British GT or Britcar in 2006?

[Redlake27]

Motorsport News today covered the story that some teams may desert BGT for Britcar following the tyre supply deal change that happened without their consultation.

I have often thought that Britcar could offer better value and 'proper' endurance racing for GT type cars, than BGT. What do you reckon?

[SALEEN S7R]

Personally I dont think many, if any teams from British GT will ditch the British GT series for Britcar. If this were to happen though then Britcar would need to substantially change its regulations to allow the introduction of the GT2 class cars, at the moment GT3 is the series leading class. Id be very suprised if teams in the British GT championship ditch the series for a series which is in all honesty a club series consisting mainly of touring cars.

[TheNewBob]

It's in Autosport that Master Motorsports are only competing in selected rounds in BGT this year, and I think it maybe said they were looking elsewhere to race. Xero are taking their Corvette elsewhere, although I think it's going to Belcar - people are already leaving the series!

[ss_collins]

saleen have you ever seen a britcar race?

[jase]

Saleen you are wrong GT2 cars are allowed into Britcar, they just get a power reduction.

I like Britcar, but as Saleen says it is still a club level event. The regulations would have to be tighten up a lot before it could be seen as a proper National feeder Series to LMES/ALMS/FIAGT, but it could happen.

Currently there are still teams wanting to join BGT's so I certainly wouldn't write the series off yet!

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

saleen have you ever seen a britcar race?

In person? No. I have seen Britcar on TV though, not a bad little series but for me it dosent hold a candle to British GT in any aspect, that said there are a few entries in the series who IMO would be fairly competitve in the British GT field.

[TheNewBob]

Any word on exactly who wants to be in BGT, and in what particular cars? Would be nice to see more different cars in GT3.

Unless I'm mistaken, hasn't someone entered a Mosler in Britcar? If they gave more power reductions to even things out, would be quite a nice place to let rip in those old Vipers and 993-GT2's (and maybe, in my dreams, an LM600 lol) which surely must be lying around somewhere. OK they're GT1 cars, or rather "GTS", but in a series which does seem to have a good number of E36 M3's and the like, then it could be nice for the entertainment.

[jase]

No, no names. To enter the series at this stage would not be conducive. I would imagine any new teams would sensibly be looking at 2006.

The Mosler is entered IIRC in BritSports not Britcar.

[TheNewBob]

I didn't think they would already have signed up for '06! But was just wondering who was contemplating it...

[jaymann]

There was definately no Mosler racing at the Britcar meet at Snetterton, and I don't think there was and Mosler in the Britsports race either as this is for Radicals, Jades, Junos etc, the Goldarts cars race in the same race as well e.g. Caterhams, Westfields etc.

The Britcar meets at both Silverstone and Snetterton have both been excellent events with some very close racing. Adam Sharpes Falcon is an immense machine and if they can find a way to refuel it Steve Hydes DTM astra is amazing. However on Sunday in the 5 hour race it was Nigel Greensall and Ian Dockerill that ran out winners.

I think there is definately room for Britcar and BGT to co-exist.

[Graham Goodwin]

A Mosler has run in both a Britcar and a Britsports event in the past - not a series entry though in either.

The DTM Astra btw is Steve Hirst (not Hyde) Steve hyde will be aboard the Eclipse Mosler in Brit GT from this weekend.

[PaulSands]

Rollcentre ran their Mosler in the Donington event in 2003 with a change of restrictor

http://paulsands.org/don181003/britcar.html

[jaymann]

Aaaah yes. I stand corrected Steve Hirst, thanks.

What are the regulations to allow a car to enter the Britsports classes. Also what is the difference between class 1 and 2 in Britsport.

[JAG]

Are there any websites out there with info on BritCar?

What date is the 24hr Silverstone event scheduled.

Britcar seems to have a real buzz about it, soemthing which BGT currently lacks.

What happens to BGT when the top 2 or 3 teams graduate to the international scene next season?

Britcar has the potential to be a UK version of Belcar which can't be a bad thing.

It doesn't help that BGT isn't visiting popular circuits suach as Oulton and Brands

[MikeHoyer]

Britcar is a great series in my opinion, wasn't bored once at the 5 hour race on Sunday.

BUT, it doesn't seem to attract the crowds at the moment, the one thing they need to address.

[Redlake27]

I know a couple of people with BGT projects that are steering towards BritCar for 2006 as it offers more track time and full grids.....and better circuits

However, I think there is only room for one proper endurance sportscar series in the UK, so it will be interesting to see how this one develops

[jaymann]

Britcar website FYI http://eerc.co.uk/cms/news.php

Its not great but it has all the info you need.

The production S1 support races that i have seen along with the Britsports make this a thouroughly entertaining race series. Good drivers too, Greensall, Lockie, Sharpe, Burt and Horne have all participated this year.

[SALEEN S7R]

Whilst I like the Britcar series and think it is a great series I do however hope it dosent affect the British GT championship too much. Britcar has the potential to quite severley distrupt the British GT championship grids, and in turn distrupt the FIA GT and LMES grids. After all the British GT championship is a feeder series for the FIA GT championship and the LMES.

SRO made a bit of a mistake regarding the tyre supply switch and understandably switching from Dunlop to Avon upset quite a few teams. A lot of things I would imagine were said in the heat of the moment, hopefully thats all it was though otherwise SRO could really have shot themselves in the foot.

There is a place for GT3 cars in the British GT championship and hopefully grids wont decrease, its interesting to note too however that in Motorsport News Britcar organiser James Tucker said "We woudnt want to take GT2, I woudnt consider them". Looks like then that the GT2 class of the British GT championship looks secure, at least.

[SALEEN S7R]

And it appears that SRO have IMO been fully justifed to go ahead with their decision after reading this announcement. A good decision by SRO IMO, both for the championship and the teams.

[cybersdorf]

I'm not sure that there B-Gt finds itself in such a strict hierarchy; it isn't strictly a feeder series for FIA and LMES. It is first and foremost a national series, and those teams with eligible cars now have a choice where to compete. If a number of GT3 teams should really migrate to Britcar then this could also affect the GT2 teams because they may not want to compete in a series with weak grids.

[SALEEN S7R]

But why would teams move now Cybersdorf? Sure I can understand before the announcement was made today, but with the promotion and sponsorship Avon are bringing to the series I dont see why anyone would have any wish to move really. Of course there are a few disgruntled teams out there, but once they stop and look at the situation and see the new deal will actually be benefical to them rather than a problem I think they will see sense.

I seriously doubt that following this announcement a signifcant number of teams, if any will switch to Britcar. British GT is looking very healthy at the moment following the sponsorship from Avon tyres, and IMO the series is predominantly a feeder series for the FIA GT and LMES championships. Just look at how many teams from British GT have gone from British GT into FIA GT or the LMES and in some cases back to British GT's in the last 5 years or so, Gruppe M, Veloqx, Eurotech, Lister, JWR, LNT, the list is endless.

[SALEEN S7R]

It would appear too that Scuderia Ecosse is in favour of the change. See www.scuderiaecosse.com for more details, good news for the championship to have one of the biggest teams in the British GT championship behind the series and the series organisers.

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

But why would teams move now Cybersdorf? Sure I can understand before the announcement was made today, but with the promotion and sponsorship Avon are bringing to the series I dont see why anyone would have any wish to move really. Of course there are a few disgruntled teams out there, but once they stop and look at the situation and see the new deal will actually be benefical to them rather than a problem I think they will see sense.

And there may well be benefits but who for?

There are major downsides for some - Sad but true

[Redlake27]

And I don't think Avon are capable of doing anything that Dunlop couldn't. I mean, Avon have hardly brought F3 to the public's attention have they? Contrast that with Dunlops promotion of BTCC.

This is purely about lining Ratel's organisation with a six figure sum. Avon lost GP2, some int'l F3 and need to replace that volume desperately. Whether that money gets to be for the benefit of competitors or not is anyones guess.

I spoke to a former BGT champion yesterday, who is definitely moving to BritCar in 2006. There are strong signs that BritCar will evolve into a MotorSportVision promoted championship. BGT has been weakened by not visiting Brands and Oulton, and BritCar do have this as a trump card to play.

[gi_gav]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

It would appear too that Scuderia Ecosse is in favour of the change. See www.scuderiaecosse.com for more details, good news for the championship to have one of the biggest teams in the British GT championship behind the series and the series organisers.

Wise of them to do so, as fighting it is pointless. Besides they need to be playing the politics of keeping on the right side of SRO and the ACO.