2012 FIA GT3 European Championship

[helgi]

It's pity that TKS has to pair with a women racer. Natalia looks fine but it's racing and not a fasion week.

[SALEEN S7R]

Hmm, I really hope the entry list grows significantly for round 2, 14 entries isnt much at all and really quite dissapointing when you consider that this championship used to attract 40 car grids a couple of years ago.

[Prometheus]

Seems it's doing the opposite of growing already...

Bad news for GT3 Europe: Luxury Racing will not race at Nogaro

via @dsceuroeditor

[ascarracinguk]

You have to ask whether Stephanie ratel actually knows what he's doing! Destroys gt1 so has to beg gt3 teams to join, while starting the blancpain series....so now he has 3 series, racing in Europe with exactly the same machinery.....well that's just dumb!

[urdragon]

It easy, this championship should run in an european champ in an even Cheaper cars at any cost, maybe GT4 ??? Whatever to keep costs lower than national championships, to full the grid easily.

[rich07]

It doesnt help that all three main SRO series (Blancpain, World GT1 and Euro GT3) run the same class of cars. It was ok when you had the purpose built GT1s in the World GT leaving the GT3s to fill up Blancpain and Euro GT3 which it did well last year. Now we have three series all competing for the same pool of GT3 racecars alongside the national series. In my eyes theres just not enough teams willing to commit especially when Blancpain is quite attractive with the longer races (more value for the gentlemen driver so easier to get sponsorship-well in theory anyway)Some teams can do both national and international series but not all teams cannot do that.

If European GT3 dies so that Blancpain becomes stronger so be it. And this might force some teams to race in their national series which can only benefit the national series.

[Koppie]

Quali is now live: http://eurovision.digotel.com/gt1/index.html

[AndrewF31]

Is there live timing?

[GTKers]

I'm watching the live streaming now... but terrible track, seems a Gokart track, very old and there is no public at all!!!

[Koppie]

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

Is there live timing?

http://static.sportresult.com/federa...n_Championship

[DS"]

Originally Posted by rich07

It doesnt help that all three main SRO series (Blancpain, World GT1 and Euro GT3) run the same class of cars. It was ok when you had the purpose built GT1s in the World GT leaving the GT3s to fill up Blancpain and Euro GT3 which it did well last year. Now we have three series all competing for the same pool of GT3 racecars alongside the national series. In my eyes theres just not enough teams willing to commit especially when Blancpain is quite attractive with the longer races (more value for the gentlemen driver so easier to get sponsorship-well in theory anyway)Some teams can do both national and international series but not all teams cannot do that.

If European GT3 dies so that Blancpain becomes stronger so be it. And this might force some teams to race in their national series which can only benefit the national series.

While I'm not against a world championship for GT3 in principle, I agree with three major GT3 series being simply too much. I'd merge the WC with the EC (Hopefully the FIA drops their stupid shenanigans in terms of manufacturer quotas), and lift the Blancpain series into an official FIA GT Endurance Championship. Hell, why not turn WEC into a prototype-only affair, and put the GTs into an own endurance championship. They can still compete together at Le Mans. But that's what another thread is for.

[AndrewF31]

Originally Posted by Koppie

http://static.sportresult.com/federa...n_Championship

Thanks Koppie!

Had been messing with the address of that site finding the right link.

Is FIA GT1 similar?

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by rich07

It doesnt help that all three main SRO series (Blancpain, World GT1 and Euro GT3) run the same class of cars. It was ok when you had the purpose built GT1s in the World GT leaving the GT3s to fill up Blancpain and Euro GT3 which it did well last year. Now we have three series all competing for the same pool of GT3 racecars alongside the national series. In my eyes theres just not enough teams willing to commit especially when Blancpain is quite attractive with the longer races (more value for the gentlemen driver so easier to get sponsorship-well in theory anyway)Some teams can do both national and international series but not all teams cannot do that.

If European GT3 dies so that Blancpain becomes stronger so be it. And this might force some teams to race in their national series which can only benefit the national series.

So Ratel has 3 series:
1) World Championship
2) European Championship
3) Blancpain

The one that is the most healthy, competitive, interesting, 'add an adjective', has most cars, coolest circuits etc. has by far the least attractive name (nothing against Blancpain, great that they support it) and is the least known. BES would deserve a good TV package and enough promotion to make it known to big public across Europe. Should it become the European Championship?

Having said that, I think FIA GT3 might bounce back as soon as the teams understand that it will continue. After all, GT1 remains very expensive and BES & GT Masters grids are full, so when it comes to gentleman drivers having a chance to make results, perhaps GT3 is now the best place to be and it still offers the European title.

Perhaps FIA GT3 should now move to a system where you must have a Bronze (gentleman) in each car. That would attract the amateurs when they know they have a chance to win. In addition to becoming a bit too expensive, the biggest problem with FIA GT3 is that it has been dominated by silver-silver pairs for years. I like to see the kids being paired up but the older guys don't like to be beaten by them. The rising stars (silver) would then automatically move to Blancpain and GT1, which would make those series even better.

[Koppie]

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

Thanks Koppie!

Had been messing with the address of that site finding the right link.

Is FIA GT1 similar?

Looks like there should be something here: http://static.sportresult.com/federa...p/?ref=FIA_GT1

But it isn't loading properly

[AndrewF31]

Originally Posted by Koppie

Looks like there should be something here: http://static.sportresult.com/federa...p/?ref=FIA_GT1

But it isn't loading properly

Here you go: http://static.sportresult.com/federa...d_Championship

[Koppie]

Awesome cheers Andrew

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Jameson

So Ratel has 3 series:
1) World Championship
2) European Championship
3) Blancpain

But he also has British GT and did have French GT until last year when Oreca took control.

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by sceptic

But he also has British GT and did have French GT until last year when Oreca took control.

He also has had his hands on GT Masters until recently, there was SRO Belgium, Brazilian GT3, he's been running British F3 etc etc. but I was talking about the current international GT series.

[Nick6]

He destroyed the Belcar series.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Nick6

He destroyed the Belcar series.

Naw, the Belgians did that on their own. Ratel himself was never running that...

[rich07]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Naw, the Belgians did that on their own. Ratel himself was never running that...

Yeah that was the Belgians fault indeed . Im sure SRO had something to do with Belcar though in previous years.

[Koppie]

Cars are now on the grid and start will be in roughly 5 mins, important links are on the previous page.

[Truckosaurus]

Thanks Koppie, I've only missed 20 mins of the race. (at least Motorstv are showing it live)

FFS it's bloody amateur hour. If you publish a start time, stick to it.

[dank]

I bet Tom Kimber-Smith is more than enthralled to be sharing a car with the moving chicane that is Natalia Freidna.

[tux]

I bet Tom Kimber Smith is more than happy to get to drive fast cars....