GT Racing - GT1, GT3, Blancpain Endurance Series & National GT SeriesSports Cars 

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Some news for GT3 racing. Erebus Motorsport GT(They also have the Erebus Motorsport V8 Supercars):http://erebusmotorsportgt.com/news/mika-hakkinen-joins-erebus-motorsport-for-gt-asia-event

Two times Formula 1 World Champion, Mika Hakkinen will join Erebus Motorsport for the GT Asia event at Zhuhai in China (October 11-13) - the event coupling as a launchpad for the AMG Customer Sports program into the Chinese market.The winner of 20 Formula 1 Grands Prix will race the Bathurst 12 Hour winning SLS AMG GT3 Gullwing, which has been shipped to China with its sister car for a two race campaign.To add further significance to the historic event, AMG China has appointed a 17-year-old Hong Kong Chinese driver - Matthew Solomon - to share the Gullwing with Hakkinen in an apprentice role.Hakkinen’s global experience - which saw him win two Formula 1 World Championships in Mercedes-Benz powered cars - will be used to train the young driver.This milestone is a first in the Chinese market for the AMG Customer Sports brand and will provide a blueprint for future motorsport endeavours in the market.To have a driver with Hakkinen’s experience and instantly recognisable global profile join Erebus Motorsport is another significant step forward for the team that itself was inaugurated in 2011.Erebus Motorsport’s series of firsts include having the first Gullwing delivered outside Europe, the first team one-two finish for AMG Customer Sports and added victory in the Bathurst 12 Hour to the 2013 Endurance Classics Grand Slam wins by the SLS AMG GT3 (Bathurst, the Dubai 24 Hour, the Nurburgring 24 Hour and the Spa 24 Hour - each with Bernd Schneider behind the wheel).
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SubaruWRC555
What is keeping them from coming back??
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Their own ambitions I would guess. It is well known that Marc VDS want to move up into LMP2, which is much more expensive than running in low-cost BES. That being said, it's not impossible to do both, as currently demonstrated by TDS Racing.

Anyway, the rumours that they are leaving are strong enough that they have been published in official BES news articles. There's a good chance they won't be back. :nervous:
 
http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/10/02/live-free-air-tv-bathurst-12-hour/

LIVE FREE-TO-AIR FOR 2014 BATHURST 12HOUR ON SBS
The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour will enjoy live free-to-air television coverage next year under a new deal with SBS.SBS will broadcast the final three hours of the race, supplementing the live streaming web service.The agreement will mark the first time that the 12 Hour has received live free-to-air coverage since the race returned in 2007.A post-produced highlights program will complete the event’s television package.“Live TV will increase exposure for our sponsors, teams, drivers and, importantly, open the race up to more fans around Australia and the world,” said event director James O’Brien.
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The event has grown significantly in stature since GT3 cars were added to the field three years ago, with its international appeal further boosted this year by the appearance of British-based broadcasters*Radio Le Mans.It is expected that the John Hindhaugh and Paul Truswell led team will return next year, although it is currently unclear whether they will be part of the SBS package.A capacity 55 car grid is anticipated for the February 9 race, with organisers having had to temporarily freeze entries earlier this year due to the high level of competitor interest.
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YAY! Can't wait, even though I am hoping to be there anyway :P

They almost have enough interest to make a GTE and GT3 Bathurst 12hr seperate to a Production car 12hr. Capacity grids are good though.
 
Mt. Lynx
The GT3 Bentley will do BES next season.
First vid:

The sound of that V8! :drool::drool:
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It sounds turbo charged. I hope to the C7R and the Bentley in the TUDOR series next year.
 
BATHURST AND ADELAIDE DROPPED FROM THE AUSTRALIAN GT SCHEDULE

http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/10/07/bathurst-adelaide-australian-gt-schedule/
A revamp of the Australian GT Championship for 2014 has seen the marquee Bathurst 12 Hour and Clipsal 500 Adelaide events fall off the calendar.The AGTC had rejoined the Bathurst 12 Hour this year, with the first 60 minutes of the once-around-the-clock classic counting for points.The release of the new schedule officially confirms that such a scheme will not take place again.A statement from the category noted that subsequently missing Adelaide will allow GT owners contesting Bathurst extended time to refurbish their cars for the start of the AGTC season.Twilight racing in Adelaide had been the signature AGTC event over the last three years, with the winner awarded the Murray Walker Trophy.Adelaide is one of several street venues that is understood to have beeen targeted for twilight racing by V8 Supercars
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The Victorian events are on the last Sunday of the month, so I will not be able to go and watch.

Hopefully get to the 12hr, I guess.
 
Erebus Motorsport GT wins at Zuhai China. Mika Hakkinen still got it.

http://erebusmotorsportgt.com/news/hakkinen-and-solomon-win-for-erebus-motorsport-in-china
MIka Hakkinen and Matthew Solomon have put together a masterful debut for the Erebus Motorsport and the AMG Customer Sports program in China through a thrilling performance to win today’s 50 minute GT Asia Series race.The victory is the 10th consecutive win for Erebus Motorsport’s SLS AMG GT3 program, including the Bathurst 12 Hour race back in February.Hakkinen started the #36 SLS AMG GT3 from sixth placing on the grid. He stormed through to second by the exit of the first corner, followed by team-mate Lance David Arnold from the third placed starting position.Disaster struck for Arnold eight laps in when he was informed to shut the #63 Gullwing down for safety reasons due to a technical issue the team detected on the car’s telemetry. This triggered a short Safety Car period.Hakkinen - who was caught behind Kiwi Earl Bamber - pitted the Bathurst 12 Hour winning SLS AMG GT3 to hand over to his 17-year-old apprentice.The youngster showed the maturity of the two times World Champion himself in using the clear track to his advantage to close the gap to the front runner.After the leader - Bamber - handed over to his co-driver Samson Chan, the track positioning between the two cars was neutralised.With eight minutes left remaining, Solomon saw a gap to place the lengthy nose of the flying Gullwing through on Chan and using the 10 stage ABS Braking System in the SLS AMG GT3 to its absolute maximum, got by and into the lead.From there Solomon was not headed and took the historic first win for the AMG Customer Sports program in China.
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SRO Motorsports Ltd have announced that they have launched the Allan Simonsen Memorial Trophy to be awarded to the most up and coming characters in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at the end of season awards in London on Friday Nov 29. Allan competed for Rosso Verde with Hector Lester in the BGT Championship.

http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=1904

Perhaps we should create a trophy in the name of Sean Edwards for the best Porsche driver?
 
BATHURST 12H UPDATE:

Focus V8s Confirmed for Bathurst 12H GT field expands
http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/10/31/focus-v8s-confirmed-b12h-gt-field-expands/

Three Ford Focus V8s have been given the green light to race in the 2014 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour following the addition of a fourth invitational class.Based on the South African GTC concept developed by Pace Innovations, the Ryan McLeod-run cars feature a purpose built chassis fitted with Focus bodypanels, a 5.0 litre Ford Coyote engine and an Albins transaxle gearbox.McLeod will run the cars in a variety of endurance events around the world next year following their debut at Bathurst and says that, like in the GTC series, a mix of bodystyles will eventually be seen.McLeod, whose team will soon receive its second complete chassis from Pace Innovations, hopes that several young drivers will be amongst his large Bathurst crew.

We’re also currently negotiating with several young drivers to be part of the program.“In the past young drivers like Chaz Mostert, Scott Pye and Ash Walsh have been involved and we are keen to expand the young driver platform and blood new drivers.”A revised 50 car entry list has been released by race organisers today, up six from that seen in August.A second Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG from reigning race winners Erebus Motorsport is the most high profile addition.Victorian state-level team Vicious Rumour Racing has also joined the field, adding a fourth Ferrari 458 GT3 to those entered by Maranello Motorsport, AF Corse and Clearwater Racing.Other additions consist of a second Type 997 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for Indiran Padayachee and a similar entry for GT3 Cup Challenge front-runners Copyworld Motorsports.Maranello has this week confirmed its full driving squad, with Finn Mika Salo returning alongside John Bowe, car owner Peter Edwards and new-for-2014 recruit Craig Lowndes.Five more entries will be taken before the event reaches its grid capacity cut-off.Race organisers announced earlier this month that the 12 Hour will enjoy live free-to-air television coverage in 2014 for the first time since its return in 2007.
 
More updates from Erebus Motorsport GT at Macau
http://www.erebusmotorsportgt.com/news/erebus-motorsports-macau-mission-experience-exuberance


Erebus Motorsport’s AMG Customer Sports program has opted for a powerful mix of youthful experience for its GT Asia Series attack on the 60th Macau Grand Prix (November 15-17), engaging its V8 Supercar pilot, Maro Engel and Renger van der Zande - who has finished the Formula 3 race twice in the top five.The pair will each pilot one of Erebus Motorsport’s SLS AMG GT3s - which delivered the team an enviable streak of 10 consecutive race wins, including the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour and victory on its GT Asia Series debut with Mika Hakkinen in Zhuhai.27-year-old van der Zande’s four campaigns in Macau has yielded two top five finishes and a seventh with teams such as Prema Powerteam and Raikkonen-Robertson Racing.Engel, in his sole visit in 2006 for Carlin Motorsport alongside Sebastian Vettel, got caught in someone else’s incident in race one, then - in an under-powered vehicle - blasted from 32nd on the grid to finish ninth in a field that featured four of the current Formula 1 grid.Versatile Dutchman, van der Zande, has driven a variety of categories from LMP2 in last year’s World Endurance Championship and this year's ALMS, to Supercup and GP3, right through to DTM for Mercedes-Benz and GP2.He has raced in the AMG Customer Sports program this year, winning a races at Jerez (Spain) and Silverstone (UK) for Seyffarth Motorsport.Meantime, Engel is the consummate Mercedes-AMG Motorsport graduate. After a career in Formula 3, he entered DTM before moving into the AMG Customer Sports program and being a key driver in the development of the stunning SLS AMG GT3 Gullwing.Symbolically, Macau 2006 was Engel’s last race in a non-Mercedes powered vehicle and his only appearance in the Erebus Motorsport SLS AMG GT3 in 2012 delivered success at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, leading a resounding Erebus 1-2.This year, the 28-year-old Monaco-based German made one of the boldest decisions of his career to move to Australia and be a foundation driver in Erebus Motorsport’s V8 Supercar program, which fields three E63 AMG models. He drives the #9 SP Tools Racing entry.The Macau event is the second for Erebus Motorsport’s AMG Customer Sports Program outside Australia, having earlier this month debuted with success at Zhuhai in China. Double F1 World Champ, Mika Hakkinen took a stunning victory with young Chinese racer, Matthew Solomon.To choose Engel and van der Zande embodies the high performance, but youthful and precise nature of AMG, along with that of Erebus Motorsport and the AMG Customer Sports program - which is increasing its global footprint on a daily basis.To provide a guiding hand, AMG Customer Sports legend, Bernd Schneider will be in Macau - a track he has raced on in DTM in the past. Schneider will be there in his role as AMG brand ambassador to assist Erebus Motorsport and the drivers.Schneider has displayed the true performance of the SLS AMG GT3 better than anyone throughout 2013, tasting victory in the ‘Grand Slam’ of endurance races - the Dubai 24 Hour, Bathurst 12 Hour, Nurburgring 24 Hour and Spa 24 Hour - all behind the wheel of the Gullwing.
 
Audi Club Team WRT to make debut in GT Open

http://www.gtopen.net/article.php?cont=803

The Barcelona round will see the debut in the International GT Open of the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT, one of the top and most successful squads in GT racing in the last years.

The Belgian team will enter one Audi R8 LMS ultra GT3 for Belgium’s Yves Weerts, one of the co-owners of the team together with Vincent Vosse and René Verbiest, and stalwart GT racer Filipe Albuquerque from Portugal.

“We are very happy to go to Barcelona to discover the GT Open”, said Team Principal Vincent Vosse, “and we hope to be competitive. This will also be a good opportunity for Yves to acquire more race mileage and for Filipe to reacquaint himself with the R8”.
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LEMANS-STYLE START FOR HYLANDS GT RACE

http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/11/05/le-mans-style-start-highlands-gt-race/

Sunday’s Highlands 101 GT race will kick-off with a modern interpretation of the classic Le Mans-style pitlane starting procedure.The traditional Le Mans start, used at the French classic prior to 1971, saw drivers run to their parked cars once a starting signal had been given.The subsequent process of blasting out of pitlane while fastening seatbelts and avoiding slower runners was highly dangerous, eventually resulting in a rolling start being used from 1971.The Highlands 101 will see cars lined up at 45 degree in pitlane for the start but with the non-starting co-drivers completing the short run.The co-drivers will then take a velcro strip from the back of their respective cars as a visual signal of completing the run.Each car controller will subsequently instruct their driver, who is already strapped into the car, to leave pitlane and start the race.Tony Quinn, who owns both the circuit and the Australian GT Championship, said that he expects the unique rules to provide an exciting but safe start.“Normal pit lane rules apply so speed is limited to 40 km/h and the starting driver will only accelerate to racing speeds once they’ve exited pit lane,” he said.“Everyone will be briefed thoroughly and our officials will be watching carefully and issuing drive-through penalties to any teams who create an incident during what will be a frantically exciting start.”The 101 field will consist of an amalgamation of Australian GT and South Island Endurance Series competitors.Two points races on the Saturday will conclude the 2013 AGTC, which has already been secured by Klark Quinn.
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That's pretty awesome! Nice concept, but somehow I see someone effing it up...
 
Hope a codriver doesnt get his hand or arm gashed after the tearoff. I saw on tv, a V8 technical driver get his hand hit by the rear wing because he was close to the car during a pit stop. Definitely is an oddball move.
 
Isn't Paul Morris making a start in that race? I can't imagine he'd be fit enough to run that length. :lol:
 
Great news for British GT fans. United Autosports have confirmed Mark Patterson and fellow Geordie Matt Bell for the Avon Tyres British GT Championship 2014. With any luck they will switch to the McLaren MP4-12C and resign Alvaro Parente.

United Autosports has today announced that Mark Patterson and Matt Bell will return to the Avon Tyres British GT Championship next year, after signing up again with the Leeds-based squad.

Patterson and Bell, who finished as runners-up this season by just 1.5 points, are aiming to go one place better in 2014 and become the first Audi-powered Champions in the history of the popular national GT series.

After a rollercoaster year, Patterson and Bell took a storming win in the season finale at Donington Park just over a month ago, promoting the pair to second in the final championship standings and helping South African racer Patterson clinch the inaugural Blancpain Gentleman Drivers Trophy too.

The news today means Newcastle-born Bell will compete in his fourth successive full season in British GT, and 2014 will be both drivers fifth year with the Anglo-American team.

Next season British GT will visit six top British tracks and also visit the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. More new team and driver information will be released before the end of the year as the series receives unparalleled levels of interest from competitors new and old.

Quotes

Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:

“We are thrilled that both Mark and Matt are returning to United next year for the British GT Championship. They were one of the best pro-am pairings in the 2013 field, proven by the consistent results, so to have them back together after forming such a solid relationship is great news for the team.”

Zak Brown, Team Owner, United Autosports:

“I’m delighted that Mark and Matt will be with United Autosports in the British GT Championship again next year. They missed the title by 1.5 points last season and I’ve no doubt they will do even better in 2014.”

Mark Patterson, Driver, United Autosports:

“I’m so pleased to be back with United for the 2014 British GT Championship. I have been racing with the team for four years now and there’s no other team I’d rather be with. Driving with Matt is such a pleasure and I’ve learnt a lot from him in the short time we have been driving together so I’m feeling very positive for 2014.”

Matt Bell, Driver, United Autosports:

“Joining United again for the 2014 championship is great, as is being partnered with Mark for the second year running. Mark was easily one of the best gentlemen drivers in the 2013 field so we are very hopeful for what 2014 could bring.”

Benjamin Franassovici, British GT Championship Manager:

“I am very happy to confirm this early entry of Mark and Matt with United Autosports. They came very close to the title by just 1.5 points this year and Matt's speed and experience in British GT is now a big plus, paired with Mark who has shown his ability by winning the Blancpain's Gentleman Trophy this year.”
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http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=1920
 
Diehardracer
Great news for British GT fans. United Autosports have confirmed Mark Patterson and fellow Geordie Matt Bell for the Avon Tyres British GT Championship 2014. With any luck they will switch to the McLaren MP4-12C and resign Alvaro Parente.
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I'm prepared to be wrong, but after the frankly terrible showing of the 2 McLaren MP4-12Cs that they ran throughout the year, I'd surprised if they return to them. I suspect they'll show up with Audi R8 LMS ultra's next year.
 
FIA GT Series to become Blancpain Sprint Series. Teams unable to do both will battle for their own title (either Sprint or Endurance) but a trophy will be made for the teams able to compete in both called the Blancpain GT Series title. The Sprint Series will consist of 2x 1hr races at each of the 7 events. Starting at Nogaro, then goes to Brands Hatch, Zandvoort, Slovakia Ring, Algarve, Navarra and then ending with Baku WC.

Money is more generous too. A prize fund of 100,00 euros (£83k approx) at every round except Baku with with 175k (£146k approx) for the finale. To encourage new talent extra money for teams fielding young drivers will be made available. An extra 100,000 euros will be awarded as well as 140,000 euros in kind will be awarded.

Entry fees will also be slashed.

I think this is wonderful news. But I am thinking the bigger teams like WRT would benefit more because they have the money to do both and therefore not only pick up the money for the Blancpain Sprint and not only the Blancpain Endurance but also the prize money for the Blancpain GT Series which is money for teams who do both. Smaller teams who can only do one won't see the financial benefit of money for the Blancpain GT Series. Could be wrong but that is what I make of it.

http://www.blancpain-endurance-seri...tnership-to-the-sro-promoted-gt-sprint-series
 

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