GT3: ACO style

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by joeb

On that front, the new Mustang has started practicing and it seems to sound great. Although sounds may have been amplified for the video:

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...g-gt3-emerges/

On similar front, Aston Martin may be looking for a new WEC team, and Heart of Racing is looking to join WEC:

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...24-wec-effort/

Saw that clip yesterday.. fab soundimg and fab looking beast!!

[RL17]

So is the Mustang rebuilt on a Mustang tub/chassis. Assume not a silhouette racer in GT3.

Thought HOR unlucky not to get both considering last year performance.

If you’re WEC reserve surely you should LM place of be in top 3 reserve places with top GTE AM spot -even more so when the category in on last hurrah year.

AML are not focused on WEC like when last GTE’s homog’d

[GT3_Fan]

I wonder if a criteria to get in to the WEC GT3 class it to run with a manufacturer that is different from the rest. 2 cars between 10 makes gives you a 20 car grid. 18 full season hyper/GTP cars you got 38 right there.

4 German manufacturers (por, aud, bmw, merc), 2 Italian (Fer, Lamb), 2 British (Ast, Mcl), 2 American (Chev, Ford)

If that is the way they do it. Then that will give it some identity. Cause higher level GT racing honestly is still in other places N'Ring 24, GT WC Europe, IMSA GTD, and DTM. Most without other prototypes interfering taking up track space and TV time.

[seanyb505]

Way to get in to wec is money. If you're German, you'll get sales in enough categories to surely get some big results, plus n24. Italians rely on badge snobbery to get sales without care to series. Americans will rely on imsa for any racing success they desire.

There's not a solution to get all those makes in the same place if that place is France and/or Bahrain. They've all got better avenues to achieve their goals from racing elsewhere.

Also, ideally the gt am class won't interfere and take track space and tv time away from protos at Le mans.

[Mike E]

Goodyear wins the tyre deal

https://www.fia.com/news/wec-goodyea...ew-lmgt3-class

[broadrun96]

Nice so IMSA gets Michelins, WEC Goodyear, SRO Pirelli and ELMS/AsLMS are still waiting but you would have to assume Goodyear? Guess there won't be much similarity between the cars and IMSA cars will have even more struggle than the old Michelin spec differences between IMSA and WEC in GTE

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Goodyear wins the tyre deal

https://www.fia.com/news/wec-goodyea...ew-lmgt3-class

Gotta admit I am a little surprised they didn't stick with Michelin.

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Nice so IMSA gets Michelins, WEC Goodyear, SRO Pirelli and ELMS/AsLMS are still waiting but you would have to assume Goodyear? Guess there won't be much similarity between the cars and IMSA cars will have even more struggle than the old Michelin spec differences between IMSA and WEC in GTE

Good point, if additional GT3 cars make the Le Mans grid outside of the normal WEC cars it will be an adjustment on tires. That being said.....I expect manufacturers to share setup info across teams.

[broadrun96]

In fairness to my above point, the Michelins then were not the customer tires they use now and Goodyears will also be commercially available tires so probably a bit wider working range

[Mike E]

GTE in ELMS has used Goodyear for the last couple of years so teams running at Le Mans have had to switch to Michelin. Doesn't seem to be an issue.

[v8supes]

Seems that we are now into the realms of "two GT cars per manufacturer". Now, this is good from the sense that you arent going to get a field full of AMG GT3s but what does this mean for teams like AF Corse?

Also it seems remarkable to me (im not complaining) that we literally could have a situation next year where a team/driver may have a car but actually cannot get onto the WEC or GTWC grid due to oversubscription.

[PhilipR]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Seems that we are now into the realms of "two GT cars per manufacturer". Now, this is good from the sense that you arent going to get a field full of AMG GT3s but what does this mean for teams like AF Corse?

Also it seems remarkable to me (im not complaining) that we literally could have a situation next year where a team/driver may have a car but actually cannot get onto the WEC or GTWC grid due to oversubscription.

Af corse can run more hypercars!!

I would say if your team runs in one class(WRT, AF Corse) maybe do not allow to run in GT class as well? Of course since AF Corse is running all Ferraris Gt3s that might be difficult. But since Oreca has been developing the new Ferrari gt3, maybe they can run under the Oreca name?

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Seems that we are now into the realms of "two GT cars per manufacturer".

Not sure how a feel about this one there are loads of great teams in the GT ranks it just a shame they all run either a Ferrari or Porsche. However as they say variety is the spice of life. May a three car limit would be better?

[S griffin]

I am sure more will join. It just seems Ferrari and Porsche seem the most logical to choose. There will be more coming in I'm sure though. Not sure a 3 car limit would work

[Simmi]

Bit more from DSC on the Noah's Ark of LMGT3:

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...ideration.html

Even with privateer cars you'd have to imagine the Hypercar numbers will start to tail off a bit post what, 2025? '26? So it could be the GT class starts to open up again due to the cyclical nature of it all.

It's the Am nature of the class that makes me slightly less worried about all this. Doesn't matter how many teams you invite, due to the limited number of truly decent bronze drivers - the field spread is always going to be massive. It's just not going to be bumper to bumper like we associate we top class GT racing.

I guess it will be interesting to see how 'factory' are some of these new teams. Corvette have quickly shown the blueprint from a lineup perspective, but Keating is still writing cheques and looks set to walk away after this year.

If you look at it from another perspective, you could make a major argument he should actually be getting paid by a manufacturer given as the bronze he's the most valuable link in the chain.

[Coach Ep]

Let's throw some numbers at it!

WEC is hinting at a preference for manufactures already represented in Hypercar class so that gives us:
- 2x Porsche
- 2x Ferrari
- 2x Corvette (GM -> Cadillac)
- 2x Lambo (starting 2024)
- 2x BMW (starting 2024)

No Pugs (or equivalent) in GT, Toyota could play their Lexus card so that's a maybe. Alpine? Not likely. Acura? Same(ish) but with a GT ready to go! 2 cars at best.

Others:
- 2x Aston Martin. Has been a GT participant for a long time now and Hypercar fiasco seems only a minor factor (?).

That's 14 potential cars in total already which would leave very little room for additional cars from other manufacturers. Mercedes would seem to be the biggest loser as they would be left out. Not much ACO/WEC love to show for anyway (and it very much appears to be a mutual thing). Audi? In the same boat after their recent "drop everything for F1" direction change.

Anybody missing?

The overall solution is simple: allow more cars to race. Probably to be determined on a race-to-race base considering the pitlane limitations at certain tracks but if the WEC unlocks that door, entrants will open it!

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Let's throw some numbers at it!

WEC is hinting at a preference for manufactures already represented in Hypercar class so that gives us:
- 2x Porsche
- 2x Ferrari
- 2x Corvette (GM -> Cadillac)
- 2x Lambo (starting 2024)
- 2x BMW (starting 2024)

I would fully expect there to be some Ford Mustang's on the entry list next. Then there is McLaren. I think we could be in for some interesting times.

[broadrun96]

Yeah, chance of the ACO shading out the new Mustang is fairly slim regardless of GTP participation

[Speed-King]

The overall solution is simple: allow more cars to race. Probably to be determined on a race-to-race base considering the pitlane limitations at certain tracks but if the WEC unlocks that door, entrants will open it!

Yeah, just 15 years ago LMS used to run 45 to 50 cars with no problems, so I really don't see why WEC should be limited to 38 cars.

And if the problem are flyaways, why not establish a European Cup for GT3 guest entries that awards the winner with an LM-entry for the following year? That way at least the races at Spa, Monza and Portimao (assuming it will not be replaced) could have larger fields.

[Simmi]

I get the logic of looking after brands who are already there - but then on the flipside turning down the likes of Mercedes whould be short-sighted as it's another OEM who can activate within WEC. As others have said, not letting those new Mustangs in is unthinkable really.

Nice problem to have for the ACO to have but a problem all the same. I tend to agree with making sure the grids can be extended. If Fuji for example can't fit enough cars - sorry Fuji you're out.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Yeah, just 15 years ago LMS used to run 45 to 50 cars with no problems, so I really don't see why WEC should be limited to 38 cars.

And if the problem are flyaways, why not establish a European Cup for GT3 guest entries that awards the winner with an LM-entry for the following year? That way at least the races at Spa, Monza and Portimao (assuming it will not be replaced) could have larger fields.

I think the flyaways are the limiter, that's what's been hinted at least. If that's the limit in the number of airframes they have been gifted I doubt they would add another. But it does appear most of the larger airframes are in process of being converted to freighters at a decent rate so maybe there is an extra.

I think they would rather have the extras in ELMS over creating another subseries/class and adding cars to the Euro rounds may conflict with the deals they have with the entered teams.

[Coach Ep]

You would think with the new Qatar deal, air freight will be something more than a remote option for the series. Number of pit boxes is probably the bigger limitation and we know Fuji has been rather critical with numbers over mid-30s. Agreed it might be time to skip Fuji if it's the bottle neck. Wonder how many cars Suzuka would be able to accommodate? Plus, it wouldn't hurt the chances of seeing one or two Hondas (nee Acuras) in the series next season.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by rdjones

I would fully expect there to be some Ford Mustang's on the entry list next. Then there is McLaren. I think we could be in for some interesting times.

Ford yes, agreed. McLaren not so sure, nothing recent to show for (like Mercedes) and although Hypercar rumblings have generated plenty of media space but nothing substantial has surfaced so far.

[Mike E]

Toyota owns Fuji so if they want to go there, they're going

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Toyota owns Fuji so if they want to go there, they're going

I hear that. But now the manufacturers have arrived en masse, how long does that automatic goodwill last? Particularly if it starts cutting into other potential growth opportunities...

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I hear that. But now the manufacturers have arrived en masse, how long does that automatic goodwill last? Particularly if it starts cutting into other potential growth opportunities...

When Honda steps up and throws their hat, and money, in the ring then there may be a reason to move. But until then Toyota actually is there so why would you suck your finger in their eye by going to Honda's track?