2018 Blancpain GT Series

[NaBUru38]

2018 Blancpain GT Series calendar:

April 7-8: Zolder (Sprint)
April 21-22: Monza (Endurance)
May 5-6: Brands Hatch (Sprint)
May 12-13: Silverstone (Endurance)
June 2-3: Paul Ricard (Endurance)
June 23-24: Misano (Sprint)
July 3: Spa Test Day
July 26-29: 24 Hours of Spa (Endurance)
TBC: Hungaroring (Sprint)
Sept. 15-16: Nürburgring (Sprint)
Sept. 29-30: Barcelona (Endurance)


- o -



The Silverstone round clashes with the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.


The Paul Ricard 1000 km clashes with the 24 Hours of Le Mans test day.

[chernaudi]

Just when the ACO brokered a deal with Formula E to avoid date clashes, the SRO makes one.

[deggis]

Is the Nurburgring date confirmed? Because I can't google it.

[August]

That Silverstone/N24h clash is just ridiculous. So many of the GT3 teams in the N24h are from Blancpain. Drivers as well. No point for a European top-level GT series to have a race in the N24h weekend. Nobody who cares about GT racing cares about Blancpain that weekend.

Paul Ricard will probably be Saturday night so no problem with the Le Mans test day which is Sunday.

[August]

Originally Posted by deggis

Is the Nurburgring date confirmed? Because I can't google it.

It's usually the week when the Thursday is a public holiday because of the Ascension Day or Corpus Christi. The latter is the Le Mans test day weekend so N24h will probably be the earlier. Plus I remember reading the race will be earlier than this year.

[jee]

Originally Posted by August

It's usually the week when the Thursday is a public holiday because of the Ascension Day or Corpus Christi. The latter is the Le Mans test day weekend so N24h will probably be the earlier. Plus I remember reading the race will be earlier than this year.

It was the case this year, but there is no fixed date for the 24h. It was late May the last 2 year, in 2015 it was mid May, 2014 late June and 2013 it was mid May but held on Sunday/Monday because of public holiday (Pentecost).

[tux]

From a selfish point of view its so frustrating that Silverstone will clash with the Nurburgring 24 hours, we will miss a number of top teams and drivers.

[MaskedRacer]

Originally Posted by tux

From a selfish point of view its so frustrating that Silverstone will clash with the Nurburgring 24 hours, we will miss a number of top teams and drivers.

I somehow think SRO will realize their mistake and adjust the date eventually.

Also why is the 6 hour race still at Paul Ricard. That is the most TV Unfriendly track I have ever seen. Its very hard to watch racing at that track. Its a waste of a good race.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

Also why is the 6 hour race still at Paul Ricard. That is the most TV Unfriendly track I have ever seen. Its very hard to watch racing at that track. Its a waste of a good race.

Agreed - watching stuff there hurts my eyes! Plus it's just a bland soulless place anyway.

[deggis]

Nurb 24 date and hence the clash with BES Silverstone confirmed...

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/0...confirmed.html

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by MaskedRacer

I somehow think SRO will realize their mistake and adjust the date eventually.

Also why is the 6 hour race still at Paul Ricard. That is the most TV Unfriendly track I have ever seen. Its very hard to watch racing at that track. Its a waste of a good race.

One of the few tracks, though, that can have night races without getting into trouble with NIMBYs - and thus Ratel thinks it's a good warm-up for Spa.

They could of course do a 3h night race and move the 1000k back to the 'Ring or Monza.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by deggis

Nurb 24 date and hence the clash with BES Silverstone confirmed...

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/0...confirmed.html

Apparently SRO expected N24 to be later in the month hence that date. I expect they will move to avoid the clash


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[NaBUru38]

I mean, why would promoters make teams have to decide where to race?

Even IMSA has agreed not to clash with the Pirelli World Challenge.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

I mean, why would promoters make teams have to decide where to race?

Even IMSA has agreed not to clash with the Pirelli World Challenge.

Get you point but everything seems to suggest this is just a misunderstanding from the SRO as to when they believed the N24 would be

I can't see them wanting to clash with that race... I'm sure they will move it


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[Racing Harz]

Phoenix with Audi in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup.
https://www.facebook.com/Phoenix.Rac...type=3&theater

[Bcarr6]

SRO have moved the Silverstone round back a week to avoid the Nurgburgring 24hr clash

As expected


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[rich07]

I'm guessing one or more of the three Germans had a word in SRO ear.

[NaBUru38]

It's four Germans, right?

[rich07]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

It's four Germans, right?

Ah yes I keep on forgetting about Porsche

[NaBUru38]

!!!

[FIRE]

If they needed advice from the Germans they are stupid.

[Bcarr6]

It was said all along since the publication of the initial calendar that it was based on an expectation for a N24H that cleared changed, and that they would likely alter it now they had found out the actual N24H date

Dunno why people think that's shame on SRO? They made an assumption that turned out wrong so quickly amended.

I don't think it was ever up for debate to clash with that race


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[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

It was said all along since the publication of the initial calendar that it was based on an expectation for a N24H that cleared changed, and that they would likely alter it now they had found out the actual N24H date

Dunno why people think that's shame on SRO? They made an assumption that turned out wrong so quickly amended.

I don't think it was ever up for debate to clash with that race


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Exactly, and it's not just the German teams there either. Quite a few Lambos, and works backed Bentleys in the N24. It suits everyone for the race not to clash, and it was just an incorrect assumption.

Thankfully now, everyone is happy!

[NaBUru38]

http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpai...races-in-2018/

"SRO wishes to stop the increasing professionalization of the Blancpain GT Series"

o- The grids in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup will be limited to 26 Pro class entries, except for the 24 Hours of Spa
o- The Silver Cup will be added to the Endurance Cup
o- Driver pairings in the Pro-Am class in the Endurance Cup now must include two Bronze-rated drivers
o- The starting grid in the Endurance Cup races will be determined by the combined best times from all three drivers, except at Spa.

The Blancpain GT Sprint Cup, meanwhile, will see changes to its format for next year. Both 60-minute races will now scoring equal points, and featuring separate qualifying sessions for each.

[NaBUru38]

The Blancpain GT Sprint race at Hungaroring will be held on September 1-2.