FIA GT Championship

Stephane Ratel about the future of FIA GT

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Stephane Ratel gave more information about the future plans for the FIA GT Championship this morning just after the warm up session had ended. In a meeting with the journalists at Zolder Ratel responded to the questions fired on him about the new regulations for 2010, new calendar and the different series. The plans will be discussed next Wednesday in the FIA World Motorsport Council.
In brief the FIA GT Championship could be heading for a lot of changes. Read the highlights of what Stephane Ratel had to say here..and wait for the official announcement later in the week!

About the new regulations for the FIA GT Championship Ratel mentioned the following:

• There will be common regulation between the FIA GT and the ACO.
• The planned new style GT1 category will be 1.250kg and will have around 600bhp.
• In the 2009 season GT cars according to the new regulations will be allowed to race under ‘temporary homologation’.
• In 2010 there will be a World GT1 Championship and a European GT2 championship. Yes, two series!
• GT1 will be open for cars with 5.5 liter engines (or more) and GT2 will be for the 5 liter or less engines.
• The cars will be based on production cars.
• Manufacturers have to build 300 road cars before the car will be allowed in the FIA GT series.
• Larger production engines can be placed in smaller cars, as long as at least 5000 units are produced a year

Ratel also mentioned the calendar for the FIA GT Championship for the upcoming season and the future seasons.

• No major changes in the 2008 FIA GT calendar, only one round will be replaced
• The race in China will not take place in 2008, it could be back in 2009.
• The season will end on the new Potrero de los Funes circuit in Argentina.
• From 2009 on a more global calendar is planned. Think of 3 non-Euro races in 2009, 4 in 2010
• The FIA GT will going away from endurance racing. This is better for spectators and TV coverage
• It would be “crazy to drop Spa”. Cost effective racing would make it easier to race there.

An official announcement regarding the new FIA GT regulations and the 2008 calender is expected on Wednesday, after the FIA meeting in Paris. The final regulations could be a bit different as the manufacturers seem to be pushing for a single GT class.