FIA GT FIA GT 2007 rumours and speculations - Page 4

SALEEN S7R · 19 Jan 2007, 22:10 (Ref:1819829)

Ah yes so it did, my mistake. The only reason though that Aston Martin won IMO was due to the fact they were only carrying 25kg of ballast whereas the Maserati's were all very heavy with sucess ballast after doing very well in the opening 2 races of the year, I beleive the 2 Vitaphone cars were carrying as much as 100kg each, 50kg at least. When both manufacturers have raced one another on a equal footing in terms of penalties though it is the Maserati who has proved stronger.

As I am sure you will agree Dani a 75kg weight differnce between 2 cars has a considerable impact on the heavier cars speed, 75kg could be worth anything up to 1 second a lap, therefore making any real comparisson pretty hard. The Spa 24 hours is the only race where both manufacturers ran cars without ballast.

Splendid Cat · 19 Jan 2007, 23:42 (Ref:1819914)

But why does the Maserati carry statutory ballast - ask yourself? Maserati MC12 'v' Aston Martin DBR9 = Apples 'v Pears. The MC12 is a wonderful car in it's own right yet is of a diffferent conception to all other GT1 cars. One would expect it to be quicker - we can only have the debate on comparison due to the sanctions imposed on it. Sans sanctions = not even a marginal debate

TheNewBob · 20 Jan 2007, 10:22 (Ref:1820123)

The works Aston raced at Silverstone in '05 is probably much further developed by now, so I'd imagine they would still be a big handful for the MC12's. Comparing cars from different years like this is often difficult because it's hard to say how much they've both been developed when they haven't been pitched against each other for 18 months or so.

F360 · 20 Jan 2007, 13:47 (Ref:1820289)

2 Edil Cris 430's for the '07 season.

Source - Endurance Info
http://www.endurance-info.com/articl...d=3047&thold=0

Ranald · 20 Jan 2007, 15:12 (Ref:1820357)

The FIA weekends seem to be shaping up rather nicely. Most of the following info is from DSC but they have sourced the latest SRO newsletter.
Obvioulsy we all know about the changes to the 'main' race, with the biggest change being the reduction in race length. The GT3 championship will not change its format.
The proposed GT4 seems likely to go ahead with the SRO expecting 20-30 cars in the forst season for the two 30 minute standing start sprint races each weekend. The cars power/weight ratio must not be below 3.4 kg/bhp and range from Honda S2000 to Ford Mustang to Mitsubishi Eclipse. Obvioulsy the actual cars competing will deoend on who wants to build/race what. There will be no limit or obligations on the number of cars run by any team or manufacturer.
Another series which has come as a bit of a suprise to me although I seem to remember it being mentioned is the GT 90's Revival Series. There will only be 2 race weekends this season at Silverstone and Nogaro and will comprise of 45 minute races with mandatory pitstops. There will apparently be 3 classes with the SRO again expecting 20-30 cars:
GT1: cars from BPR GT1, ACO GT1 and FIA GT1
GT2: cars from BPR GT2, ACO GT2 and FIA GT2
GT3: cars from single make series like the Porsche Cup, Ferrari Challenge, Venturi Trophy and Lamborghini Supersport.

Whether the GT4 and 90's GT series will come together I'm not sure but it sounds a good weekend out to me. I'm not sure whether we actually need GT4 either but thats another story. Sorry if that was a bit tough to read but I couldn't find the SRO newsletter to link to.

davemk7 · 20 Jan 2007, 23:16 (Ref:1820587)

gt4 is starting to sound promising. I maybe very wrong on that if it hurts gt1 but it really could work........

Does anyone know where the tv coverage is going to be this year?

Speed-King · 20 Jan 2007, 23:33 (Ref:1820600)

GT4 looks to me a lot like a clone of the Grand Am Cup/Koni Challenge, but as that model works very well in the US, it might also be a good idea for Europe. I'm looking forward to it, though it's not really what true sportscar racing is about...

Graham Goodwin · 21 Jan 2007, 10:25 (Ref:1820777)

There is a looming problem here - Just where are we going to see the drivers emerging from with budgets for these series?

National championships are already struggling for drivers, even with well established and successful teams - The number of cars is not the real issue, the number of drivers with the resources to compete is!

Satorian · 21 Jan 2007, 11:40 (Ref:1820835)

Isn't that kind of the point to it? They want to tap the "long tail" of potential racing drivers. The cheaper it is, the more people should be around to afford the racing. The future will show whether the demographic can indeed match the SRO's expectations.

Graham Goodwin · 21 Jan 2007, 11:46 (Ref:1820839)

But there isn't that long a tail!

Either GT4 drivers aren't currently driving GT cars or they are driving in national championships.

If you are attempting to attract new blood then why make it a European / new car only series?

Surely it makes more sense to trial it nationally?

And I cannot see any sense whatsoever in having the first round of GT4 and the 90s revival, plus the first 2007 GT3 round and the first European FIA GT round on the same weekend as a Le Mans Series race!

Satorian · 21 Jan 2007, 12:09 (Ref:1820857)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

But there isn't that long a tail!

Either GT4 drivers aren't currently driving GT cars or they are driving in national championships.

I think they looked at te VLN there. The VLN has lots of classes with easy entry, and while there are some serious teams, many are grassroots privateers and amateurs. There are about 220 cars driven at the Nordschleife 24H and I think they hope to attract a similar crowd, if perhaps a bit more padded financially.

Quote:

If you are attempting to attract new blood then why make it a European / new car only series?
Surely it makes more sense to trial it nationally?

That's a valid point in my opinion. They could have played it safer. The traveling costs and time effort alone will probably seem unreasonably high compared to the running of the car itself. A broader car base and closer circuits would surely attract more people.
I wonder whether they'll give up on the concept if it doesn't work in its inaugural year, or whether they'll scale it down as described and try again.

Quote:

And I cannot see any sense whatsoever in having the first round of GT4 and the 90s revival, plus the first 2007 GT3 round and the first European FIA GT round on the same weekend as a Le Mans Series race!

That's indeed absolute ********.

old man · 22 Jan 2007, 11:02 (Ref:1821612)

The 90's revival will be interesting if some of the older cars are still in race condition, a Porsche 911 GT1 for instance or McLaren F1 GTR, I was told at the Autosport show that the EMKA car is for sale at the moment, I believe Rowan Atkinson owns it now. The idea to run this class at Silverstone is a good one as there some of these cars in the UK, can a driver do more than one race? It would be good to see some of our current FIA GT drivers take their old seats against some of the newer guys in similar cars, I can see this bringing in some of the old spectators from 90's British GT, historics always bring in a crowd

rich07 · 23 Jan 2007, 00:47 (Ref:1822337)

Does anyone know when SRO will release a full season entry list for FIA GT 07like they did last year? From memory i think it was sometime in February. GT1 sounds strong and we'll hopefully see a good Ferrari Porsche battle in GT2 so I'm looking forward to this year's racing. I might even be at Spa this year- fingers crossed! With BMS running Porsches in GT2 will we see Scuderia Ecosse back? I really hope someone picks up that Zakspeed Saleen, that chassis will be going cheap as will a lot of stuff at Zakspeed- shame really I was hoping Zakspeed would return for 07 but thats impossible now.

Monkey Head · 23 Jan 2007, 03:25 (Ref:1822398)

I am not sure is it off topic but I have to tell the prices of FIA GT opening round,Zhuhai:

paddock pass:300RMB
guest pass:150RMB

saturday ticket:50RMB
sunday ticket:70RMB
package ticket:80RMB

and there are some of VIP ticket which cost over thousand of RMB

Steve Carter · 23 Jan 2007, 05:04 (Ref:1822433)

POSTED TODAY on Grandprix.com

The FIA's policy of drug testing has resulted in a two-year licence suspension for 33-year-old Italian GT racer Luca Moro, who tested positive in a routine doping test carried out at the 2006 Spa 24 Hours after benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of cocaine) was discovered in a urine sample. This was confirmed by a second test from the same original sample. The driver has the right to appeal against his sentence, which will be back-dated to August 31 2006.

Cocaine is a substance prohibited in sport by the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) rules, which are used by the FIA.

F1 drivers regularly undergo drug tests but there have been no major problems to date as there are believed to be very few drugs that do not have detrimental effects which balance any advantage gained.

Dani Filth · 23 Jan 2007, 16:45 (Ref:1823896)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkey Head

I am not sure is it off topic but I have to tell the prices of FIA GT opening round,Zhuhai:

paddock pass:300RMB
guest pass:150RMB

saturday ticket:50RMB
sunday ticket:70RMB
package ticket:80RMB

and there are some of VIP ticket which cost over thousand of RMB

how much would that be in Euros .. i'm trying to compare with Bucharest
http://www.ks-design.de/ks/clients/bucharest/

sh1989 · 23 Jan 2007, 16:55 (Ref:1823903)

you have to devide the rmb by 10 than you get how much it is in euro

Ranald · 23 Jan 2007, 17:34 (Ref:1823936)

£5 for a weekend ticket!!! Bloody hell!

HORNDAWG · 23 Jan 2007, 17:37 (Ref:1823942)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranald

£5 for a weekend ticket!!! Bloody hell!

Yes at the exchange rate, but then you have to factor in prevailing wage and the picture changes quite a bit!

L.P.

Ranald · 23 Jan 2007, 17:58 (Ref:1823957)

Good point HORNDAWG.

AU N EGL · 23 Jan 2007, 18:11 (Ref:1823970)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Yes at the exchange rate, but then you have to factor in prevailing wage and the picture changes quite a bit!

L.P.

£5 for a weekend ticket could translate into a two days wages in Romania

"According to Deutsche Bank, Romania's average income per head in 2005 will be $4084 and. Bulgaria's only $3735,"
Or approx £2,058 / year If all numbers were in 2007 values

Source: http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a

The Badger · 23 Jan 2007, 22:08 (Ref:1824119)

There was a strong rumor doing the rounds about John Neilsen racing a DBR9 this year . What championship was that supposed to be in ?

mirkob · 24 Jan 2007, 08:38 (Ref:1824385)

today news from SportAutoMoto Magazine, in GT2:

8 F430 GT2 and only 1 Porsche 997 confirmed.

F430:
2x AF Corse (Pirelli o Michelin? Bruni, Lopez, Aguas, Vilander, Bouchut?)
2x Scuderia Ecosse
2x JMB GruppeM (confirmed the MC12 in GT1)
2x Edil Cris (Ruberti-Giammaria , Cressoni-TBA)

997
1x Scuderia Italia (Collard-Bobbi?)

TheNewBob · 24 Jan 2007, 09:00 (Ref:1824397)

I wonder what sort of words they'll be cursing with if the 997 turns out to be far better than the F430 hehehe...

Asa · 24 Jan 2007, 09:11 (Ref:1824408)

I thought Collard would drive for Ebimotors?

If the 997 is competitive at Sebring, then the Porsche entries will start flying in.

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