2013 Blancpain Endurance Series

[KA]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

last year they ran the two in parallel, did RJN - would hope their able to do 2 again, but won't count on it now - British GT makes most sense for them logistically.

Although now SRO and British GT have told RJN they won't accept the GT Academy graduates as full-season British GT entries due to complaints over driver grading, as reported on DSC and in Autosport, does it make more sense for RJN to take their cars and the GT Academy drivers to Blancpain, or to try and do deals to put Pro-Am pairings in the cars for British GT?. The way the story is being reported suggests the former...

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by KA

Although now SRO and British GT have told RJN they won't accept the GT Academy graduates as full-season British GT entries due to complaints over driver grading, as reported on DSC and in Autosport, does it make more sense for RJN to take their cars and the GT Academy drivers to Blancpain, or to try and do deals to put Pro-Am pairings in the cars for British GT?. The way the story is being reported suggests the former...

I'd suggest that both logistically (RJN being British) and for their academy programme (more races to gauge improvement, variable distances) that British GT makes a lot more sense, but my point is that they may be looking for a second programme to supplement their Blancpain rounds, as they had last year. Especially with BES being a round shorter this season.

In that case, there are fewer options available; I'd suggest GT Masters would be one, but for the fact it's likely oversubscribed, leaving GT Tour, FIA's Sprint series and Open GT as the other possibilities, but all would be more logistically challenging. Either way, I hope they're along for some BES rounds and, if not, at least Spa.

[JorritVD]

Originally Posted by JorritVD

But RaceArt will be represented in the BES with an other new company as an official partner of a PRO team

Originally Posted by GregoryDG

DB Motorsport? DKR?

No, I am not talking about these teams. It's a different PRO team that already confirmed it's entry.

But maybe we can welcome DB and DKR to.

[JorritVD]

2013 spec Porsche 997 GT3-Cup R. Already rolled during the 12h Bathurst and FFSA GT tests. Looks like it using quite some parts from the 2012 RSR.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by JorritVD

No, I am not talking about these teams. It's a different PRO team that already confirmed it's entry.

But maybe we can welcome DB and DKR to.

Marc VDS or ProSpeed then I reckon. Can't see any additional entries coming from that 'joint venture' however but I might be wrong. Both teams ran 2 cars each last year and will do so again this season, if I'm correct.

When can we expect an announcement Jorrit?

[Creep89]

Yeah the new GT3 R looks massive. So many new aero parts on the car, it looks like a RSR for GT3 category.

[Victor_RO]

Autosport digital edition reporting that Lucas Luhr will run in JRM's GT-R GT3 entered in GT3-Pro.

[MitchZ06]

I see Porsche has finally added vents in the front fenders, that rear wing really is huge...

[GT3.14]

Dumbreck and Luhr for JRM
http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...cus-15850.html

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by GT3.14

Dumbreck and Luhr for JRM

Tremble Audi, MVDS and Hexis.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by GT3.14

Dumbreck and Luhr for JRM
http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...cus-15850.html

Now let's hope for David Brabham as third driver

[KA]

Tucked away in an Autosport report that Aston Martin have set up a 'junior driver' scheme with Daniel McKenzie and Jonny Adam acting as reserve drivers for the WEC squad, there's a mention that they'll also share Andrew Howard's Beechdean Vantage GT3 in Blancpain

[somebodysb2]

Originally Posted by urdragon

Tremble Audi, MVDS and Hexis.

Doubt it. Audi, BMW, and the like are Tier 1 cars. The Nissan imo is Tier 1.5 at best.

[Rodger Davies]

it's GT3 so it's hard to say that, but also, has there been an all-pro Nissan GT3 lineup anywhere last year to benchmark it?

[KA]

Also bear in mind that JRM have done some work on it over the winter- According to a piece in Autosport last week, changes to the engine, suspension and aero (front dive planes, new bonnet and revised rear wing position), plus new gear ratios and about 20kg weight taken out of it.

According to Peter Dumbreck it's a big improvement- 'with new front aero and rollbar, it's much better on corner entry. The next thing to work on is rear stability. The car is a bit wild when the turbo kicks in, and it's a bit brutal for a GT3 car, which is about being user-friendly for amateurs'

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by somebodysb2

Doubt it. Audi, BMW, and the like are Tier 1 cars. The Nissan imo is Tier 1.5 at best.

Look it from other side, 1 year took to JRM+Nismo to take the drivers victory (With Luhr) from an slow and unreliable GTR GT1 prepared with poor results the year before By sumo power and Swiss racing team on 2010.

Adding a good third driver will result in one of the toughtest pro car. And consider also that probably the rounds which will give more points will be SPA and Nurburgring 1000 KM, so they have three minor rounds to prepare the car for the big points.

[somebodysb2]

Originally Posted by urdragon

Look it from other side, 1 year took to JRM+Nismo to take the drivers victory (With Luhr) from an slow and unreliable GTR GT1 prepared with poor results the year before By sumo power and Swiss racing team on 2010.

Adding a good third driver will result in one of the toughtest pro car. And consider also that probably the rounds which will give more points will be SPA and Nurburgring 1000 KM, so they have three minor rounds to prepare the car for the big points.

Theres a reason why all the established teams are running german cars and not a GTR. Besides, its not like JRM are the only team with good drivers..private teams have always purchased the services of factory drivers for those all important big races. What I'm saying is that one or two pro GTR's are going to have a very hard time beating 20+ pros in more established machines.

[TF110]

The GTR GT3 in it's debut last season in Super GT won a race in GT300. I don't think you can say what you're saying as fact.

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by somebodysb2

Tprivate teams have always purchased the services of factory drivers for those all important big races.

Not all the private teams are driven by a famous EX F1 Ingenieer involved in a famous espionage affair involving Ferrari and Mclaren, moreover, i doubt MVDS and Hexis having such high quality engineers on boxes, like Nigel Stepney.

Also remember GT academy (GTR GT3) have in fact been kicked off of british GT for performance matters.

[somebodysb2]

Originally Posted by TF110

The GTR GT3 in it's debut last season in Super GT won a race in GT300. I don't think you can say what you're saying as fact.

The BOP in GT300 is completely bonkers, neutered GT3 spec cars have been completely gunning down the JAF-GT opposition for years. Sure, the GTR has won a race in its debut year, but so has the Vantage GT3 (debut), and it has won 3 races.

Originally Posted by urdragon

Not all the private teams are driven by a famous EX F1 Ingenieer involved in a famous espionage affair involving Ferrari and Mclaren, moreover, i doubt MVDS and Hexis having such high quality engineers on boxes, like Nigel Stepney.

Also remember GT academy (GTR GT3) have in fact been kicked off of british GT for performance matters.

JRM has the guy because they are responsible for developing the car. And all those BMW, Audi, etc. aren't made by toddlers either.

GT Academy: They were using running a Pro/Semi-Pro lineup in a grid of Pro/Am. Completely irrelevant.

Once again, the JRM combination is good, but they are definitely not going to crush the opposition like how you envisioned them to.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by somebodysb2

The BOP in GT300 is completely bonkers, neutered GT3 spec cars have been completely gunning down the JAF-GT opposition for years. Sure, the GTR has won a race in its debut year, but so has the Vantage GT3 (debut), and it has won 3 races.


JRM has the guy because they are responsible for developing the car. And all those BMW, Audi, etc. aren't made by toddlers either.

GT Academy: They were using running a Pro/Semi-Pro lineup in a grid of Pro/Am. Completely irrelevant.

Once again, the JRM combination is good, but they are definitely not going to crush the opposition like how you envisioned them to.

BOP is a mainstay in GT3, so your point is kind of moot. There's also 3 GTR GT3's supposedly on the grid this year in GT300. Must not be as bad as you think it is.

[somebodysb2]

Originally Posted by TF110

BOP is a mainstay in GT3, so your point is kind of moot. There's also 3 GTR GT3's supposedly on the grid this year in GT300. Must not be as bad as you think it is.

BOP in GT3 balances the best with the best, but will never favor older and/or inferior cars.

Once again, the GTR situation is good, they are selling cars, which is great for motorsports industry
But please, look at how many LMS Ultras were sold last year

[tux]

The GT3 cars in Super GT looked like they had about 50 extra hp on the straights though.

[somebodysb2]

Originally Posted by tux

The GT3 cars in Super GT looked like they had about 50 extra hp on the straights though.

In many cases, 200 extra horsepower

But then again, the JAF-GT cars in 2012 were either mediocre hybrid projects or just a bunch of old cars to fill up the grid

[TF110]

That's good for Audi. I don't judge how good a car is by how many it sells. If the GTR can beat them on track in their first season they can do it again in their second season. You're writing it off before you even see it race, that's a bit foolish to me.