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Group GT3

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Group GT3, known technically as Cup Grand Touring Cars[1] and commonly referred to as simply GT3, is a set of regulations maintained by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for grand tourer racing cars designed for use in various auto racing series throughout the world. The GT3 category was initially created in 2005 by the SRO Group as a third rung in the ladder of grand touring motorsport, below the Group GT1 and Group GT2 categories which were utilized in the SRO's FIA GT Championship, and launched its own series in 2006 called the FIA GT3 European Championship. Since then, Group GT3 has expanded to become the de facto category for many national and international grand touring series, although some series modify the ruleset from the FIA standard. By 2013, nearly 20 automobile manufacturers have built or been represented with GT3 machines.

Group GT3 allows for a wide variety of car types to be homologated with almost no limit on engine sizes and configurations or chassis construction or layout. GT3 cars must be based on production road car models in production. Performance of all the Group GT3 cars are regulated, either by the GT Bureau of the FIA or by a series' specific ruling body, through Balance of Performance formulae that adjusts limits on horsepower, weight, engine management, and aerodynamics to prevent a single manufacturer from becoming dominant in the class. The cars in GT3 are designed to have a weight between 1200 kg and 1300 kg (2645 lbs and 2866 lbs) with horsepower between 500 hp and 600 hp. All cars have a very similar power to weight ratio but achieved either by high power and high weight such as the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG[2] or low power and low weight such as the Porsche 911 GT3.[3] GT3 cars also have traction control, ABS and built in air jacks for quick pit stops.

History

A Dodge Viper Competition Coupe from the debut FIA GT3 European Championship

The concept behind Group GT3 was introduced by Stéphane Ratel, head of the SRO Group and promoter of the FIA GT Championship in 2005.[4] The Group GT1 and Group GT2 cars in the FIA GT Championship required manufacturers to build a car based on regulations, and then develop that car to increase its performance, thus increasing the cost for the manufacturers and the customers wanting to race the cars. GT3 was envisioned as a category that would simplify the process by combining several existing cars from one-make series, such as the Porsche Supercup or Ferrari Challenge, as well as other race cars available from manufacturers that did not fit in GT1 or GT2, such as the Aston Martin DBRS9 or Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, and allow them to all compete on a level playing field through strict control of their performance by the FIA. This would allow drivers a bridge between smaller national series and the professional international FIA GT Championship.[5] Further, the category was conceived to use sprint formats for races, but manufacturers could develop and sell an upgrade kit for their cars to allow GT3 cars to be used in endurance races. A similar category, under the same name, had been in use in the British GT Championship which the SRO Group also organized.

The regulations and homologations for Group GT3 were prepared by the FIA and ready by the start of the 2006 season, with eight manufacturers represented as the first Balance of Performance test prior to the debut of the FIA GT3 European Championship.[6] The British GT Championship, International GT Open, Spanish GT Championship, and Italian GT Championship all created a category specifically for the FIA's new Group GT3 machines. The SRO Group expanded the category in 2007 with the launch of two new regional championships, the Brazilian GT Championship and the German ADAC GT Masters, exclusively running Group GT3 cars. The British GT Championship abandoned Group GT2 cars, promoting GT3 to their premiere category, while the Belcar series reorganized their class structure to introduce GT3 as their lead class. The French FFSA GT Championship also added a new GT3 category.

The Australian GT Championship brought on board the GT3 category in 2008 while the VLN Series and 24 Hours Nürburgring added GT3 categories in 2009. By 2011 Group GT3 was expanding into endurance racing with the formation of the Blancpain Endurance Series as well as winning overall at the Bathurst 12 Hour, Dubai 24 Hour, Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race, and Spa 24 Hours, followed by a 24 Hours Nürburgring victory in 2012. Group GT3 also expanded to the United States with the Rolex Sports Car Series allowing several GT3 cars with specification wings, as well as the Japanese Super GT and Super Taikyu [ja] series, while Nissan became the first Japanese manufacturer to sell a GT3 car. GT3 category cars also replaced Group GT1 cars in the FIA GT1 World Championship before rebranding as the FIA GT Series in 2013. After NASCAR merged their Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series with IMSA's American Le Mans Series, the new United SportsCar Championship allowed more types of GT3 cars to join the GTD category, and in 2016 limited the category to only GT3 spec machines.

On 9 March 2018, it was announced that the FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the introduction of a new process, in which a minimum production number required for GT3 race cars would be enforced. Ten units must be made within twelve months as from the homologation date, twenty units must be made within twenty-four months and so on.[7]

Homologated cars

An Audi R8 LMS ultra in the Super GT series
An Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 in ADAC GT Masters
A BMW Z4 GT3 in the FIA GT1 World Championship
A Nissan GT-R GT3 in the Super Taikyu Series

As of March 2019, 51 cars have been homologated in Group GT3 by the FIA, although four of these homologations have expired.[8] Other vehicles have been allowed to run alongside Group GT3 cars in various series under homologations from national ruling bodies, including the Mosler MT900R GT3, Ginetta G55 GT3, Chevron GR8 GT3, Radical RXC GT3, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG 003, Emil Frey Jaguar XKR G3, Acura TLX-GT and Renault Sport R.S. 01 GT3.

Group GT3 cars can be built either directly by the automotive manufacturer, such as Porsche, Audi, or Mercedes-Benz, or built by racing teams and tuning companies at the behest of the manufacturer, such as Ford GTs built by Matech Concepts, Lamborghinis built by Reiter Engineering, or Aston Martins by Prodrive.

Homologation Manufacturer Model Notes
GT3-001 Maserati Coupe Grand Sportif Light
GT3-002 Dodge Viper Competition Coupe
GT3-003 Aston Martin DBRS9
GT3-004 Lamborghini Gallardo LP520 GT3
GT3-005 Corvette Z06.R GT3
GT3-006 Ascari KZ1 GT3
GT3-007 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 997 generation 911 GT3, 2006 model only
GT3-008 Venturi GT3 Heritage
GT3-009 Ferrari F430 GT3
GT3-010 Ford Racing Mustang FR500C GT
GT3-011[9] Ford GT GT3 Homologation expired, replaced by GT3-016
GT3-012[9] Jaguar XKR GT3 Homologation expired
GT3-013 Morgan Aero 8 GT3
GT3-014 Lotus Exige GT3
GT3-015 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S
GT3-016 Ford GT GT3 Engine design was changed from GT3-011
GT3-017 Audi R8 LMS Includes R8 LMS ultra
GT3-018 BMW Alpina B6 GT3
GT3-019 Ferrari 430 Scuderia GT3
GT3-020 Dodge Viper Competition Coupe Series 2
GT3-021[9] Jaguar XKR-S GT3 Homologation expired
GT3-022 Morgan Aero Super Sport GT3
GT3-023 BMW Z4 GT3
GT3-024 Lamborghini Gallardo LP600+ GT3 Includes Gallardo FL2 GT3 and R-EX
GT3-025 Porsche 911 GT3 R 997 generation 911 GT3
GT3-026 Corvette Callaway Z06.R GT3
GT3-027[9] Ford Mustang VDS GT3 Homologation expired
GT3-028 Mercedes-AMG SLS AMG GT3
GT3-029 Ferrari 458 Italia GT3
GT3-030 Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3
GT3-031 McLaren MP4-12C GT3
GT3-032 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3
GT3-033 Chevrolet Camaro GT3
GT3-034 Maserati GranTurismo MC GT3
GT3-035 Bentley Continental GT3
GT3-036 Dodge Viper GT3-R
GT3-037 McLaren 650S GT3
GT3-038 Audi R8 LMS Second generation R8, includes R8 LMS Evo
GT3-039 Cadillac ATS-V.R GT3
GT3-040 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Includes Huracán GT3 Evo
GT3-041 Porsche 911 GT3 R 991 generation 911 GT3
GT3-042 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Includes GT3 Evo
GT3-043 BMW M6 GT3
GT3-044 Ferrari 488 GT3 Includes GT3 Evo
GT3-045 Corvette Callaway C7 GT3-R
GT3-046 Toyota Lexus RC F GT3
GT3-047 Honda Acura NSX GT3 Includes NSX GT3 Evo
GT3-048 Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 Second generation GT-R
GT3-049 Bentley Continental GT3 Second generation Continental GT
GT3-050 Porsche 911 GT3 R 991.2 generation 911 GT3
GT3-051 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Second generation Vantage
GT3-052 McLaren 720S GT3

Series

The opening lap of an ADAC GT Masters race

Since 2006, Group GT3 cars have been either exclusive to or in a distinct class in each of the following series:

Bold indicates an active series that currently uses Group GT3 cars.

Additionally, the following series allow certain Group GT3 cars to participate alongside other competitors:

References

  1. ^ "Article 251 - 2012 Classification and Definitions" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  2. ^ "mercedes-benz-sls-amg-gt3".
  3. ^ "Porsche 911 GT3-R".
  4. ^ "A History of Racing Excellence". SRO Group. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  5. ^ "04/12/2005 Successful launch of FIA European GT3 Championship". FIA GT Championship. 12 April 2005. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Silverstone Supercar Showdown : FIA GT3 European Championship". FIA GT3 European Championship. 2006. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  7. ^ "FIA Enforce Minimum Production Rates For GT3 Race Cars – Acting Against 'GT3 Prototypes'". dailysportscar.com. Dailysportscar. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  8. ^ "2019 Liste des Véhicules / N° Homologation" [List of Vehicles / Homologation Number] (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d "Appendix I - List of Eligible Vehicles" (PDF). Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2016.[permanent dead link]
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