Stéphane Ratel outlined the 2010 GT1 World Project during the FIA-GT Test Days and we have asked him about the new GT1 World Championship.
The two first 2010 GT1s – the Nissan GT-R and the Ford GT1 – have been unveiled during the FIA-GT Test Days. I believe that it is a great day for you?
“Yes, it is. This is the result of several years of hard work, since we have been talking about the GT1 World Championship for three years now. I sincerely think that we must go against the grain to be successful. I think that it is the right time. Because of the current environmental problems and the economic crisis, I think that car-manufacturers, except in F1, have to reduce their projects. They cannot justify spending so much money. Works teams should disappear. I have been advocating for years another way of racing with privateers teams running race-cars prepared by independent tuners. And now, this idea makes sense.”
Does that mean that the World Championship must be environmental friendly?
“Electric cars are on the corner of the street and we are moving towards a global car-restriction. In a near future, high-performance cars will disappear, but not GTs. “Passion” cars will survive alongside everyday’s cars. We want to offer the best to a huge movement. I have been a race-fan for 25 years and I can remember how things have been in those days. Now there are many circuit-driving clubs. The “GT” movement is so large that it deserves a World Championship. The FIA has fully understood that. Believe me; the FIA does not easily award such a title. If the FIA does so, it means that they are aware that the class is important.”
Will electric cars enter the future World Championship?
“No prototype will run, only GTs. So if Porsche makes a hybrid car… I always give horses as an example: we don’t need horses anymore, but there are still horse-races! Car-racing is a massive movement. Even though one day, we don’t need GTs anymore, there will still be GTs. They are cut off from current reality of production. Many marques keep on making “passion” cars, like Nissan GT-R, BMW M6 or Audi R8.”
You announced yesterday that race-cars less exclusive than GTs should be eligible?
“We indeed would like to mix GTs and race-cars made in large numbers. We could do it in GT3 and we keep on developing this concept. We want to enlarge the panel.”
We have heard about several projects, like the Marussia. Is this kind of cars eligible for the GT1 World Championship?
“You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs, so we have to make a choice. Supercars are too exclusive and too expensive. We have received many requests from Gumpert, Koenig, Marussia, etc. But we want cars which are closer to road-cars, made by the thousand or hundred, not by ten or so.”
Why did you limit the number of car-manufacturers to six?
“First of all, I would say marques instead of car-manufacturers. The marques will be represented by cars prepared by independent tuners such as Matech. We aim at five marques in 2010, so 20 cars, and ideally 24 cars in the second or third year. We did that in order to restrict the cost of transportation. We need another plane for 26 GTs and their equipment, so it is not financially realistic.”
Why only two teams for every marque, and not one or three?
“We want to go by the equivalence of performance, as we did in GT3. Now we don’t want a team being the sole user of a marque otherwise we might come to an official representative. From my experience with car-makers in the late 90s, I have always been very clear about it. There are certain limits which should not be overstepped. The marques don’t enter to show technology, which could justify big money. We don’t need to take a sledgehammer to crack a nut!”
Won’t you deprive yourself of some marques though? It is not easy for an independent tuner to prepare four chassis by 2010…
“Things are clear. Nissan knows about it, as well as Matech; this is why they run one Ford of their own and one for Marc VDS in 2009, before running two cars in 2010. As to personally involved car-manufacturers, I am convinced that it can still be justified in prototype in long-lasting races. To show high technology – diesel, electric or hydrogen – in long-lasting races justifies spending a lot of money, but not in one-hour races.”
And why two cars for each team?
“Just because there must be rules. We have implemented the rule in GT3 and it has been working very well. This choice can be explained by reduced operating costs with two cars. Then I think that two cars sharing the same livery give a good impression. There won’t be any works teams, but teams will still be professional!”
You chose two one-hour races. How can you account it for?
“GT3, again, showed the way. Because of this format, races are spectacular and most GT championships are on the same pattern, including national series. Then because the Le Mans Series, that SRO partners, come up, endurance only means Le Mans. The FIA championship had to be different. It has started with three-hour, then two-hour and now, two one-hour races.”
It is also a good thing for TV broadcast…
“Yes, it will finally help us. We are getting better, but there is still a big step. There are either Eurosport or national sports channels. We chose the second option and I think that competitors are happy with that. Then the terrestrial channels come. It is more difficult and I cannot say today that we have come to an agreement. But if the championship is splendid… When the product is good, it comes to the market. An one-hour race on Sundays should help…”
What is the next short-term step?
“We are now finalizing. There are Nissan, Matech and Reiter Engineering. I must find two or three more teams. Many marques showed interest. There are 24 cars in FIA-GT in 2009 and I have had six months of hard work to find 16 other ones. Indeed, besides the GT1 World Championship, the GT2 European Championship has to work, because it carries on current GT2 and it can grow. A few teams left the championship because the GT2s felt like the fifth wheel in the Le Mans Series or the second one in FIA-GT. With two one-hour races and GT2s able to win overall, I think that some teams will come back. And they should be interested in a FIA title…”
Regarding GT2, how do the car-manufacturers currently involved look at the GT1 World Championship?
“Several were in favor of a GT2 championship, but I was not, for many reasons. Whatever I have heard for years, only Ferrari and Porsche run in this class in FIA-GT. Aston Martin, notwithstanding the rules, is not competitive. BMW has made a car based on the GT2S. Car-manufacturers know that it is very hard to catch up with Porsche and Ferrari. But hopefully Corvette’s brand new car will make it.”
Will the GT1s and GT2s spec 2010 be eligible for all the Le Mans Series and will the GT2 regulation stay the same?
“The regulation is made together with the ACO, which took part to all the talks. I suppose that the marques which will enter the GT1-2010 will be interested in entering Le Mans. I think that Nissan wants to see their car at the 24 Hours. And GT2s will stay as they are now, but with engines closer to road-engines.”
The Nissan and the Ford run with Michelin tires. As every current world championship is a control tire championship, will Michelin be the only supplier in GT1 World Championship?
“No, it won’t be a control tire championship. It will be open to tire manufacturers with customer race-tires as it is now in FIA-GT.”
How is European Championship’s calendar built?
“Nine rounds with five ones on the tracks in Central Europe visited by the World Championship: Great-Britain, Italy, Portugal, Germany and the 24 Hours of Spa. With two rounds in Eastern Europe, Romania and Bulgaria, there will be seven rounds shared between the World Championship and the European Championship. Zolder and Paul Ricard HTTT must be added.”
Cécile Bonardel (with Anthony Megevand)