British GT 2024

[v8supes]

You have to love the FCY/SC rules that SRO manage to come up with. The top 4 in GT4 managed to gain almost a full lap on everyone else in the class because of where they were on track when the FCY changed to SC.

Then Collard backs off a ridiculous amount from the SC on the restart because he had GT4 cars between himself and P2, giving himself an almost 6 second lead by the time P2 could overtake the GT4 cars on the restart. Race control announce a 30 second penalty for this then 2 laps later cancel the penalty.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by v8supes

You have to love the FCY/SC rules that SRO manage to come up with. The top 4 in GT4 managed to gain almost a full lap on everyone else in the class because of where they were on track when the FCY changed to SC.

Then Collard backs off a ridiculous amount from the SC on the restart because he had GT4 cars between himself and P2, giving himself an almost 6 second lead by the time P2 could overtake the GT4 cars on the restart. Race control announce a 30 second penalty for this then 2 laps later cancel the penalty.

The only thing I can think of that would explain the cancellation of the penalty is if the SC put the lights out early, turned them back on, and put them off again later. The video is pretty damning - Ricky was not within 5 car lengths of the SC when the lights were on. So unless there was something before that we missed, that's a very confusing penalty.

[v8supes]

Thats true Akrapovic and thats what was suggested on the broadcast, im sure Ricky technically did nothing wrong by the letter of the "law" but it didnt seem very sporting.

[v8supes]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Thats true Akrapovic and thats what was suggested on the broadcast, im sure Ricky technically did nothing wrong by the letter of the "law" but it didnt seem very sporting.

Problem with the wiring on the lights of the safety car apparently.

Thoroughly depressing set of races imo. About an hour of FCY/SC running across them both and im not really sure what could have been done to avoid it either.

[TinTopGrumpy]

As David Addison the clear up at Oulton seems to take far longer than other tracks. Is that because of lack of staff, location of vehicles, type of barriers, all three or something else?

[JoeW04]

Originally Posted by TinTopGrumpy

As David Addison the clear up at Oulton seems to take far longer than other tracks. Is that because of lack of staff, location of vehicles, type of barriers, all three or something else?

An accumulation of all the above I think, Oulton Park doesn’t suit modern day GT3 cars, even in recent years past on the rare occasion it has been dry there wasn’t much overtaking either.

[Ashermotorsport92]

Hello all!

Great to have the new season underway!

Quick one, anyone know what happened to DTO motorsport?

[Racing Harz]

Originally Posted by Ashermotorsport92

Quick one, anyone know what happened to DTO motorsport?

They do McLaren Trophy in Europe.

[dwh43scale]

Decidedly mixed feelings. Six hour round trip for around an hours BGT racing. As fabulous a track as it is, Oulton Park is not suited to modern GT cars - discuss …

Some good photos in the wet however …

[dwh43scale]

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBjKiB

Initial gallery from BGT yesterday

[chunterer]

I couldn't go in the end but watched both races with keen interest on YT with my two boys...

I would be rotally teed off being trackside and seeing effectively only a third of the total racing distances under green flag conditions...

I hear what a couple of you have said about Oultons suitability for the cars but I suggest there are two ways things could be improved straight away going forward.

SRO could make the Oulton rounds a bit later in the season when air and track temps are higher (regardless of how wet it might be). Cars would be less likely to fly off the track as tyre temps would be higher.

The other thing might be to increase the 2 races to 75 mins each or make the meeting a
one 2 or 3 hour round and have the 'sprint' 1 hour races on the bigger/wider tracks like Silverstone, Donington or Snett?

[coppice]

I'd rather watch GT at Oulton than most tracks and if overtaking is tricky , so what ? It's a great spectacle. Oulton has always been hard to overtake at and not much has changed in that respect since I was watching T70s and GT 40s there.

The second 'race' was an object lesson in how motor racing excels at shooting itself in the foot. Doubtless someone will tell me it was inevitable. MSUK needs to take a long hard look at the whole safety car/ yellow flag/ FCY process before the sport becomes a complete laughing stock .

[Racing Harz]

Originally Posted by dwh43scale

As fabulous a track as it is, Oulton Park is not suited to modern GT cars - discuss …

The British GT racing at Oulton Park in recent years has been absolutely brilliant and one of the absolute highlights, even in international GT racing. Just because everything went wrong once, which was also due to the temperatures, should everything now be called into question? In recent years, the DTM has also managed to drive behind the safety car for most of the race at various circuits in midsummer with sunshine and temperatures of around 25 degrees. Should the Nürburgring and Hockenheim now also be banned because they are no longer up to date? It just happens from time to time.

[flatlandsman]

Have to say that was rather embarrassing, and a total and utetr waste of time and effort for all concerned, the drivers, teams, fans and the track.

This track is clearly not right for top class GT racing, or at least where Ams are concerned, the quality of driving is average rather than as good as it can be, and the pro drivers are not often much better, it is a race of an hour, yet they all try and make stupid dumb moves, on a track that is barely wide enough.

It is clear to me Oulton should not be on the calendar especially in bloody March! First round should be on a wider, bigger track, maybe Silverstone or even somewhere abroad.

[v8supes]

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

Have to say that was rather embarrassing, and a total and utetr waste of time and effort for all concerned, the drivers, teams, fans and the track.

This track is clearly not right for top class GT racing, or at least where Ams are concerned, the quality of driving is average rather than as good as it can be, and the pro drivers are not often much better, it is a race of an hour, yet they all try and make stupid dumb moves, on a track that is barely wide enough.

It is clear to me Oulton should not be on the calendar especially in bloody March! First round should be on a wider, bigger track, maybe Silverstone or even somewhere abroad.

Maybe they can add another Donington Park round. Infact, move the whole championship there.

[AndyS]

Went to this and I was quite disappointed to be honest. Drove 2 hours, got stuck outside the circuit for an hour, due to what seemed some very poor traffic direction when there was absolutely no que at the gates. Only caught the last 2 laps of the first race as a result, when I should have just made the start.

Weather was horrible and the place was an absolute mud bath. Not Oulton's fault, but running the event at this time of year is asking for trouble with so many cars and people in attendance. Love the track and the racing was ok in the support classes. However, the second British GT race was a bit of a farce. Agree with what others have said, about it seemingly taking a lot longer to clear issues at Oulton then elsewhere I've been. Seemed to be plenty of marshals, so can only assume it just takes longer at Oulton.

Can somebody explain to me the point of a FCY and then a safety car. Why? surely you just do one or the other. If they hadn't called the safety car at the end of the FCY we might have at least got 2 or 3 more laps racing in, but as a result there wasn't a chance of everybody being able to bunch up in time. If the race had been longer it would still have been frustrating but at least allowed for some more action.

To cap it all I got stuck in traffic going out, had to stop for an hour on the way back to charge the stupid EV work have given me and then the M62 was closed! On top of that I was feeling rough from a cold. Not great and one to chalk down to experience. In future I'll stick with Donnington for British GT I think. Shame as Oulton is a great track, but having been a couple of times and ticked the box I'll watch from the comfort of my living room in future!

[porsche962fan]

to contrast with how Oulton Britich GT race was 24 years ago , now it's just a shadow of its former self

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zCAf01fH1o

[flatlandsman]

I think sadly that the cars and the drivers have really outgrown the venue really, especially in March!

Donington is also narrow for a pack of these cars leaving only really Brands and Silverstone that could.

I am not suggesting that the series only races there, but if BSB can have its first round in Spain then why not British GT.

[coppice]

Traffic? I was straight in by 8-30 after a 150 mile drive - no point in not making a full day of it. Weather ? Can't see the problem(at least with sensible clothes). My only beef was the charade of race 2 . The fact that other races have also been subject to this bloody nonsense highlights the problem rather than justifying it. Silverstone ? No thanks - I like being in the same post code as the cars, and in the company of fellow enthusiasts , rather than the usual two men and a dog who roam Silvertone's windswept acres ...

[kipper]

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

I think sadly that the cars and the drivers have really outgrown the venue really, especially in March!

I am not suggesting that the series only races there, but if BSB can have its first round in Spain then why not British GT.

Oulton does have a problem in that it is limited in the number of Sundays it can hold racing on. By reason of British GT's place in the food chain, it is unlikely to ever get one. As there are bigger events on two of the summer's bank holiday meetings, there are few options for a different Oulton date. Not going there would be a retrograde step for it is a classic circuit.

There are no reasons why the opening round could not be abroad. However, at this time of year it would need to be somewhere in Southern Europe to be certain of better weather. This is expensive and it's worth noting that the Portimao round has moved back to Spa as it's cheaper.

Originally Posted by coppice

My only beef was the charade of race 2 . The fact that other races have also been subject to this bloody nonsense highlights the problem rather than justifying it.

I don't disagree. The problem that in these current times, decision making is more risk adverse. Therefore races are neutralised rather than being run under local yellows. Stopping the race and allowing for a restart is a more satisfying way of dealing with the issue. However, this swallows up time and isn't feasible when meeting are scheduled to run close to curfews. Sadly, I can't see this situation being rectified.

[ahobson98]

I think there is a fairly easy solution - just for the first round of the season at Oulton, split into separate races for GT3 and GT4. Fewer cars on track at once makes it all easier and lowers the chances of accidents.

In addition it allows the AMs to get used to the cars before having to worry about traffic.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by ahobson98

I think there is a fairly easy solution - just for the first round of the season at Oulton, split into separate races for GT3 and GT4. Fewer cars on track at once makes it all easier and lowers the chances of accidents.

In addition it allows the AMs to get used to the cars before having to worry about traffic.

It is achievable, of course. However, the reason for the extensive Full Course Yellows/Safety Card is because the race card is pretty full and there is insufficient time before curfews to red flag the race and restart once the issue has been dealt with. Running separate GT3 and GT4 sessions would mean that several support races would need to be jettisoned. I have my doubts whether that would result in a financially viable meeting.

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by coppice

Traffic? I was straight in by 8-30 after a 150 mile drive - no point in not making a full day of it. Weather ? Can't see the problem(at least with sensible clothes).

You were lucky then. Partly, my fault for leaving later as I was feeling under the weather. Had intended being there a lot earlier. Possible the way my sat nav took me but I was stuck on a lane for an hour a mile from the track.

Weather is what it is, not moaning you know it'll be dicey this time of year. The problem was the amount of people and cars had cut the ground up really badly. Bigger meetings at this time of year will always run this risk if the weather doesn't play ball as the ground is generally still wet from the winter. I thought I was back in the North Yorkshire forests earlier in the year for the Riponian Rally at some points!

[Badlands99]

Hadn't been to Oulton Park for almost 30 years - last time I think was 1993 RAC Rally - but decided that, looking at the weather forecast, Saturday was going to be the better day for the photographer in me.

Arrived about 8.30 (early I thought) but pleasantly surprised by the size of the crowd already there - considering it was practice day, it was already felt like a bigger crowd than Silverstone had on Raceday last year!
For all of the the grumbling about JP/MSV, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the work that has been done to make as many areas as possible easily accessible. Yes, it was muddy in places, but this is end of March in the UK! And no mass erection of unnecessary 'safety' fencing!

All viewing areas and grandstands were open (take note Silverstone, THIS is how it should be done) and the general vibe around the place felt good.

On to the fiascos of the repeated stoppages. Two red flags in each one hour session meant that the running time was effectively halved - they had no choice to stop with each incident it appeared, but it felt that the time to repair barriers etc was excessive.

What are the options?
Split the classes? Possibly could for practice but not sure this would have made any difference this weekend as Saturday's issues were mainly single car incidents. The whole appeal of BGT is the multi class format.
Less support races to allow for red flag stoppages? Maybe this might work but will penalise other series.
Don't race at OP? And reduce the series to running at Donington, Silverstone, Brands and Spa? Hope not, especially after last years efforts by Silverstone to completely alienate fans.

Overall, had a good, if sometimes frustrating day, at OP and will certainly go again next year. Maybe they could have one less race on Sunday (maybe combine the Ginetta classes) to allow for red flagging a stopped race rather than run under FCY/SC

[flatlandsman]

I think the issue really is twofold,

First the cars are huge, in both classes, and the track is small and narrow. We have very few truly world class wide tracks in the UK, and one of them is a place that it seems very few people really want to visit. Brands, Donington, are both narrow and have unsafe areas, Thruxton is a no go, as are Knockhill and Cadwell.

Where else, Anglesey, Castle Combe, Croft, all probably not having a high enough safety licence. Form me we go abroad, it's that simple, Zolder, Magny Cours, Hockenheim, Nurb GP track all far more capable of hosting this series.

Secondly and more controversial driver standards, this is the biggest issue in wold class GT and prptotype racing and it is money based.

OK you are a rich man, you can afford a great car, but why do you think you are good enough to race that car built for professioanls at any circuit, I get the reasons,I really do, but I do think in recent yrars the lasck of ability of amateur drivers in some classes is being very exposed, I look gere at GT LMP3 and LMP2 in the USA./

I know why they have to be there, I get it, maybe the sport is gone without them, but surely you would rather see your car win and not get damaged than be the rich idiot who pays a pro to drive it and give him no chance of doing so, I am looking here at the bloke in the M4!