FIA GT World Championship 2012

[I Rosputnik]

It would be good to have a WC race Brands, provided they are using the GP layout. I think they might have to do a joint race. (But why can't the SRO get a rid of this stupid two cars per manufactuer rule?)

I wonder if the double header race in North America will happen. Any idea when we get a calendar?

[JackN]

According to Autosport today, there are likey to be 4 European events at Zolder, Brands, Saschensring and Algarve, and 4 fly-aways; Argentina (presumably San Luis), Russia, and 2 in China (Orodos and Goldenport?).

That is 8 weekends, 2 less than both 2010 and 2011, which suggests the North America double header could still be on...?

Calendar presented to the World Council next week, so I imagine we will hear before Christmas.

[alexkiller8]

if this rumors will be true, it's maybe the most unintersting track list for a champ...

[Purist]

How do you figure?

Zolder is alright. Brands (GP), Sachsenring, and Algarve are all quite good for GTs. I'm not counting on Russia happening, but if it does, the GTs have a much better chance of making Smolensk Ring, Novgorod Ring, or Moscow Raceway work for actual racing than some other categories (like F1). If they wait a year, maybe they could do something at Sochi.

I could see Ordos happening again in China. If there is a Beijing race, the plan has been to run it on a finished version of an Olympic Park street circuit (the site of the "demo race" this year). A funny thought did occur to me though. They're switching to GT3s for 2012, albeit they're talking about modified ones. There was a GT3 race at this year's Macau Grand Prix. So, the cars CAN negotiate even the hairpin at that circuit, lap after lap.

As for North America, would they pair with ALMS at Mosport and Road America?

Also, I find it a tad funny that Russia isn't listed as "European". A good part of the population is on the European side of the Urals, and I think all of their permanent racetracks are on that side as well.

And please let the South American round continue to be Potrero de los Funes.

EDIT: Wait a second. Hasn't it already been stated that Nogaro is the season-opener? Hopefully, this just means that Russia has already fallen through, again.

[alexkiller8]

zolder is a really good track but not good as spa, the reality is that these tracks are unhappy replacements because bernie intimidated ratel to don't run the fia gt anymore in f1 tracks after the 2010 season... so zolder = you can't run in spa because of f1, sachsenring = you can't run in nurburgring because of f1, brands hatch = you can't run in silverstone because of f1, (even donington is untouchable it seems). Only algarve is there as first choice i guess. About outside-european races, only potrero is good! chinese races in unknown and low quality tracks like this year are boring and disappointed... and russian track who knows, but surely doesn't make me think good. North american races can be intersting, a round in laguna seca will be amazing! but all clues let think that maybe 2012 will have only 8 rounds.

[Marcel ten Caat]

The Autosport article mentioned Nogaro as season opener as far as I remember (don't have the magazine on my desk right now).

[Purist]

The issue with Spa is much more that the 24-Hour is already taking place there, and is part of an SRO series. It muddies the waters, and which event would be the "top" one. Would it be the "World Championship" race, or the Spa 24-Hour race?

Since they added the "Mercedes Arena" to the Nurburgring, I actually prefer the Sachsenring. And Hockenheim isn't anything special since they neutered it, so again, I'll take the Sachsenring over it as well.

Silverstone now I find is just too long and too busy over the lap. Even an F1 grid just seems dwarfed by the place in a sense; you need a big grid of cars to fill the place up now. Anyway, as for the track itself, I think the Brands Hatch GP Circuit is the best high-level course in Britain. So, on this one too, I actually prefer this "alternate" choice to the F1 circuit.

Now, for GTs, I can live with Nogaro, though I think a track like Ledenon is more interesting. And if I had my druthers, they'd run them at Dijon-Prenois.

I wouldn't hold my breath on Russia. The GT3 round fell through this season. An F1 Grand Prix has fallen through multiple times. MotoGP and DTM have been delayed for years in getting a race there also. Also, none of the permanent circuits that might be ready in 2012 are really that suitable, and they don't have a convenient street circuit option available relatively close-by for any of them.

I don't particularly care for Ordos in China, but it's the only track in the area, so it's a better chance that that one will stay. Beijing Goldenport wasn't really acceptable, but I'm fairly confident it was allowed in for 2011, on the condition that the Olympic Park street circuit be ready for a round in 2012. Zhuhai is almost certainly an option, and it's a decent circuit. And since we know the category of car can handle it (GT3 that is), Macau could be a way to make a splash and introduce the series into an already significant event.

In North America, I think Laguna Seca is going to be a bit too tied up with other events around the time of year that an event in the GT WC would likely occur. Grand-Am will be there in the midst of summer. Shortly after that, it will be time for the Historics and related events.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Purist

Macau could be a way to make a splash and introduce the series into an already significant event.

Unless driving standards improve drastically we'd end up with three cars finishing.

[Purist]

When the margin for error drops, it tends to lead to quick learning.

Drivers at the N24 know, or find out quickly, that "stupid stuff" is punished unconditionally, and so, this "stupid stuff" has a habit of disappearing, even among a goodly few "amateur" drivers.

GT WC does rolling starts, so a stalled car on the grid won't be an issue at Macau. That guardrail coming up fast for those high-speed kinks on the main stretch will strongly encourage reasonable discretion, rather than trying to make it through three-wide on the outside.

Additionally, a curb has been put in on the inside of the approach to Lisboa, so that the entry is not particularly wider than the exit, thus substantially reducing the chances of absurd pile-ups, because somebody decided it was a bright idea to dive up the inside right along the right-hand-side guardrail.

And with that mile-ling (or more) front stretch at Macau, that's one street circuit that certainly DOES have an exceedingly good overtaking zone. Heck, the slipstream you can get there might allow for two or three passes for the lead between the final corner and Lisboa.

[JackN]

Sorry guys, I got confused with the syntax of the article in Autosport:

First round - Nogaro
Europe - Brands (June/July) Zolder, Navarra, Saschenring and Algarve
Fly-away - Russia, China x2, Argentina

This would leave no room in the calendar for North America races, nor the Brazil race that was rumoured.

[dj choc ice]

If the championship is ditching Silverstone for Brands then that pretty much screws anyone over that doesn't live in the south. Silverstone is nigh on 4 hours for me, Brands will be coming up to around 6 hours or so. As much as I adore GT1, or whatever it will be next year, the cost of getting to and from Brands and the time it takes means I will almost certainly be unable to attend. Also, I can see due to noise restrictions that Brands will probably use the indy loop like they do for DTM which is a joke IMO.

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

. Also, I can see due to noise restrictions that Brands will probably use the indy loop like they do for DTM which is a joke IMO.

The Indy loop is used for DTM because that is what DTM management want them to race on - it has nothing to do with noise or the circuit owner.
The noise levels allowed for the GP circuit are the same as the Indy Circuit, it's the number of days allowed on the GP circuit that is the issue.

The GTs will be on the GP circuit.

As for your travel time, well, thems the choices. If it's too close to the F1 GP date, I'll be ditching the GP, though knowing my luck it will be a weekend adjacent to Le mans..

Old Colwyn to Silverstone 187 miles 3hrs 13min
Old Colwyn to Brands Hatch 274 miles 4hrs 37 minutes
and Preston is closer..
(stop being so pessimistic)

[I Rosputnik]

GT1 and GT3 merge.

So what does this mean for the silly two car rule then?

[I Rosputnik]

Ok, it seems it's not quite a merger, but a merger will happen if there are not enough entries. It will be interesting to see how the team compare.

[kyoung]

So the only difference is no driver category in GT1 and GT3 will now have the helter skelter GT1 style pit stops. Does this mean future GT1 run to GT3 spec when homologation wanes on current GT1 cars? Ratel and his insistence on brands, why doesn’t this jackass just become an Ad Exec, something he’s better suited to, like huckstering dish detergent and toothpaste.

I think they need a few more driver categories for GT3, perhaps they could add Lead, Gravel, and Dirt.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by kyoung

I think they need a few more driver categories for GT3, perhaps they could add Lead, Gravel, and Dirt.

... and Sh*t.

[kober]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

... and Sh*t.

I thought they already had this one

[FstrthnU]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ions-for-2012/
Here's the SPEED article if it makes things a little clearer. So Mclaren and Ferrari got their wishes in the end

[kober]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ions-for-2012/
Here's the SPEED article if it makes things a little clearer. So Mclaren and Ferrari got their wishes in the end

SPEED's article is just a copy-paste of gt1world.com news brought forward by I Rosputnik. Not a single word added.

[kyoung]

To be honest I always thought the GT3 pit stop rules made sense and emphasized track time instead of how fast a couple of rubes could fuel a car and change a tire. I also thought it was a lot safer for all involved in the pit area with the GT3 rules.

Seems to me they should have categories for pit crews too.< A joke.

[kyoung]

Originally Posted by kober

SPEED's article is just a copy-paste of gt1world.com news brought forward by I Rosputnik. Not a single word added.

Does it really matter what the article says, it’s all subject to change at a moment’s notice. Ratel is going to do whatever necessary to keep the circus going.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

If the championship is ditching Silverstone for Brands then that pretty much screws anyone over that doesn't live in the south. Silverstone is nigh on 4 hours for me, Brands will be coming up to around 6 hours or so. As much as I adore GT1, or whatever it will be next year, the cost of getting to and from Brands and the time it takes means I will almost certainly be unable to attend. Also, I can see due to noise restrictions that Brands will probably use the indy loop like they do for DTM which is a joke IMO.

This. Thanks to the races being streamed live on the internet, these last two years, I'd really started to get in to GT racing, and what I've seen I've really enjoyed. The series has struggled with finding a suitable set of regulations to work with, but the on track action has been superb. I was considering going to the GT round at Silverstone, seeing as WTCC looks to be moving away from my nearest track, Donington.

It's not the tourist trophy if it's not at Silverstone.

I don't know, I just don't like Brands. Might be a great track to drive round, but with cars, especially on the Indy loop, it sure does produce some dull races, and the GP loop isn't that much better.

Or maybe it is just my aversion to the South shining through. :P

[kober]

Originally Posted by kyoung

Does it really matter what the article says, it’s all subject to change at a moment’s notice. Ratel is going to do whatever necessary to keep the circus going.

What I meant is that there was no point in linking speed's article, since the very same text had been linked a few post before.

[I Rosputnik]

I reckon half of the GT3 teams will go to Blancpain and the other half might find themselves in GT World. I still think going to GT3 regulations is the best thing for the championship. GT1 has nearly faded away and I don't think one hour sprint races suits the class. With GT3 regulations, it's down to the SRO can now do what it wants with having to step on the ACO's toes.

Shame about the rumoured track list. Needs more races.

To be honest if I was going to do anything to the championship I would do the following.

• Merge the European championship with the World Championship, that then gives Blancpain the opportunity focus on Europe.
• Change the race format so it is either three one hour races or two hour and half or two hour races.
• Get a rid of this stupid two car per manufacturer rubbish. While it's a nice idea to show as much variety as possible, it does not make sense to restict entries in this way, considering how things are going financially in the world.
• Work with the WTCC as suggested on facebook. While I have no idea if the KSO and the SRO get on, I think seeing as these two championships have similar formats (Sprint racing, production cars, newish championships when compared to F1 and the WRC.) I think it would make sense if they worked together for race venues. The WTCC goes to a variety of countries and GT World has some nice looking cars, so I think the two working together in a double header format would work nicely for them considering both championships have been struggling.
• And less emphasis on the Balance of Performance...

Here's rather interesting article I found on Speed just a few minutes ago. Interesting comments about GTE and GT3...

[AndrewF31]

It's a vicious cycle. Factory involvement is ephemeral at best. It's great while they're here but normally when they quit, they quit very quickly together and we're left with the scraps. It'll happen to GTE, GT3 and Protos, eventually.
But it's certain that something else will eventually replace it!

As for GT, I'm happy Ratel has finally given up on the 3 golden pony express and is leaving it to 2 championship, which will cater to Enduro drivers/teams and Sprint drivers/teams.
The tracks are not very entertaining, except for a few. Unlike ELMS, they've picked some iffy tracks.

As for the teams going to Blancpain from GT3, the problem is only if they prefer Enduros over Sprints. It would make sense to continue to allow extras to participate in the Euro rounds or else SRO may risk losing some of the GT3 Europe teams to British GT, ADAC, French GT although these championships are indeed owned by SRO and Ratel, so he wouldn't really lose....
If the sprint structure of GT3 Europe is not somewhat maintained within GT World, you could even think this was also done to help his 'country' championships