Intercontinental GT Challenge

[FIRE]

Is GT4 practical non-existent in Australia?
Can you qualify for invitational class or is it really on invitation?

[bludvl_x19]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Is GT4 practical non-existent in Australia?

Pretty much. It has been moved to be the top class of the Production Car Championship from this year, so they can actually win a race outright. So GT4 will be the top class at the Bathurst 6hr at Easter.

Originally Posted by FIRE

Can you qualify for invitational class or is it really on invitation?

If you think you have something interesting, you can enter invitational class and hope you get accepted. It is usually made up of mostly MARC cars, with some other random entries. There were a couple of ex-GrandAm RX8's racing in it a few years back now.

[Bcarr6]

Disappointing numbers, I do remember the pre-COVID years being a little too crowded, but this is a touch too thin. I forget the year but the race had 34 entries one year and it just seemed to be the right number for the track.

When was the last time Audi entered a single PRO entry in an IGTC race.

Sad to see this be such a Audi vs AMG fest like quite a few other series now, luckily WRT are now BMW to slightly diversify, but I do miss the days of Nissan and Bentley being in GT3 and tackling the mountain.

Even a PRO Aston, or Mclaren, or Ferrari, or Lamborghini would give us a bit more spice. SOMETHING! that isnt a AMG or Audi

[fieldodreams79]

Agreed, it does look weak, especially at the bottom end. I count 22 Class As (early in the day for me); assuming the cars are the same, the classes are based on driver levels. 22 is an F1 event. There's always attrition at The Mountain but maybe these numbers will work for long green runs? I'll always look forward to the pre dawn start, no matter the numbers!

And I've not witnessed Valentino Rossi on four wheels so I'm looking forward to that.

Practice starts later today (tomorrow for me, I think). No rain in the forecast. Practice days look pleasant - Mid 70s / Mid 40s (23 / 8 C) but jumps to 85 / 55 (29 / 12 C) race day.

[PhilipR]

Entry list is small compared to pre covid. I wonder how much of this is hampered by timing of race - in between D24 and Asian Le Mans series(auto invite to le mans if you win) , cost to travel to Australia, potential cost of repair considering the crashes that happen at the Mountain. - I wonder if all of this compounds the European, US and teams from Asia to prioritise other series/races?

Also on the German manufactures, I believe the Germans along with Ferrari and Lambo are very good at supporting customer teams world wide and help them enter events. They also seem to have a large customer base all over the world

Compare that with Mclaren or Aston that have less customers and most based in Europe or the US. Nissan has no interest in gt3 atm, Lexus only US and Super Gt(very small numbers) , Bentley non existent, Honda only US and Super gt. If I were a team considering what is on offer, I would probably opt for one of the Germans or Lambo/Ferrari given the current situation.

Hopefully once Ford and Corvette are set up they can make up for the disappearance of the the other manufacturers

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by PhilipR

Entry list is small compared to pre covid. I wonder how much of this is hampered by timing of race - in between D24 and Asian Le Mans series(auto invite to le mans if you win) , cost to travel to Australia, potential cost of repair considering the crashes that happen at the Mountain. - I wonder if all of this compounds the European, US and teams from Asia to prioritise other series/races?

Also on the German manufactures, I believe the Germans along with Ferrari and Lambo are very good at supporting customer teams world wide and help them enter events. They also seem to have a large customer base all over the world

Compare that with Mclaren or Aston that have less customers and most based in Europe or the US. Nissan has no interest in gt3 atm, Lexus only US and Super Gt(very small numbers) , Bentley non existent, Honda only US and Super gt. If I were a team considering what is on offer, I would probably opt for one of the Germans or Lambo/Ferrari given the current situation.

Hopefully once Ford and Corvette are set up they can make up for the disappearance of the the other manufacturers

Think its very clear by now Audi, AMG and to a slightly lesser extent Lambo, Ferrari, BMW & Porsche offer a more thorough package of support than the smaller guys, but still, its a shame to see the lack of diversity

[fieldodreams79]

Was hoping to be watching a little of practice for the Bathurst 12 right now, but looks like the YouTube streams won't start until Ps 5 & 6?? Bogus, man!

[E.B]

So we have a Merc AMG front row lockout with Engel on pole in the Gruppe M car and Feeney alongside in the T888 car......

But now after qualy Mercedes AMG have been BoP'd with extra weight

They have had 10kg added to their BoP ballast, while the Manthey Porsche, which Matt Campbell put third on the grid, has copped an extra 5kg.

Audis, BMW, and Lamborghini, have had 10kg removed from their BoP ballast.

Pretty harsh but should liven things up a bit.

Top 10 on the Grid after the 'Shootout'

Pos Num Team/Sponsor Driver(s) Car Cls Fastest lap Split
1 999 GruppeM Racing Maro Engel Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO PRO 2:00.8819
2 888 Supercheap Auto Racing Broc Feeney Mercedes Benz AMG GT PRO 2:01.0983 0:00.2164
3 912 Manthey EMA Matt Campbell Porsche GT3 R Spec 2 PRO 2:01.1730 0:00.2911
4 75 Sun Energy 1 Jules Gounon Mercedes Benz AMG GT PRO 2:01.2916 0:00.4097
5 32 Team WRT Dries Vanthoor BMW M4GT3 PRO 2:01.7241 0:00.8422
6 65 Sportsbet Team MPC Chaz Mostert Audi R8 LMS Evo 2 PAM 2:01.8694 0:00.9875
7 74 The Bend Motorsport Park / MPC Mattia Drudi Audi R8 LMS Evo 2 PRO 2:02.2197 0:01.3378
8 46 Team WRT Maxime Martin BMW M4GT3 PRO 2:02.5083 0:01.6264
9 44 Valmont Racing Aaron Cameron Mercedes Benz AMG GT SIL 2:02.5482 0:01.6663
10 77 Mercedes-AMG Craft-Bamboo Daniel Juncadella Mercedes-AMG GT3 PRO 2:03.0311 0:02.1492

[tux]

That top ten shootout session was fantastic, amazing how fast Engel was able to go and under such pressure too. Mies did a 1:59.3 in an unrestricted Audi R8 4 and a bit years ago and here we are seeing 2:00.8 in a "GT3 Spec" Mercedes. Its quite something.

As for the Mercedes i cant see them not winning the race. They seem to be an almost unstoppable car in GT3 races. Still, we thought this in the Gulf 12 hours and both Gruppe M cars retired early with mechanical problems.

[MGDavid]

anyone got links for live stream and also live timing please?
(The Aussie event site says RLM should have audio and video but it's audio only at present.)

EDIT - livestream on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfS3OXbrpdU

still need timing screen TIA.

[TWRv12]

timing
https://www.bathurst12hour.com.au/live-timing/


Live stream video is on bathurst12hour and gtworld YT pages

[E.B]

6C at the moment but will warm up as the sun comes up and 26 forecast by lunchtime. A bit chilly at the moment.

[TWRv12]

Spotter guide
https://spotters.guide/

[FIRE]

Green, green, green!

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by TWRv12

timing
https://www.bathurst12hour.com.au/live-timing/


Live stream video is on bathurst12hour and gtworld YT pages

THANKS !

[FIRE]

What are the green dots behind driver name?

[justracing]

Those dots don't appear on the full live timing screen, not sure of their significance. Huge gap developing behind Farfus in P5.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by justracing

Those dots don't appear on the full live timing screen, not sure of their significance. Huge gap developing behind Farfus in P5.

Talbot train choo-chooing down the track.

Haas punted into T3.

[FIRE]

#74 in the wall after contact

[justracing]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Talbot train choo-chooing down the track.

I'm guessing that Mostert will jump in soon, Talbot is a bronze.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by FIRE

#74 in the wall after contact

Padayachee in the Valmont #44 was on the inside and the #74 turned in on him.

[E.B]

The #74 Pro entry Audi car is out for the day after the contact. Too much damage after a fair hit with the wall.
The only full Pro Audi gone.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by justracing

I'm guessing that Mostert will jump in soon, Talbot is a bronze.

Chaz has the helmet on getting ready. I think Talbot just dropped it off the track at the Chase but continued, dropping a spot in the process.

[bludvl_x19]

Originally Posted by FIRE

What are the green dots behind driver name?

They mean the car has crossed the control line since the leader last came past.

[AndreasDavour]

I'm a bit surprised this race has such a following. Considering how extremely tight it is up on the mountain (looks fun to drive, but impossible to pass), and you loose so much going off line, all the passing I've seen is when they're not uphill.


Also, this is the first time I've caught the start, and I think I've seen more passing in the first 30 minutes than I've ever seen in earlier years when I've checked in later. I wonder if that's because they had no marbles on the off line yet?