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In attendance were
FIA President Max Mosley, Deputy President for Sport Marco
Piccinini and Stephane Ratel, chairman of SRO, the promoter
of the new series. Ratel believes that GT3, which is open to
all non-professional drivers competing in road-worthy GT cars,
will fill a gap in the market.
Ratel said: “We felt there was a need for a more accessible international
series, with all the famous brands of GT cars. There has been an evolution throughout
the years of GT2, and GT1, with the sport getting more and more professional.
This has precluded a lot of gentlemen drivers, or keen enthusiasts, who were
there just for the fun of it. I thought there was a need for a more accessible
formula, with cars which will be less expensive to run, to purchase, and to enjoy.”
The line-up of cars at the launch included the Ascari KW01, Aston Martin DBRS9,
Lamborghini Gallardo, Lotus Exige, Maserati Gran Sport Light and Venturi Heritage.
These potential GT3 entrants are normal GT cars which are able to be used legally
on an open road and adapted for racing on circuits.
Ratel said: “You just come with what you have: a Porsche, a Ferrari, a
Maserati.” The performance of the cars will be balanced with weight handicaps,
a system used to great effect in the thrilling 2005 FIA GT1 Championship.
GT3 is also aimed at bringing the enthusiasts back into the sport. It will not
be open to drivers who have been involved in Formula One or other top level racing.
However, just because it is a series for non-professional drivers that does not
mean it will be less well organised than the GT1 or GT2 championships, which
are also promoted by SRO. As Ratel he says: “We wanted to be for amateurs,
but we wanted to be professional about it.”
The calendar will follow most of the European events of the FIA GT Championship.
It has been limited to
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five races in the
first year to take into account higher
starting costs for the teams. Six races are planned in the
second year, with
more in future seasons.
Ratel thanked the
FIA for the full help and support it has given to get the series
off the ground. He said: “Many people believe that the
FIA is only interested in Formula One, and I can tell you,
from my personal experience, that this is not true. The FIA
really has a great interest in GT racing from the start, and
I have always received fantastic support from President Mosley
and I would really
like to thank him publicly for that.”
FIA President Max Mosley commented: “I think the FIA GT3 European Championship
is an excellent idea and we at the FIA are very pleased about it. It provides
the possibility of very good and very entertaining racing for a category of driver
and competitor who might otherwise be left out in the ever more professional
top end of GT racing.”
The press conference was followed by the first official test day, at the nearby
Paul Ricard High-Tech Test Track, where the GT3 concept was met with glowing
praise from the manufacturers.
Maserati Corse director Claudio Berro said: “For me, GT3 is a very fantastic
idea. It was a very good idea of Stephane’s to organise this series, to
show that you can have endurance without the cost.”
AMR commercial director James Turner said: “GT3 seems to us to be a great
series, with close, exciting racing, a bedrock for international Sportscar racing,
sensible budgets, nice cars and hopefully some good parties as well.”
Chris Arnold, general for Lotus Sport, added: “We are very keen on GT3,
as I was brought up in the 60’s and 70’s, when Elans and Elites were
chasing Astons and so on around the circuits. I really hope this Championship
can get back to that sort of racing in 2006.” |
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