FIA GT Sprint Series 2013 (SRO GT3)

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by JorritVD

Entry list:
http://www.fiagtseries.com/images/re...-List-Prov.pdf

WOW, That's a Blancpain-PRO-Quantity Grid !!! (Not so sure about quality maybe)

Missing Reiter Engineering, Vita4one and any Nissans.

Good to se the Vette's again.

[Rodger Davies]

I'd say at least as good a quality as the BES grid, driver-wise these are looking very promising; really looking forward to Macau and this still this year

[Purist]

Rodger Davies, this year's course is a HUGE improvement over last year's City Challenge layout.

Danny Watts does a couple of full laps on the simulator. The first is slow, with him doing commentary. The second is quicker, with him just driving and not talking. He does a ~1:56 on his quicker lap, but there are several seconds left on the table even then. I think a 1:48 around the 4.38km (2.722-mile), 16-turn (or so) course is quite doable, and even a 1:45 may well be possible under good conditions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxVEdFamgHM

My main comment about the track itself is that they don't need the first chicane on that run down toward the traffic circle. The second chicane already handles any issues of too much speed going into that section.

For a comparison, this is one of last year's races on the 2.086km (1.296-mile), 14-turn street circuit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9otuglm1O58

[Purist]

Just thinking, but since this is the Baku "World Challenge", maybe they can expand it a bit in coming seasons to include the top entry in GT Asia, Australian GT, Super GT GT300, and/or Brazilian GT. It may be a bit of a stretch for the Brazilians to come over, but I can't see the harm in offering the invitations. The circuit probably wouldn't have a problem handling up to 35 cars anyway.

BTW, the first of my above links is NOT the video that is on the GT1world channel on YouTube. It is a different one.

[JorritVD]

Originally Posted by Purist

Just thinking, but since this is the Baku "World Challenge", maybe they can expand it a bit in coming seasons to include the top entry in GT Asia, Australian GT, Super GT GT300, and/or Brazilian GT. It may be a bit of a stretch for the Brazilians to come over, but I can't see the harm in offering the invitations. The circuit probably wouldn't have a problem handling up to 35 cars anyway.

That's not a bad idea at all. But I guess SRO wants to keep it with their own series.

[urdragon]

MVDS Baku's new livery:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...3060622&type=1

[Simmi]

They've done a good job on that one.

[pederb]

Hate flat black paint jobs, looks so temporary cheap.

During the mid 80's it was very popular to paint your crappy car flat black to hide the rust

[rich07]

Not bad. I see Ice is sponsoring a BMW in DTM and Max is a BMW factory pilot, am I drawing too much from this link?

[airbusA346]

Originally Posted by rich07

Not bad. I see Ice is sponsoring a BMW in DTM and Max is a BMW factory pilot, am I drawing too much from this link?

Marc VDS have been sponsored by them for a while.


And they are going to have to stick a number panel on it somewhere.

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by pederb

Hate flat black paint jobs, looks so temporary cheap.

A black scheme for me is a very elegant color, look @ the nissan GTR of JRM, probably the prettier GTR. Also, for me the most beautifull cars in the GT Open BCN this weekend where the black corvettes with the sponsorship of Vodaphone. On tastes nothing's written.

[fergus_r]

2014 calendar announced, looking forward to seeing the series at Brands Hatch in May

[Purist]

I'm glad to see Algarve on there as well.

[urdragon]

QR at 9:15 UTC +4 Having to get up at 6 hour in the morning, who chosed the timetable pffffff

I'm glad minimum it won't collide with the F1, we've got to consider ourselves lucky.

[JoestForEver]

Finally they do the right thing to come back to Algarve again, but I'd say Donington, even Rockingham is better than Brands Hatch, which is too short and narrow to make a good fight. Worse when it's Indy layout rather than the GP.
What's more, a joint race between British GT and the Blancpain Sprint would be fun, both of which are run by SRO currently

[Purist]

I would have to think that they're using the GP layout at Brands Hatch (2.6mi). BTW, the GP layout is LONGER than either Donington (2.5mi) or the long International Circuit at Rockingham (2.56mi).

Donington might have more conventional outbraking/overtaking zones, but with all those quick corners and the sinuous nature of Brands Hatch, there is a fair potential for unconventional lines and unexpected overtaking moves.

Most of the straights at Rockingham would be too short to set up a pass in the subsequent braking zone. There are also a few, key, long-duration corners in the infield that would tend to spread the field out single-file.

I think Brands Hatch is a good choice, and a nice change from the seeming default in the UK of Silverstone.

[urdragon]

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139957

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by Matt

Baku is going to be a mess this year.

Originally Posted by Purist

All of those shots are on that very small section that goes off of the coastal highway. It looks like that portion of the course will be essentially single-file, with minimal temptation to try a low-percentage overtaking maneuver. The rest of the track is reasonably wide and very quick.

I'm not sure how accurate that track map is; the simulations show no extra chicane before the track leaves the coastal highway. They also show a second chicane on the run down to the round-a-bout in the lower-left of the picture.

I think the chicane I have seen right before the traffic circle makes some sense. The one before that, on the exit of that long, right-hander, seems unnecessary and detrimental to the overtaking potential of the circuit.

Way better than last year anyway:



Race video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbrfUpPMeQs





This year video footage with road cars:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUSCa5NK8ag

[urdragon]

WoW they even stream the FP2 now!

[urdragon]

Nice photos from baku, don't remember a GT event with such a sightseeing:

[Stagger Lee]

What happened to Ammermuller's Audi? It's got some damage on it

EDIT: Winkelhock car, my bad.

[Dead-Eye]

Wonder what happened to the Mercedes that he couldn't drive it back. Doesn't look like there's much damage, unless it's front right suspension.

[nasdriv87]

thxs for these pics man!!! amazing view from baku night streets...

[Purist]

Did they adjust one of the chicanes or something between Practice 1 and Practice 2. I know the track gets quicker as it rubbers in, but a drop from a 1:47.6 to a 1:43.2 seems like a bit much, even for a street circuit being rubbered-in. Also, the drop-off from Practice 2 to Qualifying was much smaller, with the pole being a 1:42.5.

[airbusA346]

Shame Motors TV aren't showing the main race tomorrow, only the Qualifying Race 'delayed as live'.