2014 Blancpain Sprint Series

[Deleted]

There's a required length? Why?

Adria 2h night race was awesome. If SRO re-organized such again - even with the generic GT3s - I'd prob would watch my first race in FIAGT/Blancpain -continuum in... I don't even remember in how many years now?

[Purist]

The FIA rules include stipulations on minimum circuit lengths based on the circuit grade, type of cars competing, and for endurance races, the duration of the race. For a Grade 2 circuit, which is what you would expect the FIA's official, or de facto official, GT series to run on, a 3.0-km lap is the basic minimum.

Anyway, roughly 25, high-performance, GT cars on a tight, 1.679-mile course is getting kind of crowded. For a straight GT3 race, I just don't see there being much actual racing happening at Adria. Many of the opportunities that came up in the previous series' races there only existed because of the multi-class aspect.

For a re-introduction to the series, I'd recommend you go look up this year's sprint races from Brands Hatch.

[Deleted]

It was more of a (rhetorical?) question as to why the mindset has changed in 5 years time. But then again many things have...

Anyway, there wasn't that big difference in the very last race, I remember the GT2 Porsches and Ferraris easily passing / keeping on pace of the GT1 Corvettes in every corner once their tires started wearing, and only in the straights overpower the lower class.

I love Brands Hatch, but I don't have to endure GT3 cars (you all know my opinion on them) to watch racing there, alternatives exist with Adria it's different as it's basically just used for non televised domestic and club series today. Also no night races at Brands

[Miguel]

Since Blancpain GT isn't aligned with the FIA anymore, that doesn't matter anymore, does it? I remember reading in an interview with Stephan Ratel where he said something along those lines, that they now have more flexibility with regards to the regulations.

[Deleted]

Ratel said that when the world championship collapsed - or more so that the FIA feeds are cheaper when it's just regional series, and therefore organizing races is easier.

It's still 'effectively' FIA GT Series, just rebranded with the sponsorship name and maybe little less bureaucracy coming from FIA
http://www.fia.com/news/blancpain-sp...endurance-2014

Although personally I don't really wish to put this, or the GTWC into same timeline as the 97-09 FIA GT Championship. Just as I don't with BPR. It's sorta of a sequel...

[Purist]

Aside from the TUSCC Prototypes, I just never worried that much about even trying to keep track of the convoluted specifics of the BoP in GT2/GTE and GT3/GTD.

The main thing GT3 is leading me to do is to narrow my focus. Once I have seen/recorded races of some of the more peripheral series that use the cars, because those series run on different circuits, I'm slowly just dropping those less high-profile series from my watch list.

Now, if a few more GT3 manufacturers made GT2 versions of their cars, like Mercedes and/or McLaren, my desire to follow GT3s would wane further.

You probably have more options to watch races at the major European circuits than I can dig up over here. Also, after A1GP or FIA GT, BTCC at Brands Hatch just doesn't grab me, and I can't reliably get anything more than highlights of British GT over here. Of course, that, too, is GT3 racing.

Adria, as a circuit, on its own merits, just doesn't capture me. When Italy already has Monza, Mugello, Imola, Vallelunga, and Enna Pergusa, and I already have recordings of the 2008 and 2009 FIA GT races at Adria, what's the draw for me to want the series to go back there?

The Blancpain Sprint Series is, in effect, FIA GT. I suppose, the main visible benefit of the less direct ties to the FIA, and that label, is that there is less pull to see this series follow F1 and the WEC in its selection of circuits that it runs on.

[Juntos]

Ratel is pushing Cox to enter a PRO line-up. Nissan deserves better.

[IndyMeister]

There's a new thread for the 2015 BSS season:
http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143111

Let the silly season begin!