I just don't get it - Page 2

Gabrio · 13 Dec 2004, 19:55 (Ref:1178590)

BMS's leaving has a lot more to do with the state of financial statements of Lucchini....
Even 575s and Saleen are too expensive....

JAG · 13 Dec 2004, 20:27 (Ref:1178627)

Why bother buying one of the expensive alternatives when the 550 is still the best all round car!

Bramzel · 13 Dec 2004, 20:59 (Ref:1178665)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabrio

Remember the end of BPR?

Yup, but the cars getting too expensive played only a small role in that. The main reason BPR didn't survive was that Bernie Ecclestone couldn't allow a season to get that popular without his involvement, in other words without him getting money out of it. Perhaps a bit sarcastic, but the same happened with the old DTM.

Rich R · 13 Dec 2004, 21:03 (Ref:1178670)

how much would a jgtc car cost if a level playing field can be found and they are allowed to race in the fia gt championship.

SALEEN S7R · 13 Dec 2004, 21:04 (Ref:1178672)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bramzel

Yup, but the cars getting too expensive played only a small role in that. The main reason BPR didn't survive was that Bernie Ecclestone couldn't allow a season to get that popular without his involvement, in other words without him getting money out of it. Perhaps a bit sarcastic, but the same happened with the old DTM.

Sarcastic, but also so so true.

JAG · 13 Dec 2004, 21:19 (Ref:1178691)

The cost of the cars did play a major role though.

Teams stretched themselves to buy 911 GT1s, F1 GTRs, Panoz etc. and then found there cars were uncompetitive against the new, and unhomologated CLK-GTR.

Bramzel · 13 Dec 2004, 23:39 (Ref:1178797)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich R

how much would a jgtc car cost if a level playing field can be found and they are allowed to race in the fia gt championship.

A lot, because they'd have to be redesigned imho. A JGTC car in it's current state doesn't fit in the FIAGT in it's current state, it's like putting a DTM in a ETCC field. Not on specs&speed, but on philosophy. I think to create a nice field the JGTC's have to get less advanced (and un-street) aerodynamics and more power.

Fosca · 14 Dec 2004, 07:45 (Ref:1178934)

or they simply add a new ballast system for all cars so that they, more or less, turn the same lap times.

Gabrio · 14 Dec 2004, 09:09 (Ref:1178986)

The idea behind the creation of LMES was to provide a championship for privateers with lower costs and direct the manifacturers to FIA Gt. The problem is that to win FIA Gt and to put together a team and logistics, paid drivers etc... will cost an enormous amount of money. Manifacturers will promote more easily their cars through WTCC in which vehicles which sell in much bigger volumes are raced. Ford has estimated at US 12 millions a season in WTCC with six cars. GT Fia will cost them much more than that if they are to develop, build and race a two cars effort.

paul-collins · 14 Dec 2004, 14:04 (Ref:1179211)

Gabrio, that sounds backwards to me. Perhaps Stephane saw it that way, but from here it would appear that the LMES was created to provide Le Mans entrants (particularly sportscars, not GT) a place to race in addition to the big event - and Le Mans has always been interested in factory teams.

Gabrio · 14 Dec 2004, 14:08 (Ref:1179218)

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul-collins

Gabrio, that sounds backwards to me. Perhaps Stephane saw it that way, but from here it would appear that the LMES was created to provide Le Mans entrants (particularly sportscars, not GT) a place to race in addition to the big event - and Le Mans has always been interested in factory teams.

Yup. That's why I wrote "was"...