[FIA GT] FIA GT to go to shorter races + new regulations

[19dodge]

In this weeks Autosport, there is a big article about the FIA GT. There was a meeting at Oschersleben last weekend, and Ratel asked the teams these questions:

- would you be willing to accept 2 hour races on an experimental basis for next year?

-Should we bring back one lap superpole qualifying?

-do you want a second flyaway double-header with all expenses paid?

-if the championship has a more global slant, would you be interested in having a european champoinship?

- are you happy to share a world touring car championship bill?



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seems to me that Ratel wants FIA GT to go global in 2006, and go with the WTCC to every race they go to.

another big rule change for next year is that the FIA and ACO will have equal rules. many teams are very upset about it, especially the saleen teams. The saleens are at a disadvantage in the ACO rules (larger restrictor + smaller rear wing).

Michael Bartels isnt that happy about it either "with the rules, we wont be any faster than a super touring car"

The reason for the shorter races (2 hrs) would be for TV time. Eurosport could show them live flag-to-flag that way. Ratel stressed that in the 2 hr races, there would be a mandatory 2 stops, so teams with 3 drivers will not be hurt.

comments on these new items? i am quite upset that new common rules will be mostly ACO based. the saleens are at a huge disadvantage in those rules..

[LC2guy]

But wasn't the Saleen still the fastest car in GTS during the LMES this year, which runs ACO regs ??

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by 19dodge
In this weeks Autosport, there is a big article about the FIA GT. There was a meeting at Oschersleben last weekend, and Ratel asked the teams these questions:

- would you be willing to accept 2 hour races on an experimental basis for next year?

-Should we bring back one lap superpole qualifying?

-do you want a second flyaway double-header with all expenses paid?

-if the championship has a more global slant, would you be interested in having a european champoinship?

- are you happy to share a world touring car championship bill?



----------------------------------------------------------

seems to me that Ratel wants FIA GT to go global in 2006, and go with the WTCC to every race they go to.

another big rule change for next year is that the FIA and ACO will have equal rules. many teams are very upset about it, especially the saleen teams. The saleens are at a disadvantage in the ACO rules (larger restrictor + smaller rear wing).

Michael Bartels isnt that happy about it either "with the rules, we wont be any faster than a super touring car"

The reason for the shorter races (2 hrs) would be for TV time. Eurosport could show them live flag-to-flag that way. Ratel stressed that in the 2 hr races, there would be a mandatory 2 stops, so teams with 3 drivers will not be hurt.

comments on these new items? i am quite upset that new common rules will be mostly ACO based. the saleens are at a huge disadvantage in those rules..

Driver changes in a two-hour race?
Tacky at best, stupid at the worst.

The cars should have tanks small enough, like most production sports cars do, that they would have to stop twice in a two hour race.
Why not just set a race distance of 350 kilometers, plus or minus depending on track size?

I like the smaller rear-wings but I believe the restrictors SHOULD be larger or eliminated.(They are ususally measured by orifice opening, not amount of restriction.)
Leave the big wings and eliminate the diffusers.

I agree, ACO should not be followed.
Bob

[almzkid]

But wasn't the Saleen still the fastest car in GTS during the LMES this year, which runs ACO regs ??

GOOD POINT!!!!!!!!

Saleen can whine all they want, they were still the fastest qualifier in 3 0f the 4 LMES races and if Franz could keep it on the track once in a while things may have been different at the finish line.

[minimangler]

now hang on, the car had 'bird ****' in the tank according to franz at silverstone, so it broke down
lots of teams had the same problem!

[SALEEN S7R]

www.dailysportscar.com also has this story, and suggest that a GT3 class is also under consideration, racing alongside the GT1 and GT2 classes, now Im guessing that this would likely be cars from series like the TVR Tuscan's and Porsche cup class cars and Ferrari 360 challenge machines, the same as the GT cup class we have in the British GT championship.

Now seeing that the FIA GT series will race alone for 2005, without the WTCC this will give the FIA GT championship additional grid slots. Sounds like a great idea to me, sure perhaps not in the LMES or ALMS with the faster LMP 1 cars as this could cause a potential accident, but the GT1 cars are a bit slower and would therefore not come upon the Cup class (GT3) machinery as quickly as the LMP 1's do.

[19dodge]

the Konrad Saleen was fast in LMES, YESS.. BUT it wasnt much faster than Larbre. Did you know that Konrad decided not to return to LMES next year, because of the current ACO rules? He was upset over the way they have the restrictors and wings on the saleens. you could not "feel" the car as much as you can in FIA Spec. also, the LMES didnt give the teams enough practice.

now, Franz did not do anything wrong in any lmes race. first race, they had gearbox problems. he was at wheel. wasnt his problem!! then, at Nurburgring, they didnt have any problems.2nd place finish. Silverstone, they had fuel problems (Franz did spin the car, but that was because of a blown tire!) and at Spa, rear suspension failure (similar to the same thing that happened last week at oschersleben) and at Spa, Franz didnt even get a chance to drive! .

Konrad is very interested in the new German GT series. i heard that theres about 20 interested teams in german GT (new series starting up next year)

[Kicking-back]

At least the teams are being consulted.

[Paddy_NL]

originally posted by 19Dodge
- would you be willing to accept 2 hour races on an experimental basis for next year?

If I want two hours of noise, I'll go to a Formula One race. I want the full length!

So what's next? Shorten LeMans to 6 hours?

[mikmx]

I say give the Saleens a bit of a break and relieve them of their ACO restrictions so they can build up a lead and then break down.
Two hours is a bit short I agree but going Global is a good thing.

[Bramzel]

Even under ACO rules the Saleens are still fast enough to run at the front. Just look at ACEMCO in the US and Vitaphone in LMES. So in my opinion Bartelds/Alzen shouldn't make such a big deal about it.

2hour races = bad plan, endurance is endurance, not sprint.
GT3 class = good plan. fills the field even more, plus they're always good for a nice battle.
ACO Rules = good plan. Especially if it means that a lot of new cars will be able to enter the FIAGT, such as the Panoz Esperante, Chevrolet Corvette, TVR T400R's, etc.
Extra races overseas = good plan. There are several tracks outside Europe that are great for GT racing.

[Adam43]

The thing that sticks out in all this for me is the shortening of the races. I think an overall shortening would be bad. It is not what this branch of the sport is about.

I wouldn't mind more variety in the lengths though. Perhaps some two hour races and some four, six hour races...

[SALEEN S7R]

I agree Adam, in a ideal world that would be the perfect scenario, but the FIA GT championship could do with that LIVE TV coverage from Eurosport, during the entirety of the race and at the moment its not going to get it as long as the races remain at 500km, if Eurosport guarntee LIVE coverage of all the events in their entirty (exception of the Spa 24hrs) providing the races be shortned by 1 hour I can only see this as a good thing, sure perhaps not for the fans but for potential sponsors Id think that the potential for 2hrs LIVE exposure on Eurosport would be much more attractive than say a 1hr highlight programme a few hours later after the event, and a likely result of this teams would have more sponsorship money, vital if the FIA GT championship is to go global in the next couple of years for the smaller teams to survive.

[Bramzel]

Shortening the race so you can have the whole race live is pointless if EuroSport never shows any other cars then the first 3. Yes, that's a frustration coming out there

[SALEEN S7R]

I agree Bramzel, but LIVE coverage of the top 10 or so cars is better than 0 LIVE coverage of the FIA GT races, (yes I know we do get some occasional LIVE FIA GT coverage) at the moment the FIA GT championship is the only Major sportscar series not to have full LIVE coverage, its just a shame Eurosport have the FIA GT's and not Motors TV IMO.