FIA GT World Championship 2012

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

How about World GTR Championship, or WGTR. (R for Ratel :P) And GT4 could be renamed GTS, for GT Sprint.

I like the ring of that. The name GT1 has no real meaning, nor does GT3 or GT4.

I would go with GT Endurance (GTE/GT2), GT Challenge (GTC/GT3) and GT Production (GTP/GT4) if I were going to rename the classes.

Plus nice to see WRT confirmed for next year. Now lets see what JRM and Young Driver will do.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by JorritVD

Maybe because the GT3 cars that will race in the World championship will get some different parts. there were plans like other exhausts (GT1 noise level) and carbon brakes.

Last I read the cars will be standard GT3's with greater suspension adjustments, the equivalency talk was when there were plans for GT1, GTE and GT3 cars to run together.

[FstrthnU]

http://wot.motortrend.com/nissan-juk...ur-148295.html
this is a tad unrelated, but Nissan will be running their new GT-R GT3 at the Dubai 24 Hour with Michael Krumm and some other guys. So we'll get to see how the pros can handle the new car (esp. w/ the TT V6 instead of the V8).

[AndrewF31]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

http://wot.motortrend.com/nissan-juk...ur-148295.html
this is a tad unrelated, but Nissan will be running their new GT-R GT3 at the Dubai 24 Hour with Michael Krumm and some other guys. So we'll get to see how the pros can handle the new car (esp. w/ the TT V6 instead of the V8).

Isn't it similar to the one raced by Brabham and Westbrook (?) at Silverstone during the Blancpain? And which had a few mechanical issues.

[cmk]

Yes, it is the same car (likely the same chassis) as part of the continuing development program that included outings in British GT and in the Blancpain as you mention. Nothing new about pros being in the car as you point out, too.

For folks who didn't click the link, "some other guys" are Tom Kimber-Smith, Franck Mailleux and Alex Buncombe.

[NightStalk3r]

Originally Posted by cmk

For folks who didn't click the link, "some other guys" are Tom Kimber-Smith, Franck Mailleux and Alex Buncombe.

Not your average "some other guys" then

[morningview66]

So from what i gather thus far, this is how what entry is shaping up....

Hexis - Mclaren M4-12C (confirmed)
WRT - Audi R8 (confirmed)

Young Driver - Aston Martin V12 Vantage
Sumo/JRM - Nissan GTR
All Inkl - Mercedes SLS AMG (rumoured to have acquired mercedes)
Vita4One - Ferrari 458

These 4 teams were announced by SRO in the summer along with Marc VDS and Belgian racing who have since pulled out.

There are plenty more GT3 makes out there that could provide entries e.g. porsche, Lamborghini, BMW, Ford, Corvette........ but are any other teams likely to take up racing these makes.

And what will Ratel do if he only gets the 12 cars from the teams above or less??

[FstrthnU]

SPEED is apparently showing reruns of this year's Championship, they're running long highlights of each round (qualifying & championship race) each wednesday. (This is on the main TV channel). I suppose it's better than nothing, plus I can watch each round in HD now. They must have started last week, because today was the Algarve round.

[rich07]

On Speed TV chat John Dagys said that he believes that the Ferrari team will be AF Corse and that Vitaphone are sticking to Blancpain Endurance Series because the Vitaphone money is dwindling and pay drivers are needed.

Well if AF Corse join the championship hopefully we see drivers like Fisi, Bruni and Vilander behind the wheel. Although there are clashes between WEC and WGT.

Still wondering if Nissan will return with the GT3 GT-R, they have half a dozen GT1 cars sitting around that are useless now so who knows how they feel about entering a GT3 car.

[AndrewF31]

Originally Posted by rich07

On Speed TV chat John Dagys said that he believes that the Ferrari team will be AF Corse and that Vitaphone are sticking to Blancpain Endurance Series because the Vitaphone money is dwindling and pay drivers are needed.

Well if AF Corse join the championship hopefully we see drivers like Fisi, Bruni and Vilander behind the wheel. Although there are clashes between WEC and WGT.

Still wondering if Nissan will return with the GT3 GT-R, they have half a dozen GT1 cars sitting around that are useless now so who knows how they feel about entering a GT3 car.

Nissan is playing with the GT-R GT3 at Dubai in January so they will probably want it running somewhere in Europe. That would be Blancpain, World GT, GT3 Europe, ELMS GTCc or one of the national champs like ADAC, British.

As for AF Corse, they have a wide and diverse structure. Some heavily supported ones like the LM teams but then semi-private supported teams in the National GT champs and even in Euro GT3 last season. Anyways, it would be good to have the car even if it's with the guys from last years Euro GT3.

[Tim the Grey]

I'm not so sure that Nissan CAN run their old GT1s anymore, even if they wished...
SRO seem to have dropped the GT1 cars, but left it open to tweaked GT3s.
Whatever, we seem to have a major lack of entries, even compared with this time last year!

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by AndrewF31

Nissan is playing with the GT-R GT3 at Dubai in January so they will probably want it running somewhere in Europe. That would be Blancpain, World GT, GT3 Europe, ELMS GTCc or one of the national champs like ADAC, British.

Only F430 Challenge, 911 Cup and Evora GT4 are allowed there.

[AndrewF31]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Only F430 Challenge, 911 Cup and Evora GT4 are allowed there.

Wow, they allow the Evora hahah and no Aston, etc.

[Deleted]

I'd imagine the 430 and Porkie (even in cup form) to be much faster than the Evora, so unfortunately there's gonna be plenty of performance balancing.

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by rich07

On Speed TV chat John Dagys said that he believes that the Ferrari team will be AF Corse and that Vitaphone are sticking to Blancpain Endurance Series because the Vitaphone money is dwindling and pay drivers are needed.

Well if AF Corse join the championship hopefully we see drivers like Fisi, Bruni and Vilander behind the wheel. Although there are clashes between WEC and WGT.

Still wondering if Nissan will return with the GT3 GT-R, they have half a dozen GT1 cars sitting around that are useless now so who knows how they feel about entering a GT3 car.

Shame about Vitaphone, I hope we see AF Corse join instead. I've heard a rumour that Porsche are unwilling to support anyone that wants to run their cars over issues with the BoP. Anyone heard anything similar?

As for Nissan I wonder how much of the GT1 car will carry over... Still I would not be surprised if they pull out over the regulations, but on the other hand I would love to see the GT-R make a return.

[kyoung]

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

I've heard a rumour that Porsche are unwilling to support anyone that wants to run their cars over issues with the BoP. Anyone heard anything similar?

What issue, that there is too much BoP on their car, or not enough on other manufacturers? I suspect the latter; damn evil rumors.

[Tim the Grey]

I understood GT3 to be based around a Porsche 997 GT3 lap time.
All cars to be restricted, or de-restricted, to match it.
Then Mission Creep came in, and 100K annual aero updates. Per Car.
Now GT3s lap near to GT2/GTE pace. Which to me is utterly crazy.
They should just take 'em back to where they were when GT3 came out in the first place.
GT3 is about close, spectacular, racing. It is NOT about going faster this year than last. It's aimed at Rich Gents, not Pros.

[JackN]

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

GT3 is about close, spectacular, racing. It is NOT about going faster this year than last. It's aimed at Rich Gents, not Pros.

Exactly, which is why they are sticking with the GT1 name for the World Championship, because it is about pros and going faster.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by JackN

Exactly, which is why they are sticking with the GT1 name for the World Championship, because it is about pros and going faster.

I agree. If this championship wants to have a scrap of credibility left, faster cars and pros are the way to go. Pay drivers and gentlemen racers may well be for other forms of racing, such as GT4, but in an FIA GT World Championship, I think it should be more about the pros. The racing in the last two years with GT1 machinery has been brilliant. Let's keep it that way.

[JAG]

Sprint racing, in a World Championship, with pro drivers, a pair of £1m supercars, without factory support or major sponsors, is a hard sell to teams, especially when series like the WEC, ALMS and Blancpain/Nurb 24hr arguably have a higher profile.

[FIRE]

Sprint racing called F1 is pretty popular.
Don't understand why people are so against two 1 hour races or one 2 hour race.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Sprint racing called F1 is pretty popular.
Don't understand why people are so against two 1 hour races or one 2 hour race.

Neither do I. Sprint racing is the way forwards for racing, whether you like it or not. A channel is far more likely to broadcast two 1 hour races or one 2 hours than anything like a five hour or six hour event. Shorter races are easier to sell to broadcasters. They're not willing to give up loads of live time for racing, unfortunately.

Look at Le Mans - does any mainstream channel shows that in its entirity any more? I know of no British channel that does.

Some people just need to change with the times instead of being stuck in the 80s and 90s. Things have changed.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

Look at Le Mans - does any mainstream channel shows that in its entirity any more? I know of no British channel that does.

Eurosport.

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

Neither do I. Sprint racing is the way forwards for racing, whether you like it or not. A channel is far more likely to broadcast two 1 hour races or one 2 hours than anything like a five hour or six hour event. Shorter races are easier to sell to broadcasters. They're not willing to give up loads of live time for racing, unfortunately.

Look at Le Mans - does any mainstream channel shows that in its entirity any more? I know of no British channel that does.

Some people just need to change with the times instead of being stuck in the 80s and 90s. Things have changed.

Provided they don't start stepping onto each others toes, I think WEC and GTWC can completement each other. Sure I wish the races were thirty minutes longer, but I think by having a sprint and an endurance championship you can open things up to two different audiences with the same taste in cars. It's similar to how rugby league and rugby union coexist. (Although, personally I think five world championships right now is pushing the limit.)

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Eurosport.

I said mainstream. Maybe I didn't explain my meaning behind that, but I meant a channel that most if not everyone can get. Eurosport doesn't meet that criteria.