[FIA GT] Back to the future - GT2 2011

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

I can already tell you the target markets -

Northeast (NY, Boston, Philly, DC)
Florida
California

Florida and The Northeast because it would cut down travel cost. This is also the motivation for the World Touring Car series to come to America.

The old series was at Homestead and Sebring

California for several reasons, but FIA/Ratel has past experience at Laguna Seca and it was well-attended race when it was held here in '97 and '98.

I would put my bet right now on Laguna Seca. California Speedway is a Roval was well, last used by Grand Am several years ago, but its constantly in use by NASA and SCCA SoCal Sports Car Club for Regional Events. Its 70 miles from Los Angeles and has a rail connection. Attendance has been falling for NASCAR, it suffered after the CART/IRL split and Grand Am was never accepted here. However Super GT did run expeditionary race here and had planned on returning but that never happen. Attendance was good.

I would avoid the temptation to do a Urban Festival. It could however replace World Challenge at Long Beach, putting it right in the center of things. Since there's only ALMS, Indy Car and Indy Lights if you eliminated WC, I think the Sprint (1 hour) format would work for the series here.

They could also pair up with World Touring Car who's looking to come to America as well. I guess if Chevy does its job and markets the race featuring its Cruze and BMW dealers do their part, I guess it could have a fair turnout on its own, but that's hard to say.

I would go to both events however -

And if he goes to Canada I'm guessing it will be Circuit Mont-Tremblant?

For a series like this it has to be either Laguna Seca or the Glen, and hopefully it will be glorious.

And I think if Chevy wins this year in the WTCC, that means they can put a little sticker on every Cruze saying World Champion. And that opens the doors to a lot of PR and marketing.

[kingkai]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

How do you figure? To somebody with alot of money a few 100K here or there doesn't matter, but the facts remain.

I went over this already, most GT3 run $350K, almost all GT2 cars run Half a Million US.

I'm sorry but a new porsche/ferrari GT2 cost at least 550.000,- euro's and that was already the case in 2008 without the 2008 and 2009 upgrades of atleast another few 10k's. (2006 versions for sale at 350.000 euro's!) The audi r8 LMS GT3 car costs also 550.000,- euros new! and quite some have been bought this year. And come to think of it, how much does this differ from the $1 million pricetag for a new GT1....

Must say that the prices have dropped a 100k here and there when I looked for them more than a year back.
Phoenix DBR-9 was a year back still 660.000 euros, now 399.000,- euros

[fiend540]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Considering they installed FIA approved curbing earlier this year and now have an open date vacated by not asking Indy Car back to the track for 2011, this is very much a possibility, though I rather the ALMS have that date, not likely though.

I don't think we will ever see alms at The Glen, which is a shame but is what it is.

[Félix]

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

And if he goes to Canada I'm guessing it will be Circuit Mont-Tremblant?.

Most probably a no-go because of noise.

The story this year after talks of an "almost certain" NA date is that no one was interested in what Ratel had to offer (sanction fee?)

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by kingkai

I'm sorry but a new porsche/ferrari GT2 cost at least 550.000,- euro's and that was already the case in 2008 without the 2008 and 2009 upgrades of atleast another few 10k's. (2006 versions for sale at 350.000 euro's!) The audi r8 LMS GT3 car costs also 550.000,- euros new! and quite some have been bought this year. And come to think of it, how much does this differ from the $1 million pricetag for a new GT1....

Must say that the prices have dropped a 100k here and there when I looked for them more than a year back.
Phoenix DBR-9 was a year back still 660.000 euros, now 399.000,- euros

Audi R8 LMS is 550k Euros????

The 2010 Audi R8 LMS price is 298,000 Euros plus VAT. The company says the 2010 Audi R8 LMS production is already sold out

Does VAT take it up to $550,000 Euros??? Methinks you don't get charged VAT buying State side.

Seem the Audi's price has increased from the 2009 model.

Porsche's prices are in its press release and the GT3-R is a touch over $300,000US. GT3 Cup is about 65% of that ($180,000).

[I Rosputnik]

Planet Lemans has got a new article up about GT2 next year.

Reading it, it seems like GT2's are going to allowed to run bigger restrictors.

I do think GT3 needs some work. I think if GT3 featured more cars like the Z4 and the 370Z, while GT2 features more upmarket cars such as the Gallardo and the 458 Italia that would work nicely. And then you could have larger cars like the DB9, 599 GTO and B6 racing in GT1.

I hope Ratel knows what he's doing and doesn't screw this up, because I like what he is doing.

[arakis]

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

Planet Lemans has got a new article up about GT2 next year.

Reading it, it seems like GT2's are going to allowed to run bigger restrictors.

I do think GT3 needs some work. I think if GT3 featured more cars like the Z4 and the 370Z, while GT2 features more upmarket cars such as the Gallardo and the 458 Italia that would work nicely. And then you could have larger cars like the DB9, 599 GTO and B6 racing in GT1.

I hope Ratel knows what he's doing and doesn't screw this up, because I like what he is doing.

Ferrari will never sanction the 599 to race in the gt1 class, or any other cup type class.
todays gt1 doesen't apeal to them because even if they build the best car Fia will strangle it! for now gt2 class is the way to go in gt racing if you want true Manufacturer competition!

the GT3 class should be slowed down, since it is in essence also a cup class.

I am not saying the gt1 or gt3 classes are bad, just that they are more driver/team oriented

[kingkai]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Audi R8 LMS is 550k Euros????



Does VAT take it up to $550,000 Euros??? Methinks you don't get charged VAT buying State side.

Seem the Audi's price has increased from the 2009 model.

Porsche's prices are in its press release and the GT3-R is a touch over $300,000US. GT3 Cup is about 65% of that ($180,000).

They must have lowered the pricetag then...

[NaBUru38]

I doubt that this revived championship will bring more teams, just take some from the International GT Open and Le Mans Series.

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

. I think if GT3 featured more cars like the Z4 and the 370Z, while GT2 features more upmarket cars such as the Gallardo and the 458 Italia that would work nicely. And then you could have larger cars like the DB9, 599 GTO and B6 racing in GT1.

Agree. Classes should reflect sizes and prices.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by kingkai

They must have lowered the pricetag then...

Not necessarily. AFAIK 300k€ + 60k VAT buys you the R8 LMS, but not much else - if you want a comprehensive spares package your fast approaching half a million euros....

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Not necessarily. AFAIK 300k€ + 60k VAT buys you the R8 LMS, but not much else - if you want a comprehensive spares package your fast approaching half a million euros....

Yep!




L.P.

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Not necessarily. AFAIK 300k€ + 60k VAT buys you the R8 LMS, but not much else - if you want a comprehensive spares package your fast approaching half a million euros....

This is true but to have top flight crew and hardware (which you can buy used as teams are hanging it up and going out of business all the time), your going to spending at least a Million dollars, Euro or Pound it doesn't matter.

Dale White & Company or any other Championship Winning operation does not come cheap.

I would say Stevenson is spending a FAIR amount on this from scratch operation.

I also think most of the teams (if its a better package) will just migrate from (back?) International GT Open. I think it will be a better package, because like World GT1 and GT3 currently it will be streamed online to all markets, unlike GT Open, which is on Motors TV and no where else.

They have the Spa 24hr race and while I hear some of people's concerns over GT2 cars being the headliner series, it will be at least a 10-12 race calendar too.

The bottom line becomes, do you wanna win or you just happy to be here?

[Speed-King]

They have the Spa 24hr race and while I hear some of people's concerns over GT2 cars being the headliner series, it will be at least a 10-12 race calendar too.

Nope, just Spa plus four or five three hour races... and that really makes sense as it allows teams to run the FIA series and LMS.

Ah, and I wasn't talking about team building above, but about the specific spares and consummables you need to run the Audi for more than a few races...

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Nope, just Spa plus four or five three hour races... and that really makes sense as it allows teams to run the FIA series and LMS.

Ah, and I wasn't talking about team building above, but about the specific spares and consummables you need to run the Audi for more than a few races...

Hmm, at the moment it don't sound like much of anything, at all. Here




L.P.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Hmm, at the moment it don't sound like much of anything, at all. Here




L.P.

Maybe its just me but it sounds to me like they 'announced' it and didnt get a favourable reaction from teams so now its just a 'proposal'. Maybe I'm too cycnical for my own good.......

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by rich07

Maybe its just me but it sounds to me like they 'announced' it and didnt get a favourable reaction from teams so now its just a 'proposal'. Maybe I'm too cycnical for my own good.......

That is how I view it also.




L.P.

[HORNDAWG]

And now the nugget from Autosport (print) that GT-2 will not race at the Spa 24hr. It will become a GT-3/4 event only. More of The Rats fine work!!!!




L.P.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

And now the nugget from Autosport (print) that GT-2 will not race at the Spa 24hr. It will become a GT-3/4 event only. More of The Rats fine work!!!!




L.P.

Does that say something about the interest in the FIA class next season? perhaps.

[HORNDAWG]

Perhaps!




L.P.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by joeb

Does that say something about the interest in the FIA class next season? perhaps.

Yes it appears so, unfortunately. I'm enjoying GT1 WC but I really do miss FIA GT2. I'm not a fan of SRO stripping classes from Spa, first it was GT1 and now GT2, what a massive shame.

[NaBUru38]

Form British Formula 3's 2011 calendar, here we have four 2011 SRO GT Endurance Series dates:

April - Monza
July - Spa-Francorchamps
August - Nürburgring
October - Silverstone

[rich07]

Will there be four or more then that?

Wonder who would enter the series, might help if they've drop the stupid driver classifications they proposed for this year-and look what happened eh?

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by rich07

Yes it appears so, unfortunately. I'm enjoying GT1 WC but I really do miss FIA GT2. I'm not a fan of SRO stripping classes from Spa, first it was GT1 and now GT2, what a massive shame.

I've been strongly supporting and following the GT1 WC this year, but I think what the SRO and FIA are doing to SPA is an utter shame. The Spa 24 hours should be the premier GT racing event with all GT classes racing from all parts of the world; GT1, GT2, GT3 and GT4. Not a glorified GT3 race.

[Speed-King]

Not a glorified GT3 race.

As far as I'm concerned, the world's best race is a glorified GT3 race. You know, the one 100 miles East of Spa on that weird long track

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

As far as I'm concerned, the world's best race is a glorified GT3 race. You know, the one 100 miles East of Spa on that weird long track

Ah, but there's different classes to that race. I have no issues with GT3 racing but I would like to see GT1's and GT2's at Spa racing along side the GT3's.