2016 Blancpain GT Series

[J Jay]

You mean the 3 AMG-GTs that finished in the top 10? All of whom benefited from effeictvely serving a lap's fewer penalty thanks to some poor stewarding and Seefried doing a Kogay? Add that lap back on and they're not that close to a victory at all.

But nobody is denying that they were fast, and consistently moving up the grid. Which only makes the question of why Mercedes would openly flaunt the rules that much more puzzling, as they stood a great chance of winning with 6 cars in the top 20 anyway, even if they weren't locking out the front 2-3 rows.

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by J Jay

and Seefried doing a Kogay?

You know he had a flat tire rite?

-mike

[Mitchi_S]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Congratulations Scudd. Getting through any 24 hour race is an achievement to be celebrated

Onto a more sour topic, just heard on MWM (from Goodwin) that it definitely wasn't just the ignition timing of the Superpole AMG-GTs that caught the stewards' attention. His interpretation of Mercedes' statement (I've not seen it yet) is that Mercedes basically admit to all the changes, but they try to argue that they didn't know it was strictly illegal.

From what I've been told by a Black Falcon employee it's basically this: What has happened with the engine is legal to FIA standards, and approved by them, but not approved by SRO, which is why they got that penalty. Mercedes-Benz might now take action against the SRO.

If I were Dr. Ulrich, I wouldn't even dare to go near any race track anymore.

[GregUK]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Alan Partridge is team manager of Parker?

That's just sooooo cruel!



(Poor Stuart and the team had a pretty difficult weekend)

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Mitchi_S

From what I've been told by a Black Falcon employee it's basically this: What has happened with the engine is legal to FIA standards, and approved by them, but not approved by SRO, which is why they got that penalty. Mercedes-Benz might now take action against the SRO.

If I were Dr. Ulrich, I wouldn't even dare to go near any race track anymore.

THIS.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

You know he had a flat tire rite?

-mike

I didn't, thanks for letting me know. On the off-chance that you're reading this Marco, I apologize for making a poor and incorrect joke at your expense!

Originally Posted by Mitchi_S

From what I've been told by a Black Falcon employee it's basically this: What has happened with the engine is legal to FIA standards, and approved by them, but not approved by SRO, which is why they got that penalty. Mercedes-Benz might now take action against the SRO.

That seems very odd, what reason is there for the FIA & SRO rules differing in this case? But the Spa 24h is an SRO race first and foremost, so what basis would Mercedes have for legal action? Would they argue that the SRO should have had the same rules as the FIA in this case, or that the distinction wasn't clear enough?

[Mitchi_S]

Originally Posted by J Jay

That seems very odd, what reason is there for the FIA & SRO rules differing in this case? But the Spa 24h is an SRO race first and foremost, so what basis would Mercedes have for legal action? Would they argue that the SRO should have had the same rules as the FIA in this case, or that the distinction wasn't clear enough?

To be honest, I'm not sure. Maybe the former, though I'd rather suspect the latter. Maybe the FIA is rated higher than the SRO in such a case, or the SRO has bound itself to use FIA rules and didn't this time? I don't really know. Maybe I'll get some more info about this.

[canaglia]

Hi all I just signed up my self in this forum after browsing it searching for infos. I apologize if my english is not perfect not being my native language. Anyway I'm working with some friends of mine on a GT3 mod for assetto corse and I would ask to experts 2 questions:

1. in BES and BSS, each car model uses the stock fuel tank or tank size car by car is decided by BOP (like WEC and VLN)

2. in BES and BSS, each different car model uses the same tires size supplied by pirelli, or pirelli supplies each team according to homologation tires size of each car model?

[Akrapovic]

I don't think the fuel tank size is restricted in BES because it's all limited by the stint length. Maximum stint length permitted by the rules is 65 minutes (extended to 70 minutes under yellow IIRC). So you can have a huge fuel tank but it doesn't matter. Engines will run with air restrictors so you can't really burn more fuel either. It's ann easy way of balancing fuel consumption.

BSS are 1 hour races I think. There is no refueling.

[chernaudi]

As I understand it (I don't really follow the BES/BSS series intensely), the stint lengths are determined by the 65 minute max time limit. This is one thing that DSC did mention that they feel would be prudent for the BES to suspend for the Spa 24. After all, the ADAC and the ACO don't do such a thing for their 24 hour races at Nurburgring and Le Mans.

And as Akrapovic also mentioned, the sprint races are basically an hour plus one lap. In that situation, if you don't have to refuel, you won't just to save time. I know that ACO spec GTE cars can go nearly an hour on their fuel tankage, and I believe that the GT3 cars have larger tanks to extend their range at least by a few minutes. In that case, there's no incentive to pit for fuel when there's no need to due to the short time of the race.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Mitchi_S

or the SRO has bound itself to use FIA rules and didn't this time?

The sporting regulations refer to the FIA's rulebook:

ELIGIBLE CARS
10. Events are first and foremost reserved for the following categories of cars:
1) GT3 cars with an FIA homologation as defined by the applicable technical regulations (Article 257A of Appendix J) [...]

[Mitchi_S]

So going by that Mercedes-Benz did nothing wrong.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by GregUK

That's just sooooo cruel!



(Poor Stuart and the team had a pretty difficult weekend)

Sorry

[TomVanRompaey]

Hi everybody

I would like to share this video with you.



I'm a journalist for the Belgian sports channel Sport 40 and this is a 30' highlights program I've produced about the Spa 24 Hours. It's in Dutch. Enjoy!

[J Jay]

So there's a stricken car on track which will need recovery ...

... and there's no immediate SC call ...

... and everyone ignores the double yellows ...

... and just before the field goes past a tractor crosses the track.

I'm struggling to be civil, because I don't think anybody comes out of that one well.

[gert]

That makes even Enzo Ide's dirty moves (yesterday, and today at the start) look like nothing at all.

[J Jay]

It's about 30 minutes too late (and conveniently a post-race affair), but it's good to see the unsafe release of the #1 being looked at.

[J Jay]

So the 'Ring endurance race is happening in about 90 minutes. Stolz is on pole for Grasser (#19) after a shortened session due to fog.

[Rodger Davies]

Oops, thought it was 1:45 local time, seems I rushed back too soon...

[J Jay]

Big shunt for #59 G59 McLaren, their race is done.

Bortolotti into second, Stolz leads.

[gert]

Yay! Safety car fest again!

[J Jay]

Good racing behind the two lead Lambos. Stevens still 3rd, Vervisch 4th, Ordonez 5th, Baumann down to 6th with Haupt just behind.

Edit - What exactly did Soulet think would happen if he stayed tucked under Rugolo for the whole pit straight? That's not going to get you past.

Stevens going backwards fast, Ordonez and Baumann get past. Looks like an issue, he's into the pits.

[gert]

I see a drive-through coming for #58

EDIT: maybe even two ...

Rob Bell is trying his best to throw away a championship

[J Jay]

Should be.

Soulet still behind Rugolo, Vervisch has zoomed right onto the back of Stolz.

Edit - He's past! Vervisch passes Stolz into T1 as well.

[Starfish Primer]

Originally Posted by gert

I see a drive-through coming for #58

Another one