GTs and LMPs but the trouble is when the LMPs were by themselves they couldn't seem to form a big enough grid. Now people seem to be queuing up to get in them.

Does there need to be a "Factory" series and a "Privateers" sports car series although the trouble with that is maintaining the momentum. The big manufactureres have a tendency to drop off the scene at a whim. To a certain extent it all depends on what the ACO wants for Le Mans as without a doubt, in sports car racing everything revolves around the "big race".

Nick

[chrisp2006]

What about changing the name of the le mans series to the world sportscar championship and include the gt1 and gt2 cars while removing FIA gt. I dont understand how you can call it le mans series when it is not included in the championship?

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by chrisp2006

What about changing the name of the le mans series to the world sportscar championship and include the gt1 and gt2 cars while removing FIA gt. I dont understand how you can call it le mans series when it is not included in the championship?

chrisp2006, I've read your post a number of times and can't make head nor tail of it. Maybe it's me just me being thick, but what are you trying to say?

[chrisp2006]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

chrisp2006, I've read your post a number of times and can't make head nor tail of it. Maybe it's me just me being thick, but what are you trying to say?

Sorry maybe I should have been more clear. What i meant about the le mans series is that is does not include the 24hr race in la sarthe so I was confused to why it was called this instead of something like world sportcar championship like the old days or prototype sports car championship.

Apart from that maybe I am confused.

Also I was basically agreeing with what Marcosgt said
Originally Posted by marcosgt
Do we even need the FIA GT series any more?

Why don't the GTs just race in the LMES and ALMS series?

Cheers.

[SALEEN S7R]

To me the best thing that both the FIA GT and LMS Championships could do would be to merge and have co headlining events. Yes I know that the 2 series have differnt governing bodies but this doesent stop other series from having co headlining events with differnt governing bodies.

Having the FIA GT Championship and LMS racing together would increase crowd attendance and media exposure to the weekend and could only benefit both series. Keep the class structures as they are, have FIA GT race either on Saturday afternoon/early evening or Sunday morning after the LMS practise session just before the LMS race.

[Asa]

I think FIA GT right now is caught in the middle between the LMS and DTM.

I don't really know which way it should go once it adopt two hour regulations. I think DTM is quite ready to run with FIA GTs. If FIA GT and DTM got together, the new series will have Mercedes, Audi, Aston Martin, Maserati, Chevrolet, Porsche and Ferrari together and could become a world championship. It can easily bring in crowds and thus promoters and TV deals.

But the difficult part will be the regulations...

[SALEEN S7R]

If what you proposed happened though Asa the FIA GT series would be taking a massive step away from the ACO, this could potentially be a bad thing. Also, the DTM cars are basically silhouette chassis as we know, kind of like a DP, but faster. I dont know, the idea could work but the DTM would have to change its look, as it is now the cars are basically touring cars. Not true supercars. IMO.

[gwyllion]

I think when Jean-Dennis Deletraz said "short races, long races, in Europe, outside Europe, with the DTM, not with the DTM", he means that FIA GT will become a support race of DTM. Not that GT1 and DTM cars will race together. Or am I mistaken?

[SALEEN S7R]

Support race of the DTM? Id say co headlining event with the DTM. Yes I know the DTM gets LOTS more spectators than the regular FIA GT rounds but thats because Mercedes and Audi give away thousands upon thousands of free tickets for each event.

[AU N EGL]

[eddsc]

I think when Jean-Dennis Deletraz said "short races, long races, in Europe, outside Europe, with the DTM, not with the DTM", he means that FIA GT will become a support race of DTM.

No he doesn't: read what he said before "short races, .."
“The problem is that every team would like something different for 2007 - then there's the list. The list of opinions of entrants in the championship. So some want long races, some want short, some want to support DTM etc. OK?

[davemk7]

interesting, the most interesting thing to me was the 4 hour race, this I like. I think he meant it would be at the same track as dtm and not the same race, they are totally different. If you shorten the races it would become a competitor for dtm and f1, that dosen't sound like a step forward?

The idea of mergeing with the lms scares me though. I like big grids but to me the fia gt series has better racing, also merging them would no mean more sportscar racing. At the moment the lms only want 5 races again next year (or thats what i've heard anyway) that would mean losing 10 gt races a year and thats not good to me.
The le mans prototype field does look very strong for next year it would be interesting if they ran lmp1 and lmp2 at le mans and had all the gt cars in the fia gt series. I think that would be the best thing to me.

All that said you could leave them alone and change nothing with either and have 2 enteraining sportscar series to watch entirly indepent of each other?

[Graham Goodwin]

I think its more a case of a potential breakaway series supporting the DTM.

As for FIA GTs co-headlining with DTM - Highly unlikely over a full (or even partial championship. And what's in it for Mercedes to cede some of their current headline status in DTM to another championship?

FIA GT is at a crossroads and there is some very interesting manoeuvring going on.

J-D's thoughts demand careful reading nd consideration as do those of others, particularly the current GT1 teams.

The issue of a lack of terrestrial or mainstream cable / satellite TV coverage in Germany is a major problem for the Championship and the coming marketing spend of Peugeot and Audi in Le Mans Series will do nothing to reduce that pressure.

I would not be at all surprised to see a boost in GT1 numbers in the Le Mans Series in 2007

[AU N EGL]

Four Short races at 500 km each. Four Long races at 1000 KM and SPA 24 hour.

Nine races then a two race Championships, Two sepeate races, On Wed a 500 KM and on Sunday a 1000 KM race same track same week.

Track at a central Europan location to attrach spectators from all over.

[JAG]

Interesting thoughts.

I personally believe we will see a number of the major German and Belgian teams commit to LMS due to the better TV/media coverage, possibly supplementing their campaign with the odd FIA GT outing.

I wouldn't rule out a couple of cars being enticed over to the ALMS.

As for FIA GT, they need to differentiate themselves from the LMS and the best way to do that would be to run to GT3 regs. With so many cars you could have multiple races over the weekend, maybe even a knock out format, take inspiration from A1GP.

The variety of makes would suite FIA GT's target audience and make a better fit with their 'SuperCar' marketing spin.

If they are pro active and promote GT3 to be the headline act next season they will be batting from a position of strength, being forced into such a move in 2008 could negatively effect the image of the series.

[Fogelhund]

I'm not sure what the FIA GT are trying to do.

One principle is that the series is for privateers. As such, cost should be a consideration; ensuring cars have a long competitive life; ensuring travel expenses aren't out of control, and that sponsors needs are met.

On the other hand, we have this grandeur of being a "World Championship". Trips to China, Brazil.... Of course such a venture cries of expensive factory backing.

You can't really have it both ways, at least in my opinion. So, which way does it go?

[JAG]

Never understood the concept of a privateer World Championship.

They should have stuck with the WTCC schedule and ran 2 hour races or stayed in Europe and ran 4 hours.

[cmk]

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

Four Short races at 500 km each. Four Long races at 1000 KM and SPA 24 hour.

Nine races then a two race Championships, Two sepeate races, On Wed a 500 KM and on Sunday a 1000 KM race same track same week.

Track at a central Europan location to attrach spectators from all over.

This is interesting, but with there still being some (though not many) gentleman drivers in FIA-GT, Wednesday would probably not fly. Poor for spectators too.

[Asa]

I would have thought the LMS would be more suitable for gentleman drivers: 5 weekends only and 1000km races. Minimum time away and maximum driving time.

I would like to see FIA GT becoming a pro championship, but right now it really lacks support from the manufacturers like the LMS or DTM. Unless the likes of Maserati, Chevrolet, Aston Martin, Saleen, Porsche, Spyker, Panoz etc put up with the expenses, I don't see this happening.

Even if it ran with the DTM on the same weekend, I don't think TV will suddenly improve, although it will gain spectators. The worse thing though will be that people will start to see that the FIA GT supercars, despite all the hype, are not much quicker (or even slower) than the Merc and Audi "touring cars".

I suppose the best way is to merge with the LMS. But will the FIA and ACO talk?

[mirkob]

SportautoMoto (Italian magazine) today reports:

1) FIA GT 2007 Schedule:

04 March- Interlagos (3h)
11 March - Argentina (2h)
25 March - Cina (2h)
08 May - Silverstone (2h)
20 May - Bucarest (2h)
24 June - Monza o Mugello (2h)
08 July - Oschersleben (2h)
24 July - Spa (24h)
24 September - Nogaro (2h)
21 October - Zolder (2h)

2) The Champ will be denominated World Championship

3) There should be an "Independent Trophy" reserved to "old" GT1 cars, like Lister Storm, Ferrari F550/F575, Chrysler Viper and old Saleen

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by mirkob

3) There should be an "Independent Trophy" reserved to "old" GT1 cars, like Lister Storm, Ferrari F550/F575, Chrysler Viper and old Saleen

Does this mean that because the 2007 GT1 field will be decimated by unhappy/disillusioned defectors that 'historics' will now be allowed to race in the main FIAGT race as a 'desperate measure' to boost numbers, or that there will be a seperate race for these cars?