[FIA GT] GT1 FIA = GT1 ACO according to Stephane Ratel

[Dani Filth]

that's why they build the R8 GT3 to compete in a Ratel Series ..

[Graham Goodwin]

They built the R8 GT3 to give themselves a commercially viable customer programme - nothing at all to do with loyalty to one race orgniser or another

[Speed-King]

Well, the R8 is supposedly quite the monster for a GT3 and got brutally punished in performance balancing, maybe upgrading it to GT1 is not all that hard and could be done with comparatively little effort?

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

They built the R8 GT3 to give themselves a commercially viable customer programme - nothing at all to do with loyalty to one race orgniser or another

exactly . they build racecars to sell them or sell road cars .. nothing to do with loyalty

[AndrewF31]

With this new GT1 World Championship, there will now be a GT2 European Championship.

Does this mean GT2 and GT1 will have separate races starting next season? So we'd have race weekends of GT1, GT2, GT3 and GT4 races?
Can't remember ever seeing GT1 and GT2 split and not sure about the effects taking into account the amount of cars each class normally gets.

[gwyllion]

According to http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans...presse1_gb.pdf we might see a single GT category in Le Mans next year.

LM GT1 - 2010

• Category open to cars complying with the 2010 FIA GT regulations
• After reception of entries for the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours, the ACO will decide to maintain the GT1 category (or not) according to well-defined criteria (presence of manufacturers, quality of the entries, reliability guarantees)
• Otherwise, the ACO reserves itself the right to keep only a single GT category in 2010

[JAG]

And talk of LMP3 for Formula Le Mans cars.

[911 GT1]

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

With this new GT1 World Championship, there will now be a GT2 European Championship.

Does this mean GT2 and GT1 will have separate races starting next season? So we'd have race weekends of GT1, GT2, GT3 and GT4 races?
Can't remember ever seeing GT1 and GT2 split and not sure about the effects taking into account the amount of cars each class normally gets.

Yes, there will be seperate races for each class on the same weekend and track.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by 911 GT1

Yes, there will be seperate races for each class on the same weekend and track.

Grids of 10 cars...

[AndrewF31]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Grids of 10 cars...

Ya, that's the fear of splitting up GT1 and GT2. I doubt GT2 will have many more cars then they have this season and GT1 will have a hard time matching this season's grid.

Could FIA be trying to murder FIA GT since it's gaining some popularity? They always seem to cater to the needs of F1.

Real shame.

[MJ_N_09]

^ It honestly makes no sense that someone would want to kill their own series, but this is the FIA we are talking about.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Come Mid-June, one of us is gonna eat some crow...

Does Crow taste good? Because:

LM GT1 - 2010

• Category open to cars complying with the 2010 FIA GT regulations

• After reception of entries for the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours, the ACO will decide to maintain the GT1 category (or not) according to well-defined criteria (presence of manufacturers, quality of the entries, reliability guarantees)

• Otherwise, the ACO reserves itself the right to keep only a single GT category in 2010

still does not sound definitive to me!
And goes directly to what I stated as the situation was, then and now.
April, 7:

The current 'rules' GT-1 is breathing its last breaths! What replaces that as the premier ACO GT class is still not been fully answered by the ACO. We know for a fact that the major mfg's do not want the Ratel proposed GT-1 replacement and would prefer it be replaced with a single class or at least be based on the current GT-2 cars. Until it is an, in writing, ACO GT class this is nothing but SRO blowing wind. He still does not even have the backing from all quarters to go ahead, which he stated in the interview, its all still in a state of speculation!

L.P.

[MJ_N_09]

It looks like all the ACO series will just be GT with LMP, while SRO will go ahead with GT1.

[HORNDAWG]

Hmm, there was an annoucement today of another Audi R8 GT-3 team for FIA GT-3 next year. The interesting thing about that is, it is an American/English owned team called United Autosports and one of their stated goals is to:

"add some sort of North American GT program to their portfolio as soon as possible – That though will require either the ALMS or Grand-Am finding space in their regulations for the currently ineligible R8."

So have we seen the birth of the first of the good Dr.'s hinted at, very pointedly, customer teams for the 2011 ALMS GTC class? Full story at DSC (for those who have it).

It would seem that Audi (VAG) would be thinking that GT-1 will not be a part of the ACO class structure in 2011, at least in North America.



L.P.

[carsten66]

Zak Brown and Richard Dean are the owners of the new United Autosports, fielding two R8's... more here:

http://www.automobilsport.com/race-c...ouces,news.htm

and here, with pictures

http://www.oneighturbo.com/2009/10/0...-championship/

[JAG]

It's October now and I've yet to see anything from this GT1 lark that suggests there is enough big money behind the series to support a 'World Championship'.

[Purist]

Isn't SRO covering travel expenses? I think that was also part of the 24-car limit, so that they could fly the whole operation on a single 747.

[MJ_N_09]

Oooohhh 747. What cargo airline?

[Purist]

I think it's the new freight division of Lauda Air.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

^ It honestly makes no sense that someone would want to kill their own series, but this is the FIA we are talking about.

They killed their own World Sportscar Championship, and their own original World Touring Car Championship... so it does happen (and yes, it does make no sense)

[Cuttlefish]

2010 GT1s will be running at Le Mans, plus three new constructors (to Le Mans) in GT1 next year:

http://www.lemans.org/files/actu/200...__4626_gb.html

I'm hoping for MC12s at Le Mans!

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Cuttlefish

2010 GT1s will be running at Le Mans, plus three new constructors (to Le Mans) in GT1 next year:

http://www.lemans.org/files/actu/200...__4626_gb.html

I'm hoping for MC12s at Le Mans!

So, Nissan, Ford and maybe Maseratti? Those would be my guess, prolly see the Vettes and Astons as well.

[PorscheFanNo1]

"These same constructors will also have to participate in our European or Asian series, this being a determining requirement for the selection of those invited to race at the 2010 24 Heures du Mans."

This I find very interesting! Does this mean that ACO force the GT1 manufacturers that wants to run at LeMans to also run in LMS and Asian LeMans Series? And if so, that means the new GT1 cars will be run in those series, and not only in the World FIA-GT series as first said?
That in turn means that any manufacturer that wants to run GT1 cars at LeMans also have to run 4 cars in FIA-GT, as well as cars in either LMS or Asial LeMans series. And all of a sudden there has been a much bigger market for GT1 cars.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Does Crow taste good?

Would you like some ketchup with your crow?

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Would you like some ketchup with your crow?

Hmm, if I were to be eating it, a nice Chianti and fava bean salad would go nice with it! But it is well past 'mid June' and there are more grandfathered models than 'new' rule GT-1s so I think I will be passing on the sumptuous feast of Genus Corvus.



L.P.