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Originally Posted by BtccLee
My questions are: What exactly are GT3 regulations? And why are they working? What is the difference between GT4, GT3 and GTE regulations and why is it that apparently GT3 is working so well on a national level compared with GT4? If GT3 is so healthy, why does the WEC insist on only allowing GTE entries, is this a manufacture related thing? Finally, is GT3 a sustainable set of regulations?
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GT3 and GTE are trying to achieve two vary different things, even though the cars make look and sound similar.
The GT3 formula is designed to create impressive, fast GT cars which are affordable to run and easy to race for the privateer. As such, there are aids on a GT3 car that you wouldn't find on a GTE car, to assist the gentleman driver. The GT3 cars are subject to Balance of Performance, so no chassis outperforms the rest. The GT3 regulations have been incredibly successful and that's partially down the the stability which makes the cars eligible in many different series.
GTE cars, meanwhile, tend to be faster machinery and are certainly more expensive. GT3 cars peddled by a pro driver can be quicker in wet conditions as they're easier to drive, but generally, they're slower. This is the real "win on the Sunday, sell on the Monday" category - you build a car to the rules (though they all run with waivers), rather than building anything and then pegging it to the performance of the rest of the field. Unfortunately, GTE has headed towards a BoP route in recent years, but there is more free reign for the manufacturers to compete with one another.
GT3 is trying to create an affordable, level playing field, while GTE is creating a platform for manufacturers to race each other in order to prove something. So the philosophy behind the GT3 regulations works extremely well for other series, but doesn't really fit in with the ethos of the WEC or Le Mans. That, and the GT3 cars would get in the way of the prototypes a bit too much.