GT Open 2017

[TF110]

Emil Frey took the first race victory on their debut race! Was a great battle for the lead in the last 15 minutes among the top 3. Awesome result for Emil Frey and the Lexus. The Farnbacher guys took 4th in the other Lexus behind two McLaren's.

[Bcarr6]

Good result this weekend for the two Lexus cars. Not sure how well the pro / pro am format works yet though

[TF110]

Very cool to see both Lexus teams get a win on their debut.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by TF110

Very cool to see both Lexus teams get a win on their debut.

Not particularly flattering for the series' regulars, though.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Not particularly flattering for the series' regulars, though.

A lot of the series regulars run in Pro Am. the new addition of the pro cars doesn't make them too pleased I'm sure

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

A lot of the series regulars run in Pro Am. the new addition of the pro cars doesn't make them too pleased I'm sure

While this is true, GT Open is hardly in a position to turn down a relatively high-profile entrant, and a factory-backed effort at that. It makes sense from Lexus to get the car sorted in a lower profile series, but it sets IGTO out as a stepping stone to the inevitable move to SRO series, where the true competition, exposure and prestige is (despite the questionable stewarding of late).

Still, you can only beat what's put in front of you. Hopefully the RC-Fs will maintain this performance throughout the season.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by J Jay

While this is true, GT Open is hardly in a position to turn down a relatively high-profile entrant, and a factory-backed effort at that. It makes sense from Lexus to get the car sorted in a lower profile series, but it sets IGTO out as a stepping stone to the inevitable move to SRO series, where the true competition, exposure and prestige is (despite the questionable stewarding of late).

Still, you can only beat what's put in front of you. Hopefully the RC-Fs will maintain this performance throughout the season.

I do think that Lexus's presence along with the grid size made GT Open fun to watch. Good comeback for the series. IGTO is a relevant series for the first time since 2013 during the GTE/GT3 interclass battles.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

I do think that Lexus's presence along with the grid size made GT Open fun to watch. Good comeback for the series. IGTO is a relevant series for the first time since 2013 during the GTE/GT3 interclass battles.

Having watched the race as well, I'm not saying it wasn't good - I enjoyed it as much as the BGT races this weekend. But we've been here before with GT Open (remember Manthey?) and it's going to take more than a pair of Lexus' to make the series a genuine head-turner in such a crowded GT3 market.

If Farnbacher & Emil Frey don't move on and are joined by other all-pro entries next year, then we're talking.

[TF110]

Kinoshita san, from previous head of the lmp1 Toyota, says the victories were unexpected. He goes on to say that there are only 6 cars running right now, 2 each in Europe, Japan and America. Also confirms that the car wasn't ready (for bop testing?) for the SRO but hopes to be in the Blancpain races later this year.

[morninggents]

Craig Dolby and Thomas Enge in Nigel Mustill's Lambo entered at Spa. It would be good to see Craig as he's had good results there but unfortunately I can't get this year. Damn!

[ivozet]

Nothing @ all

Touring Car Open set to kick off season at Paul Ricard


23.05.2017
Due to several circumstances, GT Sport has taken the decision to change the date for the season-opener of the TC Open, which will finally start later than originally planned. Therefore, the start of the Touring Car Open will take place at Paul Ricard HTTT on 10-11 June instead. The rest of the 2017 calendar remains unchanged with a sixth round to be announced shortly.

We do apologize for the inconvenience but we consider it’s justified in order to ensure success of the Touring Car Open series.

FRANCE Paul Ricard 10-11.06.2017
HUNGARY Hungaroring 01-02.07.2017
ENGLAND Silverstone 02-03.09.2017
ITALY Monza 30.09-01.10.2017
SPAIN Barcelona 28-29.10.2017

* Round 6 to be announced shortly

[TF110]

Another win for the (Emil Frey) Lexus RC F at Spa race 1, after taking pole.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by TF110

Another win for the (Emil Frey) Lexus RC F at Spa race 1, after taking pole.

They have GT Open pretty well covered this year it looks like. Partly because most teams are Pro Am...

[Juntos]

Originally Posted by TF110

Another win for the (Emil Frey) Lexus RC F at Spa race 1, after taking pole.

A journey of a thousand miles in GT Open begins with a single step - arrange a good BoP for your car.

[TF110]

Do you know the BOP?

[Marcel ten Caat]

Originally Posted by TF110

Do you know the BOP?

For Spa (and also in place at Estoril)

Standard weight 1300kg, no additional ballast.
2 X 38 mm restrictors.

[Akrapovic]

I'd like to see it in a more competitive environment. GT Open is fine but it's hardly Blancpain and IMSA GTD is meant to be an Am team class. Years of development on this car trying to get it fast enough to BOP it, it seems a waste to be stuck in GT Open.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

I'd like to see it in a more competitive environment. GT Open is fine but it's hardly Blancpain and IMSA GTD is meant to be an Am team class. Years of development on this car trying to get it fast enough to BOP it, it seems a waste to be stuck in GT Open.

I don't think it will be there for long, provided the performances remain good enough. Apologies to any big GT Open fans, but it's clearly a tier below Blancpain in competition and exposure and that's why it's an ideal series to test the waters, both in terms of development and politicking. Eventually they should upgrade to BSS/BES (more likely the latter), although I think this will depend on Emil Frey's insistence given the extreme cautiousness of Lexus so far.

[TF110]

They didn't dominate race 2, until the rain came and then they were the class of the field. It seems the McLaren with Ledogar is the strongest imo. Who knows if it would have been different if Farnbacher would have had the lead early, he seemed held up by the Lamborghini in the dry. There's not the same amount of competition as in Blancpain, but there are some quality drivers and teams entered in GT Open. Going back to the RC F's final (current) iteration, it did win it's first race in the VLN with the Farnbacher's behind the wheel, and it won GT300 at Fuji. Yoshiaki Kinoshita already said they want to take it to Blancpain later this year. I wonder which one.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by TF110

They didn't dominate race 2, until the rain came and then they were the class of the field. It seems the McLaren with Ledogar is the strongest imo. Who knows if it would have been different if Farnbacher would have had the lead early, he seemed held up by the Lamborghini in the dry. There's not the same amount of competition as in Blancpain, but there are some quality drivers and teams entered in GT Open. Going back to the RC F's final (current) iteration, it did win it's first race in the VLN with the Farnbacher's behind the wheel, and it won GT300 at Fuji. Yoshiaki Kinoshita already said they want to take it to Blancpain later this year. I wonder which one.

The thing to note here is the PRO PRO category in Gt Open is new and the majority of those capable of competing with the Lexus entries such as Bell, Ledogar, Caldarelli etc all have an Am guy in the car for the other half of the race

The other Pro Pro entries aren't the strongest in my opinion

[Akrapovic]

That's what I mean. It's a very non-aggressive attitude, which is what they've had during the entire development of this car. Very little ambition or proper get-up-and-go about the project. They finally get the car where it should be, and they enter it in Am dominated series in the US and Europe.

It's just a missed opportunity, which sums up this project. Similar with the Acura, I want to see that run properly, on a level playing field. None of this picking easy fights stuff. Do stuff because it's a challenge.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

That's what I mean. It's a very non-aggressive attitude, which is what they've had during the entire development of this car. Very little ambition or proper get-up-and-go about the project. They finally get the car where it should be, and they enter it in Am dominated series in the US and Europe.

It's just a missed opportunity, which sums up this project. Similar with the Acura, I want to see that run properly, on a level playing field. None of this picking easy fights stuff. Do stuff because it's a challenge.

Well, they entered two of them in America, in their premiere sportscar series, they entered two of them in Japan, in their premiere sportscar series. They will supposedly enter two of them in Europe later this year in Blancpain. Why is going to GT Open such a bad move for a brand new car? Not sure if you followed the development of the RC F that closely, but it was troubled because the road car it was based on isn't the most ideal platform. The road car's chassis itself is a mix of different parts of other Lexus vehicles. Weight (body and engine) was arguably the biggest challenge and they finally got it right. Toyota/Lexus never did a GT3 car before on top of that. You gotta start somewhere.

The bop on the car looks close to the same as in VLN where it won it's first race. Speaking of VLN, the car first appeared there, which is probably the toughest place to test your race car. I'd consider that a challenge

[Akrapovic]

They entered 2 of them in American in an Am class as a pro team. Let's not pretend they've gone in on a level playing field on that one. VLN races are often about BOP gaming and delta running outside the N24. SuperGT seems fair enough but I don't know much about it. But debuting your factory backed cars in Am classes and weaker series just seems a bit of a waste of time tbh.

I'm looking forward to seeing the car in a big boy series and playing with other GT3s properly. Its disappointing to wait this long on it (the excuses don't wash tbh. GT3 cars are basically prototypes - they just got it wrong for quite a while) and when it's finally here they enter into Am classes and series rather than the main ones. Was looking forward to this and the NSX and it's all been a bit disappointing and skewed.

Hopefully they will enter it in a Blancpain race this year, and a proper full season effort next. That's when the real fun begins.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

They entered 2 of them in American in an Am class as a pro team. Let's not pretend they've gone in on a level playing field on that one. VLN races are often about BOP gaming and delta running outside the N24. SuperGT seems fair enough but I don't know much about it. But debuting your factory backed cars in Am classes and weaker series just seems a bit of a waste of time tbh.

Others are doing and have done the same thing. Why criticize only the Lexus team? There's guys racing on their squad that are not very good 'pros' and the driver ratings thing is far from being perfect. And the VLN series being a BOP game applies to all cars, not just one. And usually it's before the N24 they try to game the system, not after (when the RC F won late in the year).

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

I'm looking forward to seeing the car in a big boy series and playing with other GT3s properly. Its disappointing to wait this long on it (the excuses don't wash tbh. GT3 cars are basically prototypes - they just got it wrong for quite a while) and when it's finally here they enter into Am classes and series rather than the main ones. Was looking forward to this and the NSX and it's all been a bit disappointing and skewed.

GT300 in Super GT is not an AM class. You admitted you don't know about that so maybe you should watch it sometime. The races are on NismoTV's youtube. The GT3 cars run the same BOP as they do in SRO.

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Hopefully they will enter it in a Blancpain race this year, and a proper full season effort next. That's when the real fun begins.

It's still just a GT3, they can enter any series that runs those cars and it'll be fun. Blancpain is not the end all be all to GT3 racing. What makes Emil Frey or Farnbacher that much better than any other team running currently in GTOpen?

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

They entered 2 of them in American in an Am class as a pro team. Let's not pretend they've gone in on a level playing field on that one. VLN races are often about BOP gaming and delta running outside the N24. SuperGT seems fair enough but I don't know much about it. But debuting your factory backed cars in Am classes and weaker series just seems a bit of a waste of time tbh.

I'm looking forward to seeing the car in a big boy series and playing with other GT3s properly. Its disappointing to wait this long on it (the excuses don't wash tbh. GT3 cars are basically prototypes - they just got it wrong for quite a while) and when it's finally here they enter into Am classes and series rather than the main ones. Was looking forward to this and the NSX and it's all been a bit disappointing and skewed.

Hopefully they will enter it in a Blancpain race this year, and a proper full season effort next. That's when the real fun begins.

I wouldn't put the Acura in the same boat as the Lexus. Lexus is on what year 4 of development in Competition

Acura is in year one?

I expected better from the Lexus, some easy wins in the Gt Open score them some easy PR releases, but I don't think the GT Open competition should be so easily dismissed. The championship has historically been a Pro Am championship, so most of the established teams run to that effect. Lexus come in with two full pro cars and celebrate easy wins

Of course they are going to win. Come Ledogar and Rob Bell has shown how much Pro driven Mclarens are than a Pro driven Lexus. But an Am gets in those cars for the second half of the race and isn't as quick as the second pro. It's simple

Point being, the level of competition in Gt Open is great, and I don't think it's fair to dismiss the championship as lower leagues.