Intercontinental GT Challenge

[W2Motorsport]

Originally Posted by 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/

Being that SRO is responsible for British GT, Blancpain (or whatever it will be) Europe, Asia and America I doubt they are going to schedule IGT races against those series. With ELMS, ADAC GT Masters, WEC, IMSA, and all of the other series that run GT cars all over the world I don't think SRO can be expected to produce magical weekends with no conflicts all season. I would say the ADAC GT Masters races are likely easier to reschedule than these big endurance races. It's not like it's just Audi that is disadvantaged. Non German makers are the only ones not likely to be affected.

[Juntos]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

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

Even Jesus Christ did not please everyone. Audi Sport had plenty of resources and ten full-time GT drivers to manage the situation properly.

[Racing Harz]

Originally Posted by Juntos

Even Jesus Christ did not please everyone. Audi Sport had plenty of resources and ten full-time GT drivers to manage the situation properly.

12 full-time GT-Drivers...
http://gt-place.com/2019/12/02/audi-...2020-komplett/

[rich07]

Originally Posted by 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/

The sports bigger then any manufacturer. Audi will just have to sort it out the best they can.

Big surprise to see Bortolotti switch from Lamborghini to Audi but with Grasser appearing to take a step back compared to FFF Racing maybe it’s a good move.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by rich07

The sports bigger then any manufacturer. Audi will just have to sort it out the best they can.

Big surprise to see Bortolotti switch from Lamborghini to Audi but with Grasser appearing to take a step back compared to FFF Racing maybe it’s a good move.

Grasser going to IMSA full time is no step back. Thought Bortolotti was a lock for one of those seats. Guess not now. Just a means that FFF and Grasser don't step on each other's toes. Since it looks like Lambo has two main teams now.

[W2Motorsport]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Grasser going to IMSA full time is no step back. Thought Bortolotti was a lock for one of those seats. Guess not now. Just a means that FFF and Grasser don't step on each other's toes. Since it looks like Lambo has two main teams now.

I find it difficult to consider IMSA a step up from Blancpain Europe. Perhaps it's a lateral move at best to go from contesting the most difficult GT3 series on the planet, to running the lowest class of the second best mixed class endurance series. Not to mention the atmosphere and general exposure that is generated from road racing in Europe vs. America is on another level. Here IMSA coverage is sometimes live, sometimes not, on a channel you don't get with basic coverage. The average American vaguely knows some NASCAR drivers (Maybe not anymore as Stewart, Gordon, and Earnhardt are all retired) but have no idea who Felipe Nasir, Earl Bamber, or Romain Dumas are. At the track I would say that the atmosphere is not as good as a WEC race in Europe (I'll be able to compare to Blancpain next Sept. in Nurburgring).

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by W2Motorsport

I find it difficult to consider IMSA a step up from Blancpain Europe. Perhaps it's a lateral move at best to go from contesting the most difficult GT3 series on the planet, to running the lowest class of the second best mixed class endurance series. Not to mention the atmosphere and general exposure that is generated from road racing in Europe vs. America is on another level. Here IMSA coverage is sometimes live, sometimes not, on a channel you don't get with basic coverage. The average American vaguely knows some NASCAR drivers (Maybe not anymore as Stewart, Gordon, and Earnhardt are all retired) but have no idea who Felipe Nasir, Earl Bamber, or Romain Dumas are. At the track I would say that the atmosphere is not as good as a WEC race in Europe (I'll be able to compare to Blancpain next Sept. in Nurburgring).

You're significantly overestimating the impact of GT racing here in Europe! Outside of a few 24h classics (Le Mans, Spa, N'Ring) sportscar and GT races rarely get more than a few thousand spectators.

Here are the numbers for ADAC GT:

Oschersleben > 25.000
Most > 17.800
Red Bull Ring > 16.000
Zandvoort > 14.000
Nürburgring > 18.000
Hockenheim > 18.000
Sachsenring > 25.000

And those are weekend numbers, so you have to divide those by two or three to get the number of the actual people who are at the track at any given time.

I don't have exact figures for Blancpain, but for the races that I have been to, I'd say that they are pulling similar if not slightly smaller crowds than ADAC.

There is a reason why European sportscar and GT teams have crossed the pond time and again

[W2Motorsport]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

You're significantly overestimating the impact of GT racing here in Europe! Outside of a few 24h classics (Le Mans, Spa, N'Ring) sportscar and GT races rarely get more than a few thousand spectators.

Here are the numbers for ADAC GT:

Oschersleben > 25.000
Most > 17.800
Red Bull Ring > 16.000
Zandvoort > 14.000
Nürburgring > 18.000
Hockenheim > 18.000
Sachsenring > 25.000

And those are weekend numbers, so you have to divide those by two or three to get the number of the actual people who are at the track at any given time.

I don't have exact figures for Blancpain, but for the races that I have been to, I'd say that they are pulling similar if not slightly smaller crowds than ADAC.

There is a reason why European sportscar and GT teams have crossed the pond time and again

Fair enough, although I still think GTD barely gets any coverage on IMSA races as well. I still think it's a sad loss to European racing as they were a big supporter of many of the series I love to follow. I do follow IMSA as well, but I'm a GT fan and they don't really show much of the GT stuff (aside from VIR and Limerock). I think in general as a top team it would always be better to run in a series where you are in the spot light. However there is a reason I'm not running a team either so I'll defer to their expertise and decision making.

[Racing Harz]

Originally Posted by W2Motorsport

Fair enough, although I still think GTD barely gets any coverage on IMSA races as well. I still think it's a sad loss to European racing as they were a big supporter of many of the series I love to follow. I do follow IMSA as well, but I'm a GT fan and they don't really show much of the GT stuff (aside from VIR and Limerock). I think in general as a top team it would always be better to run in a series where you are in the spot light. However there is a reason I'm not running a team either so I'll defer to their expertise and decision making.

GRT will still run three Huracan in ADAC GT Masters.
http://gt-place.com/2019/10/29/gottf...gramm-von-grt/

[Purist]

I'm sure the stream, which is what I watch when it gets posted to YouTube, does a better job of covering GTD than the telecast. So I probably don't notice as much.

That said, I'll take the track selection in IMSA over pretty much any other GT3 series, aside from the IGTC. It doesn't hurt exposure either that GTD is returning to Long Beach in 2020.

Admittedly, I haven't made it to a European WEC round, but I can't say that I found the ALMS/IMSA races I've attended at Road America, Mid Ohio, Lime Rock, or VIR to be lacking in atmosphere or positive feeling. Unfortunately, yes, I didn't get as good a sense from the 2012 Glen 6-Hour under GA, or the 2014 IMSA race at Indy.

[chernaudi]

Porsche shuffles IGTC driver lineup as, among other items, Timo Bernhard and Jorg Bergmeister retire from active competition, though will remain with Porsche as ambassadors.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/c...ctory-drivers/

[rich07]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Porsche shuffles IGTC driver lineup as, among other items, Timo Bernhard and Jorg Bergmeister retire from active competition, though will remain with Porsche as ambassadors.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/c...ctory-drivers/

Great to see Matt Campbell promoted but it’s a bit odd to see Olsen who is this years IGTC champion get dropped.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by rich07

Great to see Matt Campbell promoted but it’s a bit odd to see Olsen who is this years IGTC champion get dropped.

Olsen was a junior, im very suprised Porsche wouldnt have promoted him, so I wonder if this was an Olsen move not a Porsche move?

Maybe he got a deal elsewhere he liked more

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Olsen was a junior, im very suprised Porsche wouldnt have promoted him, so I wonder if this was an Olsen move not a Porsche move?

Maybe he got a deal elsewhere he liked more

Not sure about the deal with Olsen either. He and Campbell seemed like the up and comers for Porsche along with Jaminet.

IGCT for Porsche seems like for the factory drivers who are brand new or have been around the block. The ones in the middle which are the drivers in their prime so to speak are with the 911 RSR in IMSA or WEC.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by 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.

I paid nada attention to this event and only just now watched the recorded race (congested) and wow! What a pleasant surprise the track is. The WEC race there next year (2021) should be another highlight as well.

I won't claim the tide is turning but with tracks like this being re-included in major championships bodes well in a racing world polluted with Tilkedromes and parking lots.

[Bcarr6]

Following Bentleys announcement of a full 2 car IGTC season with M-Sport, we now how 5-6 full season entries. This is full season teams only, most Porsche, Audi and Mercedes entries are likely to change team each race


Orange1 FFF Racing - Lamborghini Huracan GT3 - Andrea Caldarelli / Marco Mapelli / Dennis Lind
GruppeM - Mercedes AMG GT3 - Felipe Fraga / TBA / TBA
JAS Motorsport - Honda NSX GT3 - TBA / TBA / TBA
M-Sport - Bentley Continental GT3 - Oliver Jarvis / Alex Buncombe / Seb Morris
M-Sport - Bentley Continental GT3 - Maxime Soulet / Jules Gounon / Jordan Pepper
WRT - Audi R8 LMS GT3 - TBA / TBA / TBA

[GregoryDG]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Following Bentleys announcement of a full 2 car IGTC season with M-Sport, we now how 5-6 full season entries. This is full season teams only, most Porsche, Audi and Mercedes entries are likely to change team each race


Orange1 FFF Racing - Lamborghini Huracan GT3 - Andrea Caldarelli / Marco Mapelli / Dennis Lind
GruppeM - Mercedes AMG GT3 - Felipe Fraga / TBA / TBA
JAS Motorsport - Honda NSX GT3 - TBA / TBA / TBA
M-Sport - Bentley Continental GT3 - Oliver Jarvis / Alex Buncombe / Seb Morris
M-Sport - Bentley Continental GT3 - Maxime Soulet / Jules Gounon / Jordan Pepper
WRT - Audi R8 LMS GT3 - TBA / TBA / TBA

Felipe Frage / Raffaele Marciello / Maximilian Buhk

WRT is not a full season entry.

[Bcarr6]

Garage 59 Racing - Aston Martin Vantage GT3 - Come Ledogar / Alex West / Chris Goodwin

In for the full season in PRO AM

[E.B]

BMW (Walkenhorst) commit to full season

BMW Motorsport have become the seventh manufacturer to confirm a full-season Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli entry in 2020.

BMW join Audi, Bentley, Honda, Lamborghini, Mercedes-AMG and reigning champions Porsche on the list of 2020’s confirmed Intercontinental entries.

Walkenhorst Motorsport will field two M6 GT3s at four of the five rounds after logistical difficulties restricted it to a single car at this weekend’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.

Augusto Farfus and Chaz Mostert, who won the GTLM class for BMW at Daytona 24 Hours on Sunday, are joined in Australia by Nick Catsburg. Martin Tomczyk, Nick Yelloly and David Pittard will also feature this year once the team’s second car appears at the Total 24 Hours of Spa in July.

More here: https://www.bathurst12hour.com.au/ne...nental-season/

[Juntos]

Nine manufacturers confirmed. Success.

[krzysiek_aleks]

12 cars at Kyalami

TWELVE

10 overall, 1 Pro-Am and 1 silver

[bentley speed 8]

That's just three more than the number of hours they are going to race....

[tux]

Hopefully things pick up a bit. I think the idea behind the Intercontinental GT Challenge is a good one BUT its no fun watching a handful of cars for 9 hours imo.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by krzysiek_aleks

12 cars at Kyalami

TWELVE

10 overall, 1 Pro-Am and 1 silver

Killarney 9 Hours looking a bit better supported than the Kyalami 9 Hours.

https://twitter.com/jbleekemolen/sta...206074880?s=19

[Anyopenroad]

I am very surprised that SRO have persisted with the Kyalami race. I can’t see how it was ever going to have a worthy field in pandemic times.