[FIA GT] Blancpain Endurance Series 2011

[Speed-King]

Hexis comfirm Makowiecki, Moser and Vannelet in their lead car!

If GT1 really fails, Blancpain appears to become a worthy substitute.

[KA]

Originally Posted by E-racer

Last race at silverstone in october - brrrrrrrrrrrr! Maybe a race in Spain at that time of year would have made a bit more sense...can't remember a major race series running so late ever in the uk before?

9th October isn't that late- the last BTCC round is usually early October (in fact, I think the Silverstone Blancpain race falls on the weekend between the last two BTCC rounds).
We don't usually get snow in early October...

[E-racer]

Well I'm not exactly expecting meters of snow and penguins wandering across the track but Silverstone being the cold windy airfield that it is, I think an earlier date would have made much more sense.

On the positive side, it does extend the racing season for me at least which isn't bad. Sharing the weekend with British GT is a good move - is there any chance that some of the British teams might make a one off appearance in the 3 hour enduro perhaps?

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by E-racer

Well I'm not exactly expecting meters of snow and penguins wandering across the track but Silverstone being the cold windy airfield that it is, I think an earlier date would have made much more sense.

On the positive side, it does extend the racing season for me at least which isn't bad. Sharing the weekend with British GT is a good move - is there any chance that some of the British teams might make a one off appearance in the 3 hour enduro perhaps?

With BGT running a 2h race themselves that seems unlikely... perhaps if the races are run on two different days?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by rich07

Is there much known about this company? Do they have much experience?

They have a website but it says wait until the end of the month..

Its good to see more GT3 cars being built.

The domain name of the website is owned by a certain Hans Reiter from Kirchanschöring, Bayern....

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

If GT1 really fails, Blancpain appears to become a worthy substitute.

Well, this "endurance" concept is basically old FIA GT from ~10 years ago, but with less races and less interesting cars... albeit there is more variety in BoP-GT3 I suppose.

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by FIRE

The domain name of the website is owned by a certain Hans Reiter from Kirchanschöring, Bayern....

Sareni United now have this nice brochure on their site if anyone is interested.

[gt_torque]

I've just read all umpteen pages of this topic and you know what? I'm dumbfounded.

You want Pro drivers racing Pro drivers and no "glorified club racers" fine. Go on then. See how many teams can pull together the budget to buy a £300k GT3, etc. There is NO sponsorship in motorsport these days. People are fighting for £5k-£10k and getting NOWHERE.

Motorsport needs to re-think its funding model. Banks won't lend, cars are more expensive than ever. Do you think you'll get a grid of 30, 50, even 100 GT3s without gentlemen drivers adding to the mix?

GT2 has its own problems. GT3's have been developed so much that they are almost as close as GT2. Why pay extra for almost the same machinery?

As for Stephane Ratel, show this guy some respect. Yes he's a playboy and lives that life, but without him we'd not have half the GT races in Europe that we do now. He has good intentions, but is similarly struggling to match teams/drivers expectations/wants with funding etc.

And, my final point, on racing calendars. If you knew how much effort goes into scheduling events so drivers can race in multiple championships, and after circuits play championships off against each other to charge more money, sometimes organisers just need to walk away and say no.

I'm getting increasingly tired of the negativity on ten-tenths and I have no doubt this post will attract an abundance of it too, but these are my views. Make of them what you will.

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by gt_torque

I'm getting increasingly tired of the negativity on ten-tenths and I have no doubt this post will attract an abundance of it too, but these are my views. Make of them what you will.

A healthy debate is a balanced one, so it would be wrong to criticize your post! What we don't get to hear about is the background efforts, although I remain a sceptic of Ratel (he's done a lot of good, such as the Blancpain series, but I think he's pressed on with some ideas that just don't work).

I'm wondering about GT4 in this series - not hearing a great deal about entries. I'm a little surprised that in these financially-troubled times people aren't running so many of these cars, particularly considering the cost of, say, a G50 compared to a GT3 car (and the large numbers of places to race it). For the gentleman/amateur driver who wants endurance, isn't this a great opportunity?

[Félix]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

I'm wondering about GT4 in this series - not hearing a great deal about entries. I'm a little surprised that in these financially-troubled times people aren't running so many of these cars, particularly considering the cost of, say, a G50 compared to a GT3 car (and the large numbers of places to race it). For the gentleman/amateur driver who wants endurance, isn't this a great opportunity?

No GT4 in the Blancpain series. I do understand a rich guy's preference for a GT3 from a prestigious marque instead of a GT4 Ginetta - or a privately modified Porsche or BMW.

My issue with Ratel is that in his head he's always right and he'll never need to explain his decisions. I'd like to hear why GT2s don't exist anymore to him. And about his troubles with the GT4s. And about the number of teams and drivers moving away from GT1 (no bs allowed).

[rich07]

Originally Posted by FIRE

The domain name of the website is owned by a certain Hans Reiter from Kirchanschöring, Bayern....

Aha...And there's a diagram of a Hollinger gearbox in the brochure. Makes sense now.

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by Félix

No GT4 in the Blancpain series. I do understand a rich guy's preference for a GT3 from a prestigious marque instead of a GT4 Ginetta - or a privately modified Porsche or BMW.

My issue with Ratel is that in his head he's always right and he'll never need to explain his decisions. I'd like to hear why GT2s don't exist anymore to him. And about his troubles with the GT4s. And about the number of teams and drivers moving away from GT1 (no bs allowed).

I thought Blancpain was GT3 and GT4 together?

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

I thought Blancpain was GT3 and GT4 together?

I thought so too, and I think GT4 is still part of the plan. The question is how many teams will sign up for it.

I think the biggest problem is that gentleman drivers can compete for less or the same coin they'd have to spend on a Euro GT4 or Blancpain GT4 campaign in a national "used-car-series" like Dutch Supercar or Britcar, and with more exciting (i.e. faster) equipment at that.

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

I thought Blancpain was GT3 and GT4 together?

It is

[Félix]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

I thought Blancpain was GT3 and GT4 together?

Sorry, it seems from the DSC interview it's only the Spa 24 that is GT3-only.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Félix

Sorry, it seems from the DSC interview it's only the Spa 24 that is GT3-only.

Not true either... Ratel's wording in that interview is a bit confusing, but as a round of the Blancpain series Spa will indeed be GT3 + GT4.

[mirkob]

Nissan Skyline (GT-R?) GT3 and Mclaren MP4/12C at Spa 24h ?

endurance-info

La nouvelle McLaren MP4/12C, comme la Nissan Skyline GT3, auront entre-temps effectué leurs grands débuts en course, et nous pourrions les voir sur la grille en 2011

[rich07]

Good to see Nissan are making a GT3 racer, Im guessing this is the work of NISMO? Would like to see it and CRS with the new Mclaren at Spa, would make for a good durability test.

[JorritVD]

This is the entry-list I've got so far:

Confirmed entries: 14x
GT3-------------
2x Marc VDS Racing Team - Ford Mustang GT3
2x Hexis Racing AMR - Aston Martin DBRS9
2x W-Racing Team - Audi R8 LMS
2x Gravity Charouz Racing International - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
1x Barwell Motorsport - Aston Martin DBRS9
1x CRS Racing - McLaren MP4-12C GT3
1x DVB Racing - Lamborghini Gallardo GT3
1x Scuderia Vittoria - Ferrari F458 GT3
1-2x Team Rhino's Leipert - Lamborghini Gallardo LP600+ GT3
GT4-------------
1-2x Rhesus Racing - Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4

24h of Spa Entries: 14x
2x BMW Motorsport - BMW M3 GT2 / BMW Z4 GT3
2x Muhlner Motorsport - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup R
2x Phoenix Racing - Audi R8 LMS
1x Delehaye Racing Team - Corvette Z06R GT3
1x Barwell-Petronas - Aston Martin DBRS9
1x VDS Racing Adventures - Ford Mustang FR500 GT3
1x Team Pyro - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
1x Black-Falcon - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
1x Graff Racing - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
1-2x DB Motorsport - BMW Z4 GT3
1-2x United Autosports - Audi R8 LMS

Possible entries
3x AF Corse - Ferrari F4.. GT3
2x Prospeed Competition - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup R
2x Triple-H-Hegersport - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup R
-x TAM Auto Engineering - Corvette Z.06 GT3
-x Reiter Engineering - Lamborghini Gallardo LP600+
-x Vitaphone Racing Team - ?
-x First Motorsport - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup
-x Level Racing - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup
-x Vantage Racing - Aston Martin DBRS9 / V8 Vantage GT4
-x Gravity Racing International - Mosler MT900R GT3 (Probably Spa only)
-x Gulf Team First - Lamborghini Gallardo LP560

[mirkob]

It is official:

http://www.nissan-motorsports.com/EN...011/11001.html

Nissan come in Fia Gt3 class, with the gt-r !

"NISMO is currently developing a NISSAN GT-R FIA GT3 specification vehicle. Based on experimental participation in several races to be held in Europe and Japan in 2011, it will be offered to customer teams beginning in 2012. "

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by mirkob

It is official:

http://www.nissan-motorsports.com/EN...011/11001.html

Nissan come in Fia Gt3 class, with the gt-r !

"NISMO is currently developing a NISSAN GT-R FIA GT3 specification vehicle. Based on experimental participation in several races to be held in Europe and Japan in 2011, it will be offered to customer teams beginning in 2012. "

Since it's in GT3, will they be forced to use the twin-turbo V6 instead of a V8 like the GT1 version?

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Since it's in GT3, will they be forced to use the twin-turbo V6 instead of a V8 like the GT1 version?

I don't think so. GT3 doesn't really have clear cut tech-regs and has been pretty accepting as far as engines are concerned: The BMW is allowed to run a V8 instead of the inline 6 and the Ford GT is N/A, even though the production version is supercharged. So there's a precedence for both...

[The Badger]

Love to hear a supercharged Ford hammering down the Mulsanne !!!

[I Rosputnik]

I'm guessing the GT3 GT-R will be based around the GT1 version?

[JorritVD]

Very interesting:

Jean-Michel Delporte, General Manager of the Marc VDS Racing Team. "Already we're hearing reports that the series will be oversubscribed when entries open, which means we're going to be seeing upwards of 40 cars battling for supremacy on track, with many of the prestigious automotive brands represented. The racing promises to be fast and furious, making it a great series for spectators and, I hope, guaranteeing large crowds at every round."

http://www.marcvds.com/news.cfm?arti...english&page=1

----------------------------------------------------

My updated entry-list:

Confirmed entries: 18x
GT3-------------
2x Marc VDS Racing Team - Ford Mustang GT3
2x Hexis Racing AMR - Aston Martin DBRS9
2x W-Racing Team - Audi R8 LMS
2x Gravity Charouz Racing International - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
2x Sofrev-ASP - Ferrari F458 GT3
2x Vitaphone Racing Team - Ferrari F438 GT3
1x Barwell Motorsport - Aston Martin DBRS9
1x CRS Racing - McLaren MP4-12C GT3
1x DVB Racing - Lamborghini Gallardo GT3
1x Scuderia Vittoria - Ferrari F458 GT3
1-2x Team Rhino's Leipert - Lamborghini Gallardo LP600+ GT3
GT4-------------
1-2x Rhesus Racing - Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4

24h of Spa Entries: 17x
3x United Autosports - Audi R8 LMS
2x (Factory Supported BMWs) - BMW Z4 GT3
2x Muhlner Motorsport - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup R
2x Phoenix Racing - Audi R8 LMS
1x Delehaye Racing Team - Corvette Z06R GT3
1x Barwell-Petronas - Aston Martin DBRS9
1x VDS Racing Adventures - Ford Mustang FR500 GT3
1x Team Pyro - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
1x Black-Falcon - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
1x Graff Racing - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
1x Signa Motorsport - Doge Viper CC
1-2x DB Motorsport - BMW Z4 GT3

Possible entries
3x AF Corse - Ferrari F4.. GT3
2x Prospeed Competition - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup R
2x Triple-H-Hegersport - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup R
-x TAM Auto Engineering - Corvette Z.06 GT3
-x Reiter Engineering - Lamborghini Gallardo LP600+
-x First Motorsport - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup
-x Level Racing - Porsche 997 GT3-Cup
-x Vantage Racing - Aston Martin DBRS9 / V8 Vantage GT4
-x Gravity Racing International - Mosler MT900R GT3 (Probably Spa only)
-x Gulf Team First - Lamborghini Gallardo LP560