[FIA GT] Why is FIA sportscars so sad?

[Tim Northcutt]

Many points that JAG has made were the same arguments many of us raised early last year when we practically prayed that the ACO would step up to the plate to become the driving force to bring some sense and some stability to sportscar racing...especially so in the case of Europe, where prototype racing was dying a painful death in 2003....

Now that they have done so, let's see how it unfolds....

It was the right move to make....and over time the stability and the return of builders, manufacturers and competitors will come about....

It is exactly the reason why the ACO held that big Summit last January in Paris that brought the many designers, small racing factories and reps from the manufacturers together....to figure out the future course of sportscar racing that would help to serv ethe needs of many parties involved in it...

and it is the same reason why the ACO sent a delegation to Japan last spring.....I doubt they were there to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom...the plan was to get the Asian makers back to LM and back to sportscar racing....and sooner as opposed to later...

Remember this as well...we're just now coming out of a fairly rocky economic climate that has given pause to builders, sponsors, and to racers themselves....

And the transition the sport will face in Year One to launch what is now the LMES for Europe under the auspices of the ACO in the same way that the ALMS is operated will see a few growing pains...

but I believe that Year Two will be a good one, and will mark the beginning of the next phase of sportscar competition for the coming years...in both Europe and in North America....

I do feel that rules need some stability, but you have to balance that with the needs of the builders to rotate newer and improved models into the mix within the context of rules changes or adjustments every few years or so...you have to keep them interested as well....they are not going to design a car, sell some to teams, and settle for the pennies they will make on "upgrade kits" over a 5-6 year period....that doesn't help them to justify their participation in the sport to their boards...and it doesn't contribute to the technological growth of the sport, either...


After all, it's not like they have a large pool of prospective buyers for their prototypes....

[billnchristy]

yet...hopefully...