Stéphane Ratel talks...

[Fab]

... on the Jérôme Mugnier's site.

In french, so here are some words translated :

"Stéphane Ratel was on the Bugatti (here with Yves Courage) the 1000 kms' week-end. He gave more news at Ouest-France...

First surprise : GT-FIA's races could be shorten to 2 hours (instaed of three), to match telly, and possibly beat the DTM (and maybe attracked concurrents of this serie ? Not said by Ratel).

LMES should attracked teams of FIA-GT : no concurrence of dates to be afraid of.

News : Stéphane Ratel owns 50% of LMES.

A dream come true for him : see at last (end of 2004, start of 2005) the battle between the 5 major GT builders (Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Aston Martin et Porsche).

Not impossible to see Italian GTs at Monza's 1000 km. Same for Siverstone, Belcar at Spa and Euro GT Series at Nurburgring...

Overall victory at LM shouldn't be possible only for prototypes as Courage, Dome, Lola... when the second coming of GT1 is here (Maserati GT, Porsche Carrera GT, Ferrari Enzo). He recalls that those supercars must be road cars, and not GT prototypes to not make the old mistakes.

GT2's category should be opened to Lamborghini and Aston Martin, and GT3 to Porsches 911."

Lots to comment, isn't it ?

[Mal]

It all sounds good to me, I just wish it would all happen for LeMans 2004, and obviously the prototypes shouldnt be held back, but if the GTS cars become fast enough then fine.

[rdjones]

Interesting stuff. Ratel know's where he want's sportscar racing to be in 2 or 3 years time, which is a good thing. I think that 2004 is going to the building blokes to something bigger in 2005. Lets just hope it all happen's. Because if this all happens it is going to be fantastic........

[Truckosaurus]

Originally posted by Fab
[BNews : Stéphane Ratel owns 50% of LMES.[/B]

It's looking more and more like Ratel is trying to become the 'Bernie' of GT racing...

[E46]

Some days ago in a forum talking about Ratel, anyone said :"too power in a few hands is always dangerous". I think the same.....

[cybersdorf]

Originally posted by Guy Humpage
It's looking more and more like Ratel is trying to become the 'Bernie' of GT racing...

What do you mean, "trying". In Europe he is.

[Fab]

ACO has always a hand on the endurance rules ; Ratel can spoil the whole thing, but cannot get power on the 24 hours of Le Mans.

[Wout]

Originally posted by Fab
ACO has always a hand on the endurance rules ; Ratel can spoil the whole thing, but cannot get power on the 24 hours of Le Mans.

And that's for sure. Le Mans will always be the most important sportcarrace. Things will only get scared if Ratel should be a part of the ACO. I don't know if this is possible: how the ACO is built up? (who decides who is part of ACO??)

[Fab]

Originally posted by Wout
And that's for sure. Le Mans will always be the most important sportcarrace. Things will only get scared if Ratel should be a part of the ACO. I don't know if this is possible: how the ACO is built up? (who decides who is part of ACO??)

It is not, and this is why : ACO is an "association", in the sense of the french's law ; it means "no lucrative purposes". The board of ACO is composed of members who pay their subscription, and they're chosen by the board itself (autocratie ? Yes, sort of).

[jhansen]

I agree that the 24 hours is the most important sports car race in the world. But its success does depend on the LMES, ALMS and even FIA GT classes. If these series are strong then the fields at the 24 hours will be stronger. Don't get me wrong, the 24 hours will always be around and always be a success. But I'm thinking how much better it can be. If we only have one strong race per year then the world of sports car racing will be very dull. Here's hoping that Ratel can help build sports car racing in europe for both the prototype and gt fields.

[Mal]

Originally posted by jhansen
I agree that the 24 hours is the most important sports car race in the world. But its success does depend on the LMES, ALMS and even FIA GT classes. If these series are strong then the fields at the 24 hours will be stronger. Don't get me wrong, the 24 hours will always be around and always be a success. But I'm thinking how much better it can be. If we only have one strong race per year then the world of sports car racing will be very dull. Here's hoping that Ratel can help build sports car racing in europe for both the prototype and gt fields.

I'll drink to that and I for one will not knock him unless there is good reason to do so. At the moment the outlook is more positive than it has been for nearly 10 years.

[SALEEN S7R]

Agreed, Ratel is doing a great job. Lets just wait and see if he makes mistakes. My money is on that he dosent.

[Audi R8R]

Don't bet on it, he's already trying to ruin the British Series. Won't be long before he does something to upset the applecart across the channel.

[SALEEN S7R]

Ruining the British series or trying to save it? Personally I think hes trying to save it. We dont need Clios and Golf's in a GT championship thanks very much. If what Ratel is proposing is finaically viable (and I beleive it is) we could have decent grids next year of REAL GT cars and not suped up touring cars. A golf should be in the VW Cup, and the Clio the Renault Clio cup, NOT the British GT Championship. Audi R8R, if u want to see cars like the Golf and Clio in the British GT Championship then thats fine, but the majority of people here dont. We have had Vipers, Saleen's, Listers etc before and we can have them again. The series just needs a ringmaster, Ratel is that man.

[tblincoe]

i'm not really sure what ratel is saying about the return of the gt1? does he think that the gt1 era will return with the maserati and porsche carrera gt? i thought that the fia-gt and aco were moving away from this and more towards the gts-style cars that would be quicker with the new regulations, but still not able to challenge for the overall win...

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
Ruining the British series or trying to save it? Personally I think hes trying to save it. We dont need Clios and Golf's in a GT championship thanks very much. If what Ratel is proposing is finaically viable (and I beleive it is) we could have decent grids next year of REAL GT cars and not suped up touring cars. A golf should be in the VW Cup, and the Clio the Renault Clio cup, NOT the British GT Championship. Audi R8R, if u want to see cars like the Golf and Clio in the British GT Championship then thats fine, but the majority of people here dont. We have had Vipers, Saleen's, Listers etc before and we can have them again. The series just needs a ringmaster, Ratel is that man.

Personally I think he's trying to earn money - that is after all what he does - If he can balance both building the championship and earning a decent crust then fine but lets not go running away with any romantic ideas that he is anything other than a businessman first and foremost.

As far as the golf and clio are concerned - deep breath - The Clio is NOT a touring car it is far closer to a GT car than any touring car class this side of the DTM. A rear - mid engined, rear wheel drive V6 in a car which is built for the road are good enough for me. I'm not going to bang on any more about the Golf other than to say that a championship should stick by entrants who have stuck by the championship.

On the economics front I think you should hold your horses Saleen. Audi R8R knows what he's talking about here. He's been involved with teams at all levels of the championship from title contenders to minnows and he KNOWS what it takes to pull together a budget to run these things.

He'd like, I'd like, almost everybody would like a championship featuring the big GT cars but if you can't guarantee more than a tiny handful (and Ratel isn't doing so for the first two years at least) then you need to ensure that the GTO and cup entrants are being looked after in terms of promotion and TV coverage. A GT on 4 package that followed a Lister and Saleen around the track for an hour would be a turn off for the audience and a disaster for the majority of the grid.

I wish SRO well but they have let themselves down badly by not talking to the teams before making public statements of intent.

[SALEEN S7R]

Graham, I know Audi R8R from other forums, Im also aware that he is involved in the motorsport industry and knows his stuff. But that dosent make my opinion, or anyone elses here any less valid. Fair enough he and u probably know more about the economic climate of the British GT's at the moment than I do, but cars like the Golf and Clio I do not think should be in a GT championship. (Especially the golf) Graham, have u seen the VW Cup? The top cars there would be on a par with the Golf running in British GT's if u ask me. And the Clio Cup V6 cars that runs alongside the FIA GT/ETCC package would be on a par, if not faster than the Clio in the British GT's. Both series are considered touring/saloon championships. I agree the cup class cars need to be looked after, but cars like the Porsche cup class cars and Ferrari 360 challenge cars, even Porsche supercup cars. Not touring cars. Thats just my opinion of course, cant speak for anyone else, I think Ayse would be with me on this - he thinks a BMW M3 ANY BMW M3 (GTR or not) is still not a GT car, so I dont know what hed say about a Golf or Clio.

And Graham, yes I can see that a programme following a couple of Saleen's, Lister and TVR Speed 12 around a track for 30 minutes would be boring. But have u seen Eurosports coverage of the FIA GT's? How often do u see anything other than the BMS Ferrari 550s, Konrad Saleens or works Lister storms? Rarley. U could argue that is also boring, but yet TV figures continue to climb. Still I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this, will be very intresting to see what happens in 2004/2005 though.

[Audi R8R]

Ruining the British series or trying to save it? Personally I think hes trying to save it.

Well, you're entitled to your opinion. But from where I stand and from what I have seen and heard so far, I don't think so.

We dont need Clios and Golf's in a GT championship thanks very much.

How many British GT races did you actually ATTEND this season Saleen? How often have you seen a Golf overtake a Ferrari GT car on pure power and development? No, it's not a GT car. But, the organisers made a Cup class for this season and they allowed it to run. And it did, competitively. If some of the teams running different cars in the Cup class had had that much determination they might have had better seasons.

If what Ratel is proposing is finaically viable (and I beleive it is) we could have decent grids next year of REAL GT cars and not suped up touring cars.

Okay, on what PROFESSIONAL basis do you support this theory Saleen? I would like you to step up to the plate and tell me EXACTLY how you have come to the findings that there are teams out there that can just pull the budget from out of nowhere to run Vipers, Saleens or Ferrari's in the British Championship? As Graham has pointed out, I have worked within the British series for a number of years and within and alongside a number of teams and I know just how difficult and expensive it is to run a competitive and front running car in the UK championship, let alone across the continent in a series like the FIA GTs.

Ratel has stated that he believes it is just as cheap to run a Viper or Porsche GT2 as it is to run a GTO car. To be competitive against something like a work Lister, or, if someone had the budget, a Prodrive 550? I don't think so, it would be a waste of money and time for ANY team.

Audi R8R, if u want to see cars like the Golf and Clio in the British GT Championship then thats fine, but the majority of people here dont. We have had Vipers, Saleen's, Listers etc before and we can have them again. The series just needs a ringmaster, Ratel is that man. [/B]

What I want is a championship that has a 'ringmaster', for want of a better word, that actually contacts and discusses the championship and what to do with it with the team that have been supporting it all season long. Not someone to just walk in, tell the media (and no-one else) what he is going to do and asking the teams which have moved on to the higher levels of the sport if they would be willing to come back into the series. If he had appraoched all of the teams who have shown an interest in entering in '04 he might have started off on a better platform. I can see there being fewer cars making it to the grid for the start of '04 because of the suden changes in the series.

[SALEEN S7R]

Ratel has said that it is as cheap to buy and run a Viper as it is a Porsche. This is the only word I have to back up what I have said, but if Ratel says its true then thats good enough for me. Ratel has transformed the FFSA and its a great championship, by National championship standards. If he says it costs the same to run a Viper as it does a Porsche 911 GT3 RS it probably does. I wont comment on the rest of what u have said as that is your opinion and ur entitled to yours, just like I am mine. Agree to disagree?

[Audi R8R]

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
Have u seen the VW Cup? The top cars there would be on a par with the Golf running in British GT's if u ask me. And the Clio Cup V6 cars that runs alongside the FIA GT/ETCC package would be on a par, if not faster than the Clio in the British GT's.

Yes, I have seen the VW Cup, and the Golf in the British GT's would **** all over everything in it, it's that highly developed Saleen. The team has spent so much time and money on the car to make it competitive in a series they believed they were welcome in. Now they are not.

I don't know about the Clio's lap times compared to the one-make cars, but I would hazard a guess it is quicker as it will have a damn sight more horse power.

And Graham, yes I can see that a programme following a couple of Saleen's, Lister and TVR Speed 12 around a track for 30 minutes would be boring. But have u seen Eurosports coverage of the FIA GT's? How often do u see anything other than the BMS Ferrari 550s, Konrad Saleens or works Lister storms? Rarley. U could argue that is also boring, but yet TV figures continue to climb. Still I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this, will be very intresting to see what happens in 2004/2005 though.

Never going to happen for a Speed 12 again, as they'll never see the light of day on a race track again. And the reason there is more going on in an FIA race is becasue they have A: A damn sight more cars on the grid, at every round, becasue they pay so much money to enter the championship it is in every teams best interest to compete in it. And B: Because the races are three hours long! So they have to show whatever is interesting at any given moment, otherwise people would switch off. And coming to that point. Do you have figures for the TV ratings year on year to back up your final point Saleen, I'd be interested to see them, especially from Eurosports perspective for the times when the GT's are on compared to the ETCC.

[JAG]

I would very much welcome the return of the GT1 class. It is much missed.

But as Ratel says it must be for genuine road cars as we had in the early days of GT1.

Basically it should be GTS homologation rules but with a lower weight limit, more power etc.

just look at the early days og GT1, you had 911 Turbos competing in both GT1 and GT2. It was only the introduction of purpose built racing cars that stopped this type of thing.

[SALEEN S7R]

Nope Im afraid I dont have the TV figures to hand, I imagine the ETCC gets more, as the races are live. And thats mainly due to the race duration time etc and Eurosport wanting to show Moto GP and WSBK. If Im honest I dont actually have any TV rating figures, but what I do know is that more and more of my friends are watching it, and that crowd attendances are up. Visit www.fiatouringcars.com and in one of the recent articles it shows u a graph. Dosent compare each year, but in 2001 Silverstone had 18,000 - at Donnington 2003 there were 25,000 spectators, facts speak for themselves.

[Audi R8R]

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
Ratel has said that it is as cheap to buy and run a Viper as it is a Porsche. This is the only word I have to back up what I have said, but if Ratel says its true then thats good enough for me. Ratel has transformed the FFSA and its a great championship, by National championship standards. If he says it costs the same to run a Viper as it does a Porsche 911 GT3 RS it probably does. I wont comment on the rest of what u have said as that is your opinion and ur entitled to yours, just like I am mine. Agree to disagree?

So, if Ratel said it would be great for the FIA-GT championship if you jumped off the Foorth Bridge, would that be good enough for you too? (Stop Sniggering Graham! )

How competitive would a Viper be against a sorted Saleen S7R? Be honest. And how many of them are there out there? (I honestly don't know in the UK) How many drivers have the budget to bring to the series to run in a car like that? If there is only one or two cars, then once the seats are filled then no other drivers will want to come in to other categories because they will know they can't win the GT title outright. I honestly don't think it costs the same to rebuild a Porsche GT3 engine as it does to do a Viper V10 or a Ferrari V12 (In fact, I know how much it costs to rebuild one of those!) Or a Chevy V8 for a Saleen. I'm pretty sure parts for a Viper or a Saleen are not quite as readily available as they are for an 'off the shelf Porsche GT3(R,RS,RSR)

[pitviper]

exactly jag...and this i believe will be the best thing to help usher in new blood into the fan base...

pit

[Audi R8R]

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
Dosent compare each year, but in 2001 Silverstone had 18,000 - at Donnington 2003 there were 25,000 spectators, facts speak for themselves.

Donington tis year is a bit of a givaway though as one of the British Teams primary sponsors gave away a huge number of tickets and also invited a very large number of their guests to the event, so they are probably not 'fans' in the true sense. But they could become them, so it is still a good figure.

But the british GT event at Rockingham had 44,000 people there this year. Castle Combe had over 20,000. Thruxton even had 13,000. So, 25,000 for a international event isn't quite that inspiring.