GTE/GTLM 2016 discussion

[Mt. Lynx]

The GT3 format celebrates 10 years next year. In GT terms, that is nothing short of astonishing. Just saying.

Don't get me wrong though. I like GTE, very much infact, and I am very much looking forward to next season. I am slightly worried about Ferrari though. What happens if they don't get the car sorted?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Mt. Lynx

Don't get me wrong though. I like GTE, very much infact, and I am very much looking forward to next season. I am slightly worried about Ferrari though. What happens if they don't get the car sorted?

Continue to run the 458?

[HORNDAWG]

Labre and Wayne Taylor closing in on a GTE Pro Vette program, maybe.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/0...te-effort.html






L.P.

[Mt. Lynx]

Originally Posted by joeb

Continue to run the 458?

Seems it was the GT3 car they withdrew from Ladoux.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Used to be easy

GT1 - Regulated Division I for expensive, high performance and heavily modified GT, factories and privateers
GT2 - Regulated Division II for moderate range reasonably priced GT, factories and privateers
GT3 - BoP GT, privateers
GT4 - cheap and slow entry level GT, privateers
Rolex GT - tubeframer Nascar GTs

Now everything is like a collectible comic book with cover variants, different from distance but in reality identical when you actually open it. All perform about the same and bop themselves constantly without real regulations

Except not always.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Mt. Lynx

The GT3 format celebrates 10 years next year. In GT terms, that is nothing short of astonishing. Just saying.

Don't get me wrong though. I like GTE, very much infact, and I am very much looking forward to next season. I am slightly worried about Ferrari though. What happens if they don't get the car sorted?

DSC now says there was no problem with the Ferrari.

[Mt. Lynx]

Originally Posted by TF110

DSC now says there was no problem with the Ferrari.

Two posts up!

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by Matt

Except not always.

Oh yeah, they also had incredibly expensive Porsche 911s that were slower than Porsche Cup cars.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

GTE/GTLM seems to be just fine as a class at the moment as subscribers go. There were 14 GTEs at COTA and 8 GTLMs with Ford on the way with 2 cars for both.

And how many GT3 cars exist in the world?

I'm sorry, I used to be on the GTE is fine bandwagon too..... GT3 makes sense, it's time to just dump GTE and be done with it.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

And how many GT3 cars exist in the world?

I'm sorry, I used to be on the GTE is fine bandwagon too..... GT3 makes sense, it's time to just dump GTE and be done with it.

There can be a billion GT3 cars in the world. But there's only so many slots available got GTE cars, and currently they fill up fine. And now we've got some new ones coming along in the shapes of Ford and a new Ferrari (and more), it looks like it'll continue to be full for a while.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

There can be a billion GT3 cars in the world. But there's only so many slots available got GTE cars, and currently they fill up fine. And now we've got some new ones coming along in the shapes of Ford and a new Ferrari (and more), it looks like it'll continue to be full for a while.

But is it what's in the best interest of the sport?

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

But is it what's in the best interest of the sport?

Yes. That's why new cars are being built and new manufacturers are entering.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Yes. That's why new cars are being built and new manufacturers are entering.

Yes, but they do not know anything!









L.P.

[Mt. Lynx]

Will they build a GT3 version of the Ford aswell?

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Mt. Lynx

Will they build a GT3 version of the Ford aswell?

Hard to tell, with only 250 being produced per year and NO word on how long it will actually be produced it may be hard to pry one out of them.








L.P.

[Mt. Lynx]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Hard to tell, with only 250 being produced per year and NO word on how long it will actually be produced it may be hard to pry one out of them.








L.P.

Yeah, didn't think about the low volumes. I guess you want to sell at least five GT3 cars to get any ROI what so ever.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Yes. That's why new cars are being built and new manufacturers are entering.

One. One new manufacturer who will be here for the limited term, not the long term.

Clearly Dodge didn't see the benefit, BMW doesn't see it either. Porsche was on the verge of cancelling both factory efforts in GTE... Yes it's there, but, I'm quite certain many manu's would prefer to be selling cars versus spending money racing them.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

One. One new manufacturer who will be here for the limited term, not the long term.

Clearly Dodge didn't see the benefit, BMW doesn't see it either. Porsche was on the verge of cancelling both factory efforts in GTE... Yes it's there, but, I'm quite certain many manu's would prefer to be selling cars versus spending money racing them.

Every mfg involved had to build a car to the new rules. Porsche had the least amount to do as they already had the hatch, so no, it was not just one!




L.P.

[TF110]

Porsche isnt a new Manufacturer. The point is gte has a total of 4 manufacturers (minus the gt3 bmw) while gt3 has 4 just from VW group. I like both, but the guys behind the convergence rules should have done more to combine the two classes. A simple 'upgrade kit' couldve been done or something along those lines.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Yes. That's why new cars are being built and new manufacturers are entering.

Originally Posted by TF110

Porsche isnt a new Manufacturer. The point is gte has a total of 4 manufacturers (minus the gt3 bmw) while gt3 has 4 just from VW group. I like both, but the guys behind the convergence rules should have done more to combine the two classes. A simple 'upgrade kit' couldve been done or something along those lines.

Did you even read the original post that was responded to? Seems not. I quoted it also, so you might do so. New cars and mfgs is what was stated in it. Are not new cars being built for the class by ALL mfgs involved, per se? That is the point.





L.P.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by MoMedic9019

One. One new manufacturer who will be here for the limited term, not the long term.

Clearly Dodge didn't see the benefit, BMW doesn't see it either. Porsche was on the verge of cancelling both factory efforts in GTE... Yes it's there, but, I'm quite certain many manu's would prefer to be selling cars versus spending money racing them.

Porsche were not on the verge of cancelling GTE efforts. They were on the verge of possibly sitting out a year to develop the new mid-engined car before re-entry. BMWs will end up running in GTE in the US. Ferrari have a brand new car, Aston Martin have a new car.

So yeah, seems like it's going fine for GTE. Easily big enough grids.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Every mfg involved had to build a car to the new rules. Porsche had the least amount to do as they already had the hatch, so no, it was not just one!




L.P.

No. There is only one new Manu. Who may be here for as little as three years, maybe five.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Porsche were not on the verge of cancelling GTE efforts.

As a factory basis, yes they were. Customers would have still had the option.

BMWs will end up running in GTE in the US.

GTLM, not GTE, and there is no guarantee of that.

[Akrapovic]

This is getting a little silly.

Fact is, people are still building brand new cars for it. Current builders are making new cars, and theres a new company coming in. Try and twist it by saying "Oh we almost lost porsche" and "GTLM isn't GTE! Honest!" if you want, but the fact is, there will be a healthy amount of cars in the GTE classes. And if that's what they want, then yes that is healthy for the sport. And if in 5 years it does eventually go away, then we have a very healthy GT3 class that can be put in. But right now, there's no reason to bin the GTE class.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

This is getting a little silly.

Fact is, people are still building brand new cars for it. Current builders are making new cars, and theres a new company coming in. Try and twist it by saying "Oh we almost lost porsche" and "GTLM isn't GTE! Honest!" if you want, but the fact is, there will be a healthy amount of cars in the GTE classes. And if that's what they want, then yes that is healthy for the sport. And if in 5 years it does eventually go away, then we have a very healthy GT3 class that can be put in. But right now, there's no reason to bin the GTE class.

Agreed.

One new manufacturer and around half a dozen new/updated cars clearly doesn't say "this class is terminally ill and should be put to rest soon" if you ask me.

Plus, I guess the ACO and IMSA are in almost continuous talks/lobbying to potential new manufacturers to join the fray, as long as the class is included at LM there'll be interest.

One thing the ACO (& IMSA) should be looking into for the future is to make it easier to convert a GT3 car into a GTE one (IMSA is of course 'a bit ahead' in this process by their dealings with the BMW 'frankensteiners'!). If they introduce these new 'conversion' rules for - let's say - 2019, the current GTE mnfs won't have feel offended too much... (And it will also boost sales of GT3 cars extra as it'll be easier to convert them and go racing at LM, improving the resale value of their products).