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19 Jan 2016, 00:31 (Ref:3606047) | #1 | |
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GT3 best sportscar category to date?
Apologies if this topic is already in existence.
Curious what people think of GT3 in a year that sees more new models arrive on track than ever before. I think while its not perfect it offers diversity and accessibility to the worldwide grid like no other class of sportscar racing ever has. I loved the old GT1s but perhaps they were never realistically going to achieve the scale that GT3 has. I'm the kind of guy that loves to see big diverse grids, especially when GT3 has put so many cars in the fight for the outright win at races like Dubai and Bathurst. |
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19 Jan 2016, 01:00 (Ref:3606052) | #2 | ||
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GT3 has been incredible, but as you touched on, it lacks the excitement of the fairly recent GT1. However, today's GT3 is now nearly as quick as that GT1, so yeah probably best ever. That's progress.
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19 Jan 2016, 08:17 (Ref:3606128) | #3 | ||
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Yes. Cherish it while it lasts, good things always come to an end. Just look at how it has reinvigorated national motorsports while also being a bridge to world wide motorsports. Nothing has done that in the past 30, 40 years.
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19 Jan 2016, 08:28 (Ref:3606129) | #4 | ||
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GT3 has done brilliant things for GT racing over the past ten years, but I think they need to focus on keeping the costs down.
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19 Jan 2016, 09:41 (Ref:3606139) | #5 | ||
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Yes, certainly with some new spectacular cars entering the scene in 2016. TCR will become its equivalent in touring cars in 2-3 years.
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19 Jan 2016, 09:57 (Ref:3606145) | #6 | |
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No.
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19 Jan 2016, 11:54 (Ref:3606161) | #7 | ||
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imo, it's the best hands down. The cars are very cool, very fast and you can easily relate to to what's on the street. They are extremely popular w/ manufacturers, but that is also the only thing that worries me. I think there's a place for manufacturer-funded racing and that's GTE/GTLM. GT3 should be strictly privateer, but I'll still take what we have now.
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19 Jan 2016, 12:00 (Ref:3606162) | #8 | ||
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The only complaint I have about GT racing is that it's a little too diffuse - you have WEC, IMSA, BSS, BES, ELMS. But better that than the alternative.
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Interviewer: "Will the McLaren F1 be your answer to the Ferrari F40?" Gordon Murray: "Hmm... I don't think we have anyone at McLaren who can weld that badly..." |
19 Jan 2016, 16:20 (Ref:3606246) | #9 | ||
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GT3 has no doubt been a boon for road racing and they are very cool cars. Because of the way the class is structured and the lack technical innovation (the reasons the class is so popular today) would keep it from being the best in my eyes. Also, it's hard to compete with Can Am and GTP/Group C. That being said, I'm really excited to see all the rich guys new toys in a few weeks.
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19 Jan 2016, 17:38 (Ref:3606272) | #10 | |
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GT3 is great but costs are high.
In next coming years TCR will eat a chunk of the GT3 market. |
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19 Jan 2016, 18:53 (Ref:3606305) | #11 | ||
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Super Touring was pretty close, I'd say, though...
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Ceterum censeo GTE-Am esse delendam. |
19 Jan 2016, 19:24 (Ref:3606318) | #12 | ||
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19 Jan 2016, 19:52 (Ref:3606330) | #13 | |||
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Quote:
http://www.24hseries.com/24h-paul-ri...1-3-april-2016 |
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19 Jan 2016, 21:03 (Ref:3606368) | #14 | |
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I'm sure SRO and company will work on the whole costs thing. They have a good thing with GT3. They won't want that to slip away from them. Did Dubai really need a 100 cars in the race? I just wonder if crevantic should get rid of the touring cars.
Isn't Bathurst doing that this year? Over half of the entry list for the 2016 is GT3 cars now and probably over 2/3 when you include the cup cars. A good thing I think because the 2015 Bathurst 12 had too many FCY's. My vote for worst race in 2015 (despite the finish). For me its the entire course of the race that matters. So yeah that is why my favorite races are the SRO events because they are GT3 only. No GT4s, Cups, or TC's to worry about. |
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19 Jan 2016, 21:09 (Ref:3606372) | #15 | |
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There are far too many clone GT3 series and races in the world already, the banning of the lower (and possible upper) classes only makes them more identical.
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19 Jan 2016, 21:40 (Ref:3606381) | #16 | ||
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Quote:
I agree to the most part. While I am automatically more interesting in watching GT3s in races like Dubai and Bathurst because they are fighting for the outright win (and the drivers are usually of a higher quality), I also see like to see some diversity on the grid. Personally, for a tight track like Bathurst, I'd like to see less classes, but classes none the less. Personally, I'd love to see GT3, GT4, GTcup, and TCR. Nice mix of cars, but more sensible speed differentials |
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19 Jan 2016, 22:37 (Ref:3606403) | #17 | |||
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Quote:
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Ceterum censeo GTE-Am esse delendam. |
20 Jan 2016, 01:42 (Ref:3606436) | #18 | |
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I see this cost control talk but then look at how many cars someone like Mercedes are delivering this year alone (36). That kinda defeats the notion these cars are too much to run. That's a big number and it's only this year. Who knows what they sell in 2017? If Ferrari wanna price the 488 at 500k, they risk losing customers to cheaper alternatives. That's how business works. Eventually if the cars are too much, some other make is going to put out a less expensive option and reap the rewards. So far, GT3 is very successful, it doesn't look like that's going to change. As far as my preference, I like pre-dtm Super GT and late 90's gt1.
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20 Jan 2016, 02:02 (Ref:3606441) | #19 | |||
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20 Jan 2016, 05:22 (Ref:3606482) | #20 | ||
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Quote:
The teams at Audi, AMG and Porsche that sell a lot of units and can make the customer program a profit center are going to get very creative about price points and where to spend and stretch development resources. There might be other reasons (such as a GTE/GTLM program, but AMG has shown no interest to run there and BoP might crush any gains anyway). |
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20 Jan 2016, 05:48 (Ref:3606485) | #21 | |
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I just remember reading that the new Ferrari is kinda high, around 450-500k. Iirc, last gen cars and some new ones like the lambo are around 375k.
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20 Jan 2016, 08:32 (Ref:3606498) | #22 | ||
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Lamborghini Huracán GT3: €369.000 excl. VAT (January 2015)
Audi R8 LMS GT3 Mk.II: €359.000 (€398.000 incl. starter and parts package) excl. VAT (September 2015) Porsche 991 GT3R: €429.000 excl. VAT (July 2015) BMW M6 GT3: €379.000 excl. VAT (August 2015) Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3: €397.460 (August 2010) If anyone has a price for the AMG GT3 and 488 GT3, I'd like to know |
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20 Jan 2016, 08:43 (Ref:3606499) | #23 | |||
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20 Jan 2016, 09:40 (Ref:3606507) | #24 | |
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LMP3 with half the price tag and seemingly wide array of places to go now, and that number ever increasing, may start luring people away from GT3. Which in my view would be a very welcomed development.
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20 Jan 2016, 10:44 (Ref:3606527) | #25 | ||
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At least it would be if LMP3 wasn't an even more boring formula than GT3.
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Ceterum censeo GTE-Am esse delendam. |
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