http://www.planetlemans.com/20 ... sro-spa-press-conference/

More about regs here, Google translated but it's understandable (check the pics at least):

http://translate.google.com/tr ... =UTF8&sl=fr&tl=en

GT1 and GT2 classes will basicly become like current GT3 and then divided into GT1 and GT2... depending mostly on engine displacement.

At least finally some kind of agreement between FIA/SRO, ACO and manufacturers.

Something needed to be done about the small amount of GT1 cars entered in series', but dont get rid of my beloved DBR9 please! Cutting costs seems to be the FIA's aim finally but some of the things they are doing, like a standard ECU, is just lame imo. Not needed in GT racing, the racing is already close, doesn't need fidling with that much.

Limiting the ECU to factory is great way to control costs. The problem is not the ECU itself, but all the components that get attached to it. With a factory ECU they can run other parts that don't require as high of performance. As an example the injectors. With these they could run smaller injectors knowing that their competitors will be limited as well.

Thats only an example, but can be expanded to every other component hooked into the ECU.

It's nice to see some cost cutting. I haven't really watched GT1 since Dodge pulled it's funding of thier Viper in GT1 because of costs and instead they switched focus on the comp coupe which runs GT3? I haven't really kept up with the comp coupe.

Quote from BenjiMC :

Something needed to be done about the small amount of GT1 cars entered in series', but dont get rid of my beloved DBR9 please!

DBRS9 not good enough replacement? Here David Richards basicly says Aston NEEDS to be there, fighting against other rival models:

http://www.topgear.com/content ... 2008/07/stories/17/1.html

Quite interesting article btw, altough not related to FIA GT except for that one part...

In a proposal made by SRO last year, it was mentioned that standard ECU could mean also banning TC. I wish that would be so.

TC needs to go for sure. I suppose the DBRS9 is okay... but it's no DBR9. TBH as long as they sound as good i dont mind too much.

As long as it helps to get more manufacturers in, I'll be happy with the new regs

Quote from deggis :

DBRS9 not good enough replacement? Here David Richards basicly says Aston NEEDS to be there, fighting against other rival models:

http://www.topgear.com/content ... 2008/07/stories/17/1.html

Quite interesting article btw, altough not related to FIA GT except for that one part...

In a proposal made by SRO last year, it was mentioned that standard ECU could mean also banning TC. I wish that would be so.

The first picture on that article is of an DBR9 and the Charouz Lola LMP1 car. lol, not really Aston if you just putting only the engine in it.

Of course they've proud of it. Rear has been also designed by Aston and Aston is also paying the bills by running it.

Even funnier is the "Mazda" in ALMS... chassis is Lola and engine is AER.

The Lola is a solid chassis and body though... the Charouz car is always fun to watch.

The Charouz is a lola with funding and engine by Aston.

Aston Martin Racing – which develops and prepares the car for the Czech team – has built a new car up around a new chassis.

http://www.astonmartinracing.c ... b2-4636-8b40-a586e94a00fa

So yeah, I guess it's little bit more than just giving an engine.

I was talking about the 2008 Charouz. The rumours go that AM will have a full factory LMP1 team in 2009. This was a private team with factory backing (AM gave the engines, helped with development, lent some engineers, etc.).

I was not disagreeing

I personally think that it's not the best devellopment to be done. I dislike the split of GT1 and GT2 to be honest. Plus the GT1 will have two 60 minute races, wich is, not what I expect a Grand Tourer series to be. I'd rather like two 2 hour races. So the sole endurance event is the 24h of Spa. The carlendar of GT1 however, seems to be nice. Abu Dhabi as season opener, then down to south africa (circuit not known yet), back to Europe for Silverstone, Brno, Le Castellet... Canada (circuit not known yet)... then the 24h (most likely with a 60 minute race for GT1s prior to it, while the 24h race itself will be the only GT1+GT2 race, from what I know, where they share the grid)... Nürburgring, Circuit Algave, Budapest... Then to China (Zhuhai most likely but this has still to be confirmed)... and finally to Brazil (circuit not known yet)...

SRO's homepage for next season is already up... www.gt1world.com

However I'm looking foreward to see the Raeder's Lambo, the Prodrive's Aston Martin, the Nissan, the Ford GT and also the Maseratis and Chevies or Saleens back on track for the World Champs

There is interview with Ratel on that website. So now they need the old cars (Aston Martin DBR9, Corvette and Maserati) to make good grids. He talks about "grandfathering" but as far as I remember the original idea was to get 6 new cars. A mess but the cars will be performance balanced anyway so who really cares, the more the merrier. ACO has declared every car legal in the new GT1 Championship is welcome to Le Mans, so it means return of Nissan and Maserati.

_

Quote from deggis :

ACO has declared every car legal in the new GT1 Championship is welcome to Le Mans, so it means return of Nissan and Maserati.

great

EDIT: And a step into the right direction... to have a GT reglement which covers the 24h of LeMans too.

I wish they would come to bathurst.

Quote from TFalke55 :

EDIT: And a step into the right direction... to have a GT reglement which covers the 24h of LeMans too.

Not sure what you mean... Previously the rules between ACO and FIA were already essentially same. Reason why Maserati was not welcome to Le Mans was that it was illegal car in the first place. Some alterations were made to the original rules to make it legal in FIA GT but ACO never accepted these alterations.

Am I right that Maserati starts with its new Gran Turismo GT3? (GT GT3 :razz Saw it on the IAA