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By keeping the GTS cars at their current pace, around 3.50-52, all the ACO are doing is reafirming the GTS class position in the overall Le Mans class structure.
With the Maserati and rumours of further homologation specials arriving, some doubt was placed into manufactuers minds as the whether GTS would one day soon become the N0.1 class, further holding back LMP1 developments.
With this move the ACO have put a line in the sand and stated that the 3.50 mark is were the top GT class should be. If the homologation special route had been allowed to continue, we would have ended up with GTS cars looking more like a Bently Speed 8 LMGTP than a 575GTC.
Now manufactuers, such as Aston Martin, can be confident that a genuine road based GTS car, like the DB9, can be competitive.
Also I belive there is a very big difference between a Lamborghini Murcielago and a Maserati MC12.
The Murcielago is a genuine road car first, with road car aerodynamics, that was then coverted for race use.
The MC12, although based on the ENZO has very extreme bodywork specifically designed to give it a racing advantage. Immediately the 575, DB9, Murcielago, C6-R would have been made obsolete. The ENZO would have been fine to race as it does not have the purpose designed 'racing' bodywork that the MC12 has.
Do we want to see road cars in GTS or prototypes that have been road homologated.
Personally I think Maserati will move into LMP1, if not with the MC12, then with a derivitive of it eventually, especially after the successful launch of the LMES.
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