FIA GT World Championship 2012

[I Rosputnik]

Talk about developments, this seems like a good way of keeping the championship alive. Although I wonder if we might see this crazy 2 cars per manufacturer rule being enforced...

Nissan must be pleased to hear this.

[NaBUru38]

It was an obvious move to let GT3 cars in the world championship. Grids will hopefully grow. Now, performance balance will be even harder to enforce.

[Bonanza]

As far as I can see, the 2 car team thing might actually be beneficial, providing there are enough manufacturers. Ferrari, mercedes, BMW, Audi, Porsche, maybe even Spyker or Jaguar will be able to join the fray along with possible returns of Maserati and Saleen. Along with the current GT1 grid, it could make for a mouth watering line up whilst putting less pressure on the manufacturers to have two 2-car teams. Whilst this is wishful thinking it's certainly plausible, despite the inevitibly tedious performance balancing saga that will ensue.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

As far as I can see, the 2 car team thing might actually be beneficial, providing there are enough manufacturers. Ferrari, mercedes, BMW, Audi, Porsche, maybe even Spyker or Jaguar will be able to join the fray along with possible returns of Maserati and Saleen. Along with the current GT1 grid, it could make for a mouth watering line up whilst putting less pressure on the manufacturers to have two 2-car teams. Whilst this is wishful thinking it's certainly plausible, despite the inevitibly tedious performance balancing saga that will ensue.

I'm not sure Saleen's homologation didn't expire this year let alone 2012.

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

I'm not sure Saleen's homologation didn't expire this year let alone 2012.

possibly, though it seems to me SRO are always open to extending homologations, didn't Maserati and Aston have their homologations extended for 2010, let alone 2011?*

*I may be wrong because I am no expert on sports car racing, but something like that.

[Marcel ten Caat]

Corvette, Aston, Saleen, Maserati GT1 won't be eligible in 2012.

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by Stranger

Corvette, Aston, Saleen, Maserati GT1 won't be eligible in 2012.

With their current GT1 cars no, but I guess Corvette and Aston could easily do something with their GT2 or GT3 cars, no?

[Jameson]

It's funny to see people wondering how Ratel can let GT3 cars race in GT1. Well, we should remember that those cars will be upgraded to GT1 and hence become GT1 cars and stop being GT3 cars - whatever it means (aero, engine, chassis, suspension, electronics, weight). In any case, it makes sense to do something with existing and attractive cars (such as 458, SLS, R8) instead of hoping to find a manufacturer to build just 2 cars which can not race anywhere else.

However, isn't there anyone else wondering what a Z4 is doing in a sportscar series? It looks amazing, but I still see it as a touring car and its road car version is nowhere near the prestige of the other ones out there.

As for the different classes, we shouldn't be splitting hairs. I don't care if a car used to be in GT3 and is now developed to GT1. It doesn't make it a lesser GT1 compared to something that was developed only for it. And I don't care if GT3 is just 2-3 seconds off the pace of GT1 or GT2 (GTE) getting too close to GT1 or GT3 getting faster than GT2, because all that doesn't matter as long as all of these have their own championships with enough cars and good teams & drivers and usually don't race against each other.

I'm happy to see that GT1 which I like a lot with some hesitance, seems actually being able to make it. The only thing I'm scared about is that it will become similar BoP circus that current GT3. BoP always divides people in two groups, but I think that the current GT1 BoP is great and the current GT3 BoP is crap. I hope the future GT1 will not become as bad as the current GT3, because then Ratel is just shooting his own leg and losing all the credibility he still has.

[JAG]

A number of these potential entries like the Z4, R8, 458 and SLS are dependant on the respective manufactuers producing official upgrades.

If given the go ahead costs will be high as there's only a market for a couple of cars and spares.

[Racenut]

Originally Posted by Jameson

It's funny to see people wondering how Ratel can let GT3 cars race in GT1. Well, we should remember that those cars will be upgraded to GT1 and hence become GT1 cars and stop being GT3 cars - whatever it means (aero, engine, chassis, suspension, electronics, weight). In any case, it makes sense to do something with existing and attractive cars (such as 458, SLS, R8) instead of hoping to find a manufacturer to build just 2 cars which can not race anywhere else.

However, isn't there anyone else wondering what a Z4 is doing in a sportscar series? It looks amazing, but I still see it as a touring car and its road car version is nowhere near the prestige of the other ones out there.

As for the different classes, we shouldn't be splitting hairs. I don't care if a car used to be in GT3 and is now developed to GT1. It doesn't make it a lesser GT1 compared to something that was developed only for it. And I don't care if GT3 is just 2-3 seconds off the pace of GT1 or GT2 (GTE) getting too close to GT1 or GT3 getting faster than GT2, because all that doesn't matter as long as all of these have their own championships with enough cars and good teams & drivers and usually don't race against each other.

I'm happy to see that GT1 which I like a lot with some hesitance, seems actually being able to make it. The only thing I'm scared about is that it will become similar BoP circus that current GT3. BoP always divides people in two groups, but I think that the current GT1 BoP is great and the current GT3 BoP is crap. I hope the future GT1 will not become as bad as the current GT3, because then Ratel is just shooting his own leg and losing all the credibility he still has.

I think you are confusing GT and sports cars when you talk about the Z4. Traditionally a Grand Tourer (GT) was a big car with sporty look and a sports car is a small two seater (think AM DB4 vs MGB).

The 'new' GT class wont have GT1/2/3 it will be GT ! BOP will be used to get 'equal' performance across all cars. Take the restrictors out of a GT3 corvette, SLS and MP4 and install carbon brakes and they will be at GT1 speed (if that is the speed Ratel is after).

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by Jameson

However, isn't there anyone else wondering what a Z4 is doing in a sportscar series? It looks amazing, but I still see it as a touring car and its road car version is nowhere near the prestige of the other ones out there.

Actually I think the Z4 is a lot more of a GT racer than the M3, which just looks like a touring car (especially the GT4 version). I wish they raced with the fabulous-sounding straight six engine like the older Z4, though - the current GT3 car sounds like its ill...

[MitchZ06]

Would it be at all possible to build a GT1/2/3 'hybrid' that could run in the series? Say a GT3 style car with GT1 aero, etc?

[alexkiller8]

basicly the fia GT champ has become the new dutch champ... all kinds of car mixed....

[Marcel ten Caat]

?

[alexkiller8]

!