Sports car racing: Difference between revisions

'''Sports car racing''' is a form of [[motorsport]] [[road racing]] which utilises [[sports car]]s that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built [[Sports prototype|prototypes]] or [[Grand tourer|grand tourers]] based on road-going models. Broadly speaking, sports car racing is one of the main types of circuit [[auto racing]], alongside open-wheel single-seater racing (such as [[Formula One]]), [[touring car racing]] (such as the [[British Touring Car Championship]], which is based on 'saloon cars' as opposed to the 'exotics' seen in sports cars) and [[stock car racing]] (such as [[NASCAR]]). Sports car races are often, though not always, [[Endurance racing (motorsport)|endurance races]] that are run over relativelyparticularly largelong distances, andor therelarge amounts of time, isresulting usuallyin a larger emphasis placed on the reliability and efficiency of the car and its drivers as opposed to outright speedcar ofperformance theor driver skills. The [[FIA World Endurance Championship]] is an example of a sports car racing series.

The [[12 Hours of Sebring]], [[24 Hours of Daytona]], and 24 Hours of Le Mans were once widely considered the [[trifecta]] of sports car racing. [[Ken Miles]] would have been the only driver to ever win all three in the same year, but an error in Ford's [[team orders]] at the [[1966 24 Hours of Le Mans|1966 Le Mans]] cost him the win.

Sports prototype is the name given to a type of car used in sports car racing and is effectively the next automotive design and technological step -up from road-going sports cars and are, along with open-wheel cars, the pinnacle of racing-car design.

The highest level in sports car racing, these cars are purpose-built racing cars with enclosed wheels, and either open or closed cockpits. SinceEver since the [[World Sportscar Championship]] was conceived, there have been various regulations regarding bodywork, engine style and size, tyres and aerodynamics to which these cars must be built. Sports- prototypes may be (and often are) one-of-a-kind machines, and need bear no relation to any road-going vehicle, although during the 1990s, some manufacturers exploited a loophole in the FIA and ACO rules. whichAs meanta result, some cars racing in the GT category weredid pass actuallyas true sports- prototypes, andin siredturn leading to some road-going versions for homologation purposes. The Dauer-[[Porsche 962]]LM, [[Porsche 911 GT1]]-98, [[Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR|Mercedes CLK-GTR]] and [[Toyota GT-One]] were prime examples of prototypes masquerading as GTs.

In simplistic terms, sports- prototypes are two-seat racing cars with bodywork covering their wheels, and are as technically advanced and, depending on the regulations they are built to, as quick as or quicker than their single-seat counterparts. Although not widely known, sports-prototypes (along with Formula 1 cars) are responsible for introducing the most numbers of new technologies and ideas to motorsport, including rear-wings, ground effect 'venturi' tunnels, fan-assisted aerodynamics and dual-shift gearboxes. Some of these technologies eventually filter down to road cars.

In the [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest|ACO]] regulations, two categories of sports- prototypes are now recognised: P1 and P2. Cars competing in the P1 category must weigh no less than 900 kg and are limited to 6000 cc [[naturally aspirated]] and 4000 cc [[turbocharged]] engines. 5500 cc turbo-[[Diesel engine|Diesel]] engines are also permitted in P1 – [[Audi]] scored Le Mans victories with such a car in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and [[Peugeot]] returned to racing in 2007 with a car with a similar powerplant (Peugeot 908). P2 cars can weigh much less — first 675 kg, then 750 kg and now 825 kg — but are restricted to 3400 cc V6 or V8 normally aspirated or 2000 cc turbocharged powerplants. In the European series in which endurance is a priority and P2s have been run largely by privateers, P2s have not challenged P1s for outright victories; in the [[American Le Mans Series]] with generally shorter races P2 has become the most active prototype category with serious involvement from [[Porsche]] and [[Acura]] and whereas P2 in Europe tends to involve races of attrition, in the US series the P2s, particularly the [[Porsche RS Spyder]] are often quicker round a lap than P1s, with the Porsche having scored many overall victories against the Audis in P1.

Grand Touring (from the Italian ''[[Grand tourer|Gran Turismo]]'') racing is the most common form of sports car racing, and is found all over the world, in both international and national series. Historically, Grand Touring cars had to be in series production, but in 1976 the class was split into production-based [[Group 4 (racing)|Group 4 Grand Touring Cars]] and [[Group 5 (racing)|Group 5 Special Production Cars]], the latter of which were essentially pure-bred racing cars with production-lookalike bodies. GT racing gradually fell into abeyance in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s, with silhouette cars continuing to race in [[International Motor Sports Association|IMSA]] races in the USA. When GT racing revived after the collapse of the World Sports Car Championship at the end of 1992, the lead in defining rules was taken by the ACO. Under the ACO rules, Grand Touring cars are divided into two categories, Grand Touring 1 (GT1, formerly GT) and Grand Touring 2 (GT2, formerly N-GT). As the name of the class implies, the exterior of the car closely resembles that of the production version, while the internal fittings may differ greatly. GT2 cars are very similar to the FIA GT2 classification, and are considered 'pure' GT cars; that is production exotic cars with relatively few internal modifications for racing. The [[Porsche 911]] is currently the most popular car in the GT2 class. 2009 will be the last run of the GT1 class as a result of budgeting issues. GT1 teams are currently enlisting to run their cars in the GT2 class next year. The [[American Le Mans Series]] also runs a "GT-Challenge" class, which currently only uses [[Porsche 911 GT3]] Cups but will open to other cars next year. This category is designed for privateer and rookie teams as an easier way to enter the series.

FIA divides GT cars into four categories called GT1 (formerly GT), GT2 (formerly N-GT), GT3 (recently introduced) and GT4. The GT1 and GT2 divisions are very close to the ACO rules outlined above, and again some crossover racing does occur, particularly in the GT2 class. The GT3 class is relatively new and was introduced for 2006. These cars are closer to standard form than in GT2, and in most cases modifications are restricted to those found in one-make cups. GT4 is another new category for nonamateur and semi-professionalpro drivers in production-based cars with very few racing modifications – for example, no aerodynamic aids or body modifications are permitted. All of the categories (with the exception of GT2) have their own championships/cups run by the FIA. Currently, GT2 is defunct in the FIA, and only runs in Le Mans Series/ALMS; however, the FIA has also announced that GT2 cars will be able to compete in the [[FIA GT1 World Championship]] in 2012 in a '''World Class''' along with GT3 cars.

Grand-Am has only one class for Grand Touring cars which allows production-based GT racers at a spec somewhere between FIA GT2 and GT3 in terms of modification (e.g. the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) to compete with purpose-built tube-frame "silhouette" machines reminiscent of the former IMSA GTO/GTU classes. Grand-Am also runs various under-classes more reminiscent of GT4, though closer to factory cars. For 2012, GT3 cars will be allowed, with spec wings and splitters, as long as they pass a test at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina, thus allowing GT3 cars to run with few modifications relative to other series (NASCAR, the parent company of Grand-Am, does not permit anti-lock brakes or traction control to be used on Grand-Am GT cars).

{{As of|2012}}, the four GT categories are in mixed health. '''GT1''' has been all but phased out with the removal of the class from the [[FIA GT1 World Championship]] andin laterfavor of GT3 cars, in turn leading to the outright discontinuation of the series. '''GT2''' is usedcurrently bylimited to certain series, including the [[IMSA SportsCar Championship]], [[European Le Mans Series]], [[FIA World Endurance Championship]], [[Asian Le Mans Series]], and the [[International GT Open]]. '''GT3''', currentlywhich has since emerged as the most popular of the GT classes, ishas usedseen bywidespread use in many international and regional series such as the [[FIA GT3 European Championship]], and the [[Blancpain Endurance Series]], andas well as most national series such as Germany's [[ADAC GT Masters]] orand the [[British GT Championship]]. '''GT4''' has alsolikely been phased out like GT1, with the removal of the category from the Blancpain Endurance Series and the cancellation of the [[GT4 European Cup]] for 2012 due to issues regarding the organiser.

The original form of GT1 racing was dropped in 1998 because of rising costs. The GT1 class wasintended for the purebred [[supercar]]s and purpose-built race cars,. suchExamples asinclude the [[McLaren F1 GTR]], [[Ferrari F40]], [[Porsche 911 GT1]], [[Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR]], [[Toyota GT-One]] and [[Nissan R390]] – while the first two were a derivatives of road-going sports cars, the German and Japanese contenders were pure-bred racing cars – virtually sports prototypes. Rising costs coupled with declining entries led to the death of this class in 1998, and it was replaced by what iswas then called GT2 (by the FIA, which later evolved into the GT1) and [[Le Mans Prototype]] (LMP, by the ACO).

This process iswas due to happen againrepeated in 2009 as ain response to cost increases in GT1 and GT2 racing:, forresulting in the 2009abolition season,of GT1both andGT GT2classes as they currently stand will be abolishedstood. Various proposals exist to control technology and costs, mainly by abolishingdiscontinuing the existing GT1 class and creating new class boundaries between current GT2, GT3 and GT4 cars.

In Europe, although most national championships ([[British GT Championship|British]], [[FFSA GT Championship|French]], [[ADAC GT Masters|German]] and the SpanishSpain-based [[International GT Open]]) run under FIA/ACO GT regulations with some modifications to ensure closera racingmore balanced competition and lower costs, some championships are open to non-homologated GT cars. The [[Belcar]] series in Belgium allows silhouettes and touring cars to race alongside GTs, while the [[VdeV Modern Endurance]] allows small prototypes from national championships such as the Norma, Centenari and [[Radical Sportscars|Radical]] to race alongside GT3 -class cars. [[Britcar]] permits a wide range of touring and GT cars to compete in endurance races, and [[Britsports]] permits various kinds of sports racerracing cars.

*[[World Sportscar Championship]] – The long-running former World Championship, which dissolved in 1992. Originally contested in 1953 by Sports carsCars, GTs and even Touring carsCars, towards its end it was Sportsrestricted carsto onlySports Cars. At various times, it was also known as the '''International Championship for GT Manufacturers''', '''International Championship for Sports Cars''', '''International Championship for Makes''', '''World Championship for Makes''', '''World Endurance Championship''' and '''World Sports Prototype Championship'''. 1963 saw the first formal separation of Sports Cars and GT cars in separate championships. The practice continued until 1977, after which it became a sports car only series.

*[[Porsche Supercup]] – One -make series for Porsche Carrera Cup cars., Supportsserving as a support series for the Formula One world championship. Predominately European series, but has since also ventured into western Asia.

*[[Intercontinental Le Mans Cup]] – International championship, howeverstarting in 2010 and ending in 2011. Despite its international status, it was not considered an official World Championship because it iswas not organised by the FIA, starting in 2010 and ending in 2011.

*[[Super GT]] – Japan-based sports car racing championship; previously known as the Japan GT Championship (JGTC).