Intercontinental GT Challenge

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by tux

Maybe im being naive but can i ask what the fascination is with this circuit? Im of a "younger generation" so never saw races here before but watching onboard videos it doesn't look anything special.

The old circuit was fast and flowing and 9 Hours dates back to 1958, so there is an element of revived tradition.

https://youtu.be/ibzWgGI7Xz8

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Current version isn't amazing but it's not bad. But I love it because it is different to the usual places. The circuit itself isn't amazing, but it's nice to see even a tiny bit of variety when Blancpain is using Barcelona and Hungaroring yet again.

Yeh for me it’s mostly that- something different, I’m interested to see how the essentially new track works in GT3 competition.

And I love that it’s allowed the IGTC to be on one more continent. They just need South America maybe.

A race in the Arab states or similar always made sense to me too, but the choice of circuits there don’t thrill me. Dubai should stay reserved to the 24h, Yas Marina works for the gulf 12h but is quite sterile. And let’s definitely not contemplate Bahrain..

[Purist]

Yeah, Kyalami seems more akin to Zolder and Zandvoort than Catalunya and Hungaroring. Also, the track is up at about 6,000 ft, which makes it more of a tuning and setup challenge.

If the IGTC wants a Middle East round, maybe have a go at the new Kuwait circuit.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Yeh for me it’s mostly that- something different, I’m interested to see how the essentially new track works in GT3 competition.

And I love that it’s allowed the IGTC to be on one more continent. They just need South America maybe.

A race in the Arab states or similar always made sense to me too, but the choice of circuits there don’t thrill me. Dubai should stay reserved to the 24h, Yas Marina works for the gulf 12h but is quite sterile. And let’s definitely not contemplate Bahrain..

Exactly why the Gulf 12 could be a potential IGTC race in the future. Not sure if there is an existing or historical south American endurance race. Ratel said that except for the USA round, he prefers to add events to IGTC that has a history to it. Even if it is dormant.

[deggis]

Spotter guide: https://kyalami9hour.com/downloads/K...TTER_GUIDE.pdf

[Akrapovic]

Ack you know what, I love this circuit. Not too wide. Some flowing corners. Different kerbs all over the place. Gravel. Elevation change. Looks good.

I love it. There, I said it.

[Mike E]

And not huge amounts of run off before you find a wall or armco, a bit like Bathurst and Suzuka.

[tux]

Ill hold my hands up, i was wrong. Its been a really good race & the track is actually very fun. The lightning makes for great images too.

[J Jay]

That was brilliant. Hopefully the momentum keeps going for Kyalami - it's a cracking race track.

Porsche were rather fortunate with the interruptions, but a clean sweep (victory, driver/manufacturer's title, silver cup) is as good as it gets.

[Bcarr6]

More of those kind of tracks please.

The racing in the sun just looked fantastic, shame about the stormy finish but didn’t mar what was a really well presented essentially new event

Hopes for IGTC in 2020-

- More local teams fulfilling manufacturer entries, less of people like M Sport and WRT doing world tours. Porsche got it spot on this year, no team did more than 2 rounds.

- Honda, Lexus and McLaren committed to full seasons. It was great to see Honda at 4/5 races this year. Be great to see some more of the Lexus and Mclaren in IGTC. Lamborghini felt under committed at times

- Better coverage of Suzuka, it still feels like the weaker link in the series.

- scrap FCY > SC.... please!!!!


Hoping to see some of the British, Italian and Japanese manufacturers take the fight to a German dominated series in 2020, and looking forward to seeing how an SRO style endurance race works on the Indy GP circuit

[Mike E]

Apparently SRO have a 10 year deal with the circuit.

As for local teams getting involved, that would be great but there is no local GT3 presence so that could be difficult.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...-future-round/

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Apparently SRO have a 10 year deal with the circuit.



As for local teams getting involved, that would be great but there is no local GT3 presence so that could be difficult.



https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...-future-round/

Pleased to hear the circuit has a long term contract as that should allow everything to strengthen over the next few years

And sure there is little GT3 presence now, so this circuit is really the exception to the rule. Hopefully we might see a few more local entrants in the coming years

[MaskedRacer]

ICGT was pretty solid this year overall. The exception was the Spa 24. All of the other races are rewatchable. Favorite one of the year was probably Suzuka 10 hours. Laguna Seca did go safety car free, but the grid was still too small.

Improvements needed are:

1. The obvious one. End FCY to Safety car. FCY for debris and stalled cars. Only use Safety cars for genuine crashes.

2. Kyalami needs more daylight racing.

3. Spa grid needs to be smaller.

4. Bathurst always has so much potential but the fun of it is taken away by so many safety cars. I think the event should be GT3 only plus a couple of those Marcs perhaps to make up a national class.

5. The Laguna Seca 8 hours is STILL geo blocked on youtube in the USA.

[Juntos]

The world is perhaps ultimately to be defined as a place of suffering. Therefore Nissan is going to leave the series and Aston Martin is coming in.

Who else is joining and leaving?

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Juntos

The world is perhaps ultimately to be defined as a place of suffering. Therefore Nissan is going to leave the series and Aston Martin is coming in.

Who else is joining and leaving?

Nice and optimistic...

Nissan out

AMR and McLaren in

[Juntos]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

AMR and McLaren in

I wouldn't put big hopes in McLaren as they tend to disappoint us.

[Akrapovic]

Every silver lining has a cloud.

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Improvements needed are:

1. The obvious one. End FCY to Safety car. FCY for debris and stalled cars. Only use Safety cars for genuine crashes.
.

I agree strongly that FCY to SC is a pain, but as someone who has marshalled the Spa 24 the last 2 years (Radillion & Blanchimont respectively) there is no way we would have gone out on track (as quickly as we did) to deal with the big incidents we had at night if there was race neutralisation with a Safety Car.

Drivers never slow until they meet the safety car train, anyone pitting will be running at race pace until they catch up.

For genuine crashes - FCY every time.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Juntos

I wouldn't put big hopes in McLaren as they tend to disappoint us.

What doesn’t disappoint you Juntos

Ever miserable

The rest of us will continue to enjoy our light hearted speculation, the point of this forum

[Juntos]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

What doesn’t disappoint you Juntos

The quality of the Intercontinental GT Challenge races.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Juntos

The quality of the Intercontinental GT Challenge races.

I’m not sure anyone would think you’re a race fan let alone a IGTC fan from the tone of your comments

[Juntos]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

I’m not sure anyone would think you’re a race fan let alone a IGTC fan from the tone of your comments

You never saw me writing a negative comment about IGTC.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

I agree strongly that FCY to SC is a pain, but as someone who has marshalled the Spa 24 the last 2 years (Radillion & Blanchimont respectively) there is no way we would have gone out on track (as quickly as we did) to deal with the big incidents we had at night if there was race neutralisation with a Safety Car.

Drivers never slow until they meet the safety car train, anyone pitting will be running at race pace until they catch up.

For genuine crashes - FCY every time.

FCY to SC is fine if a SC is needed. But restarting from FCY by means of a SC every time is silly.

However, and to wander off topic a bit, these rules are not yet as ridiculous as IMSA's SC procedures.

[Akrapovic]

I think in some ways, the SRO system is worse. It doesn't do wave-arounds properly, so the class battles get destroyed. IMSA preserves the class battles.

[NaBUru38]

Audi Sport is not pleased that in 2020 the Suzuka 10 Hours and Indianapolis 8 Hours will clash with ADAC GT Masters races.


https://sportscar365.com/sro/igtc/au...sters-clashes/