FIA GT World Championship 2012

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by Nic_O

Castellacci/Ide pairing is confirmed. And now we're sure Af Corse will run the 458s.

Wow, great amateur pairings, the winner of GT3 and one of most regular AUDI R8 LMS driver in GT3 last year, now its clear the Ferrari entry for this year.

Anyway we only have 10 cars so the situation is not good a week before march even if Porsche - Exim bank joins, since AM yesterday said there are no plans for World GT at the moment:

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-9608.html

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by Mt. Lynx

I don´t think the "casual viewer" had much at all to do with cutting down the raceformat to it´s current sorry state. I think it is a case of easier to sell to tv channels.

Agree

Originally Posted by Purist

If they want to retain a two-race format, make the Championship Race two hours. That's long enough that they'll have to make a pit stop anyway, because the fuel load will be insufficient to run for that duration on one tank (at least at most circuits, and as long as it's dry).

Unless they're doing some noticeable opening of the GT3 regultations for World GT, they almost might as well scrap World GT and GT3 Europe and make Blancpain into FIA GT. I'd just want them to make sure and keep the flyaway to Argentina; if Nissan wants to help with a Japanese round, then fine.

Fia GT concept is very similar to blancpain, to my view that's the less important, the key is so many different manufacturers/cars nowadays, which in the past was the higher performance old cars, thats to be respected, fast cars and many brands, the issue of 2x1 hour o three it's less important if we respect being shorter than three hours for better TV coverage.

Even more, to my view two one hour and half is better than three hours, cause it brings interest to both two days to make difference with endurance races that the qualifying allways is pointless so the interest is focused on the long race (One) day, which to my view is worst.

[Rodger Davies]

Originally Posted by Mt. Lynx

I don´t think the "casual viewer" had much at all to do with cutting down the raceformat to it´s current sorry state. I think it is a case of easier to sell to tv channels.

Yes, but the obsession with selling to TV channels is, in itself, a pursuit of Mr C Viewer. Most of the rest of us with follow the streams, watch the webcast, read the reports. Selling to TV is a numbers game and thus attempts to reign in as much visible audience as possible, regardless of their actual level of interest in what's been shown.

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by pach233

That's a shame. I haven't much liked the format either to be honest but the racing was actually pretty good. 2010 especially was entertaining and 2011 wasn't half bad. Not sure how 2012 will be though, not looking great at the moment.

I agree completely with this. There are several things I would like to see done differently but I'm complaining about them just because I would like to have even better racing or more logical weekends. I will certainly not stop following GT1 World just because I don't like having 2 drivers or the qualifying race or some other minor detail... It's like leaving your girlfriend just because the breakfast egg wasn't correctly boiled

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by Mt. Lynx

They need greater variety in the races. Why not introduce several formats? Bring back the 24hrs of Spa-Francorchamps, introduce a 300mi oval race (Indianapolis?), a time trial race at the Isle of Man TT circuit and a point to point tarmac rally (parts of Monte Carlo rally stages?). 12hrs of Bathurst? A 6hrs event at the Nordschleife would be nice too. I know the FIA would have issues with this, but at least I think the cars are versatile enough to go for a varied schedule.

Actually they absolutely don't need greater variety nor longer races. Going that way now would bring GT1 World nowhere. Just the opposite actually, it would become more messy and the few people believing in it would drop out.

The format is just fine and provides much harder racing, which anyone interested in racing should like. All the purists just need to get used to having less than 6-hours to stare at their laptops or stick following BES, WEC etc.

They simply need more cars and more media and they will get a huge fanbase.

[morningview66]

They simply need more cars and more media and they will get a huge fanbase.

Totally agree with this especially as the cars racing are thoose people tune in every week to see on top gear and that reaches tens of millions, the potential is there, just needs a bit of sorting. Good to see some manufacturer blessed teams from McLaren and Ferrari, the series could do with a bit more manufacturer support short of works teams.

I would extend the race to around 2 hours or f1 race length just so the 2 drivers had more time in the car.

With drivers in mind i am slightly dubious how this years crops going to turn out from whats announced so far, some solid GT drivers though no real GT stars as of yet. Makoweicki seems far the best driver announced so far.

[Nic_O]

Originally Posted by Jameson

I agree completely with this. There are several things I would like to see done differently but I'm complaining about them just because I would like to have even better racing or more logical weekends. I will certainly not stop following GT1 World just because I don't like having 2 drivers or the qualifying race or some other minor detail... It's like leaving your girlfriend just because the breakfast egg wasn't correctly boiled

Same here. It was one of the championship I've enjoyed the most for the past 2 years, even if some things like the ballast system keep irritating me.
Let's hope some more teams will join the grid, a sort of "GT3 +" regulation and we will see a great season.

Hopefully, we may know more tomorrow as Nissan will announce their 2012's plan.

[jasonjessica09]

So now we are at 10 cars with BMW, McLaren, Ferrari, Audi, and Mercedes. Possibly Nissan to take it to 12. What does that leave if you stay at 2 cars per manufacturer? Lamborghini? Aston Martin? Ford GT? Alpina?

Maybe extra teams for makes that already have a committed team? I guess its still early by FIA GT1 standards. I guess it will come together in the last 3 weeks before race 1. Patience folks

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

So now we are at 10 cars with BMW, McLaren, Ferrari, Audi, and Mercedes. Possibly Nissan to take it to 12. What does that leave if you stay at 2 cars per manufacturer? Lamborghini? Aston Martin? Ford GT? Alpina?

Maybe extra teams for makes that already have a committed team? I guess its still early by FIA GT1 standards. I guess it will come together in the last 3 weeks before race 1. Patience folks

Aston Martin will not be there. Lamborghini might, as well as Ford GT, Porsche and the new Camaro. No idea if Alpina would be an option.

[jasonjessica09]

I have seen pictures of the Chevy Camoro GT3 it is an awesome look. I would love to see that car go racing. It could help bring more attention to GT3 racing in the USA. There is a serious lack of that over here right now. ALMS still focuses on GTE and Grand Am wants their dumbed down version of GT3 cars, which really does not do it justice. Anybody who watched the Daytona 24 who does not have a clue about Euro GT3 racing would think that the Audi R8 is a piece of crapola. Which surely is not the case. A real Audi R8 LMS would run lap times closer to the DP cars than the GA GT cars.

For the GT world championship, I guess the issue is a lack of teams with funding, not lack of cars.

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by Jameson

Aston Martin will not be there. Lamborghini might, as well as Ford GT, Porsche and the new Camaro. No idea if Alpina would be an option.

I take back a little what I wrote here. I meant that the new Aston Vantage will not be there because the available cars are already spoken for, but of course there is a bunch of DBRS9s around which someone could choose to run in GT World! Like the ex-Hexis ones for example.

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by Jameson

I take back a little what I wrote here. I meant that the new Aston Vantage will not be there because the available cars are already spoken for, but of course there is a bunch of DBRS9s around which someone could choose to run in GT World! Like the ex-Hexis ones for example.

So, a DBRS9 would discard an official (Or semiofficial) entry, if the car is sold cheap to a privateer team, it could not be discarted, but a cheap car doesn't suit very well with an expensive international champ in these times. Maybe Ratel push is needed too for Aston's.

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by urdragon

So, a DBRS9 would discard an official (Or semiofficial) entry, if the car is sold cheap to a privateer team, it could not be discarted, but a cheap car doesn't suit very well with an expensive international champ in these times. Maybe Ratel push is needed too for Aston's.

There is no semi-official entry. Young Driver AMR has announced already that they will do only the German GT Masters with two new Vantages. Hexis has changed to McLaren. So, there will either be someone running DBRS9 or no Aston Martin at all.

Unless the number of sold cars AMR has announced has been incorrect and there is a huge surprise on the way, but I really don't think so.

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by urdragon

Wow, great amateur pairings, the winner of GT3 and one of most regular AUDI R8 LMS driver in GT3 last year, now its clear the Ferrari entry for this year.

Anyway we only have 10 cars so the situation is not good a week before march even if Porsche - Exim bank joins, since AM yesterday said there are no plans for World GT at the moment:

http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-9608.html

All we need is three more teams... Porsche and Aston are not going to happen and I think there would be a silm chance we would see any Nissans, Alpinas, Fords or Chevrolets on the grid. I think the best bet we have is a team running Lamborghini's, but Reiter is struggling for funds.

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

All we need is three more teams... Porsche and Aston are not going to happen and I think there would be a silm chance we would see any Nissans, Alpinas, Fords or Chevrolets on the grid. I think the best bet we have is a team running Lamborghini's, but Reiter is struggling for funds.

It would be quite strange to not see Nissan, the GT-R is a star car, and there aren't many GT-R promoting the car (Super GT apart), one only I think in BES, and in local champs, but despite the crisis this is not enough promo for one supercar of the level of the GTR, and it shouldn't be a expensive car, this is something i can't stand, how JRM hasn't sold any of the promised cars they would like to deliver.

I think Ford GT's, Corvettes and DBRS9 have the same problem (Tough they are cool), they are old cars and without too much level against Audi, mclaren and ferrari specially, and as it is an expensive champ it is hard any private team to invest in something with lesser posibilities.

The lambo is a quick car, as shown at dubai (kox has the fastest lap), so it is only a funding problem, that should be the most possible because there are lots of gallardos GT3. I still hope exim bak will join too.