Porsche out of GTLM

It wasn't Porsche I expected to pull out of GTLM. Would have guessed BMW since they just pulled out of WEC last year.

 

The GTLM category doesn't make sense and attracts less and less constructors to participate.

The ACO and IMSA should adopt GT3 as the main GT category, to bring more variety.

Most sportscars manufacturers have homologated GT3s, and there are hundreds and probably thousands racing all over the world.

 

agree 10000%

 

GT3 is Ratels baby and GTE is ACO and they can't stand each other, they are like cat and mouse. From my own driver perspective, nothing beats the GTE (compared to the GT3) in terms of pure driving pleasure but that doesnt help here.

So the solution could be, homologate some kind of GT3+ Version. Base Model is the GT3 and for the ACO/IMSA you can upgrade your GT3 with a homologated GTE (GT3+) Kit. Aero, no ABS, etc. That could be interessting for Manufacturer as the Door to Le Mans opening, so they can run with their GT3 pro Cars/Teams also in ACO/IMSA Championships.

the 488 GT3 as well as the Aston can both being converted to GTE and back but it is another car when you drive it. I dont know the costs for the Aston but I know for the Ferrari. You might not need to reach that pricepoint. The 488 GT3 EVO 2020 has the same rear suspension now as the GT3 has. So just add the Aero, deconect the ABS and you are very very close to the actual GTE...

Both ACO and SRO could still cook their own cup of tea and non of them would lose face.

my personal and humble opinion... .

 

Since the GTLM Porsche was technically an illegal car - anyone seen any mid-engined 911s on the street lately? - I'd say good riddance. If they couldn't play by the rules they should go elsewhere. The only mid-engined Porsche that should be allowed in GTLM should be a Cayman.

 

So, does Ferrari step up and fill the void then?

BHW

 

hahahahahaha you're funny.

 

to me, GT3+ (I like that term) would be same aero, no ABS/TC, and power boosted to 600 bhp.

 

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Hmmm....A Corvette guy (Dan Binks?) told me last year at Road America that the C7 was just 5% stock parts. Which rules?

 

From my understanding GTLM was the proving grounds for Manu's to innovate and try new things which in turn innovates for all cars and all racing. That is why it is a manufacturer only class and most cars have unique things that are not on street cars.

GT3, GT4 etc are homologated spec cars that are just racing existing technology and designs. Without GTLM we all lose. With things moving electric it may be a by-gone class.

 

Wait for it...

You can bet that Doonan is arm twisting Risi to bring a full time two car team now.

BHW

 

is he twisting that arm with a checkbook?

 

Whatever it takes...

BHW

 

well that's what it will take

Risi hasn't run a single car full season for what, 5 or 6 years? I don't see them coming back with 2 full time cars.

Aston could run a GTLM car, but given their financial condition I don't see that happening either.

So the options seem to be:

- allow privateer teams in GTLM, which is probably cost prohibitive relative to GTD
- make it GT3+ to keep all pro, factory supported teams interested at a much lower price point.

 

Good we can listen to Risi complain about BoP at every race they don't win.

 

I think GTLM/GTE has run it's natural evolutionary course like GT2 and GT1 before it. All these categories start out as 'production based' then evolve further and further from that point until they've become too expensive and lost relevance to the real world. The last car that was close to it's road car brethren was the Ford GT which was a) designed from the ground up as a road legal race car and b) had to run so ridiculously restricted that it had under 500hp in race form thanks the the need to BOP it into competitiveness.

The gradual scope creep is a danger of trying to make a car like an M6 competitive with a car like the GT. You allow more and more allowances until you need things like mid engined 911's to keep up with the arms race. With the new LMh and LMDh cars being intentionally targeted to be slower than the current LMP1's, that means LMP2 will need to be slowed down, which would also flow down to GTE/GTLM. Add in the steam roller that is SRO's GT3 category beneath it and it's an ever shrinking marketplace. The final nail in the coffin may be Covid, and the resulting economic melt down. It's easy to sign GTE's death warrant. A lot of people have been saying we have too many categories and series already, I think this is just the natural evolution of the sport right now.

I, like most, bemoan the increase in homologated cookie cutter cars where BOP is more important than engineering or driver skills, but it's the fact of the times we live in.

 

Granted, but at least the engine was in the same place as in the road cars.

What Porsche got away with reminds of when Ferrari tried to get the 250 LM (originally the 250 GT/LM) homologated as a GT car by claiming that it was nothing more than a 250 GTO with the engine moved behind the seats! In part that's why they restyled the GTO for 1964 to make it look like the LM. This time the FIA refused, and for several years the LM had to run as a Prototype (which is what it really was, basically a 250 P with a roof). IMSA should have done the same thing with Porsche.

(Of course, Ferrari sort of got the last laugh with the 250 LM when one of the cars wound up winning the 24 Hours in 1965. GT or Prototype? Who cares?)

 

The EXACT same place? Do you know that? Curious....

 

You are right to remind us that.
Ferrari threw a fit at the time, when the LM homologation was refused and returned his competitor's license in protest.
Then it was realised that the F1 season wasn't over, and they still had 2 GPs to run!
Luigi Chinetti came to the rescue and entered 2 Ferraris in US colors under the NART banner for the Mexican and US GP.
Thanksfully Ferrari won the F1 championship with John Surtees, but it had been a close call!

 

Imagine F1 Ferraris in white with a blue stripe! That won't ever happen again.

 

Ferrari is rumoured to be heading for Indy.
That could mean customer cars, with their own livery, no?

 

As the ACO/FIA and IMSA should have done with the new Ford GT that won GTLM when they didn't hit the street for another year.

 

Not until the spec/kit rules are abolished. Keep breathing.......that's gonna be a while.

Maybe, just maybe, a Ferrari engine for IndyCar but I wouldn't hold my breath for that either. And again, sorrowfully, regulated as even the engines are, what's the excitement in that?

Excerpts from https://the-race.com/indycar/ferrari-has-had-indycar-discussions-penske/ :
"Adding a third engine manufacturer alongside Chevrolet and Honda has been a key priority for IndyCar in recent years, and Penske’s team president Tim Cindric said it “showed how far the series had come” that a team like Ferrari was interested."

"“You probably heard it, there’s been discussions with Ferrari, might be interested in joining the series, coming in 2022 when we have the new engine rules, and that would be a great asset to have a third manufacturer in the series.”
Lotus was the last IndyCar engine supplier other than Chevrolet and Honda, but it left after a single poor season in 2012.""


"The series is also discussing a phased process for the introduction of a new chassis to replace the DW12-based car used since 2012 in various forms.
Instead of introducing a whole new chassis (as in another spec/kit car...) in 2022 along with the engine, it is considering bringing in different parts over six years to help teams with the costs associated."