What's the most prestigious gt class?

I thought the Maser issue was more pressure from Ferrari/Risi/ProDrive etc who didn't want their half-assed 550/575M's blown off the track by what amounted to a race prepped Enzo

but yes, I loved loved loved that era of sports car racing...CLK, Porsche GT1, McLaren F1, the C5R, DB9R, MC12, etc. I think it would be an easier sell to the general public too, as they are based on road cars and not F1 cars with fenders like the current P1 cars.

 

I remember it was more about Corvette/GM not wanting it. The 550 Prodrive was a good car, but since it was not made in Italy they brought out the factory 575M's wich were half assed.
GT1 was cool but it got pretty retarded when the cars became funnycars with no real production car base(CLK 98 and the flying 99 along with the Porsche GT1 98 wich also flew thanks to the flat bottoms).

 

who did the 550 before ProDrive? Michelloto? that car was a bit half-assed too. the ProDrive car was quick but unreliable, IIRC. the 575M was a disaster.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Ferrari didn't want the MC12 racing, but I could see why Corvette would be similarly scared.

 

Several teams did the 550. The 550 Prodrive did win the GT class at Lemans and also won alot of other races. A rather good success. The 575M was as you said a half assed effort.

Ferrari/Maserati people helped develop the MC12 in racing. They may have said they did not want it but they meant they really did

 

I would do that if you are able to sell 1000 examples you can race it without restrictions.

I don't see why Ferrari has to be be beaten by something that resembles a 50k bucks bmw or a continental.

 

See? Thats exactly what I mean. Not all cool cars have to be F-1 cars with fenders
on them.

The issue with the Maserati MC-12 had to do with the ACO objecting to the car being
allowed to race in the ALMS GT category as the ACO saw the car as a purpose built
prototype, outside the GT-1 rules.

However, the ALMS GT-1 field was so depleted by then that they really needed more entry
and Risi was keen to enter the car. They could only enter the car after adding ballast,
very small restrictors and no matter where they finished, they could not gain championship points.

All that after poor ol' Atherton flew back and forth to France several times trying to
hammer an agreement out to include the MC-12. The car was cool but so defanged
that there was no way for it to be competitive but they did the whole season anyway.

When I brought this subject up at a press conference at Sebring as to why they just don't
add a Supercar class to GT they all sat there with frowns on their faces as if to say "This
is a press conference, the last thing we want to do is answer a bunch of questions".

BHW

 

As far as I can remember, the ACO objected to the Maserati MC-12 being outside the GT-1 rules on the ground of dimensions. The car was too wide to compete in GT.

The MC-12 was accepted by Stephan Ratel in his GT championship at the insistance of Max Mosley who proposed the compromise of handicaping it enough to bring it to the level of its competitors, and also to discourage other makers to design vehicles outside the spirit of the GT rules.

I also remember that Chevrolet vehemently protested when the Saleen S7 was accepted in GT, on the ground that it had a carbon chassis (has it?) and was a sportcar disguised as a GT. Thanksfully, the Saleen was accepted (with some weight penalty and engine restriction), and had a successful career.

 

I think the ACO sees itself as a promoter for sport car racing, and considers that GT are mostly catered for by other championships (national GT, FIA GT, SRO GT, Blancpain, Open GT, etc...).

Therefore priority is given to sportscars in the ELMS, WEC and Le Mans; GT are just there to make up the rest of the fireld.

 

Correct, the ACO objected to the MC-12 on numerous grounds.

Yes, there was a big uproar over the Saleen S7 as well. None the less, it was allowed
in to ALMS where it won in it's debut at Sebring.

The problem comes in the form of too many GT championships. Try as I might, I can't
keep up with them all and it all creates a bit of confusion on the part of the public and
media.

BHW

 

The rule makers use BOP to give a fighting chance to ANY car entered in GT, and that brings comical situations that don't reflect on the track the capabilities of some cars on the road, whilst others are able to punch well above their weight (pun intended).

When a ... Camaro is able to hold off Ferraris, Corvettes and Porsches lap after lap at Lime Rock, like I saw on TV yesterday you know something is wrong.

And there is no way a BMW Z4 can outrun a Marcielago or a 458, unless it is given unfair advantage. I cringe when I see that!

But the top GTs in the field shouldn't be emasculated the way they are, to bring their chances down; it's the lesser cars that should be made to catch up.

 

Exactly correct.

When watching the GrandAM series GT championship, for example, there are Camaros
and Mazdas running door to door with Ferraris, Porsches and BMWs.

My question to friends who ran in the series was, if you're running a half million dollar
Porsche against a $100K Camaro and you win, what has been gained?

BHW