[FIA GT] FIA GT - Silverstone entry list an timetable (merged threads)

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

AM are entering one or two rounds later on in the year too, aren't they? Or am I getting mixed up again?

I would think that Silverstone and Spa are probably the couple of rounds they were reffering to. Would be nice to have them around for more but Im not going to hold my breath.

[TheNewBob]

Aah - I thought there had been rumour about them competing in the rounds later in the season in the Far East

[Graham Goodwin]

Not rumours Bob - The Racing Team Dubai Press release says their effort will debut at their home race

[TheNewBob]

That'll be where that "ping!" in my head happened! thought I'd heard about a DBR9 in later races... I had thought it was the works team though, which is where I was going wrong. Glad that's sorted, my head's stopped steaming now hehe

[SALEEN S7R]

Will that be with factory support though Graham? Or will the team be simply handed the cars and left to run them as they see fit do u think? A works presence would be nice to see.

[Graham Goodwin]

Lets wait and see - I'd expect a strong factoy 'prescence' with local input

[lj79]

Weather f/c is now sunny for Sunday at Towcester

[Fogelhund]

I wonder how the 40kg ballast will affect the performance of the Aston's?

[19dodge]

Why is both Konrad cars off the entry list?!?!!?

what has happened!!

[Jeffrey-Lee]

Oh no I hope Franz hasn't given up for the rest of the season, that'd totally suck.

[Bramzel]

Well, can't blame them with those rediculous restrictions.

[SALEEN S7R]

Thats the ACO regulations for u im afraid. Terrible situation this is, both for Konrad and FIA GT. Ah well, still a strong entry list all the same.

[Bramzel]

Yup, but it still changed this year, just look at ACEMCO who's wing was also amputated and who's also chanceless now. If only FIA and ACO would realize that giving the Saleens their wing back adds a lot to their championships...

[TheNewBob]

it would satisfy the fans too if the Saleens were able to be competitive

[SALEEN S7R]

IMO the ACO/FIA should have adopted FIA regulations for GT1 and GT2, rather than adopting the ACO regulations. Sure keep the ACO regulations for the LMP classes, but why the GT's? Its not as though the performance would be enhanced THAT much is it. At least not up to the point of challening the lead P2 cars or anything like that.

[Bramzel]

Agreed very much. Though I'm quite curious how fast Carsports C5R would be with the full width rearwing of last year.

[SALEEN S7R]

No faster than the Maserati's will be later in the season once the car has been re homlogated and the additional penalties removed I would imagine Bramzel. Still, its a shame that we have this situation with the Saleens, hopefully the FIA and the ACO will act to change the regulations again for GT1 cars in general, and maybe just maybe the change will benefit the Saleens. What we cant have though is differnt regulations for differnt cars in the same class. IMO.

[TheNewBob]

It's a heck of a supposed grudge to take out on a car - there's nothing really in the way of a works effort or any factory teams, so what's the point in restricting it? The car isn't going to be around for THAT much longer anyway. If there's a good reason for restricting the S7, then the ACO are yet to inform us of it...

By the way - Autosport today - the page of "ten reasons why you should be at Silverstone this weekend" - what I found very interesting was the point entitled "say goodbye to a great" - suggesting that this is the last year we'll see any Ferrari 550's - anyone really think this could be true?

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

suggesting that this is the last year we'll see any Ferrari 550's - anyone really think this could be true?

Maybe, but I woudnt count on it. Id say the 550's have a couple of years more life in them yet, they may have just about reached their performance peak now though and it will be interesting to see just how the cars do fare in 2006, they probably wont be quite on the ultimate pace but be there or there abouts, certainly in the longer races like the Spa 24hrs where reliablty comes in.

[JAG]

We need to stop making excuses for the Saleen.

ALL the cars have to comply with the regs. The reason the Saleens are not competitive (and haven't been since 2001 or so) is because they lack development compared to the Corvettes, Astons and Maseratis.

The Saleen has been hanging on simply because it was a car designed for racing from the word go, unlike the 550 for example.

With a decent budget the Saleens would be front runners, no doubt.

The Saleens are on there way out of FIA GT, following the 575s. When the 550s leave who is going to fill the grids behind the handfull of Astons and Maseratis?

Regarding the C5-R with the big rear wing, GM actually fround the new 2004 spec C5-R actually created more downforce than the big wing 2003 car. Again down to budget and development.

[Bramzel]

Disagreed JAG. The drop these cars made is simply too big. Even though the budgets of the teams running them aren't the biggest (agreed on that part) the cars were completely competative last year. Ruberti battling the MC12's at Oschersleben, Lechner getting several poles and Alzen/Bartels winning races. ACEMCO also was pretty able to follow the Vettes in the US, as far as you can be able to do so as a non-factory team. Now look at these teams this year? The difference is too big! ACEMCO is nowhere near last year, Konrad is nowhere near last year even with Walter Lechner and Uwe Alzen driving the cars, Graham Nash is nowhere near last year dispite that fast couple on the #7. You can't convince me that gap is because of budget and lack of development. That might be a very small gap, but not the huge gap it is now. I'm pretty confident that with the old wing (not the FIAGT one, but the one ACEMCO ran last year) they'd still be front runners. Despite small budgets.

[SALEEN S7R]

Agreed Bramzel. Its the ACO regulations that are making the S7R's uncompetitve at the moment, not anything to do with lack of budgets and development programmes.

[JAG]

The wing will make a minute difference.

Look at the C6.R, the Maserati etc. The MC12 is very similar to the Saleen, layout wise etc, yet is far more restricted, and far more competitive.

When the Saleen arrived it dominated in ACO spec, which was not too dissimilar to today.

The problem is the competition has moved on.

If the Saleen was so competitive why did Vitaphone buy the MC12s.

In LMPs the R&S are way off the pace of the leading contenders. Not down to the regs, the car has simply been left behind in the development stakes, thats whats happened to Saleen.

[19dodge]

i disagree Jag.. .

Look at the pace of Acemco at Sebring with the 2004 wing. and then look at the pace last year with Konrad.. And look now. Same teams, same budgets, and same top drivers.. theres an obvious problem here..

I hope that Franz withdrew because of the wing issue, and nothing more seriously wrong. If we get all the Saleen's to protest and withdraw, the ACO will have to do something about it..

perhaps Franz and the team may be on their way to the ALMS, where the 2004 wing will be made legal.?

[SALEEN S7R]

Lets hope ur right 19dodge, the ACO really need to act. IMO though they need to change the regulations to what the FIA GT, GT1 regulations were in 2004. It is unreasonable IMO to have differnt sets of rules in the GT1 class just to stabalise car performances. Not including the Maserati though, not until its re homlogated.